Roots Restaurant on Postcard

"Venture to the slightly rough harbor town of Lyttelton near Christchurch for some of the country's most innovative and inspirational degustation menus. The intensely seasonal options constantly evolve—often on a daily basis—and tasting adventures from five to 12 courses are available. Ingredients are harvested from small local farms and producers as well as from the restaurant's own extensive gardens; foraging in the hills and valleys of the nearby Banks Peninsula is also an integral part of the culture at Roots. Visit with an open mind and an appetite for culinary surprises to experience one of New Zealand's most memorable dining occasions. Well-curated wine matches are also available."

The Best Restaurants in New Zealand

test

@afar

"Venture to the slightly rough harbor town of Lyttelton near Christchurch for some of the country's most innovative and inspirational degustation menus. The intensely seasonal options constantly evolve—often on a daily basis—and tasting adventures from five to 12 courses are available. Ingredients are harvested from small local farms and producers as well as from the restaurant's own extensive gardens; foraging in the hills and valleys of the nearby Banks Peninsula is also an integral part of the culture at Roots. Visit with an open mind and an appetite for culinary surprises to experience one of New Zealand's most memorable dining occasions. Well-curated wine matches are also available."

The Perfect Week on New Zealand's South Island

test

George Forgan-Smith

Google

A stunning, unforgettable meal at unquestionably one of the very best restaurants in New Zealand. Dining on the 12 course menu with my significant other for a birthday, our night began with a wonderfully warm welcome and a personal tour of the kitchen garden from head chef & owner Giulio, which I was not expecting! A perfect evening unfolded from there, every dish an exquisite culinary celebration. Wonderful service from Christy and her team. So glad we came!

Janice Leung Hayes (e_ting)

Google

Superb experience. Roots is seen as one of the best restaurants in Christchurch and it's not hard to see why. The food is thoughtful, creative and true to the locale - lots of ingredients from the surrounding region. Lovely service, interiors and wine list too. It's on what seems like the main street in Lyttleton, a charming district that feels like a country town, only 15-20 minutes from the city.

Marco Dela Pena

Google

Roots is definitely worth the trip to Lyttelton! I can’t remember everything they served but we had daikon, clam, aged hapuka, pork belly, venison, gold kiwifruit dessert, pan de yuca, and tea. Some ingredients were sourced from their backyard garden. Great food and excellent service from the team. It’s a short drive from Christchurch and there’s plenty of parking.

Ivo The Editors

Google

We had a very nice dinner here. Really good food and a exremely friednly service

Jost Kreitz

Google

Amazing experience of tasting. Passionate chefs, incredible freshness and delicate compositions. Take your time to explore every bite. My son a chef too in one of the top Restaurants in Copenhagen invited me here as a Christmas present. We will never forget this fantastic menu with matching delicate wines and the wonderful staff we met there. Passion meets the best material for cooking. Served with a smile and great attendance. Thank you so much.

Kathleen Ryals

Google

We were disappointed in this restaurant. We live in San Francisco and like several of the other eaters, enjoy fine dining and tasting menus. The service was excellent and the wine pairing superb but the flavors were absent or didn’t mesh well in most of the dishes. We were also seated in the bar which lacks the charm of the dining room. Overall a disappointment.

Cai Gwatkin

Google

Stunning. The 12 course degustation is an amazing experience, and the wine pairing is very well matched. We spent 4 hours there but, with such interesting and exciting foods being brought out seemingly endlessly, it felt like 2. The staff are superb, such professionals, and they really add a great deal to the night.

Jeremy Harris

Google

This place is an experience. We went for full wine matching with our meal. While it was a memorable evening, the food simply isn't worth what they're charging for it. It's creative and interesting, but to be honest we've had better tasting food for a lot less money. Service was exemplary though.

George Forgan-Smith

Google

A stunning, unforgettable meal at unquestionably one of the very best restaurants in New Zealand. Dining on the 12 course menu with my significant other for a birthday, our night began with a wonderfully warm welcome and a personal tour of the kitchen garden from head chef & owner Giulio, which I was not expecting! A perfect evening unfolded from there, every dish an exquisite culinary celebration. Wonderful service from Christy and her team. So glad we came!

Janice Leung Hayes (e_ting)

Google

Superb experience. Roots is seen as one of the best restaurants in Christchurch and it's not hard to see why. The food is thoughtful, creative and true to the locale - lots of ingredients from the surrounding region. Lovely service, interiors and wine list too. It's on what seems like the main street in Lyttleton, a charming district that feels like a country town, only 15-20 minutes from the city.

Marco Dela Pena

Google

Roots is definitely worth the trip to Lyttelton! I can’t remember everything they served but we had daikon, clam, aged hapuka, pork belly, venison, gold kiwifruit dessert, pan de yuca, and tea. Some ingredients were sourced from their backyard garden. Great food and excellent service from the team. It’s a short drive from Christchurch and there’s plenty of parking.

Ivo The Editors

Google

We had a very nice dinner here. Really good food and a exremely friednly service

Jost Kreitz

Google

Amazing experience of tasting. Passionate chefs, incredible freshness and delicate compositions. Take your time to explore every bite. My son a chef too in one of the top Restaurants in Copenhagen invited me here as a Christmas present. We will never forget this fantastic menu with matching delicate wines and the wonderful staff we met there. Passion meets the best material for cooking. Served with a smile and great attendance. Thank you so much.

Kathleen Ryals

Google

We were disappointed in this restaurant. We live in San Francisco and like several of the other eaters, enjoy fine dining and tasting menus. The service was excellent and the wine pairing superb but the flavors were absent or didn’t mesh well in most of the dishes. We were also seated in the bar which lacks the charm of the dining room. Overall a disappointment.

Cai Gwatkin

Google

Stunning. The 12 course degustation is an amazing experience, and the wine pairing is very well matched. We spent 4 hours there but, with such interesting and exciting foods being brought out seemingly endlessly, it felt like 2. The staff are superb, such professionals, and they really add a great deal to the night.

Jeremy Harris

Google

This place is an experience. We went for full wine matching with our meal. While it was a memorable evening, the food simply isn't worth what they're charging for it. It's creative and interesting, but to be honest we've had better tasting food for a lot less money. Service was exemplary though.

Debbie L.

Yelp

Adorable foodie restaurant with creative presentation and great food. Service was also very friendly. The presentation reminded me a little of Atelier Crenn in SF, if it were a small town version, and at a fraction of the cost. It's located just outside Christchurch. Really happy I went to this little gem.

karabina c.

Yelp

This was one of my favorite meals in all of New Zealand. I am so sad that they suddenly and shockingly closed! I feel fortunate to have been one of the lucky ones to experience the delicious and creative food in this charming and relaxed town.

Roots Restaurant

Roots Restaurant

Photos

Highlights

You might also like