In our last blog post, we highlighted some of the best cafés and restaurants you’ll find on your travels around North Island. Well, not to be outdone, in this post, we look at some of our favourite spots on South Island, whether you’re looking for a full meal, or just a cuppa and a slice of cake for the road!
Off we go…
NELSON- KAIKOURA SH1
Herb and Olive Cafe, Blenheim
Compact and cosy, with a focus on wholesome seasonal food, this family-owned eatery gets rave reviews: “Freshly, locally sourced ingredients, great flavours, great people and reasonably priced”.
The owners grow much of their own produce and hand-make many of the products on offer.
Open Monday – Friday 7.30am to 2.30pm, weekends from 8am to 2pm (walk-ins only)
62 High Street, Blenheim Central, Blenheim 7201 – + 64 21 508 573
KAIKOURA- CHRISTCHURCH SH1
Number 8 Café, Cheviot
A local country café serving light snacks, salads and main meals. Try something from their à la carte menu, or choose one of their ever-changing specials. Enjoy a cuppa and cake in the outdoor courtyard seating.
Open daily, 7.30am to 4pm
8 Hall Street, Cheviot 7310 – +64 3 319 8430
https://www.facebook.com/numbereightcafe/
CHRISTCHURCH- GREYMOUTH SH73
Arthur’s Pass Café & Store, Arthur’s Pass Village, Canterbury
Whether you’re travelling across the Southern Alps by train or car, Arthur’s Pass is a favourite junction stop. You’ll find the National Park Visitor Centre there, as well as the Arthur’s Pass Café and Store, which is renowned for great pies and savouries, home-baked cakes and slices, mountain breakfasts, ice-creams (very large ones!) and fabulous espresso coffee.
If you sit on the outside terrace, you are likely to meet a playful kea, New Zealand’s indigenous mountain parrot.
Open daily from 8.30am to 4.30pm
85 West Coast Road, Arthur’s Pass Village, Canterbury 7875 – +64 3 318 9235
https://www.arthurspasscafe.co.nz/
NELSON- PUNAKAIKI SH6
Murchison Tea Rooms, Murchison
You won’t have passed much in the way of villages or towns on this route until you get to Murchison, and there aren’t many food stops afterwards, so it makes sense to visit the very typical Kiwi tea rooms at Murchison for a break. They offer an extensive blackboard menu and friendly service, and a large outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your food and drink at your leisure.
Open Monday – Thursday from 7am to 4.30pm, Fridays from 7am to 7pm, Saturdays from 7.30am to 4.30pm, and Sundays from 8am to 4.30pm
48 Waller Street, Murchison 7007 – +64 3 523 9068
http://www.visitmurchison.nz/murchison-tearooms.html
PUNAKAIKI- FRANZ JOSEF SH6
Hoki Boatshed Café, Hokitika
It’s worth stopping in Hokitika, if you’re not already staying there. Discover the town’s early gold mining history and look around the jade galleries, glassblowing and wood carving workshops. For a coffee break try the Hoki Boatshed café, a little outside the centre but worth a short drive or walk for the excellent food, warm welcome and outlook over the Hokitika River.
2 Revell Street, Hokitika – +64 22 158 2012
https://hokitika.org/eat-and-drink-pt/hoki-boat-shed-cafe/
FRANZ JOSEF- WANAKA SH6
Lake Matheson Café, Fox Glacier
This will be an early coffee if you’ve just travelled from Franz Josef Glacier or even earlier if you’re staying in Fox, but indulge! Just a stone’s throw from New Zealand’s most scenic “mirror” lake, this café offers some of the best views in New Zealand, not to mention an extensive menu of seasonal plates, deli sandwiches, salads and cakes, all made on the premises.
Open daily from 8.30am to 3pm
Lake Matheson Road PO Box 86, Fox Glacier 7859 – +64 3 751 0878
Frontier Café and Bar, Heartland Hotel, Haast
If all that driving has made you hungry, head to the Frontier Café and Bar. You’ll get great views from the outside deck of this country pub, which has an extensive lunch menu. Close to the Visitor Centre, it’s a great place to chat to the locals and enjoy the hearty pub food before setting out again with a full stomach!
Open Monday – Thursday from 8am to 9pm, Fridays from 8am to 10pm, Saturdays from 8pm-11pm and Sundays from 5pm to 9pm
Heartland Hotel, 26 Haast-Jackson Bay Road, Haast 7886 – +64 3 357 1919
https://www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz/haast/heartland-hotel-haast/frontier-cafe-bar/
WANAKA/ QUEENSTOWN- TE ANAU SH6/97
Five Rivers Café, Mossburn
The perfect place to stop en route to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound, with friendly staff serving drinks, light and main meals. The café is adjacent to a small animal farm and offers outdoor seating with great views. There’s also an art gallery, where you can pick up works by local artists to remember your travels by.
Open Saturday to Thursday from 8am to 2pm, closed Fridays
1963 Mossburn-Five Rivers Road, Lumsden 9793 – +64 3 248 7755
https://www.facebook.com/fiveriverscafe/
TE ANAU – DUNEDIN SH94
Miss Cocoa Coffee, Gore
This little restaurant and food store is at Mandeville Airport, a small grass strip north of Gore on the main highway. Just outside the café is a museum with a variety of restored vintage aircraft. Offering delicious food and excellent coffee, it’s also licensed to serve beer and wine.
Open Monday – Friday from 7.30am to 3.30pm, weekends from 9.30am to 3pm
Mandeville Aerodrome, 1558A Waimea Highway, Mandeville 9776 – +64 3 208 9662
https://www.facebook.com/misscocoacoffee/
Stable Kitchen, Gore
If you want to stop in Gore itself, try the family-owned Stable Kitchen, a very popular brunch spot thanks to its delicious food, great coffee and friendly atmosphere.
Open daily from 8am to 3pm
103 Main Street, Gore 9710 – +64 3 208 9949
https://www.facebook.com/thestablekitchen/
DUNEDIN- MOUNT COOK SH1
Moeraki Boulders
You’re sure to want to stop here to photograph the unusual spherically shaped boulders which adorn the beach, so make sure you call into the nearby café for a great range of light refreshments and stunning views of the coastline.
Open daily from 7.30am to 4.30pm
7 Moeraki Boulders Road, Hampden 9482 – +64 3 439 4827
https://moerakiboulders.co.nz/
Tee St Café, Oamaru
The alternative is to drive to the delightful Tee St Café in Oamaru. With a menu influenced by Argentinean and Mediterranean cooking, it’s a fantastic spot to grab breakfast, brunch or lunch on your travels. Like many other places in this post, it’s family-owned, which means the atmosphere is always warm and welcoming.
The town boasts the oldest public gardens in the country, renowned Victorian architecture and two penguin colonies.
Open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, weekends from 8.30am to 3pm
3 Tees Street, South Hill, Oamaru 9400 – +64 3 434 5696
MOUNT COOK – CHRISTCHURCH SH8/79
Jack Rabbit Cafe, Lake Tekapo
Your first stop on this trip will be Lake Tekapo for a walk to the Church of the Good Shepherd and views of the aquamarine lake through its windows. And close by you’ll find the Jack Rabbit Café, where once again you can take in views of the Lake while you sip a mug of tea or coffee and enjoy a delicious breakfast, brunch or piece of homemade cake.
Open daily from 7.30am to 3pm
Neil Anderson Way, Corner Motuariki Lane, Lake Tekapo – +64 27 807 0567
Café Verde, Geraldine
For lunch think about stopping at Geraldine. Offering outdoor seating in a vibrant garden setting, Café Verde specialises in seasonal produce. It’s open every day for breakfast and lunch, or just to grab a coffee.
It’s also fully licensed, making it an excellent place to round off a long day of exploring during the summer months, when they open up the garden for dining on Friday evenings.
Open daily from 9am to 3pm, as well as Friday evenings (from 5.30pm) during the summer.
45C Talbot Street, Geraldine, 7930 – +64 3 693 9616
https://www.verdegeraldine.co.nz/
The Geraldine Farmshop and Café
Enjoy lunch and then stock up on supplies of freshly grown home produce for your trip across the plains to Christchurch. Fruit and vegetables are grown in their own orchard and market garden, and artisan baked goods made on site. They also stock a range of deli items from local producers, including honey, cheeses, pates, and cold meats and fish.
Open Friday to Wednesday from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Thursdays from 8.30am to 4pm
56 Main North Road, Geraldine 7992 – +64 3 693 9514
We would like to thank all the photographers whose images that have been used in these two blog posts, as well as the cafés and restaurants mentioned. Where possible, we have made attributions, and we apologise if there is any oversight on our part.
Experience these cafés and restaurants for yourself on your New Zealand 2025/26 holiday. Book one of our guided tours, or do things at your own pace on a self-drive adventure.