During the winter season, Queenstown embraces classic winter flavours synonymous with this majestic time of year. With over 150 bars and restaurants across the Queenstown region, you are never far away from your next mulled wine or spiced hot cider.
From fine dining and boutique eateries, family-friendly restaurants and iconic burger joints to lakeside bars with extensive wine lists, there are options a plenty to top off your day on the slopes.
Grab a plate
Once the skis are away for the day, descend on the town to find delicious eats and drinks to keep you nourished for the next day of exploring. From experimental vegan menus to larger-than-life pizzas, Queenstown has it all.
Downtown you will find Yonder, serving up an eclectic menu, inspired by the co-owners' world travels, that cater to all tastes and dietary requirements. If platters and wine, served with enviable lake views are your vibe, then Little Blackwood, a classic yet hip cocktail bar, is the place for you. The perfect place to settle down in front of a roaring fire and watch the sun go down.
For grab-and-go enjoyment, take a short walk through downtown Queenstown to iconic burger joint Fergburger or try fresh and coeliac-friendly Erik's Fish & Chips. Is pizza more your thing? Why not tackle the famous 20-inch New York Style pizzas at Fat Badgers.
Add a little class to your après-ski and head upstairs to Boardwalk on Steamer Wharf. Boardwalk’s ever-evolving menu includes fresh seafood, meats, and local produce. The cocktails are not to be missed either.
Arrowtown is just a short 20-minute drive from Queenstown's CBD and the quaint main street and cobbled laneways play host to some of the finest eateries in the area. La Rumbla wows with its delicious, fresh flavours and boasts a menu designed to indulge and share. Don’t forget about dessert and pay a visit to Patagonia Ice Cream and Chocolatier, with shops located in both Queenstown and Arrowtown.
Little Blackwood
Authentic après-ski
The time-tested tradition of grabbing a drink after a mountain session is nearly as old as the winter sport itself. After all, a drink does taste better after a few turns down the slopes.
Once down from the mountains, head into the pumping bars and restaurants for an expertly-crafted tipple. Hot spiced rum, cider, locally brewed beer and mulled wine await. Or if cocktails are more your bag, enthusiastic local bartenders will be more than happy to create a delicious and unique beverage especially for you. Queenstown is home to some of the best après-ski bars in the world.
For those still in your ski gear, you won’t be the only one! Make sure you snag a table outside at World Bar, grab a hearty meal and let the beers flow. Fancy being indoors? Rhino's Ski Shack is an après-themed bar that hip-hop DJs turn into one of Queenstown’s best nights out.
Late nights don’t get much better than at The Bunker with one of the best cocktail menus in town. This hidden gem is an intimate lounge bar serving up the finest espresso martinis and negronis to see your day out in style.
Steamer Wharf at night
Soak away the day
Queenstown is not only home to some of the finest ski slopes in the Southern Hemisphere but also to some of the best post-ski relaxation activities. The Onsen Hot Pools, located at the bottom of Coronet Peak, is an unforgettable experience. Think starry nights, open-air cedar-lined tubs and tranquillity. What better way to spend a blissful hour soaking your muscles after navigating the piste all day.
Most active adventurers are partial to a massage or two. Body Sanctum has two convenient locations in Queenstown's CBD and Frankton and their experienced masseuses will massage all your post-ski tension and strain away.
Onsen Hot Pools
After dark activities
Thrills in winter are not just reserved for daylight hours. After dark, there is an array of activities for you to choose from. Wind yourself through a live-action haunted house at Fear Factory, defy gravity and take to the (indoor) skies at iFLY indoor skydiving or cosy up on the sofas at Dorothy Browns Cinema in Arrowtown with a cheese board and wine.
For an activity before dinner, the iconic TSS Earnslaw steamship, the ‘Old Lady of the Lake’, cruises slowly across Lake Whakatipu before docking for the evening at Walter Peak Farm for a gourmet barbeque dinner.
TSS Earnslaw Steamship
Home of night skiing
Whether you prefer multi-course fine dining, sipping beer with the locals, or lounging on mountainside deckchairs and beanbags, nothing quite beats après-ski. The best part? You don’t even have to leave the mountain! Night Ski at Coronet Peak is a bucket list activity in Queenstown. Ski down freshly-groomed, flood-lit slopes before warming up on the deck by the fires. Expect to be entertained by amazing DJs, pristine slopes, and plenty of fun for the whole family with on-mountain prize scavenger hunts and activities, especially for the kids.
Apres at Coronet Peak Night Ski