5 Stars Vietnamese Restaurant is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Christchurch, and i’m not just saying that because my mum owns it. A warm welcoming ambiance with a very casual and cheap menu.

Fresh Spring Rolls/Rice Paper Rolls. Whatever you like to call them, they are divine, fresh, healthy and the sauce is amazing!

Sugarcane Prawns, if you have never tried these, I highly recommend you do.

Bánh xèo, is a traditional vietnamese savoury pancake, filled with a mixture of things. We had pork, prawn, bean sprouts and fresh herbs. Delicious and filling. The sauce is amazing.

Spicy seafood pho. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup, usually served with rice vermicilli noodles.

Rare beef pho, this broth was deliciously flavorsome.

Lemongrass Chilli Chicken, beautiful fresh flavours as expected.

If you’re looking for a nice, cheap, healthy, BYO restaurant, 5 Stars is the best. Say hi to my mum.

5 Stars Vietnamese Restaurant
Fendalton Village
Christchurch 

Strawberry Fare is another well known Christchurch restaurant. Although they serve top-notch meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they are glorified for their decadent, delicious desserts. The new location is in the old “Harpers” building on Carlton Mill Cnr/Bealy Ave.

The new digs is different but has the the same “warm” and “modern” ambiance. The service is friendly and the atmosphere is intimate.

Velvet pillows, beautifully baked sponge filled with cream, fresh bananas and caramel toffee. Light and luscious, creamy and dreamy.

Vanilla bean panna cotta with fresh kiwi and pickled feijoa. Beautifully moist and drizzling with sweet goodness.

Take someone on a date here and you’re bound to get it in.

Strawberry Fare
19 Bealy Ave
Christchurch 

Black Betty is another amazing post-earthquake restaurant that has erected. Serving great food and great coffee in a trendy environment. Located close to, what is left of the CBD. Gutted I forgot to take pictures of the place. It was packed.

Creamy garlic mushrooms, baby spinach, on toasted ciabatta topped with ricotta. Flavorsome and juicy, loved the garlic/ricotta/spinach/mushroom combo. A delicious light meal leaving me feeling a little bit healthy.

Black Betty’s Big Breakfast with two eggs, crispy bacon, sausages, mushrooms, slow roast tomato, homemade hash browns with a side of toast. They didn’t have hash browns today so they gave Kent some baked beans instead. He also got an iced chocolate, surprised this boy didn’t explode. Great food. Great environment. Greatness all round.

Black Betty
165 Madras Street
Christchurch
 

Jungle Cup, a cool little make-shifty christchurchy pop-upy cafe.

Very junkyardy industrial feel.

Unfortunately we were after a decent breakfast, and the counter here looked very cheap and tuckshoppy. Would be nice if they had a better kitchen.

Jungle Cup
Madras Street
Christchurch XCBD 

Burgers & Beers is a nifty little diner which does great burgers and great beer, inclusive.

A very cosy/casual ambiance with 60’s style diner furniture.

They also have a outside area at the back, with a similar vibe. Too bad it was freezing cold!

Food is served in a brown paper bag and serviette, no plates or cutlery.

Seductive dark branding, crisp black and white illustrations with a violent red accent. Very cool.

Chips and gravy is amazing. Back in the day we would come to Burgers & Beers after a late night out, just so these chips could absorb up all the alcohol. Highly recommended hangover prevention.

Ok my bad, I forgot to take a photo before I started eating. I was hungry! This is the stag burger (venison) with beetroot, mayo and relish - delicious! Perhaps the best burger joint in Christchurch. (Dare I say it, but I can’t think of any others.)

Burgers & Beers, perfect place for something low-key, fingers crossed they aren’t too busy!

Burgers & Beers
Colombo Street
Sydneham
Christchurch 

Joe’s Garage is an iconic NZ cafe chain with a great character and reputation.

At the entrance of Joe’s (Church Corner) you will find this interesting pedestrian crossing that leads to nowhere in particular.

A warm ambiance. Toy trucks, brick walls, friendly smiles and cool lampshades.

A simple selection on the menu, pretty decent and affordable. I just got a coffee, but the food looked pretty good too. Next time.

Joe’s Garage
http://joes.co.nz
New Zealand 

Addington Coffee Co-Op is my second home in Christchurch. I got introduced to this lovely place during design college 2008. Ever since it’s been my ‘Christchurch’ regular.

Hanging bicycles, flags of the world, vintage tea spoons and milk bottles are just a few of the quirky embellishments lurking around in this social conscious cafe.

I use to go to the laundr-o-mat to do my laundry, with a cappuccino and my diary. It reminded me of how simple life really was. Now they have opened up a shop as well! The Addington Store sells great products, a lot of which is fair trade and organic.

Field mushrooms on linseed toast with spinach and hollandaise sauce. Divine fresh ingredients and flavour but the hero was the hollandaise. Mouth blowing.

Big breakfast with grilled tomatoes, bacon, hash brown, sausages, and two perfectly poached eggs. Delicious, perfect way to start your day.

I love Addington Coffee Co-Op. It seems to be a bit more polished and brushed up a bit since I left. (6 months ago.) I kind of liked the grungier character it use to have but it’s still an amazing place and that’s what matters.

Addington Coffee Co-Op
Lincoln Road
Christchurch
New Zealand 

The Monday Room is one of my favorite Christchurch places. Located in the beautiful Strategy building on Moorehouse Ave.

This little gem might be hidden away, but the fluttering birds have a welcoming persona.

The Monday Room is perfect place for a coffee, breakfast, lunch, snacks or cocktails/alcohol with Christchurch’s trendiest folk.

Every corner has some sort of artistic elegance. The ambiance is very relaxed and sophisticated.

These blue cheese polenta fries, succulent, golden and crispy.

Crispy Calamari, so delicious.

Perhaps not the most exciting dish, but it’s still delicious. Burger with kumara fries.

Citrus and cured salmon, delicately balanced. Beautifully presented, herbaceous fennel complimented the dish.

Ostrich served with parsnip puree, wasabi mash, grilled pear and port wine jus. Absolutely divine. Made my trip to Christchurch worth while haha.

The Monday Room is a beautiful restaurant that adds a lot of character and hope for the re-build of Christchurch CBD. All dishes are presented beautifully, and so is the atmosphere.

The Monday Room
Moorehouse Ave
Christchurch, New Zealand

Pepperberry is a gorgeous little cafe and florist, quite an interesting mix but it seems to work very well.

It has a nature friendly ambiance exaggerated with cute decor and white-picket-fence vintage vibe.

I loved being surrounded with fresh flowers in this simple little cafe.

WARNING! You might get tempted to buy some flowers. (If you had someone to buy flowers for.) #foreveralone

Delicious coffee, and beautiful flowers!

Andrews smoked salmon bagel. I think he liked it.

Soup of the day - Chicken and Vegetable. I wanted something light as I was just about to have lunch with a friend, and this was perfect.

Pepperberry Cafe and Florist
(03) 377 0443
919 Colombo Street (Corner Bealy Ave)
Christchurch, 8013
New Zealand 

The Pedal Pusher is another awesome cafe located in the up and coming area; “SoMo” on Lincoln Road. 

This cute cafe/bar/restaurant comes with very cute identity, including a vintage bike with a basket of goodies.

A cute logo with a mouse.

And the relevant-post-earthquake slogan “Let the good times roll.”

This place has a warm rustic ambiance. Pretty much everywhere in Christchurch is rustic or ruble, I feel The Pedal Pusher has captured a bit of the Neo-Christchurch persona.

It also has a friendly kiwi atmosphere, and bubbly staff - with unique decor, bicycle chains, all tying in with the bicycle theme.

A kiwi classic - Fish and Chips, served in a more sophisticated manner. Tasty fresh fish and crispy chips.

Chicken salad, delicious, fresh, and healthy.

Pork Belly with caramelized parsnip and apple sauce. Absolutely beauitful, the pork was tender and moist complimented with the fixating crunch of the crisp crackling.

The Pedal Pusher has set the bench mark for all other cafes/bars wishing to join in this upcoming creative scene. It’s beautiful, has great character, great food and a great vibe. Definitely giving Christchurch hope for the future.

The Pedal Pusher
284 – 286 Lincoln Rd
Addington, Christchurch
Phone: 03 335 0095

http://thepedalpusher.co.nz

Sakura Japanese Cuisine is a new little restaurant opened in the asian Church Corner area. Managed by ex staff member from Yummys, some friendly competition.

A quiet ambiance with a nice Japanese vibe. The menu is full of delicious Japanese tapas around the $15-$20 mark.

Assorted Sashimi is what we started with, beautiful fresh fish, delicately cut and beautifully presented.

Takoyaki was delicious, well presented and the perfect amount of sauce. The sprinkled Nori complimented the dish too.

Soft shell crab - pretty good, nice and crispy and a good subtle dressing.

Yaki tori - I mean yummy tori.

Last but not least we got the grilled steak with Daikon. Not a huge fan of Daikon (white raddish) but the steak was delicious, and went well with the sauce.

Great food, great atmosphere.

Sakura Japanese Cuisine
Church Corner Mall 
380 Riccarton Rd
Upper Riccarton
Christchurch, New Zealand

No Urbanspoon in NZ?!