It's a popular road trip stop with mostly foreigners who are guaranteed to generate a constant…read morequeue, one that moves swiftly making a visit an easy enough venture. Pies are a tick below 10 NZD, the menu constantly shifting during our visit around 1PM since they were freshly baking and selling out of pies constantly as the line moved. A Steak & Cheese was suddenly fair game upon making our way to the till and I also ordered an extra far out selection in the form of the Pork Belly & Apple Sauce pie. It was interesting securing a spot outside where all the tables are located though be prepared for crumbs galore since parties are constantly rotating through. Super flakey pie crusts are to be had. The pork belly with apple sauce sweet and savory combo worked surprisingly well. The candied pork belly on top was a neat added bonus. These were sensible, comforting pies, in my humble opinion, though its renown probably diminished by its fast-paced touristy vibe which, I imagine, could affect consistency and quality at times. Our pies were one of great enjoyment though!

18 months ago Fairlie Bakehouse was top of the tree. Best in…read moreclass best in show pies. Meat pies Not now. That was then. This is now. Today visit earns a solid 2 star review. Edible. Bad soggy underdone pastry. Taste free cheese un melted. Pie not served hot. Meat chunks unremarkable nor many. Ten bucks tiny pie didn't impress in value / quality. International staff still delightful. Busker Ken Irish music out front the best of the best day we've enjoyed in a long time

BUSY brunch spot on the main drive in Lake Tekapo but probably the one eatery with the best…read morequality. THANKFULLY, they give you an overestimation of wait times, at least for food, my Croque Madame (19.5 NZD) coming out very fast to the picnic bench just outside. FRESH ingredients and despite only having 1 egg, the free range egg was actually quite big with a mostly runny yolk. I did wish there was more bechamel sauce perhaps because it was a little dry. I practically almost finished this before the boy was able to fetch my Flat White for me, the baristas positively inundated by in-cafe orders alongside walk-up window ones. It was already quite crowded at 9AM on a Friday, so VERY popular, but with reason!

Best cafe in Tekapo…read more We stopped by for breakfast all 3 days we were in the area and our flat whites (one regular, one with soy) were consistently great. The muffin flavor rotates daily. We tried the banana caramel, chocolate and Nutella flavors and all were delicious (& not too sweet). The berry French toast is also delicious. We also tried the curried chicken wrap which was tasty, and minced meat pie which was decent. Service is great and staff is friendly. You are given a number if you decide to eat-in and the drinks are brought timely. The food may take awhile, but it's fine since you can sip on your drink in the meantime. Communal tables available with a fair amount of seating. Cute vibe. Lots of parking. Definitely our favorite spot.

AMAZING food. The food is fresh, made with local ingredients, creative, and so good with every…read morebite. See photos for what was ordered. This was such a pleasant surprise in a small town, especially after a long hike through the snow. I called ahead to make a reservation so we were seated right away when we arrived. We were there on a weekday but think this place would be really busy on a weekend so plan ahead on that if needed. As for ambiance, it felt more like a cafe than a restaurant. We were right across the fireplace which worked well for us especially when we could feel the cool air every time the door was open. Overall, we loved our experience and enjoyed the food. Will recommend to a friend who will be in the area in the next few weeks.

Probably my favorite meal in my 10 day journey of the South Island. Recommended by our motel staff,…read moreit was a short walk away. We sat out on the patio for an early dinner which was really nice. The food was phenomenal. And I don't just think that about all meals. The bread was super fluffy and fresh to start. This place cooked the salmon perfectly and the filet was out of this world. If I lived closer I'd be here all the time.

Excellent coffee and breakfast meals. My poached eggs were perfect, a bit too vinegary, though. My…read moretoast was lightly crispy yet wonderfully fluffy. Portions are filling and reasonably priced. Staff can be iffy depending on how you're perceived as a local traveler or foreigner. Plenty of parking as it's part of a row of shop fronts and restaurants and in front of the Dark Sky Project building.

My wife and I had a quality lunch at Reflections during a recent visit to Lake Tekapo. I ordered…read morethe Lamb Burger and my wife ordered the Braised Pork and Wild Mushroom Pappardelle. The burger was delicious. The ground lamb patty was topped with melty Brie, creamy aioli, crisp lettuce, fried onion rings, and pickled jalapenos. The burger was paired with soft thick fries. I stole a decent portion of my wife's dish since she wasn't too hungry. Savory noodles were mixed with tender shredded pork, juicy mushrooms, and fresh basil and covered in a lightly creamy and peppery sauce.

Snacks with a world class view. You don't drive up that mountain for the cuisine but if you are…read morepeckish they have a selection of sweets, drinks/coffees and sandos that will satisfy.

I went here after doing a nearby hike, enjoyed the views of pastry and a coffee. It's a nice little…read morespot.

Though we only very briefly pit-stopped in Twizel, for gas & takeaway, we enjoyed our time…read morestrolling through the town-with its quaint, family-friendly vibe, and welcoming locals. The café was quite cozy-offering pre-baked goods and made-to-order platters, loads of drink variety, and an in-house bookshop to enjoy while waiting. We opted to select a variety of pre-baked goods, warmed, and packed to go, including a date scone, salmon frittata, bacon egg & cheese sandwich, bacon egg & cheese quiche, ginger crunch, and two flat whites. We did have errors with our order-they warmed up the wrong salmon option, giving me instead a salmon bagel (I was able to correct this immediately) but after driving away, I realized my date scone was not the big item underneath the ginger crunch, it was a weird folded napkin (oops, so it was forgotten) Though the food we did obtain was quite tasty. The ginger crunch was moist, with a bold flavor profile-tart sweet ginger with a creamy light icing-so yummy I want to try recreating at home! The savory bacon breakfast items were layered with ingredients all well-seasoned, and a balanced amount of sauce between. The salmon frittata had large chunks of creamy flaky salmon, well folded within the layers of egg, cream, and butter- with just enough seasoning to give a pop without overpowering. Overall, I recommend giving them a visit, triple check the order; the food is very tasty.

A warm and cozy feeling cafe with great food and nice attention to detail in their items. I ordered…read morean egg/bacon/fried tomato breakfast and had a muesli parfait on the side that was garnished with a little rose as a nice touch. It was certainly a tasty and photo-worthy brunch.

My Alpine Salmon Filet, local mussels, cauliflower steak and shoe string fries with house made…read morepaired with some great wine and beers. Bar opened at 4 with drinks and bites available restaurant opened at 5pm for the rest of the menu. Food came out hot and delicious.

A nice find in a beautiful town! The restaurant features an excellent preparation of the NZ staples…read more- beef, lamb, local fish - and a full bar. The staff is engaging and cheery: Millie was especially attentive and kind to us, ensuring we had a wonderful evening in Lake Tekapo.

The food is pretty average, fish and chips burgers, and the like and they have just a cuppa beers…read moreon tap. With that said, I'd just hiked about 14 miles and the nice staff and the incredible view made this a nice place to get myself together,, The steak burger gave me life.

There are not a lot of dining options in the Mt Cook area so we ended up eating here a couple of…read moretimes. The food was better than I expected for a more remote location. Service was spotty and at one point I had to get up from the table to go find someone to help us. Tip: You can make a dinner reservation for a window seat - nice views.

This place is an excellent view of the two main mountain peaks. The food is really good as well…read more Nice ambiance. Excellent hiking trails.

With Glacier views and a serene setting, Matheson Cafe is the perfect combination of delicious…read morefood, relaxing and ideal location. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, you really can't go wrong here. We opted for dinner and needed a reservation as it is a popular place in town. It was the perfect choice to see the sunset over the glacier. If staying in town for the night, this is the way to go. Food was just as good as the locals said it would be. Service was quick and our server was very attentive and checked in with us often. Everything here was fantastic. The only thing (not the cafe's fault) is the bugs around sunset and once the sun goes down are very annoying. After sunset, we along with the other guests at nearby tables all requested to move inside to enjoy the rest of our meal. They were use to this request and able to accommodate all of us right away.

All other restaurants in town were fully booked. Pleasantly surprised with great food and huge…read moreportion sizes :) Salmon and quinoa salad are excellent Food came reasonably fast and also reasonably priced too for their portion sizes Would recommend!

Good lunch special. I had the fish and chips and it was a nice sized portion. Plenty of easy…read moreparking, and a view of the church. Service was relatively quick and the place wasn't too busy.