Hardy St Eatery

Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.
Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.

MondayClosed.

Tuesday8:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Wednesday8:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Thursday8:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Friday8:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Saturday8:00 am – 2:00 pm.

SundayClosed.

136 Hardy St, Nelson

03 391 0077

Celebrating honest food in all its glory is what Hardy St Eatery in Nelson is about. Nearly everything that comes out of the kitchen has been hand-crafted on-site – from sourdough bread to preserves and smoked fish to various condiments.

Chef and restaurant owner James Rutherford worked around the world before settling in Nelson with his family and opening the doors to Hardy St Eatery. His vision is simple: to introduce people to new experiences and showcase the craft of cheffing with simple, tasty dishes.

The aesthetics inside Hardy St Eatery complement its philosophy on food perfectly. The space has been architecturally designed and nods towards handcrafted mid-century modern in the use of light wood, an open fireplace and white brick walls. The kitchen and plating station is housed in a purpose-built plywood box, which allows guests to view the chef in action and invites engagement between the kitchen and diners.

Above the view to the kitchen, a bookshelf houses an impressive collection of cookbooks and dotted around open shelves sit beautiful Hanmer Pottery pieces that James (who was brought up in the mountain town) has gathered from his grandmother’s collection. At the back of the restaurant behind timber screens, lies a semi-private space perfect for meetings.

Predominantly a daytime restaurant, Hardy St Eatery opens for dinner two nights a week. It is advised to book ahead to secure an evening table at this unique Nelson eatery; during the day there is usually space for walk-ins. 

Photography by Nancy Zhou

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

136 Hardy St, Nelson

Nearby Places

Kismet Cocktail & Whiskey Bar

Barman placing a petal on a cocktail at Kismet.
Place Nelson Tasman Editor's Pick
Bars key icon.

Bespoke drinks and graceful service is what you can expect at Kismet.

Palm Boutique

Interior view of Palm Boutique.
Place Nelson Tasman
Fashion key icon.

A true destination for fashion lovers.

Global Soap

Selection of soaps on a table at Global Soap, Nelson.
Place Nelson Tasman

Stepping in, you’ll find it hard not to pick up each colourful square placed neatly along the shelves and bring them to your nose, and even harder to walk out without a paper bag of goodies to take home.

Trouble & Fox Boutique

Woman serving a customer at the counter at Trouble and Fox.
Place Nelson Tasman
Fashion key icon.

Hidden down an alleyway just off the main drag of downtown Nelson lies Trouble & Fox Boutique, an inviting wee spot filled with tastefully curated apparel.

Similar Places

Hawker House

Staff working behind the bar at Harry's Hawker House.
Place Nelson Tasman
Restaurants key icon.

A celebration of South-East Asian street food and hawker markets.

The Dangerous Kitchen

The colourful exterior of The Dangerous Kitchen on a sunny day.
Place Golden Bay
Cafes key icon.

Despite its moniker, the only thing truly dangerous about The Dangerous Kitchen in Tākaka, is how tasty its food is.

Kiwi Spirit Distillery

Bottles of spirits lined up on a wooden table on a sunny day.
Place Golden Bay
Bars key icon. Goods key icon.

At Kiwi Spirit Distillery in Golden Bay, you’ll find craft gins, spirits and liqueurs made with local botanicals and more than a dash of good taste.

Deville

Person holding a plate of halloumi and poached eggs from Deville, Nelson.
Place Nelson Tasman
Cafes key icon.

Deville is quite possibly Nelson’s best-kept hospitality secret.