Location: Akaroa
Top Restaurants in Akaroa
Best New Zealand food near Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand
Reviews on New Zealand food in Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand. The French are known as the world’s most romantic people, so it makes sense that Akaroa—site of New Zealand’s first French settlement—is an ideal spot to set the scene for love. Hold hands with your paramour and stroll along the provincial harbor, where dolphins, penguins, and seals bob and chatter in the sparkling ice-blue water. First-class accommodations, quaint French bakeries and succulent restaurants are the perfect ingredients for a romantic getaway.
Things to do in Akaroa
10. Hilltop Tavern
Overall Ratings
4 based on 349 reviews
The Hilltop is perched on the pass overlooking the beautiful Akaroa Harbour. Its a classic 1930s pub building with a nice front lawn to enjoy the view. We serve freshly caught fish, wood-fired pizza, steaks, slow-cooked meats, soup and a range of tapas. W
Reviewed By KiwiD6
We phoned ahead and ordered pizza. Wasnât too busy but was good to pre-order anyway. Friendly service and good tasting wood fired pizzas. Will return.
9. Rona's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 121 reviews
Laid-back dining, living room and garden serving simple but seasonal-with-attitude dishes, happily rooted in a style of cuisine seldomly experienced in New Zealand. Roasting, smoking, preserving & infusing are just typical ways you'll experience your food
Reviewed By Tom H
We had been recommended Ronaâs restaurant by two different people before we arrived in Akaroa, but found it was closed due to lack of staff, however, a few days later it reopened with new staff and so we decided to see if it lived up to the reputation. While it was not as incredible as we had been led to believe, the food was plentiful and mostly very good, some of it even excellent. We were able to have Rioja wine, which made a change from the normal wines on offer and the only criticism is that the French waitress did not know what digestifs (liqueurs) were available, and we ended up drinking angostura bitters which were disgusting. Surely a French style restaurant should have a stock of Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Pastis or Cognac... otherwise, I would heartily recommend Ronaâs with its new staff, who by now should have found their feet.
8. HarBar Beachfront Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 316 reviews
At Harbar Beachbar & Kitchen we provide friendly, casual service paired with a wonderfully approachable food & drinks menu with seasonal offerings and specials that change with the local and seasonal produce available. With the best view of Akaroa Harbour
Reviewed By M5573RMdarrenc
Stumbled across this gem of a spot while getting our bearings and ended up staying for dinner. Absolute waterfront location, great beers, wines, cocktails and dinner was divine. Once it started cooling down they lit the fire which was welcome. Wouldnât hesitate to visit again Hey!Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your experience at Harbar and we are all so happy you enjoyed yourselves so much. If you're ever in the area again we'd be more than happy to have you again.Thank you,Harbar Beachbar & Kitchen
7. Murphy's Seafood
Overall Ratings
4 based on 125 reviews
Local, self caught, daily, fresh fish optional to buy fresh or have served up as a hot lunch! Our range of fish changes daily based on what is caught that morning, we then fillet it ourselves. Our lunch range consists of the classic fish and chips with a
Reviewed By 490peterj
Fish was fresh, not battered just cooked nice, chips were not greasy cooked real nice. This was a treat on the warf
6. Bully Hayes Restaurant & Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1128 reviews
Akaroaâs Premium Dining Spot. Open 7 days year-round for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee or Tapas and a drink in the sun. Sensational panoramic views of Akaroa Harbour whilst you dine in any of our indoor and outdoor areas. We also offer a sheltered cour
Reviewed By ElliotC22
Food was gorgeous both mornings, there was something in the holindays sauce it was to die for!!! Next day I had the pancakes they were beautiful I would have preferred my blueberries fresh on top on or the side with the cream instead if cooked into the pancake they were very hot.
Akaroa Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Akaroa
5. The Trading Rooms Restaurant and Pantry
Overall Ratings
4 based on 768 reviews
Semi-fine dining dinner atmosphere and casual lunch experience, fine wine selection, beautiful sunset harbour views from the terrace. The Trading Rooms is a timeless historic venue, perfect for your special occasion. Peak Season Opening Hours: From 11:30-
Reviewed By cardnoa
My first visit was on a beautiful day so sat outside at table with my lab and had the tastiest burger ever with scrumptious french fries and a beer. Attended to by very friendly staff who were happy with my dog at my feet. I will be back!
What to do and see in Akaroa, New Zealand: The Best Places and Tips
4. Ma Maison Restaurant & Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 284 reviews
Overlooking Dailey's wharf and the Akaroa Harbour, Ma maison is one of Akaroa's hidden gems. The view speaks for itself! Set away from the hustle and bustle, our Restaurant offers a very private dining experience, one to be enjoyed and savoured. Since 200
Reviewed By Diane R
Appears significantly understaffed. Cocktails sat on the bar for sometime before being delivered, entree arrived promptly but mains took over an hour. This is completely unacceptable. Food was just ok. One main was cold but diner did not say anything about it as we had waited so long. We were not offered dessert or coffee. The Maitre'd was sitting at another table talking and ignored us. Difficulties with the bill. We wished to split it which in itself was not a problem but they could not produce a complete account for us to check. After 20 minutes of trying to get a total bill printed we gave up, paid and left. Would never go back as they simply didn't seem to care.
3. The Little Bistro
Overall Ratings
4 based on 943 reviews
The Little Bistro focuses on providing sustainable, local and seasonal bistro cuisine, which highlights our connection to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. Focusing on locally grown, organic produce.
Reviewed By SiberianSayan
This is a great little restaurant on Akaroa's main drag. The food was quite well done -- certainly high quality, but not top of class. They had a reasonable selection, and everything was tasty. The wine was incredibly overpriced -- 3x the price you would pay for a local bottle of wine (as in, we visited the winery earlier that day -- it's only an hour away -- a bottle was $20, and they were selling for $60). This kind of pricing might be expected for a fine dining experience or for an imported wine that took quite a lot of effort to acquire...and "fine dining" is what The Little Bistro is trying to sell, but falls short. The dining tables are quite close to one another and the chairs are hard, wooden, and uncomfortable. This would be understandable if we were on Manhattan where this is normal for a high-end restaurant, but doesn't make sense in a little seaside town on the Banks Peninsula. Service was quite good -- and along with presentation was the closest we came to "fine dining". Definitely recommended, but something like No. 31 in Hanmer Springs small town fine dining done right.
Where to eat Seafood food in Akaroa: The Best Restaurants and Bars
2. La Rangis Pizzeria
Overall Ratings
5 based on 87 reviews
Reviewed By 81nat2019
Quality Pizza, generous toppings with perfect thin crusts, we chose the chicken apricot and hickory bay meat lovers which was ample for 4 adults. We stopped here after a late arrival into Akaroa looking for an alternative to the traditional Akaroa Fish & Chips, what a sensational choice with La Rangis, this has to be up there in taste & value anywhere in the Canterbury region when your wanting pizzas. 5 Star service, we'll definitely be back. Hidden gem in a small but beautiful tourist town.
Most Popular French food in Akaroa, South Island, New Zealand
1. The Wharf
The Wharf Akaroa, relaunched at the end of August 2019 as a premium seafood restaurant and bar after undergoing refurbishment. The restaurant seats 100 a la carte inside and flows onto the terrace that seats an additional 65 with a spectacular view of Aka
Reviewed By apriln510
Came here for dinner on a Sunday night, so not busy. Service was excellent and the food was very good. I personally did not like the dressing for the chips, an aoli or simply tomato sauce would have been better. My dessert was not overly sweet, but could have used either a large scoop of ice cream or and addition of cream as pudding very cakey. Still I enjoyed our evening. Thanks for your review apriln510were glad you enjoyed or evening with usaioli or ketchup, chocolate or vanilla ice cream, both personal preferences.regardsrichard
