FuDog

Restaurants key icon.
Restaurants key icon.

Monday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Tuesday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Wednesday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Thursday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Friday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Saturday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

Sunday5:00 – 10:00 pm.

47 Helwick Street, Otago

03 443 1011

Sometimes you want all the flavour of a fine-dining restaurant, without the fancy palaver that comes along with it. That’s why we’re in love with FuDog in Wānaka, where dinner is a fuss-free, fun and freakin’ delicious affair.

Wander down the unassuming alleyway, passing other laneway faves Fedeli and Federal Diner, and meet the canine guardian statues (a.k.a. FuDogs) beckoning you through the doors of their home. Like most of the best businesses in Wānaka, FuDog takes advantage of its beautiful setting — stunning views of the lake are best enjoyed from the outdoor patio or by a window in the downstairs or upstairs dining rooms. 

The eatery’s chef and co-owner, John, creates memorable dishes inspired by his lifetime joy of eating Asian cuisine and a year spent tasting the best of Japan. You may have also come across him cooking up a storm in the kitchens of Kika and Federal Diner. John’s vision is to bring white tablecloth establishments' cooking techniques and styles into a casual and super accessible setting.

FuDog is a destination for both low-key drinks and those in for some serious eating. Things change often here, depending on the season and the chefs’ latest food epiphanies, but a history of shared plates like Mongolian beef, whole steamed fish, house-made dumplings and fried cauliflower promise only more deliciousness to come. You’ll find a nice balance of vegetarian and meaty dishes to suit all.

Let’s backtrack to the drinking part because this is very worthy of a proper mention. Asian-inspired cocktails are blended with exciting ingredients like lychee, yuzu and Szechuan peppercorn, sake comes from the neighbouring Queenstown brewery Zenkuro, beer taps flow with a rotating selection of Ground Up craft brews, and wine comes straight from local vineyards. This is reimagined Asian fusion eating and drinking — happy days.

Words by Maggie Worthington & Photography by Nancy Zhou

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

47 Helwick Street, Otago

Nearby Places

The Coffee Shack

A woman waiting in line at The Coffee Shack.
Place Wānaka
Cafes key icon.

Proof that good things come in small packages, The Coffee Shack serves up some of the best coffee in town from its pocket-sized converted garage interior.

Pembroke Wines & Spirits

Life is too short to drink bad wine sign at Pembroke Wines & Spirits, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
Goods key icon.

Pembroke Wines & Spirits is a boutique bottle shop that delivers more than you thought you ever needed.

Kika

Flatlay of plates of food from Kika.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
Restaurants key icon.

Dark and elegant, Kika is an award-winning restaurant tucked away from Wānaka's main street.

Fedeli

The-entrance-to-fedeli
Place Wānaka
Cafes key icon.

A deli with a difference, Fedeli speaks volumes about creating an aesthetically pleasing space that offers up salads, pastries and coffee done well.

Similar Places

Scroggin

A milky coffee, pastries and savoury dish on the table at Scroggin, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
Cafes key icon.

With a Scandinavian-inspired fit-out to match the mountains and adventures to be had in Wānaka, you'll quickly understand why this coffee and eatery’s tagline is ‘Gather, feast, stay for a while.’

Muttonbird

Enclosed balcony dining area at Muttonbird, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
Bars key icon. Restaurants key icon.

It’s a seabird you can eat that smells like fish and tastes like mutton.

Kai Whaka Pai

Customers sitting on tables outside the bar.
Place Wānaka
Bars key icon.

An absolute town institution, this place is humming with people Monday to Sunday, winter through to summer.

Fedeli

The-entrance-to-fedeli
Place Wānaka
Cafes key icon.

A deli with a difference, Fedeli speaks volumes about creating an aesthetically pleasing space that offers up salads, pastries and coffee done well.