Caribe Latin Kitchen

Just stopped by for a quick and filling bite. The restaurant is simple and has a nice selection of options, and the food looks really appetizing! One note on the quesadilla: it came with quite a lot of mayonnaise, which tended to overshadow the authentic Mexican flavors. It seems like it might be adjusted to suit local tastes. All in all, it was a satisfying pit stop that hit the spot and left us full. A solid choice for a straightforward, tasty meal!

This is one of my absolute favourite spots in Queenstown. After living here for several years, it’s become my reliable go-to for a quick, tasty meal in a relaxed, funky setting. As someone with coeliac disease, I really appreciate being able to eat here confidently. I’ve never felt unwell after a meal. The veggie nachos I had last night were delicious, and the chicken arepas are a consistent favourite for lunch. My non-coeliac husband is also a big fan, often ordering the burritos or quesadillas. It’s a place that truly delivers great food and a great vibe for everyone. Highly recommend.

Had a very poor experience here - avoid. After placing my order it took more than 30 minutes for the food to arrive. This was simply too slow and they only have 1 chef there who simply cannot keep up with the orders at peak time. Also I think they try to serve everything at once, it might have been better to serve at least one dish first to make the wait less annoying, or provide some small snacks whilst waiting. When the food did come it was honestly pretty bad, the beef we had was dry and flavourless, there was barely any seasoning on the nachos. Ignoring the slow serving speed I would simply avoid this because it tastes bad.

Fun music and amazing food! The chimichanga I got was probably the best I've ever had. Our plates were completely clean before we could take a picture of the food. Delicious, fresh margaritas and horchata. 10/10 would recommend

The arepa was very good, but it was served in a bowl, which made it impossible to pick up. We liked the chicken burrito, though the rice could have been a bit softer and used a bit more seasoning. The pasteles were delicious - loved both the pastry and the filling.

Cute wee spot, my partner and I really appreciated the flavours. The nachos were definitely the highlight of the meal, a bit small but so so tasty. The burrito was good according to my boyfriend, but I was so disappointed my beef meal was unbelievably salty. I’m not someone to waste food and leave it on the plate but I struggled to eat more than half of it and had to leave the rest. We had passion fruit margaritas which were good but you couldn’t really tell the difference from lime ones. A couple of little tweaks and this meal would have been outstanding. Kinda regret what I got as other food looked great. Staff was really friendly.

I got a mixed pork and beef burrito & it didn’t disappoint! The meat was flavoured well; paired with the sauces outside, each bite was even more delicious! I’d recommend getting a large if you’re hungry!

3.8 STARS Friends and I went here by chance as we passed by late at night. I definitely liked the vibe of this place. It felt like a food truck. The staff seemed nice. The food was more than okay. Definitely it was the vibe of the place that made it for me.

When missing Latino cuisine in New Zealand, this is the place to visit for that! They have a mix of Mexican, Brazilian, Argentinian, Colombian, and Peruvian snacks, meals and drinks. We ordered a passionfruit and regular frozen margarita and both were great! The place itself is colorful, cozy and vibrant which is exactly what you would expect from a Latin restaurant. The food came out pretty fast which is another bonus. The beef empanadas were some of the best I've ever had seriously. The arepa was another great choice and so were the quesadillas. Stop by if you're ever in Queenstown you won't regret this little gem.

It was my first time visiting Queenstown from the U.S., and I was immediately intrigued by all the food options in this particular area of town. Caribe caught my attention due to its colorful Latin-inspired decor and tables/seating. I initially asked to order the prawn & cheese empanada, but the cashier told me they did not have prawns. Instead, I ordered the mushroom & cheese empanada, which did not dissapoint! The outer layer was crispy, flaky, golden goodness. The mushroom and cheese combo was not something I've had before. It didn't scream "Latin" to me, but that didn't stop it from being delicious. I also got an order of the vegetarian arepas, which was my least favorite of the two. I wish the veggies that came with it were more hearty; it appeared that they used something similar to a frozen mix of peas, corn, and diced carrots. Again, it was still yummy, but I think it could be elevated with beans! The arepa breading itself was fresh and crispy.

Where to start? Blink your eyes and you might mess it... my eldest says it's messy and that's how you know it's good??!! I am a little less messy but impressed!! It's next to a restaurant with an obvious sign hanging next to it so yes you may walk by it... but you should hear the beautiful sounds of Latin music... we tried the beef empanada (pastille) based on another review... pretty good but hubby doesn't do rice... Spicy pork burrito no rice, spicy!!! The red bottle has more spicy stuffs!! Brownish bottle more like BBQ and green kinda like Chile Verde but sweet (from US Cali perspective)... pretty average serving size compared to CaliMex where a large burrito is insanely huge!! Food super tasty! Great open setting and service was good!!

We grabbed a quick lunch to go on our way to the airport. The small restaurant was empty but alive with its beautiful decor. The prices were fair and they have a fairly comprehensive menu from sandwiches, pastels to some seafood options. The staff were friendly. We both ordered the Cuban sandwiches which was wrapped in a cute box for to go orders. I enjoyed all the seasonings, sauces mixed in with the sandwich. The toasted bread alone was delicious. I would check this place out again for some other menu items.

We were looking for a late night spot to eat after playing some frisbee golf in the park. We'd passed Caribe earlier on in the day so we came back to check it out. We dropped in on a Thursday evening (around 9:45pm) and the place was still busy. The inside is cutely decorated with framed pictures, posters (of their 4 hot sauces) and Latin American flags on the ceiling. The menu consists of tapas, arepas, nachos, burritos, quesadillas and tacos. Some things are shockingly expensive ($7.50 NZD for horchata) but that seems to be the case with many ethnic restaurants in town. - Reina pepeada arepa ($10.00 NZD) - roast chicken and avocado. You can get the arepa deep fried or grilled; we went with the latter and it was excellently done. Great texture. The roast chicken and avocado mixture was tasty and flavourful. - Pork burrito ($14.00 NZD large) - beans, salad, rice and avocado Caribe sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla. We requested our burrito to be spicy and for once, it was the real deal. Tongue got a little hot. The burrito had great flavour and balance. One of the best burritos I've had in a long time. Make sure you add the verde (tomatillo) sauce. It's goooooood. Great value and tasty options at Caribe. We'd come back again.

First meal in New Zealand and we were pleasantly surprised! It was lunch time and we figured our best option would be downtown. Caribe was the first restaurant that caught our eye. It's loud and colorful (in a good way) and it seemed popular among the locals. However, since we have good mexican food at home, we thought it would be good to at least check the rest of the downtown area. Needless to say, our first option was the best option. We were intrigued by the cornbread sandwiches, so we ordered a chicken and beef one. We also ordered what looked like a beef empanada appetizer to share. The food took awhile to arrive. Even people ordering other items after us started to pick up their orders before us so we started to worry a bit. Fortunately, the items were delicious. Fresh and warm right out of the oven! We will definitely be back! This will be a great lunch or dinner.

Super good chicken taco. It was perfect for an afternoon snack. If you like spicy stuff, then this place is an excellent option for you.

I got the large pork burrito with medium spice level and the reina pepeada (chicken avocado) arepa. The large burrito was $16.40 and arepa was $11. The burrito was tasty although not spicy, so if you prefer spicy definitely get it spicy or extra spicy. The large is a good size i'm not sure medium would be filling enough for me. Also if you want cheese it's an extra $2. The arepa was fine, you can get it grilled or fried and I chose fried. It basically tastes like a chicken salad sandwich. You can probably skip the arepa and go for a burrito instead.

If you're craving some decent food at a reasonable price with no frills in downtown Queenstown, I recommend stopping by. Their arepas are refreshing and delicious. They also have complimentary wifi. My big complaint is that the employees are not very friendly, especially to young children. One of the women behind the counter was visibly annoyed the several times we ate here during our recent trip. It's not like his presence made her job harder. She spent most of the time socializing with her friends. So, in summary: rude service, decent food.

So easily 5 stars! Caribe was our first and last meal in Queenstown. We had been dying for anything resembling authentic Mexican. While Caribe is more Central American, with their mouth watering arepas, everything was so delicious that we fell in love. Highly recommend anything with their pork. It's marinated with lots of orange and mojo, and so flavorful. We got it in the burrito, and in the arepa. The beans are great, the Caribe sauce is great, and even though it's not normal in my burritos, I did enjoy the freshness of the slaw in everything. I was also highly jealous of the yummy looking nachos and quesadillas I saw everyone around us eating. We also tried a chicken taco, which was amazing. Nicely spiced and marinated shredded chicken (like tinga, if you're familiar), and GINORMOUS. The price looks high, but it's basically the size of a small burrito. One taco is very filling. The counter staff is very friendly and helpful. There are only like 4 tables outside, and a few stools inside, but we never had a problem finding seating. There is also tons of outside areas to picnic in all around Queenstown if you don't mind the casualness! We loved Caribe - the combination of the great flavor and the super reasonable prices cannot be beat!

Love the food here! It's cheap compared to other options in the area. I cane here 3x in a span of a week that I was in Queenstown so that should say something about this place. I loved their burritos (you can mix veggies and a type of meat), as well as their chicken and avocado wrap. Delish and highly recommend!

Came here twice on a short few days in Queenstown. It's pretty hole in the wall, but delish! The first time we all got different arepas. I'd have to say the one they recommended (chicken arepa) was by far the worst one, which unfortunately was mine. It was more like chicken salad, cold and mayo-y. The other ones were so good though, I was eyeing my friends with jealousy. The second time we came back we were pretty hungry and all got large burritos. The stewed meats are so flavorful and definitely hits the spot. There are tons of hot sauces on the table to douse whatever you order with. We thought this place and Fergburger were really good casual/cheap eats!

My girlfriend and I came here for lunch and we ordered the chicken & avocado arepa and chicken burrito. My first impressions of the arepa, a Venezuelan flatbread, was that it is quite crunch. All the meat was on the bottom and all the veggies were on top, so it was a bit difficult to eat. The chicken burrito was good although it tasted much healthier than a normal Mexican burrito. I'd say order the arepa as it is much more unique. The place allows self seating and the food is brought out to you once it's ready.

I loved this cute little spot, I am a big fan of arepas having spent a few years of my childhood in Venezuela. It is quite hard to find the perfect arepas back home in Brooklyn and when I walked past this spot and smelled the delicious scent I knew I had to try it. I ordered the carne arepas fries and it was delicious! They added a twist with the Cole slaw and my sister really enjoyed the Cole slaw part. The bread tasted like childhood and it was fast and delicious, I will definitely be back before I leave!

I ordered spicy typed food. If you don't like spicy food, you need to tell 'middle spicy'. In terms of the meaning of 'spicy Latin food', it's not familiar with your tasting.

Decent food. We really enjoyed the tequeños and their sauces. The pernil arepa was super over greasy and the pernil itself was ok (it's usually more tender and tasty) and the quesadilla with chicken really lacked flavor

As an American living in Queenstown, I was quite keen to try different foods when I got to NZ but Caribe kept me coming back nearly every other day. - Best chicken quesadilla I have ever had!!! - Amazing spicy and flavorful hot sauces. - Delicious pork burritos as well (not too much rice and beans with lots of veggies and meat).

I found this place walking around Queenstown. I have been craving an arepa for weeks so I had to go in. The arepa was so delicious. I went to Caribe two days in a row. The beans are incredible and they actually use Harina Pan!! I would definitely recommend! The first day I I got the domino arepa (cheese and beans), the next day I got just beans!

It's just not very good, and it's nothing like actual Latin American cuisine, so I'm not really sure why they call themselves such. Fusion would be more apt. We ordered the beef burrito and queso arepas, and neither were very good. It was cheap, though, and the service was fast and friendly.

Good but service is a bit slow. However, food is fresh and so recommended.

We were wondering around town and wanted a quick meal before doing an activity. A local had recommended this place and I initially thought, what do ppl from NZ know about tacos and burritos? We got the beef burrito and it was pretty good to our standards. Free wifi here which is a plus. We are actually glad we came here because one can't possibly eat burgers and meat pies everyday.

The awesome sauces set Caribe apart from other Mexican restaurants - even some I've tried in California and Arizona! Probably one of the most delicious and quickest meals we had in Queenstown!

For all the vegans and vegetarians I highly recommend this place to you. The veggie burrito is on point! Full of sautéed vegetables and seasoned perfectly. The staff here is amazing as well. Tami is very friendly and accommodating. Love this place so much!

Delicious and affordable Latin American food. It's worth the wait if there's a line--and make sure you try the sauces! FOOD: We stopped by twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. I had an arepa (a Venezuelan flatbread sandwich) both times. They're delicious, especially the chicken and avocado, although they are a bit tricky to eat--make sure you grab some napkins. My husband loved the lamb quesadillas so much he got them both times. :] We also got a couple of coxinhas, which were both tasty and a great way to sample the sauces the restaurant makes. SEATING: The place itself is on the small side. There isn't a ton of seating--bar stools inside and a few tables outside. You can get your food to take away, if you're in a rush, but people clear out pretty quickly. If there isn't seating available when you arrive, there probably will be some available by the time your order is ready. AMBIENCE: The restaurant feels like a street food vendor. Mismatched bar stools, tons of Dia de los Muertos-style art, and photos of various famous Latin American people and traditions are all over the place. DOWNSIDES: The wait at lunch was longish. At dinner, the cooks powered through the orders, so we were initially confused by the wait at lunchtime when the restaurant was quieter. We think we came in on the late side for lunch--as we watched the cooks, it seemed like one of them had switched over to dinner prep, so only one cook was handling the incoming lunch orders at that time.

Awesome place, good music and friendly staff. Horchata is super good! Nice streetside eating area too. Big recommend

Open late which is a bonus. Good menu selection of south american food. And actually very good and pretty authentic arepas! Chicken avocado and veggie were both excellent.

Omg delicious!!!! Loved my chicken & avacado arepa!!! Fresh and amazing! The staff was soooo nice too! I recommend!

Best authentic South American food in Queenstown!! Vegetable burritos and quesadillas are 10/10! Loads of fresh veges, service super friendly and fast!

Had lunch here, quick service and food was delicious, nice environment and great prices.

Service here was great, the cashier was so sweet and helped me make my decision. I had the deep fried chicken avo arepa, and yes it was delicious!! It's a very small cafe but you can easily walk outside with your food to find a nice spot to sit and eat. I was actually able to take mind over to the lake because they are located walking distance from it. If I had the chance to do it again, I would!

THIS PLACE RULES! It's the only place we went to twice on our trip in Queenstown. Their burritos put Chipotle and other burrito bars to shame. The meats, the salad, the beans and rice, everything. And the sauces. Oh the sauces. Tried the Guaro, Verde, and Chipotle and loved all 3. The Guaro was definitely my favorite, but you'd be missing out if you didn't try them all. On my second visit I got the homemade churros with chocolate sauce. Good lord. I was in heaven. I could not stop eating them until the bag was gone, and even then, I wanted more. Best churros I've ever had and whatever chocolate sauce they used was addicting as well. One of my friends got the nachos, which were also incredible. I only had a bite, so I can't fully speak to their greatness, but she said they were the best nachos she's ever had. My initial reaction was to agree and I wish I had more time to go back and try an order of those too. They really just felt like icing on the cake though. This place could exclusively serve burritos and crush the competition of all the major burrito bars in Seattle. Add epic nachos and it's not even fair. To top it all off, the owner clearly has an eye for the style of Dia De Los Muertos. Everything about the style of the restaurant exudes a passion for that kind of art and a thorough appreciation for it. You'll see it when you go inside. If I were going to invest in a burrito bar in Seattle, I would want a Caribe franchise. They do everything the big chains (and small owners) do, but leagues better.

I really wasn't expecting finding such a little gem in New Zealand. Really affordable and authentic and has a pretty nice location. Food was great and we enjoyed sitting and watching the people pass by. I'm from SF and I'd give the Latin food 4/5 but for New Zealand it might be 6/5.

Small space but the food was outstanding. The prices were also a little high but it's very worth it given the quality of the food and the atmosphere of the place. Was a great experience dining there.

Pretty good Latin American food a quintillion miles away from Latin America. I ate lunch here once. It was raining. There's a lot of stuff on the walls. That's all that I really remember about this place. It was a while ago but since I bookmarked it, I am compelled to write a review for it. So this is what you get, Internet.

So glad my husband and i decided to come to this spot. I had the chicken taco and it was amazing! My husband had the beef burrito and also enjoyed his meal. We are Latin so our standards for Mexican is high and they exceeded our expectations!

I think it's just ok maybe because I've had one much better before elsewhere so it's just ordinary , to me

Full disclosure: I live in the Mission in San Francisco, and I have pretty particular tastes when it comes to burritos. The Caribe burrito is very much unlike any burrito I've ever eaten, it's more like the bastard offspring of a coleslaw salad, and a lunch wrap (with some blacks beans thrown in for Mexican atmosphere). We ordered beef and pork, and were hoping for something resembling a carne asada burrito, or a carnitas burrito. Our hopes were dashed, and we got orange pork along with some pretty meh (and not nicely grilled) pieces of beef. For those of you with burrito standards, please pass on this.

AMAZING FOOD!! have been here multiple times, ordered multiple items and will definitely be back(: highly recommend if you miss the taste of Mexican food (I know it's not Mexican but I've been craving it from back home and this is the closest thing we've found)

The food was great for the most part. We had an arepa, quesadilla, nachos and churros. The minced beef nachos were our favorite. The quesadilla was too oily and soggy. I am deducting a star for the service. The people working there seem so unhappy and unfriendly. We would have come back again but didn't want them to ruin our day.

Never have and never again will i have a quesadilla like theirs!!! Ended up buying the sauce that goes in it that they sell called Spicy Love. Nearly cried when it busted open at the airport. Asked a friend who's visiting there after us to get us another bottle. It's like crack, it's so good! Try the fried casava while you are there too!

Wanted something quick for a takeaway and ended up with the best burrito I've ever eaten. Ordered the chicken one, it was delicious. If you're starving I would order the 12 inch, otherwise the 9 inch is good to fill you up.

Awesome Latin food and a really friendly staff! Took a takeaway from here. Tacos and Arepas were great. Good for GF eaters. Highly recommended :)

Some nights you just want a burrito that will drip sauce down your arm and wash down nicely with a beer- and Caribe totally delivered on that. As a west coaster I find the kiwi definition of "spicy" to be pretty funny. But this burrito actually made my lips burn a little. Gosh I needed that. Not sure I'm 100% crazy about the coleslaw arrangement but it was interesting and I'd totally eat there again.

Coming to visit New Zealand from California, you risk great disappointment by trying burritos or quesadillas here. Caribe, however, was up to the challenge. The prawn quesadilla in particular was awesome. Best one we've ever had? Top 3 for sure and it's a photo finish. Would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great meal here. The presentation is great as well!

Great place to grab lunch. Fair prices and great portions. The nachos were spectacular, the taco was great with their homemade sauces, and the cornbread sandwich was good, but not as great as the others. Make sure you try the churros at the end of your meal! They are fresh, hot, and delicious!!

Moved out to NZ from California.... I am first generation Mexican American in my family and very fond of Mexican fare. Of the places I've tried this place takes the prize. Truly hit home with the flavors and spice just like my grandmas kitchen in Mexico. Thank you!!!

Such a great gem located in Queenstown! If you are looking for authentic, spicy Latin American food this is the place. Located in the heart of town with a fun ambiance and great prices on food that will fill you up. Don't miss out!

Chicken quesadilla's were the best I've had in NZ and as good as what you would get in Texas. The staff were friendly explaining the different sauces and the music was great. Very good value for the quality of the food. I wish we had one in Blenheim.

Great Latin American vibe. Rustic, chill place. Good prices with good quality food. We ordered chicken burritos and a beef arepa. The chicken burritos were amazing, very complete. The tamarind juice is natural and fresh and also very tasty. Friendly staff. All in all, great Latin American experience. Only thing to bare in mind is that there is not much place to eat inside, so if you don't mind eating outside in some rustic tables, then it is a good option to dine at!

The fish tacos were delicious! The fish was lightly breaded, adding a nice, savory crunch to every bite. The vegetables inside were fresh and added a well-balanced flavor: shredded carrots and red cabbage slaw, green chiles, tomato, lettuce, and baby spinach. The yellow corn tortilla was remarkably tasty, too. I wonder if they make it in-house.