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A gastronomic road trip around the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand is a chance to combine spectacular scenery with incredible food and beverage highlights. From world-class cellar door and distillery visits to mind-blowing meals, these are some of the Four Highways touring routes’ finest food and wine experiences:
Waipara Valley: An easy 45-minute drive through picturesque rural scenery will deliver you to the scenic Waipara Valley, which is one of the best kept secrets of the New Zealand food and wine scene. Award-winning, family-owned wineries offer cellar door experiences, paired with divine paddock-to-plate dining. The weekly farmers’ market, which takes place every Saturday morning in nearby Amberley, offers all the essentials for a gourmet picnic, from kimchi and goat’s cheese to manuka honey and elderflower cordial.
Marlborough: Endless rows of grape vines encircled by distant, golden hills create an idyllic setting for Marlborough’s gastronomic scene, which includes award-winning wineries, distilleries and restaurants. On the outskirts of Blenheim, the Vines Village is an artisan hub of boutique food and cellar door experiences, including cheese tasting, giftware and the Roots Gin Shack and Tasting Room.
Wither Hills is one of the original superstars of New Zealand’s iconic Sauvignon Blanc scene, and its vineyard restaurant celebrates the finest local produce. Needing to choose between tender spring lamb and blissfully fresh line-caught snapper may be the most stressful part of your day.
Nelson/Golden Bay: This lovely corner of the South Island is renowned for its tranquil beaches, vibrant artist community and pristine back country. The warm, sunny climate provides ideal growing conditions for fresh produce – keep an eye out for roadside “Pick your own” orchards, where you can stock up on as many juicy strawberries, raspberries and boysenberries as you can carry. Be sure to pay a visit to the home to the boutique Dancing Sands distillery in the tiny town of Takaka – their Sauvignon Blanc-infused gin is to die for!
Reefton: The journey from Nelson to the South Island’s Greymouth takes you through some of the most rugged and spectacular scenery in the upper South Island, following narrow river valleys clad in lush native bush as you make your way to the West Coast. As you pass through the quaint town of Reefton, be sure to make a stop at the Reefton Distilling Company to sample their range of botanical gins, whiskies and vodkas, including our favourite gin, Hazy, which is infused with the flavours of warm apple pie.
Hokitika: Every March, the West Coast town of Hokitika hosts the annual Wildfoods Festival, serving up some of Aotearoa’s most adventurous and unusual food offerings, from huhu grubs to possum pie. If your tastes are a little more conventional, we recommend trying another local speciality: the whitebait fritter, best enjoyed between slices of fresh, buttered white bread with a squeeze of lemon. Pair your meal with a locally brewed West Coast craft beer and enjoy – ideally while watching the waves crash onto the breakwater at Sunset Point.
Queenstown: The waterfront precinct of New Zealand’s adrenaline capital is a fabulous location to unwind after each day’s adventures, with a wide variety of restaurants and bars offering al fresco seating and incredible views of Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding mountains. You can graze on Mediterranean inspired platters at Soda, indulge in sweet treats from Patagonia Ice Creamery and Chocolaterie, or head to Perky’s Floating Bar for a mulled wine (perhaps with BYO dinner from Queenstown’s iconic Fergburger).
Christchurch: The dining scene in Ōtautahi Christchurch is diverse and always evolving, with gourmet eateries and vibrant markets offering everything from fine dining to street food. The Riverside Market is a bustling space where you’ll find everything from bao buns to poke bowls, wood-fired pizzas to gelato. It’s also home to one of our favourite eateries, Manu, which is famous for its fusion of Pasifika, Asian and Māori culinary flavours.
Geraldine: Nestled in rolling green hills in the heart of the Canterbury, the rural town of Geraldine is a fabulous spot to stop for lunch on the road from Christchurch to Tekapo. You can stroll the pretty, tree-lined streets, browse the boutique shops and galleries, and shop for delicious jams, fruit syrups and condiments at the iconic, family-run Barkers of Geraldine.
Arrowtown: Known for its gold-mining history and immense natural beauty, Arrowtown is particularly scenic during April and May, when the narrow, tree-lined streets and surrounding hillsides are ablaze with autumn colours. The local food scene is equally colourful, and there are numerous boutique wineries, many of which offer exceptional dining experiences, virtually on your doorstep. One of these is Amisfield Winery, whose award-winning Bistro is renowned for showcasing seasonal New Zealand produce paired with divine Central Otago wines.
Christchurch: You don’t have to travel far after arriving in Christchurch to get started on your gastronomic South Island experience – Cellar Door, located in the city’s Arts Centre, is only a 20-minute drive from the airport and it’s a fabulous place to get acquainted with a variety of wines, craft beers and spirits from New Zealand and around the world. A distillery tour is a great way to learn about what goes into producing New Zealand’s best boutique spirits: we particularly love the Spirits Workshop, which is the Christchurch home of the award-winning Curiosity Gin, and Juniper Collective, which showcases a variety of great local spirits and liqueurs.
Central Otago: The road through Lindis Pass from the Mackenzie Basin to Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s most breathtaking scenic routes, winding between golden, tussock-clad hills that are a photographer’s dream. Your journey then follows the shoreline of tranquil Lake Dunstan to the historic lakeside town of Cromwell, which is an ideal base for exploring fabulous wineries and distilleries like Carrick, Wooing Tree and Scapegrace.
If you want to experience one of the region’s most unique foodie destinations, it’s going to require some extra effort: Burger Afloat serves up mouthwatering burgers (and great coffee) from a floating pontoon that can only be reached on foot, by jetboat or by cycling the spectacular Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail.
Whether it’s sipping world-renowned wines in Central Otago and Marlborough or indulging in fresh, local seafood on the Kaikōura coast, you’ll find endless opportunities to enjoy the South Island’s finest foodie experiences as you explore the Four Highways. To plan your culinary journey of discovery, have a chat with one of our experienced personal travel managers.
TravelManagers respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands where we work and gather, and those we visit.
