SUNDAYS

One of the beloved residents of Country Lane in Frankton, SUNDAYS is set inside a beautifully refurbished church. While the building hosts a different kind of service these days, we can promise there’s still plenty of bread and wine to go around.   

Owners Annabel and James dreamt up a place that would bring the community together over great food and genuine hospitality, inspired by the laid-back spirit of everyone’s favourite day of the week. When fate presented itself in the form of a historic church, they eagerly seized the opportunity.   

Originally standing in Waipahi, a town east of Gore, this charming structure dates back to 1933. With support from Jennifer Warring of Studio Collective, known for projects such as Christchurch’s King of Snake and Odd Saint in Queenstown, new life was breathed into its time-worn walls. They preserved the architecture while introducing modern comforts, a soft colour palette for the walls and ceiling, and antique treasures scoured from vintage stores adding an old-world touch.   

Designed to foster connections at every point, SUNDAYS boasts large indoor and outdoor tables for loved ones to gather over a shared feast. Where was once an altar is now a wood-fired oven, helmed by DeMoss Stumbo and his small but mighty team of chefs slinging Neapolitan-style pizza, pasta and Italian-inspired plates. The sourdough bases are made in-house, achieving that light and airy texture with elevated toppings that take a slightly less traditional route (think, pancetta, crème fraîche, spicy nduja, and locally grown oyster mushrooms with béchamel and garlic oil). European-inspired sharing plates accompany the pizza offering – the pecorino churros come strongly recommended. Accompany your meal with their famed sangria, local beers on tap, interesting wines and classic cocktails.

SUNDAYS is more than a place to dine. Live music fills the air during summer weekends, children run around playgrounds and meet neighbouring horses, and a covered patio with an outdoor fireplace welcomes après-ski moments. Meanwhile, the team are busy working away on exciting collaborations with other local businesses. Something tells us we’ll be singing their praises for a long time yet.