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Nin's Bin
The coastal road between Kaikoura and Blenheim is lined with so-called "bins" – New Zealand's version of a New York City food truck. One of the most famous is Nin's Bin, which is located roadside a 20-minute drive north of Kaikoura (it's on the ocean side). In Maori, Kai-koura mean "eat crayfish," and Nin's focuses almost exclusively on this freshwater lobster (also on the menu in season are green-tipped mussels). The seafood is simply prepared and you eat at rustic wooden picnic tables with views of the sea.
Pegasus Winery & Restaurant
About equidistant on the road from Christchurch to Kaikoura – along scenic Highway 1 – Pegasus Winery makes a perfect lunch spot (the on-property helipad also attests to the fact that some diners need not bother with long driving distances). Don’t plan on having anything but a multi-hour, leisurely lunch here. The winery’s garden setting is stunning and the food is some of the South Island’s best. Diners sit at casual wooden tables beneath white canvas umbrellas on a bluff surrounded by colorful flower gardens and with views spilling down a valley and up the mountains in the distance. The food is excellent and pairs well with Pegasus vintages, including a beautifully crisp Riesling.
The Boat Shed
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Boat Shed in Nelson is a great spot for a leisurely meal with great views. Housed in a simple wooden building on stilts that sits right above the bay, and with sweeping vistas of the sea, the restaurant features a seafood-heavy menu with lots of small plates to share. It’s a good spot for lunch if you are driving towards the Tasman area, where Edenhouse is based.
The Store Kekerengu
In a stunning location along the coast, a 45-minute drive north of Kaikoura, this restaurant/cafe has large wooden decks and big lawns overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You can come for breakfast, lunch or even just a coffee, then take a long walk along the beach or set off on a more challenging hike from here. If you get sold out of a Kaikoura Whale Watch or want a more extensive menu than offered at Nin’s Bin, The Store is a fabulous place in the Kaikoura region to spend a half-day exploring.
Twelve Trees Restaurant
A winery lunch is a must when touring Marlborough, and Allan Scott Family Winemakers' Twelve Trees has one of the best setting. Book a table in the pretty al fresco courtyard and mingle with local families who come for weekend lunches. There's also a tasting room for sampling the vintages (tastings are complimentary when you have lunch), and a shop with a great selection of New Zealand–designed gifts.
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