3 Best Restaurants in Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand

Named after a notorious American pirate, this modern restaurant occupies a great site overlooking the yachts moored in the harbor. New Zealand cuisine is highlighted, and there are light and full-size main courses for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all year round.

This predominantly seafood restaurant is renowned for its creative, conceptual New Zealand cuisine. From the moment you set foot into the white space-age foyer at the George Hotel, taste buds are tantalized with local, seasonally influenced and sustainably sourced ingredients. Choose from the à la carte or degustation menu and enjoy some unusual pairings (think celery sorbet with chocolate). There's an extensive wine list to accompany the interesting food.

European spins on local produce, meat, and seafood, along with a seaside location, make for sought-after reservations here. Dark wooden floors, white tablecloths, and leather chairs lend a seaside chic quality, and, on a nice day, you can sit outside. Seafood is the highlight, with Akaroa salmon and local grouper featuring, along with Banks Peninsula lamb and a duo of beef. Lunch is all about the sea with a salmon tasting plate, a seafood platter for two, and mussels marinière.