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Food tours in Queenstown: what to eat and which tour to book
Queenstown is a small resort town, so its food scene is built for visitors with big appetites after a day outdoors: gourmet burgers eaten on the lakefront, pies, lamb and venison, and the Central Otago wine region on the doorstep. Central Otago is known above all for Pinot Noir, and the Gibbston Valley wineries are a 25-minute drive from town. From the south come blue cod and, in season, Bluff oysters; from the rivers, whitebait fritters in spring. Prices are high even by New Zealand standards, and the busiest places have queues at peak times.
Use this page to know what to order, where to eat in town and around Arrowtown and Gibbston, and roughly what it costs in New Zealand dollars. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price, pick-up point and what's included on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Queenstown
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gourmet burger burger | Large burgers with New Zealand beef, lamb, venison or blue cod, on soft buns with plenty of toppings. Queenstown's best-known burger shops have queues out of the door at lunch and late at night. | Burger shops in the town centre (CBD) near the lakefront; many open late. | roughly NZD 18–28 (about €9–14) |
| Mince and cheese pie pie | A hand-sized pastry pie filled with minced beef and gravy, with melted cheese on top. Steak, chicken, venison and lamb versions too. The standard New Zealand quick lunch. | Bakeries in Queenstown, Arrowtown and Frankton. | about NZD 7–12 (€3.50–6) |
| Lamb and venison lamb / venison (cervena) | New Zealand lamb (rack, shoulder or slow-cooked) and farmed venison are on almost every restaurant menu, often with local root vegetables and a glass of Pinot Noir. | Restaurants in the town centre, Arrowtown and winery restaurants in Gibbston. | roughly NZD 40–55 (about €20–28) a main |
| Central Otago Pinot Noir | The world's southernmost major wine region produces structured, fruity Pinot Noir, plus Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Most wineries offer tastings at cellar doors. | Gibbston Valley wineries east of Queenstown, and the Bannockburn and Cromwell area further on; wine bars in town. | tastings roughly NZD 15–35; a glass in town about NZD 15–22 |
| Blue cod and chips blue cod | A firm, white-fleshed fish from southern New Zealand waters, battered and fried or pan-fried. Considered the best fish for fish and chips in the South Island. | Fish-and-chip shops and pubs in town and Frankton. | roughly NZD 22–35 (about €11–18) |
| Bluff oysters | Large, rich wild oysters dredged from Foveaux Strait at the bottom of the South Island. The season runs roughly March to August, and they are prized across New Zealand. | Restaurants and seafood bars in town during the season. | roughly NZD 5–8 (€2.50–4) each in a restaurant |
| Whitebait fritter | Tiny juvenile fish bound with egg into an omelette-like fritter and served on white bread with lemon. A spring treat; the South Island season runs roughly September to November. | Cafés and pubs that can source it, mostly in spring; not always available. | roughly NZD 20–35 (about €10–18) |
| Hokey pokey ice cream and pavlova hokey pokey / pavlova | Hokey pokey is vanilla ice cream with crunchy honeycomb toffee pieces; pavlova is a meringue cake with a soft middle, topped with cream and fruit. Both are New Zealand classics. | Ice-cream shops along the lakefront; pavlova in cafés and restaurants. | ice cream roughly NZD 7–10; pavlova NZD 14–20 |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Queenstown town centre and lakefront
Compact streets between the lake and the gondola base with burger shops, bakeries, cafés, restaurants and bars, plus Steamer Wharf on the waterfront. Most visitors eat here.
Arrowtown
Gold-rush town about 20 minutes from Queenstown with restored miners' cottages, bakeries, cafés, pubs and some of the area's better restaurants, quieter than town.
Gibbston Valley
Narrow valley along the Kawarau River with wineries, cellar doors and winery restaurants, plus a cheesery. Reachable by car, bike trail or wine tour.
Frankton
The commercial area near the airport, with supermarkets, cheaper casual restaurants and the Remarkables Park shopping area, where a weekend market with food stalls is held in the warmer months.
Food tours in Queenstown compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queenstown: Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch | 5.5 hours | from €139 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Queenstown: Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings | 6 hours | from €139 per person | max 14 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours | — | from €65 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Gourmet Food and Wine Tour Queenstown All-Inclusive Tour | 6.5 hours | from €169 per person | max 12 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour | 5.5 hours | from €112 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings | 6 hours | from €162 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Queenstown: Wine & Food Tour, Scenic Tastings & Paired Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by Queenstown Wine Trail | Est. 1992
- Length
- 5.5 hours
- Price
- from €139 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 365 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- The ultimate all-inclusive Queenstown wine tour since 1992! Visit three boutique Gibbston wineries Experience hosted wine tastings Lunch (a main meal paired with a matching glass of wine) Full Commentary from speciali…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- 48 Camp Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Queenstown: Small Group Wine Tasting Tour with 18+ tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Altitude Tours
- Length
- 6 hours
- Price
- from €139 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 172 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 14
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours
On GetYourGuide · run by Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours Ltd
- Price
- from €65 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 140 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Transport Map and timetable Pickup and drop-off Knowledgeable driver guide/commentary Food and Beverages Tasting fees
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- If you wish to be picked up from other locations like One Mile Car Park, Rydges Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Frankton Bus Interchange, Arthurs Point Bus Stop (Strikebowl), please call the local operator directly after booking.
Gourmet Food and Wine Tour Queenstown All-Inclusive Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Appellation Wine Tours
- Length
- 6.5 hours
- Price
- from €169 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 104 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 12
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Queenstown's Original Premium Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour
On GetYourGuide · run by Queenstown Wine Trail | Est. 1992
- Length
- 5.5 hours
- Price
- from €112 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 86 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- All wine tastings in 3 boutique wineries Time to enjoy lunch at a boutique winery restaurant (lunch at own expense) Guided wine tasting experience in New Zealand's largest underground wine cave Hosted by qualified loc…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- 48 Camp Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Queenstown: Guided E-Bike Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Ride to the sky
- Length
- 6 hours
- Price
- from €162 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 38 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Transport to and from your accommodation in the Queenstown area Pre-organized personal wine tasting Artisan platter Knowledgeable guide Use of backpack and water bottle for the day Collection of any wine purchased dur…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- The shuttle is available. Please provide your address and we will inform you about the closest Pick up point and Time. We are located in Frankton at Country Lane retail village. Please allow extra time for travel to/from the tour location.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
There is no street-food culture as such. The quick, cheap options are bakeries for pies, burger shops, food trucks at events and the summer markets. Self-catering from the supermarkets in Frankton or town saves a lot of money.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down dining ranges from pubs and cafés to fine dining and winery restaurants. Booking is wise for dinner in winter (ski season) and summer. Many restaurants close kitchens by around 21:00–21:30; for later food, use the burger shops and bars in town.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are uncommon in Queenstown. The main food experiences are wine tours and tastings in Gibbston and Central Otago, often with a winery lunch, and some farm and cheese visits. Check how many wineries are included and whether tasting fees are extra.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | NZD 60–90, about €30–45 (supermarket breakfast, bakery pie lunch, burger dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | NZD 130–190, about €65–95 (café breakfast, casual lunch, restaurant dinner with a glass of wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | NZD 300+, about €150+ (winery lunch or fine dining with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easy. Cafés and restaurants routinely offer vegetarian and vegan dishes, and most burger shops have vegetarian burgers.
Halal: Limited. A few Indian, Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants offer halal meat; ask, as certification is not common. New Zealand exports a lot of halal-slaughtered lamb, but local restaurants don't always state it.
Gluten-free: Good. Restaurants and cafés mark gluten-free (GF) dishes and often have GF bread and buns. Many burger shops offer GF buns. Shared fryers for chips and fish are common, so ask if you have coeliac disease.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Public-holiday surcharges (often around 15%) added to restaurant bills. These are legal if shown on the menu or at the door; check before ordering on public holidays.
- Wine tours where tasting fees, lunch or some wineries turn out not to be included in the price. Read exactly what is included and how many tastings per winery before booking.
- Driving between wineries after tastings: New Zealand's drink-drive limit for drivers over 20 is 0.05% blood alcohol, and zero for under-20s. Take a wine tour, use a designated driver or cycle the Gibbston trail and use the shuttle back.
Top tours & activities in Queenstown
Rent a car in Queenstown
Compare rental cars from local and international companies, with free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare car rentals in QueenstownPlan the rest of your Queenstown trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Queenstown?
Tipping is not expected in New Zealand; staff are paid a minimum wage. Leaving 5–10% for excellent service at a restaurant is appreciated, and many card machines offer a tip option you can skip. Pubs, cafés and bakeries don't expect tips. On wine and food tours, tipping the guide is optional.
Is it worth queuing for the famous burger shops?
Many visitors think so, but queues can be 30–60 minutes at peak times. Go mid-afternoon or late at night, when lines are shorter, or order by phone if the shop allows it. Other burger shops in town serve similar burgers with shorter queues.
How do I visit the Gibbston Valley wineries?
Gibbston is about 25 minutes' drive from town. You can join a wine tour with transport, hire a car with a designated driver, or cycle the Queenstown Trail to Gibbston and arrange a shuttle back. Cellar doors usually open late morning to late afternoon; check current hours and whether tastings need booking.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Queenstown is one of New Zealand's most expensive places to eat. On a budget, about NZD 60–90 a day covers a supermarket breakfast, a bakery lunch and a burger dinner. A café breakfast, casual lunch and restaurant dinner with wine is roughly NZD 130–190. Winery and fine-dining meals push it well above NZD 300.
When are Bluff oysters and whitebait in season?
Bluff oysters are wild-caught from roughly March to August, and restaurants advertise them when they arrive. Whitebait season in the South Island runs roughly from September to November, though supply is limited and not every café gets it. Outside these seasons, ask whether what you're being offered is frozen or farmed.
What time do restaurants close?
Cafés open early, around 7:00, and many close by mid-afternoon. Dinner is usually from about 17:30 to 21:00 or 21:30. In ski season and summer, book ahead for popular restaurants. For late-night food, burger shops, pizza places and some bars in the town centre stay open after midnight.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.