Slam Club

When Slam Club first opened in 2016, not long before the Kaikōura earthquake, it quickly became the favourite destination for foodies passing through town.

Famous for its toasted sandwiches (which are so much more than the humble name suggests) and funky interiors created by local dentist Chris & wife Anne-Marie Lidgard, Slam Club is definitely a must pop-in when in town.

These days this spot is manned by the uber-friendly Philipp Valentin, who arrived in Kaikōura 16 years ago from Austria, fell in love with the place and never left. He has introduced a taste of home to the menu in the form of an apple strudel with perfectly crunchy handmade pastry.

During the day Slam Club is great for coffee (brewed with local Star Roast beans), a sneaky midday beer or a scrumptious lunch. Those sandwiches are quite something: filled with your choice of game, venison, duck or pork, grilled to perfection and served with roasted potatoes. The idea is to make game affordable for people to enjoy and try in an approachable way. The animals are hunted between Kaikōura and Blenheim, and all other produce is sourced locally as well. Philipp has a smoker outside that he fires up to cook the meat most weekends (think BBQ pork ribs and brisket) and sometimes he’ll whip up a proper roast too. By the way, there are vegetarian options if meat is not your thing.

Beyond daylight hours, Slam Club is the perfect relaxed spot for a glass of wine (try Bone Line from Waipara), craft beer (local Emporium beer on tap) and good banter. On weekend evenings you might even get lucky and witness a bunch of local musicians play a few tunes, and if you’re in town on a Thursday, head there for the weekly quiz night.