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Queenstown New Zealand

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Guide

Rooftop, waterfront and lake view dining

Photo: The Dining Room

Watch the light change over Lake Whakatipu and the mountains from a waterfront deck, rooftop bar, or hillside table.

Queenstown puts on a show at the end of the day, and the right venue makes all the difference.

Pull up a chair on a heated deck by the water, gaze towards the peaks from a hillside dining room, or settle into a courtyard among the vines. This guide is grouped by the kind of view, so you can find a setting to suit your plans, from a sunset drink on the wharf to a leisurely lunch further afield. Ask for a table with a view when you book, and arrive with time to enjoy it before your food comes.

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Showing 23 places

Waterfront dining, from Queenstown Bay to the marina

Here's where to be when the sun starts to drop. Steamer Wharf, Marine Parade, and Queenstown Bay beach combine relaxing views with waterfront bustle. You’ll find decks beside the bay and dining rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the water. For a gentler pace, Queenstown Marina in the Frankton arm of Lake Whakatipu has spots for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a micro brewery. It's about a 45-min stroll along Frankton Track (closed until 2027) or a short drive.

10 places

Rooftops and balconies above Queenstown

Head upstairs for a different angle on the lake and the Remarkables. These rooftops and balconies are all downtown, one or more floors up, with gas fires and firepits, tapas, and live music or DJs on the deck. Perfect for a sunny afternoon and for sunset. Rooftops and decks can close in bad weather or out of season, so check before you climb the stairs.

5 places

Dining high above the lake in Queenstown

For the widest views, go high. Ride the gondola up Bob's Peak for a meal overlooking Queenstown, or book a hillside dining room above the lake, where the mountain peaks fill the windows. Arrive while it’s still light, so you can watch the colours soften as you dine. A window table is worth requesting when you book.

4 places

Beyond the lakefront: vines, rivers and gardens

Further out, the view turns from lake to vineyards, rivers and mountains. These are worth the drive for a long lunch: a courtyard overlooking the vines in Gibbston, outdoor seating above the Shotover River at Arthurs Point, a garden beside the Arrow River Reserve, and home cooking on the shore of Lake Whakatipu near Glenorchy. Allow time for the drive, and check hours before you go.

4 places

Rooftop, waterfront and lake view dining: good to know

Which of these have outdoor seating?

Most of the places in this guide:

Which of these take bookings online?

About half of the places in this guide:

Which of these list wheelchair access?

About half of the places in this guide:

Which of these have a kids' menu?

About half of the places in this guide:

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