Queenstown is New Zealand's adventure capital, set on the shore of Lake Wakatipu beneath The Remarkables mountain range. Known for bungy jumping, jet boating and skiing, it also offers lakeside dining, Central Otago wineries and the gold-rush village of Arrowtown.
Queenstown dining runs from the Fergburger queue to a two-star tasting menu, all within a compact lakeside town. Central Otago produce (lamb, venison, salmon, stone fruit, cheese) and Pinot Noir from Gibbston, Bannockburn and Cromwell anchor menus, and Rātā, Amisfield, Sherwood and Essence hold stars in the inaugural 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand. Arrowtown and Lake Hayes add Aosta, Bianca by Giovi and the Ayrburn precinct about 20 minutes away by car.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Queenstown.
Fergburger
The town's signature hand-built beef burger, sold from 7AM to 2:30AM; queues are shortest before noon and late evening
Where to try: Fergburger, 42 Shotover Street
Price: NZ$17.20-26.90 (~US$9.98-15.60)
Central Otago lamb and venison
Shoulder, cutlet and saddle of lamb and local venison feature on many menus alongside Central Otago Pinot Noir
Where to try: Rātā, Botswana Butchery, The Woolshed at Ayrburn
Price: Mains typically NZ$40-70 (~US$23-40.50); confirm on menus
Pinot Noir with a winery lunch
Matched-wine lunches at Gibbston Valley Winery, beside New Zealand's largest wine cave
Where to try: Gibbston Valley Winery, 1820 State Highway 6
Price: From NZ$88 (~US$51) for two courses with cave tour
Handmade pasta
Northern Italian handmade pasta singled out at Arrowtown's Aosta
Where to try: Aosta, Bianca by Giovi, Bella Cucina
Price: Confirm on menu
Wood-fired pizza at The Cow
Pizza served from a stone cowshed since 1977, with the chicken liver pasta also recommended
Where to try: The Cow, Cow Lane
Price: Confirm on menu
Pies
Hearty savoury pies and baked goods from the bakery next to Fergburger
Where to try: Fergbaker, 40 Shotover Street
Price: Confirm on menu
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Fergburger
Queenstown's best-known burger shop, open from 7AM to 2:30AM daily, with a long street-side queue most evenings. Burgers listed from NZ$17.20 to NZ$26.90 (~US$9.98-15.60).
Known for: Hand-built beef burgers
42 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300
Fergbaker
Bakery beside Fergburger on Shotover Street known for hearty pies, plus sandwiches, cakes, pastries and breads.
Known for: Savoury pies and baked goods
40 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300
Rātā
Josh Emett's flagship restaurant on Ballarat Street, awarded one star in the inaugural 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand. Produce-led menu of Bites, Starters, Mains, Feasts and Sides built on Central Otago ingredients, with a Central Otago-heavy wine list.
Known for: Seasonal New Zealand produce, lamb and venison
43 Ballarat Street, Queenstown 9300
Botswana Butchery
Steakhouse in Archers Cottage on Marine Parade, with log fires, a Central Otago wine list and a lakeside setting. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Premium steaks from the Butcher's Block and slow-cooked lamb shoulder
Archers Cottage, 17 Marine Parade, Queenstown 9300
Public Kitchen & Bar
Ground-floor restaurant and bar at Steamer Wharf on the Queenstown waterfront, serving handcrafted pastas and Italian classics made with regional ingredients, plus a cocktail list.
Known for: Handcrafted pasta and Italian classics
Ground Floor, Steamer Wharf, Beach Street, Queenstown 9300
Amisfield Cellar Door Bistro & Restaurant
Winery at Lake Hayes with two dining options: the one-star (2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand) Restaurant, a dinner-only tasting menu of theatrical, hyper-seasonal cooking with wild game, and the Cellar Door Bistro serving a la carte from 11:30AM. Estate organic wines.
Known for: Trust-the-chef tasting menu with matched estate Pinot Noir
10 Lake Hayes Road, Lake Hayes, Queenstown 9371
Essence by ROKI Collection
Queenstown's only two-star restaurant in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand, led by chef Paul Froggatt. Tasting menus ("The Journey") built on local seasonal produce with European technique and a Pinot Noir-focused wine list.
Known for: Tasting menu with Central Otago Pinot Noir
2 Brunswick Street, Queenstown 9300
Sherwood
One-star restaurant (2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand) on Frankton Road with lake views, producing much of its food on site. Known for wood-fired flatbreads, sustainable seafood and a share-style menu; more than half the wine list is in-house production.
Known for: Garden-grown produce, wood-fired flatbreads and sustainable seafood
554 Frankton Road, Queenstown 9300
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Italian
Aosta
Arrowtown restaurant by chef Ben Bayly with Northern Italian cooking and a French edge, awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand. Handmade pasta and a Baileys, amaretto and salted caramel tiramisu are singled out.
Known for: Handmade pasta and Northern Italian cooking
18 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 9302
Sundays
Italian-inspired restaurant in a restored 1933 church in Frankton, with a wood-fired oven, lawn and playground; Bib Gourmand in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand.
Known for: Wood-fired pizza and shared plates
Country Lane, 26 Hansen Road, Frankton, Queenstown 9300
The Cow
Stone-cowshed pizzeria on Cow Lane serving since 1977 with a menu unchanged since opening; Bib Gourmand in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand. No bookings.
Known for: Pizza, pasta and soups by an open fire
Cow Lane, Queenstown 9300
Bianca by Giovi
Vintage-styled Italian restaurant in Arrowtown with handmade pasta and traditional-style pizzas; ravioli is a standout. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Handmade pasta and pizza
4/14 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown 9302
Bella Cucina
Relaxed Italian restaurant on Brecon Street praised for its pasta, serving lunch daily and evening dining.
Known for: Pasta and Italian classics
6 Brecon Street, Queenstown 9300
Modern New Zealand
Nest Kitchen & Bar
Restaurant at Kamana Lakehouse with mountain and lake views, creative New Zealand cooking, a gin and tonic menu featuring local spirits and a Central Otago wine list. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Creative New Zealand cooking with lake views
139 Fernhill Road, Fernhill, Queenstown 9300
True South Dining Room
Intimate, romantic dining room at The Rees on Frankton Road where the chef works with local farmers and fishermen and uses hops creatively. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Locally sourced seasonal New Zealand dishes
377 Frankton Road, Queenstown 9300
The Millhouse
Restaurant at Millbrook Resort serving seasonal food from the resort's own farm and garden, with house-milled bread nodding to the site's flour-mill history. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Farm-and-garden produce with house-milled bread
Millbrook Resort, 1124 Malaghans Road, Arrowtown 9371
Bistro
Toast & Oak
Small European-style bistro and wine bar up the checkered stairs on Shotover Street, with seasonal fusion cooking, an Expressions tasting menu and 60 New Zealand wines by the glass. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: New Zealand wines by the glass and seasonal tasting menu
15 Shotover Street, Queenstown 9300
The Woolshed at Ayrburn
Bistro and grill at the Ayrburn precinct serving bistro classics and grilled meats; lamb cutlet and lamb saddle are highlighted. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Bistro classics and grilled lamb
1 Ayr Avenue, Arrowtown 9302
Chinese
Billy's at Ayrburn
Refined Cantonese cooking in a restored homestead at the Ayrburn precinct near Arrowtown, with Chinese-themed cocktails and a glazed conservatory dining room. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Refined Cantonese dishes
1 Ayr Avenue, Arrowtown 9302
Fusion
Blue Kanu
Church Street restaurant and bar pairing Polynesian and Asian flavours; sashimi, dumplings, slow-cooked meats and wok-fired greens, with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Known for: Polynesian-Asian shared plates
16 Church Street, Queenstown 9300
Mediterranean
Soda
Mediterranean sharing-plate restaurant with a wood-fired oven near the bay; antipasti, fire-roasted bread and grilled octopus, plus drinks before and after meals. Listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Shared Mediterranean plates from a wood-fired oven
2 Rees Street, Queenstown 9300
Steakhouse
Jervois Steak House
Charcoal-grilled New Zealand Angus beef and Japanese and Australian Wagyu with an extensive wine list; listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand selection.
Known for: Charcoal-grilled Angus and Wagyu
8 Duke Street, Queenstown 9300
Winery Dining
Gibbston Valley Winery Restaurant
Restaurant at Gibbston Valley Winery in the Gibbston Valley, about 25 minutes from Queenstown, beside New Zealand's largest wine cave. Cellar door open 10AM-5PM daily; restaurant bookings recommended, essential for groups of ten or more.
Known for: Pinot Noir with a winery lunch
1820 State Highway 6, Gibbston, Queenstown 9371
Food tours & tastings in Queenstown
Eat your way through Queenstown with a guide.
Browse food experiences in QueenstownWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Fergburger takeaway
Burgers handed out of the Shotover Street shopfront until 2:30AM, a common post-night-out stop
Find it at: 42 Shotover Street
Fergbaker pies and pastries
Pies, sandwiches, cakes and pastries from the bakery beside Fergburger
Find it at: 40 Shotover Street
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Remarkables Market
Saturday market at Remarkables Park, Frankton, listed at 9AM-2PM during the spring-to-autumn season (about October to April); listings vary on closing time, so confirm before travelling.
Hours: Saturday 9AM-2PM (seasonal)
Queenstown Market at Earnslaw Park
Saturday lakefront market listed by a local guide as running year-round; confirm current hours before travelling.
Hours: Saturday (confirm times)
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Book Rātā, Essence, Amisfield, Nest and Sherwood weeks ahead for Friday and Saturday nights and the June-August ski season; popular restaurants can fill two to three weeks out in December, January and July.
The Cow takes no bookings; arrive early or after the first dinner rush.
Fergburger queues are shortest before noon or after 9PM; it is open 7AM-2:30AM daily.
Nest, Sherwood, Amisfield and the Arrowtown restaurants are outside the town centre and need a short taxi or car trip.
Several Arrowtown and Ayrburn venues close on two weekdays, so check opening days before driving out.
- Vegetarian
- Blue Kanu lists vegetarian options and Italian restaurants such as Aosta, Sundays and Bella Cucina offer pasta and pizza without meat; confirm on menus.
- Halal
- No halal-certified restaurants were confirmed in retrieved sources; check with the restaurant when booking.
- Gluten free
- Blue Kanu lists gluten-free options; most table-service restaurants accommodate gluten-free diners if told when booking.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | NZ$17-30 per meal (~US$9.90-17.40) | Fergburger (NZ$17.20-26.90 per burger), Fergbaker pies and pizza at The Cow |
| Mid-range | NZ$40-70 per person (~US$23-40.50) | Italian and Mediterranean restaurants such as Public Kitchen, Soda, Sundays and Aosta; confirm on menus |
| Upscale | NZ$100+ per person (~US$58+) | Rātā, Essence, Botswana Butchery and Jervois Steak House; Amisfield's Restaurant tasting menu is NZ$425 (~US$246.50) |