Sofi

Showcasing the best of Wānaka from its perch on Ardmore Street, Sofi is a Mediterranean dream near the shores of the lake. Run by Sean Smith (also behind Italian neighbour Francesca) and his team, the restaurant presents everything wonderful this town has to offer: views, ingredients, people, all through a fresh Mediterranean lens.

With the elegance of fine dining and the warmth of a weeknight haunt, the goal is to slow down. Dinners and conversations that roll into the evening over shared dishes. Good food. Good drink. Good company. Simple as.

Walking in fresh from the lake with bare feet and an empty stomach isn't just encouraged, it's expected. In togs and fancying a quick spritz? Do as the Mediterraneans do. Think Majorca beach club meets your nana's house: great views paired with large pours, no pretence.

From the street, the restaurant looks as if it's been carved from the mountainside: a block of stacked stone, snowy-peaked reflections caught in the glass. Step inside and the rough edges soften: plastered grey walls, linen curtains, cane-backed chairs around a long shared table, arched niches with timber shelving behind the tiled bar. Pull up a bentwood stool there, or lounge on the leather couch by the fireplace, acoustic guitar within reach. For something more intimate, settle amongst the cushions in an arched alcove at the other end of the room. Throughout the restaurant, woven pendants, corrugated iron and copper accents all nod to the high country, and every corner says stay.

With a room this good-looking, it's easy to forget you came to eat. Handmade plates showcase Mediterranean dishes designed to be shared. If you’re after a standout, the ceviche and pomegranate margarita are both musts and should be consumed as a pair.

In a town made up of people who came, saw the mountains, and never left, it feels fitting that at one of its restaurants, you might follow suit. Visit Sofi, and you may never want to leave, but that's just the point.