Stories
Local people and producers
Destination Queenstown's stories on local people and producers around Queenstown.
Local people and producers: Queenstown food and drink stories
14 stories, newest first
A Local's Guide to the Queenstown Markets
By Queenstown, NZ
More than a spot to shop (although they’re excellent for that too), Queenstown’s local markets are where you’ll discover seasonal flavours, meet passionate local makers, connect with the community, and soak up the rhythm of the region. They’re the beating heart of our creative spirit.
Read morePostmasters Kitchen + Bar: Keeping It Real
By Queenstown, NZ
Tuesdays at Postmasters Kitchen + Bar in Arrowtown are known as “maintenance days.” It’s when owner Sam Laycock loads up the week’s kitchen compost and takes it home to his own bins, giving it a second life in the garden. It’s a quiet ritual Sam’s been following since he and his wife Maria took over the historic property in 2013, and it says a lot about how they run their business. No fuss, no fancy titles, just thoughtful decisions that are right for the team, their guests, and the planet.
Read moreBrewing a New Future: Ryder Specialty Coffee
By Queenstown, NZ
Ryder Specialty Coffee is setting a new standard for sustainable coffee roasting, embracing innovative technology and local connections.
Read moreA Winemakers Guide to Queenstown: Chris Keys Shares his Favourite Local Pinot Noirs
By Queenstown, NZ
Autumn is the best time to visit the world’s southernmost wine region. Queenstown is a renowned wine and food destination, celebrated globally for its Pinot Noir. It’s the gateway to hundreds of Central Otago vineyards, with the closest wine region, Gibbston, just 20 minutes away.
Read moreAward-Winning Coal Pit Vineyard Becomes Fully Certified Organic
By Queenstown, NZ
Coal Pit Vineyard and Winery, in the heart of Gibbston Valley, has reached a significant milestone in its journey towards regenerative farming, having recently been fully organic certified.
Read more20 Years of Big Hearts and Full Bellies at Queenstown’s Pasta Café
By Queenstown, NZ
For up to six weeks every winter, a group of local volunteers get together on a Friday to cook up and serve hearty pasta dishes and plates heaped with home baking. They then open the doors to Queenstown’s ‘Pasta Café’, and welcome the crowds for a delicious meal that’s always on the house.
Read moreSherwood: Garden to Table
By Dish Magazine
Dish chats to Chris Scott, executive chef at Queenstown's Sherwood hotel and restaurant, about the delights of cooking with produce straight from the soil.
Read moreMeet the Chefs Behind Some of Queenstown's Top Restaurants
By Queenstown, NZ
Queenstown has been a magnet for top chefs for decades, each drawn to the region for its lifestyle opportunities and lively hospitality scene. Meet the chefs behind some of Queenstown's top fine dining restaurants and learn why these restaurants have put Queenstown on the map.
Read moreThe Story of Queenstown Wine
By Queenstown, NZ
Brimming with colourful characters achieving improbable goals, the story of Central Otago’s wine industry starts with the gold rushes of the 1860s.
Read moreMeet Our Winemakers
By Queenstown, NZ
With its sterling reputation and astounding beauty, the ‘Valley of the Vines’ attracts passionate viticulturists and winemakers from all over the country and abroad. We caught up with three Gibbston winemakers to talk about what brought them here and, perhaps more importantly, what makes them stay.
Read moreEat, Drink and Shop Local in Queenstown
By Queenstown, NZ
From organic produce that you can buy directly from the grower to wines straight from the cellar door, here are the top ways to get to know Queenstown's creative community and pick up a few goodies along the way.
Read moreBiodiversity, Sustainability and The Chef's Garden at Gibbston Valley Winery
By Queenstown, NZ
In 2014, Gibbston Valley Winery made their first step towards a more environmentally friendly future in having the original Home Block vineyard certified organic by BioGro New Zealand. Since then, the winery has continued to grow their efforts in environmentalism, sustainability and biodiversity across their vineyard, restaurant, and now their on-site luxury lodge and spa.
Read moreThe Bustle of Queenstown's Wine Harvest
By Queenstown, NZ
The next time you crack open a good bottle of Central Otago wine, imagine all the skill and hard graft that went into creating it, from planting the vines, to the frantic harvest period during autumn.
Read moreQueenstown Q&A: Alan Brady, Winemaker
By Queenstown, NZ
Alan Brady planted some of the first wine grapes around Queenstown, creating Gibbston Valley Winery in the early 1980s. After living half of his life in the valley, he moved to Clyde to retire in 2016, but keeps his hand in producing wine under his coveted Wild Irishman label.
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