Bessie

Restaurants key icon.
Restaurants key icon.

Monday6:00 – 9:30 pm.

Tuesday6:00 – 9:30 pm.

Wednesday6:00 – 9:30 pm.

Thursday6:00 – 9:30 pm.

Friday5:30 – 10:00 pm.

Saturday5:30 – 10:00 pm.

Sunday6:00 – 9:30 pm.

Level 1/178 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

03 595 2799

Dark, a little brooding and faultless in its theme, Bessie is an immaculate display of fine dining in the inner city. Antlers take the place of coat hooks, while saws, cleavers and skillets hang from the kitchen framing and fur pelts dangle off chairs. Heavy menus are encased in leather and brass edging giving a modern day twist. Long tables, black leather booths and plenty of tables for two, mean the space flawlessly caters to all size groups.

Friendly staff greet you upon arrival and talk you through the menu (they are definitely worth listening to for condiment advice). A bar tucked at the street end provides an elegant area to wait for a table, or simply to start the night with a tipple or two of the fine stuff they keep on the shelves.

Not afraid to show you where your food comes from, Bessie has nearly all the meat options on show in their special dry-aged cabinet which sits pride of place next to the kitchen. The meat hanging here is aged for days in extremely specific conditions (low humidity, low temperature) and is finished off once ordered, in an old Spanish charcoal oven.

What otherwise might be seen as garish and a little shocking, is quietly stylish, the effort having gone into making sure the space is so well presented that the hanging beef is less of an eyesore and more of an awe induced moment. It’s not often animal carcasses are displayed for public viewing, but Bessie makes sure it’s done well.

Keen endorsers of sharing, the larger meat meals are served on chunky wooden blocks with carving knifes tucked underneath. Bessie staff will happily advise you on how to cut your meat.

In a clever move and an obvious push away from the current plant-based eating lifestyle, Bessie caters to those who love meat, and meat done well. Using only Canterbury meat and produce, diners can be sure they’re eating some of the best quality products around. The dark, dimly lit interior lends the whole place a quiet, sophisticated atmosphere where you’re free to enjoy some of Christchurch’s most original fine dining.

Words by Rosie Morrison & Photography by Naomi Haussmann

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

Level 1/178 Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

Nearby Places

Christchurch Art Gallery

Exterior curved glass building of the Christchurch Art Gallery.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Galleries and museum key icon.

Locals and visitors alike have the pleasure of viewing some of the best art in New Zealand and the world here.

Akin Café

Customers enjoying their coffees in Akin.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Akin is as clean-cut as a café can be.

Fluffy Bake Shop

Customers ordering at the counter at Fluffy Bake Shop.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Christchurch-dwellers or visitors to the garden city with a penchant for pastries, Fluffy Bake Shop needs to be at the top of your must-visit list.

Tiger Baby Bar

A seating area inside Tiger Baby Christchurch.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Bars key icon.

Tucked away off Lichfield Street in the heart of Christchurch’s city centre you’ll find one of the gems of Ōtautahi’s bar scene, Tiger Baby.

Similar Places

Bohemian Bakery Sumner

Bakery interior with shelves of breads.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Goods key icon.

Located in sunny Sumner, Bohemian Bakery is an Eastern European-inspired neighbourhood bakery.

Akin Café

Customers enjoying their coffees in Akin.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Akin is as clean-cut as a café can be.

Soulful Coffee Shop Diamond Harbour

Exterior view of Soulful Coffee Diamond Harbour.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Picture this… you’ve just disembarked from the ferry at Diamond Harbour and the need for coffee is strong, luckily after an easy 10 minute stroll you arrive in...

dainty

People sitting around a table eating brunch.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Discerning coffee drinkers and brunch lovers Dainty will quickly become your home away from home.