One day in Queenstown

Just a stone’s throw from Lake Wakatipu, Ivy & Lola’s is a great local cafe to start your day. Their brunch menu has your usual big hitters, eggs benedict, and a big breakfast option where you can get poached eggs, streaky bacon, garlic mushrooms, sausages, hash browns, sourdough toast, and a virgin mary shot, all for $23.50. Great way to set you up for a full day of fun. The hoki (Hake) is delicious as well, as are any of the amazing fried food dishes available on the menu. Whatever you need to power through your day, there’s a whole host of choices at Ivy and Lola’s. Fun fact: it’s named after the owners two daughters, cue adorable aw.

Relax and unwind at one of Queenstown best vineyards, Amisfield is a delight for the senses. They pride themselves on taking guests out of their culinary comfort zone, whether you’re just visiting for the day or you’ve been a million times, they make the experience special just for you. We’d recommend trying the Trust the Chef menu to go out of your comfort zone.

This place is where the locals go to hang out. It uses amazing produce from the hills, or farmed down the road, or caught just off the coat. It’s the closest restaurant to the lake and you can enjoy the views all year round in their outdoor terrace. Definitely the place to go in the summer. Choose some of their sharing dishes so you can pick at the delicious food while you watch the world go by.

A Queenstown institution. After a busy morning doing some adventure activities, this is the place to go for your burger craving fix. It usually has queues outside the door all day, and even in winter, so be prepared, but their burgers are second to none and loved by tourists and locals alike.

If you’re having a mooch, you’ll probably need to stop off for a coffee, and our pick would be Yonder. New Zealand is known for its great coffee, the people got rid of Starbucks from their country, amazing eh? Anywho, Yonder has all the things you want from a great coffee place, great staff, good vibes, delicious food, and of course good coffee. If you’re a wee bit peckish, go for one of their salads, or a cake if you want to treat yourself.

Located in Queenstown’s historic precinct with spectacular lake views and signature roaring log fires inside and out, Botswana Butchery is one of Queenstown’s most stylish restaurants. It has a menu full of flavour, and steak. It’s also known as one of the most popular restaurants in Queenstown since it’s opening over ten years ago (so make sure you book). If you’re looking for something to please the carnivores, this is your spot.

This is the place for the younguns, we’re talking the insta loving millenials, White + Wongs is pretty hip, hop, happenin’ and it’s food is just so as well. Their ‘east meets west’ menu takes classic street foods from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand – the noodles, soups, curries and delicious dumplings – and let’s you create an eclectic meal just for you. With everything from massaman to sashimi to oysters, there’s everything here.

If seafood is what you’re after, we’d recommend Finz seafood and grill, especially with it’s great location just on the waterfront in the upmarket Steamer Wharf Dining precinct in Queenstown where you can watch the TSS Earnslaw Steamship head off on her cruises and keep an eye on people strolling along the Wharf.Whilst specializing in seafood, Finz will also tempt you with cuts of Prime New Zealand Beef and Southland Lamb.