Food & wine
Christchurch eats and drinks with fresh energy. The rebuilt centre buzzes with the Riverside Market, laneway eateries and a lively craft-beer scene, all built on superb Canterbury produce — lamb, salmon and cheese. And just 45 minutes north, the Waipara Valley pours aromatic Riesling and elegant Pinot Noir. Here's how to taste the best of the city and its region.
The Riverside Market & laneways
The heart of the food scene is the Riverside Market — a stylish hall of produce, food stalls and eateries — alongside Little High, the restaurants and bars of Victoria Street, and the weekend Christchurch Farmers' Market at Riccarton House. Craft-beer bars and cafés fill the rebuilt laneways. It's contemporary, relaxed and rich in Canterbury produce. See our things to do guide.
The Waipara Valley
Forty-five minutes north, the Waipara Valley is North Canterbury's wine country, celebrated for aromatic Riesling and elegant Pinot Noir (plus Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). Its cellar doors are welcoming and scenic, and a guided wine tour lets everyone taste while the driving's handled. Pair it with a Hanmer Springs or Kaikōura day for a perfect North Canterbury outing. See our day trips guide.
The Canterbury larder
Canterbury is a genuine food bowl. Seek out Canterbury lamb, high-country salmon, Kaikōura crayfish, artisan cheeses, stone fruit and berries, and local craft beer and cider. The farmers' markets and the Riverside Market are the best places to graze your way through it. It's a delicious backdrop to any Christchurch stay. See the wider New Zealand food & wine guide.
Christchurch food & wine: your questions
Vibrant and rebuilt. The Riverside Market is the buzzing heart of it — fresh produce and food stalls in a stylish hall — and it's joined by laneway eateries like Little High, the dining and bar strip of Victoria Street, an excellent craft-beer scene, and the popular Christchurch Farmers' Market at Riccarton House. Canterbury lamb, salmon and cheeses feature strongly. See our things to do guide.
The Waipara Valley in North Canterbury, about 45 minutes north, is the region's wine country — best known for aromatic Riesling and elegant Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Its cellar doors are relaxed and scenic, and it pairs perfectly with a Hanmer Springs or Kaikōura day. See our wine tasting page and our food & wine tours.
Yes — guided wine tours visit the Waipara Valley cellar doors (and sometimes the boutique wineries closer to town), with tastings and lunch, and the driving handled so everyone can enjoy. It's an easy half- or full-day from the city. We can tailor a food-and-wine day to your tastes. See our food & wine tours.
Start at the Riverside Market and Little High Eatery for a great range under one roof, explore Victoria Street and the laneways for restaurants and bars, and hit the Christchurch Farmers' Market (Saturdays at Riccarton House) for local produce. The rebuilt centre has a lively, contemporary dining scene, with Canterbury produce at its core. See our city centre guide.
Canterbury is one of New Zealand's great food bowls. Look for Canterbury lamb, salmon (farmed in the high-country canals near Aoraki), crayfish from nearby Kaikōura, artisan cheeses, stone fruit and berries, and craft beer and cider. Farmers' markets and the Riverside Market are the best places to taste it all. See the wider New Zealand food & wine guide.