Best Christchurch restaurants for a great night out

Describing themselves as the kind of place that works for a big night out but also as a cosy local, Bessie is one of the best Christchurch restaurants to have an evening out in style. With a relaxed, rustic interior it’s a great spot to enjoy some great meats with pals. Their menu is predominantly focused around the carnivore with speciality cuts of dry aged rib-eyes and T-bones featuring alongside grass-fed Canterbury beef (don’t worry there are still some veggie options if you’re the lone plant-eater of the group). The cocktails are a delight; a mix of classics like the martini and Manhattan sitting alongside their own creations like the blood orange Rob Roy. Yum.

If your friends and family are anything like ours, they’re a pretty mixed bunch. There’ll be vegans, gluten-frees, heaving drinkers, and teetotallers involved in this night out, and you need a space that can accommodate them all. Enter the Monday Room. A gorgeous venue that oozes elegance, the Monday Room caters for everyone; their grill produces great meats alongside halloumi steaks and delicious sweet potato gnocchi. The cocktail list is to die for and the drinks are beautifully made. If drinking isn’t your thing, they’re also dessert specialists and produce some of the finest puddings in Christchurch. Don’t say we’re not good to you.

Every list of best Christchurch restaurants needs a fine dining option and Original Sin is just that. Their executive chef, David Nicol, travelled the world honing his cooking skills and brought them back to Christchurch to delight the locals. Focusing on using sustainable ingredients from New Zealand, this place is one of the best restaurants to go to if you’re treating yourself to a really great night out. Relax and enjoy their sophisticated presentation in a glamorous environment and indulge one of their most popular tipples: champagne. Perfect for when you’re feeling a bit classy and ready to celebrate. And with their beautiful decor, it’s one that’s bound to impress your Insta followers!

If it’s quirkiness you’re looking for, Dux Dine is the place for you. Situated in the old station master’s house at the Riccarton Railway, there’s a lot of quaint charm here to get you into the spirit of things. Focusing on fresh, sustainable, local produce, each dish is lovingly crafted to look and taste fantastic. Even their beers and wines are sourced from New Zealand so you know you’re really dining local. It’s one of the best restaurants in Christchurch to gather your pals at any time; they have different brunch, lunch, and dinner menus, each with special touches to make your big night on the town the best ever.

Do you want to “Thai” something truly delicious? If you answered yes, then you must try the melt in your mouth beef cheeks and the pad thai at Spice Paragon. It’s the perfect spot for getting the gang together. The wontons will leave everyone wanting more and the sides are packed with so much flavour, you’ll all be eating each other’s. To finish off, order a round of affogatos (Instagram it) along with their homemade coconut ice cream to cool down the lingering spice sensations. If you’ve all got special dietary requirements but want something to savour, don’t worry, there’s something for everyone be it a spice girl or a spice evader. Good food, good people, and an after dinner food coma – that’s what a great night out is all about.