Southland Dining

If you love chain food outlets and shopping mall food courts, then Southland might not be your foodie dream. If however, you salivate at the thought of fresh meat and seafood, farm-to-table produce and locally brewed beers, then welcome to paradise.

There is a phrase in Southland which sums up the cuisine: Southland portions. Huge, hearty, locally produced meals are the name of the game here, so come hungry and loosen that belt. Pretentious it is not, but downright delicious it most certainly is. We're talking everything from fine dining lamb cutlets to slap-bang plates of deep-fried oysters and whitebait and, of course, the famous blue cod and chips.

Quaint, cutesy cafés are everywhere. While away hours chomping on food and chatting with friendly owners. There are elegant restaurants with jaw-dropping views, dribble-inducing bakeries dishing out the region's famous cheese rolls and rustic taverns serving locally brewed beers. No wonder Southland is known as New Zealand's breadbasket.

Cafés and Restaurants

  • Locals love good coffee. Combined with huge plates of food, sticky cakes and a friendly hubbub, you'll find you spend a lot of time in Southland's quirky themed cafés.
  • Is there anything better than dining on freshly caught seafood, whilst watching the sun set over the ocean? You won't have to look hard to find a Southland restaurant with a view.
  • When you're craving something familiar, head to towns such as Invercargill to find international restaurants ranging from American diners to Chinese takeaway.

Local Seafood and Meat

  • Try fresh seafood plucked from the chilly Pacific waters. We're talking Bluff oysters and salmon from Stewart Island, mussels and cockles from the shoreline and Southern Ocean cod.
  • If you're more of a carnivore, look forward to delicacies such as cutlets from locally reared lamb, Mossburn venison pies and Tuatapere Sausages.
  • For a truly rare New Zealand specialty, try roasted muttonbird. For centuries the Stewart Island Māori have hunted these small birds.

Other Local Produce in Southland

  • If you visit Southland and don't have a legendary cheese roll, you've done something wrong. It's a creamy, cheesy, onion sandwich roll. Eat it hot.
  • Meet the exuberant owners of local breweries and let them introduce you to their lovingly crafted beers and ciders.
  • When you're planning your trip, include a visit to a farmers market. It's the best place to sample local flavours such as organic fruit and vegetables, free-range eggs, cheeses, jams, chutneys and honey.

Created in partnership with Venture Southland