Where to Eat & Drink by the Beaches and Bays of Ōtautahi Christchurch

Every good beach day starts with an excellent brew, and this Sumner cafe tucked away down Marriner Street never disappoints. Coffee Supreme is the bean of choice at Niche, with a team of baristas pulling the perfect shot for your long black or latte. You’re on Sumner time now, so expect plenty of iced options as well as a solid smoothie menu to get you in the summertime mood. Opt for takeaway to accompany your blissful beach stroll or stick around to feast off a delicious all-day menu or the chocka cabinet.

Synonymous with summer, a pizzeria is a must for any beachside town. For Sumner, Fire & Slice fills the position. The eatery has a fun and playful personality, with a collection of rolling pins hanging from the ceiling, All Blacks memorabilia hung about, and a vintage Land Rover hood wrapped around the brick wood-fired oven. The dough’s perfect flavour and texture is developed over two days, before being hand stretched and tossed in the air – an ongoing performance that provides endless entertainment in the open kitchen. You’ll find Italian classics next to Kiwi favourites with a line-up of local craft beers (and Guinness) to pair with your slice.

Set inside the beautifully restored Sumner Post Office, this fresh foodie destination is the newest venture dreamed up by the team at Shining Peak Brewing. Unsurprisingly then, the beverage menu reflects their love for a well crafted tipple, with refreshing Shining Peak brews accompanied by an excellent list of wines and chic cocktails. The menu is simple but elegant with a Mediterranean/European feel, featuring dishes designed to share with friends. Fill the table with puffy pizzas, whole lemon sole, locally supplied cheeses from Oulala, woodfired king prawns and so much more to lull you into a holiday state of mind. 

We all have our favourite local takeaway joint for fish and chips, but I have made more than a few trips out to Sumner purely for the reward of a paper parcel filled with golden goods from Red Snapper. A bounty of fresh seafood arrives on the daily, filleted onsite by the team of a-fish-ionados. Opt for your standard fish and chips order (they have all the classics) or choose from specialty catches like gurnard and groper, or paua patties and scallops. Feast on one of Red Snapper’s picnic tables outside or head down to the beach for a quintessential Kiwi setting.

Our next seaside destination takes us to South New Brighton and into the home of Dune, a cafe loved by all in the community – including small fluffy drinkers and four-legged locals. It’s an excellent pitstop to grab a coffee before or after a beach walk, with a menu and cabinet that’s hard to look past. Sustainability plays a key role at Dune, with a mug library available for those who forgot their reusable cup, leftover food donated to the local food bank, a rooftop clad in solar panels, and other good habits in place to protect the future of the community.

Conveniently located right next to the popular He Puna Taimoana in New Brighton, you can go from soaking in the hot pools to plunging into a cup of coffee at Saturdays in an instant. The soft and calming pastel aesthetic paired with a beautiful brunch menu succeeds at imitating a Saturday vibe every day of the week. And with real fruit ice creams on the menu, you can tick another essential item off the beach day itinerary.

After a stroll down New Brighton Pier and a splash in the shallows, you may find yourself overcome with a strong hankering for burgers. You’re not alone. Head down Carnaby Lane and you won’t be able to miss the bright popping colours and smell of sizzling patties wafting from The Burger Joint. Following the success of their food truck, Sam and Caroline turned their wheels into a restaurant at the beginning of 2019. Using top quality NZ ingredients, the menu features both classic and more creative burger combos as well as veggie and vegan-friendly numbers. Top up your order with loaded fries or crunchy sides.

I’m gonna call it. This is the closest you will get to an authentic Neapolitan pizza experience in Christchurch. Bomba is the best follow-up to a walk in the hills or a swim in the bay, promising light bases and bubbly charred crusts topped with classic Italian flavours in a colourful courtyard setting. I’ve got no beef with Haiwaiian pizza, but you won’t find it here. For the full Mediterranean experience, sip an Italian wine or beer and finish off the meal with a scoop of gelato from the cabinet. I believe they call this “La Dolce Vita”.

Whether you’re making your way from Lyttelton or over Dyers Pass Road to get to Ōtoromiro Hotel, take a moment to appreciate the jaw-dropping harbour views along the way. They never get old. Perched on a hillside in Governor’s Bay overlooking sparkling waters and rolling hills, this historical pub is an all-year-round destination with something for everyone. In summer, the sunny deck and large garden space is abuzz with familiar locals, friends catching up, dogs lolling about, and kids running around with glee. Don’t want to leave? The contemporary accommodation options upstairs means you don’t have to. 

This coffee spot may already ring some bells for you, starting out from the window of a happy little caravan – a familiar sight for Ferrymead frequenters. In October 2024, owners Ash Watson and Cloud West teamed up with India Curtis to open a permanent space in Diamond Harbour. Just like its cute and petite A-framed building, the food and drink offering is small but special. Beans sail across the harbour from Lyttelton Coffee Company, and fresh smoothies and talk-of-the-town matchas keep non-coffee drinkers more than satisfied. Visit when the weather is behaving and grab a sunny bench outside to sip something yum alongside a slice of cake or a flaky Bellbird pastry. Sounds like a dream day trip in my opinion.