You are in the beautiful country of New Zealand and after a long day of adventures, you naturally want to quench your thirst and fill your belly with local delicious food and what’s more local than seafood? You should definitely try the seafood that Queenstown has to offer, because the town prides itself on its trendy restaurants and their fresh fish and seafood.
We compiled a short list of the best seafood restaurants in Queenstown based on our own experiences, along with that of Internet users who have given overwhelmingly positive reviews to these venues. Without further ado, here are the best seafood restaurants in Queenstown:
- Blue Kanu
- Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu
- Pier Queenstown
- Finz Seafood and Grill Queenstown
- Erik’s Fish and Chips
Blue Kanu
Blue Kanu is one of the most exclusive seafood restaurants in Queenstown, and although the price tag is quite high, we believe it is worth checking out, because the experience is definitely worth it.
Blue Kanu has a very interesting choice of cuisine, a sort of fusion one, that combines Asian and Pacific cuisine to create a style that they call “Polynasia”. The owners says that they are trying to create a new type of soul food that has not been seen in the region before.
They promise an exquisite dining experience, especially if you book one of their Koru tables that come with that VIP treatment.
Some meals you can try: Trust the Wok – if you say “feed me”, the chef will do just that and surprise you with delicious things. For the more adventurous out there.
Address: 16 Church Street, Queenstown 9300
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 5pm – till late
Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu
Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu is a Japanese hot pot restaurant, which is sure to make you drool when you first come in. In fact, Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu is the first hot pot restaurant in the region and as such it is always quite busy, so make sure you get your booking on time or you might not get some of that delicious shabu shabu.
Although this restaurant offers all sort of foods, including its top-notch Rib Eye steaks, it’s especially popular for its fresh seafood, so give it a go.
Some meals you can try: Crayfish is the bomb
Address: 45 Beach Street, Queenstown, 9300
Opening hours: Every day 5:30 pm – 10 pm
Pier Queenstown
Of course, when you have the word “Pier” in your name, it’s almost a given that you’d serve some of the best seafood in town. This is certainly the case for Pier Queenstown, which has such a wide selection of fish and seafood that it almost deserves its own article.
The restaurant is situated on the pier (what a shock, right?) and it has such a cozy atmosphere that you’ll want to return again and again until you finally try everything off the menu.
Some meals you can try: Seafood chowder; it has mussels, blue cod, salmon, clams, prawns and bacon, which already make it a lot better than your regular clam chowder.
Address: Steamer Wharf, Beach Street, Queenstown 9300
Opening hours: Every day 9 am – 10:30 pm
Finz Seafood and Grill Queenstown
Finz Seafood and Grill Queenstown is another lovely restaurant on the pier that specialises, as you guessed it, in locally sourced seafood. From what we’ve experienced by eating at this amazing restaurant is that the portions are massive, but even so, you always want that extra bite of exquisite fish cooked to perfection.
Enjoy a big platter of every sea creature you can think of with your group of friends and down it with a couple of pints, bonus points if it’s local beer!
Some meals you can try: Tempura Soft Shell Crab – this isn’t for anyone as soft shell crabs can feel weird to some, but you should definitely try the one they serve at Finz, because they mastered the recipe.
Address: Ground Floor Front, Steamer Wharf Beach Street, Queenstown 9300
Opening hours: Every day 5 pm – 10 pm
Erik’s Fish and Chips
This one is pretty self-explanatory, Erik’s Fish and Chips serves fish and chips, some of the best in town! Of course, they don’t only serve that and you can find many other tasty things there such as oysters, mussels and prawns.
What’s great about Erik’s Fish and Chips is that it’s not your casual fast-food place you can go to after a long night of drinking with your mates. No, the restaurant prides itself on its ingredients, all of which are sourced in New Zealand and not only support local fishermen and farmers, but also guarantee the fresh taste.
Some meals you can try: Monk Fish and Chips – it’s super delicious and super fresh, what more can you want?
Address: 13 Earl Street, Queenstown 9300
Opening hours: Every day 12 pm – 8:30 pm
