Restaurants in Christchurch

Loch & Quay is a classy bar and restaurant on Church Street that can seat up to 70 guests across its bar, restaurant and outdoor terrace. There are two menus to choose from for lunch and dinner spanning tapas-style sharing plates and bigger dishes. There’s plenty to choose from aside from fish, but the seafood linguine and fillet of sea bass come highly recommended.

For something a little more low-key, The Noisy Lobster at Avon Beach is the perfect place to tuck into a freshly cooked lobster after a hard day at the beach. With fantastic views over the coastline and a direct line to the freshest fish, the café is open for breakfast, lunch, coffee and dinner. If you’re in a hurry, you can get your fish and chips to take away, but we’d recommend getting a seat in the café and catching the sunset if you can.

A cool bar and kitchen near the Red House Museum, James and White is a cool restaurant and grill that serves breakfast, weekend brunch, dinner and Sunday roasts. Take a seat in their neat bench-style booths and choose from a menu that spans fish, burgers and BBQ dishes as well as their popular Po’Boy menu.

One of the leading fine-dining restaurants in town, and indeed the oldest, Splinters Restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic meal or light lunch. Located on Church Street, it’s one of the more expensive restaurants in Christchurch, but the service and food are a cut above while their early bird two-course menu provides great value for money.

Located slightly out of the town centre towards our Christchurch East hotel, La Mamma is the leading Italian restaurant in town and has been dishing up classic pasta and pizza dishes for over 40 years.

Heading into spicier territory, Similan Thai is an authentic Thai restaurant open for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. The well-priced menu takes in all the classics including their red and green curries, pad thai and a range of spicy soups which make for a great starter. A little more high end, Koh Thai Tapas is a popular chain restaurant on Castle Street that mixes cocktails and tapas dishes, creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

Spanning biryanis, tandoori dishes and several in-house specials, Kashmir is one of the leading Indian restaurants in the region. A small but cosy restaurant, they’ve been dishing up perfectly spiced curries in town since 1984 and remain one of the most popular restaurants in Christchurch.