Riverstone Kitchen

New Zealand restaurant · Waitaki Bridge ·

Riverstone Kitchen

New Zealand restaurant · Waitaki Bridge ·

Garden-to-table dining, local seasonal ingredients, castle tours

Information

1431 Glenavy-Hilderthorpe Road, Waitaki Bridge 9493, New Zealand Get directions

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

"A short drive north of the South Island town of Oamaru, Riverstone Kitchen is often lauded as one of New Zealand's best regional restaurants. The stylish dining room is anchored by a robust fireplace crafted from local river stones, and much of the seasonal menu is crafted from the restaurant's own organic orchards and gardens. A more relaxed café ambience for daily breakfast and lunches segues to a more formal mood at dinner from Thursdays to Saturdays, and the savvy drink list includes wines from the nearby Waitaki Valley as well as small-batch beers from around New Zealand. Ask if any of the excellent Belgian-style farmhouse ales from Oamaru's Craftwork Brewery are available."

The Best Restaurants in New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Riverstone Kitchen

Riverstone Kitchen

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

The Perfect Week on New Zealand's South Island

Photo courtesy of Riverstone Kitchen

Riverstone Kitchen

Rachel C.

Google

Beautiful stay, stunning food. My vegetarian daughter and I shared zucchini frettes, zucchini flowers, breads and dips and a delicious garden salad. Generous portions and seasonal food. Advise you to book. The gardens were gorgeous to stroll around.

Michael T.

Google

We often go to Riverstone Kitchen because the quality of food and dining experience is second to non. Our most recent visit was to celebrate my Wife’s milestone birthday with a party of seven of us. Service was brilliant as always, the Maître De is exceptional and the rest of the staff equally attentive. Add to this the marvellous food ( we both had rack of venison which was cooked to perfection complimented by a warm red salad) and our celebration was a day to remember. I had ordered a dry flower bouquet from the floral artist and nipped across to collect it, again receiving excellent service and a friendly greeting! Marks out of 10….We would award a 15…the experience was so good! Thank you to all the staff at Riverstone for making my Wife’s milestone birthday SO special!😃

Carol M.

Google

We were excited to visit Riverstone Kitchen as we all had previously had great food there previously but none of us had been for many years. We had a late lunch on Sunday while driving south and all our meals were absolutely delicious. We couldn’t resist the desserts and they were all amazing as well. The portions were generous, this food is fresh and perfectly prepared. Our waitress was so friendly and about as great as you could get. Coming home today we couldn’t resist another visit, lunch again. Three more great meals, three more great desserts. The same waitress who not only remembered us but somehow remembered many details from our earlier visit. This is a fantastic restaurant, really delicious food and incredible service.

vincent C.

Google

I always leave this restaurant fully satisfied…. Food is exceptionally good, service people very switched on, inviting atmosphere, what else could you ask for in a restaurant! And Riverstone Kitchen Oamaru delivers it all. Every time I am in town, it’s my go to for a good meal either lunch or dinner. Last night’s standout dish for me was the Organic Roast Chicken and the desserts were not far behind. We enjoyed the meal so much that we forgot to take pictures. (I went back again a week later to have the roast chicken dish and sticky date pudding dessert - see photos) Highly recommend that you visit this restaurant if you are ever in Oamaru. It’s a bit away from the town centre but worth a drive there. Advance booking is essential.

Garth B.

Google

Book - this place is popular.. You’ll need most of the two hours they give you to enjoy the food at leisure. The desserts are great (yes, plums in sherry with zabaglione, I am looking at you) and the seasonal produce is superb. Take a walk in the gardens after they’ve finished feeding you from them. Smell the flowers. Well worth planning your stop here.

Veronika M.

Google

This weekend, my husband and I went camping for the very first time in New Zealand and decided to test out our brand-new tent. Since it was Valentine’s Day weekend and Riverstone Kitchen was perfectly located as the ideal midpoint on our drive to the campground, we thought we’d spoil ourselves a little — especially knowing our “gear test” would likely be a rather wet one. What a fantastic decision that was. We chose the set menu and were absolutely blown away. Every course was beautifully presented and full of flavour. The Vietnamese coffee was exactly what we needed for the long drive — refreshing, strong, and memorable enough to order a second round. But what truly made this visit exceptional was the service. Stephanie, our waitress, was simply outstanding. She took the time to explain the menu, checked in thoughtfully after each course, and even kindly held our table so we could take a stroll through the breathtaking gardens before returning for dessert. She perfectly timed our second Vietnamese coffee to arrive with dessert (which was to die for!). Stephanie made us feel genuinely welcomed, cared for, and completely spoiled. It was, without question, the best service we’ve experienced in New Zealand. Thank you for such a special start to our camping adventure — we will absolutely be back.

NZ W

Google

The restaurant was closed but we have been in the past and it's awesome. The gift shop was open. Nice big gift shop. Worth a look around and you can walk through the beautiful gardens. Nicest toilets in NZ with interesting hand basins. 😍

Hannah Z.

Google

We have been there multiple times for lunch and dinner. This time was for a quick late lunch. They were very busy over the weekend and we waited nearly 30 minutes to order our food. However, the dishes were served quickly once ordered. The food was great and flavorful. Since the dishes came out so fast, you might want to request that your main course and desserts be served separately. Souffle was excellent!

Jason L.

Yelp

You must stop here for dinner if you'll be in the Oamaru area. A bit of a random spot off of the motorway with a moated castle in the back and a faux-storefront shop next door, the restaurant had a solid wine list with local varietals and very tasty dinner. We all had some tasty salads to start. The fish green curry was amazing, very tasty, and a big portion. Venison was tender but a small portion. Desserts were great too!

Gordie F.

Yelp

A world class experience in a casual setting. This quirky stop along NZ Highway 1 between Timaru and Oamaru provides a culinary experience second to none! An exceptional wine and craft beer menu compliments a diverse and dynamic menu. Great service, stunning views and a castle add to the ambiance.

Olga V.

Yelp

Really surprising place for cafe near rode! Amazing sunny space with outdoor seats with a view in green field. Rather short menu with delicious food. A little bit overpriced but it's normal for New Zealand.

Michael Y.

Yelp

Stopped in at Riverstone Kitchen based on a tip from a friend and it was well worth it! I had the steamed mussels finished with Thai Curry Sauce and a cilantro "salad". The mussels were plump and juicy. Perfectly cooked. The Thai curry sauce was appropriately spicy, but didn't overwhelm the delicate flavor of the mussels. I added a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and the lunch was complete. As I checked out, I couldn't resist the sugar coated fresh donuts which had custard and raspberry filling. I was too full to eat it then, but it was delicious later! The setting doesn't look like much from outside, but once inside it is modern, full of windows and very well appointed. Service was excellent and attentive.

Simon W.

Yelp

Riverstone Kitchen is outstanding. Not much of a secret nowadays but that's ok because it can take a crowd. For lunch we tried the crayfish risotto, pork sausage, meatballs and a doz bluff oysters (half fried, half au natural). Washed down with a glass of Ostler Pinot Noir, it was a fantastic meal... Although dessert was still to come - tiramisu, affogato, pear tart and chocolate nemesis were all destroyed! And we even took a slice of brownie for later! Without a doubt, one of the most impressive meals I've had in the South Island!

Matt K.

Yelp

Wonderful. Had the feasting menu and loved it - great, fresh flavors. If spending any time in Oamaru or driving through, highly recommended!

Jeff D.

Yelp

Amazing! Worth the drive out out of town. We enjoyed the fish and chips and the lamb. Both were excellent.

Richard B.

Yelp

Truely a great experience. The food, the staff, the atmosphere and surroundings. This is a place not to be missed at all as displayed by the number of visitors it gets. The cafe is large enough and efficient enough to handle. Well done team.

Hayden M.

Yelp

Stopped for lunch after recommendation from a friend. Was very hot and kids loved the playground. Was turned away from the diner door as no shoes for the kids. Waitress could have behaved in a more customer focussed manor.

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

The Best Restaurants in New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Riverstone Kitchen

Riverstone Kitchen

@afar

25,132 Postcards · 3,702 Cities

The Perfect Week on New Zealand's South Island

Photo courtesy of Riverstone Kitchen

Riverstone Kitchen

Rachel C.

Google

Michael T.

Google

Carol M.

Google

vincent C.

Google

Garth B.

Google

Veronika M.

Google

NZ W

Google

Hannah Z.

Google

Jason L.

Yelp

Gordie F.

Yelp

Olga V.

Yelp

Michael Y.

Yelp

Simon W.

Yelp

Matt K.

Yelp

Wonderful. Had the feasting menu and loved it - great, fresh flavors. If spending any time in Oamaru or driving through, highly recommended!

Jeff D.

Yelp

Amazing! Worth the drive out out of town. We enjoyed the fish and chips and the lamb. Both were excellent.

Richard B.

Yelp

Hayden M.

Yelp

Riverstone Kitchen

Information

Postcards

Media

You might also like