Let's start with two simple favourites…
Winnies
A perennial winner, with pizzas to die for, good range of beer, a lively crowd and good tunes. It's located in Queenstown Mall.
Fergburger
A Queenstown institution — any time is a good time, whether you've been out on the town for most of the night or looking for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner on the run. In the old days, Ferg only used to open after midnight through a hole in the wall in the small laneway that is also home to The Cow (more on that later). Fergburger has since set up in a primo location on Shotover Street and still serves up the best burgers you'll find anywhere — I challenge anyone to come up with more perfect combinations than the Cockadoodle-Oink (chicken and bacon burger with all the trimmings), the Codfather (for those with a hankering for "fush and chups" in a bun) or the Big Al (which must weigh at least a kilogram and has been the staple diet of end-of-season rugby trips to Queenstown for many a year). Don't forget to order the chips with garlic aioli for the full experience.
Halo Café
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day — at least if you go to Halo Café. The breakfast menu is extensive but we never seem to make it past the breakfast burrito (beans, eggs, bacon, hash browns, chorizo and tomatoes wrapped in a flour tortilla with homemade salsa and sour cream on the side). You don't need to eat again until mid-afternoon! Oh, and they have some of the consistently best coffee in town — a winner in my book. With that sort of start to the day, I'm generally ready for anything…
Amisfield winery
For classic Central Otago close to Queenstown, Amisfield winery is 10 minutes from town, overlooking Lake Hayes. The beautiful schist-stone building is worth a visit by itself. You can go straight to the cellar door for wine tastings or enjoy a meal with a glass of Amisfield's finest over lunch or dinner.
The Cow
For one of the best all-round experiences, The Cow offers Queenstown's best Italian fare with a menu that has not changed since it opened more than 20 years ago: garlic bread, house vino and spaghetti marinara … ooh baby! This is where I take friends who haven't been to Queenstown before … they have a nice little well-stocked bar down the back where you can (and without doubt, will have to) wait for a table — be patient; the whole experience more than makes up for it! Don't be afraid of becoming friendly with other diners — you'll often end up sharing tables.
Luciano's
If you want to visit downtown Chicago in the 1920s, a visit to Luciano's is on the cards — a restaurant themed with the black and white of a 1920s gangster movie. Enormous portraits of the most famous (or infamous) crooks and criminals from that era stare down imposingly from the walls. Put simply, the food is sensational. There's an enormous open fireplace that greets you through the front doors and an over-flowingly well-stocked bar. You and your friends will more than likely come out reciting lines from
The Godfather,
Casino and
Goodfellas, while talking like Luciano himself.
Hamill's
If you've had enough of downtown, Hamill's in Remarkables Park is open all day with the most extensive menu around: great pizzas, high-quality cuts of meat if you're after local lamb, beef or venison and an extensive wine list with many of the region's best. And then there's the view from the restaurant windows of the magnificent Remarkables Range. With its friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere, I often bring larger groups of friends with kids here as the booth-style seating allows for at least six to a table and there's room for much larger bookings. So far, I have not been disappointed.
Sofitel's Chop Chop noodle bar
If a quick and tasty Asian culinary experience is more your style, Sofitel's Chop Chop noodle bar offers an affordable eating option in pleasant surrounds. Think Wagamama if you've experienced this style of dining — this is Queenstown's closest version, with tablemat menus, quick service and taste sensations from around Asia. Don't forget to check out the men's bathroom facilities while you're there … I'm not kidding!
Patagonia Chocolates
And to finish off a good culinary evening, Patagonia Chocolates do the best hot chocolate around and their homemade rough-cut chocolate range is so extensive, you'll end up back there night after night sampling "just one more". The Lick Dessert and Espresso bar (next to Fergburger) has recently become my number one dessert destination, with a wide selection of sorbets, gelato and ice cream all beautifully displayed in glass-top cabinets. Try the gelato toastie (chocolate gelato inside a choc-chip brioche or a sweet brioche with poached fruit and gelato of your choice). At $6.50, it's got good value written all over it.
Next: 24-hour itinerary
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