Delicious Food, Local Flare.

Hungry? You’ll never be far away from a café or restaurant when exploring South Canterbury. From gourmet to organic, fine dining to café, home cooked style to takeaway. The Timaru, Waimate and Mackenzie districts of South Canterbury present a rich variety of flavours, cultural and culinary styles.

Enjoy delicious fresh local fare with stunning views to match! Primary produce is the lifeblood of farming here, so fresh and local produce features prominently on café and restaurant menus. Most cafés are very child friendly, providing outdoor play areas and even friendly farm animals to amuse young café goers while parents enjoy a relaxing break. Try the ice-cream parlour in Twizel!

Strolling the streets of South Canterbury, you’ll find both traditional and unexpected culinary delights. Scrumptious fresh fish & chip take-aways, tackle the ‘biggest burger challenge’ in Geraldine, quirky city and country cafes, tasty Thai, French pastries, legendary Indian, Japanese teppanyaki, fine dining and traditional Kiwi food. Feast on a world-famous Fairlie Bakehouse pie, or fresh salmon from clear, high-country canals.

Discover world-class local produce like beef, lamb and venison; salmon and trout, quality cheeses, manuka and clover honey, apples, strawberries and jams, craft beers, fine wines and barista coffees. You’ll soon see why South Canterbury is called ‘the food bowl of New Zealand’.