Dodson's is an expansive German-esque beer garden nestled comfortably on the outskirts of town…read more Parking is to be had in a large lot or on the streets. 20+ taps available at any given moment. Beers are served in 200, 400, and 500mL formats with some strong IPA's, DIPA's, and even a robust stout on tap. Blenheim is quite near to Wellington therefore you'll eye a good number of tap handles occupied by breweries from the area. Food is of the German-fare, but they also have pizza and burgers. The Pork Knuckle served over a hefty bed of mashed potatoes seemed quite revered which the guy gluttonized over since it was just about the heartiest pork knuckle meal I've ever laid mine eyes on. Like woah! I will never forget it! I, on the other hand, went with another favorite in the form of the Fish and Chips (19.5 NZD). Theirs is made with a wheat beer battered Hoki fish, tartare sauce a salad, and requisite chips on the side. Batter was a little cakey, but with the best crunch. The salad was appreciated to bite through this heavy meal while helping the guy some with his massive slab of pork. The fun and laid back atmosphere of this cavernous beer garden with outdoor patio served as a great night cap though it is your typical pub experience in the end with heavy, greasy food and strong beers.

Fish and chips was outstanding! Others got pork schnitzel and fish sandwich. Can't comment on the…read morebeer as I was the DD..

What a lovely find. Beautiful restaurant, the service was excellent, as was the food. I can see…read morethis place as a hang-out for friends or after work meeting place. I started with the fried cauliflower, which is very addictive. Light curry spice in a creamy aioli. For my entree, I had the miso pork belly, with pea puree & baby carrots. My mother had their burger with a side of onion rings, though the burger came with a good amount of large steak fries (chips). Our friend had the lamb chop starter. It came with a lot of bones, so it could easily be a main. It was in miso as well. All was very well prepared and extremely flavorful. Our friend, who lives here, is happy to have a new place to go to.

We ate here for dinner one night while touring this part of the country. I liked The Good Home's…read moredecor - it was modern and a bit classy, but not too much that it felt formal. I ordered a hamburger, which came with a small salad and fries. The burger was good and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed their selection of beers which was above average. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it seemed a little expensive; I don't feel I got particularly good value for my money. With that said, the food is good, and I would eat here again.

Made a complicated order. Hey, I guess that's my fault : scrambled eggs. Took 45 minutes to arrive…read more No apology, part of a pattern of very bad service. Glum people all of them, doing a lousy job, and not giving a damn. The food was good, tho, when it finally arrived.

My family went to Cortado for lunch after disembarking the ferry from Wellington. It was awesome!…read moreWe ordered a caesar salad, pancakes, pomegranate and pear salad, and a lamb hot stone. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, a hot stone is a really hot stone used to cook meats on. The food was really good! The service was very fast and the drinks came out very quickly! We only had two issues. First, we ordered a meatball upgrade with one of our dishes that never came (they didn't charge for it). Also, the caesar salad needed a little more dressing. Easy fixes. Overall, highly recommend if you are passing through!

Good for vegans and omnivores. The coffee was excellent and the breakfast tasty. My vegan…read moredaughter thought the vegan Huevos Rancheros made the best meal she had enjoyed in New Zealand. My toast with greens came with cheese and I ordered a side of sausage. It wasn't vegan but it was tasty.

Came here on a Saturday morning and the place was busy but not crowded. At first I was disappointed…read moreto find this was a vegan restaurant but once I started eating their food I was blown away! The coffee, bean Burritto with hot sauce on the side, and Cranky Goat tasted so fresh and delicious I didn't care it was a vegan meal! What a gem of a find in Blenheim! The prices are very reasonable ($7 & $10) and the crowd is all age groups. I saw kids, hipsters and old couples eating here. Would recommend to anyone visiting to try this place out.

Our last winery stop (out of six) was Hans Herzog Estate. Every other winery in the area seems to…read moreclose at 4:30pm. Hans Herzog is the only one that's open later. This place has a bistro and restaurant that seems to be incredibly popular. It's $$$$ prices (3 course menu - $94.00, 5 course menu - $125.00 and 7 course degustation - $155.00 NZD). High end stuff indeed. There's a secret garden (behind the Cellar Door). Would look into this if you're planning to eat here. For the wine tastings, there's three options: classic ($10.00 NZD/person), indulge ($15.00 NZD/person) and ultimate ($20.00 NZD/person). The more expensive options let you sample from the limited release wines. We stuck with the classic which let us try three. The pours are on the smaller side. Service was excellent. We had a French server who really knew his stuff and you could tell he was passionate about his trade. - Gewürztraminer - this one was good, well balanced. - Grüner veltliner - we weren't sure what to expect from this one. It was a bit more savoury. - Pinot gris - first pinot gris we've seen that's been pink in colour. It wasn't too sweet. A bottle of this would have been nice but pricey at $40.00 NZD. Good quality but it comes at a high price point. If you've got moola to burn, come here.

This luxurious restaurant nestled in a vineyard is probably the most exquisite and romantic place…read moreI'd ever dined at. I was beyond mortified when my sister and I walked in wearing just our biking clothes having just finished a day of biking around to the various vineyards. However, the staff was more than welcoming making no comments towards how we may have been dressed. We were seated outside next to the fountain, a trellis path and a perfect view of the sunset. I couldn't get over the view, breath taking. This is the kind of romantic place you take a girl. Boys, take note. We ordered the aged beef from the special menu and the rack of lamb, pairing our dishes with their 2009 cabernet. Absolutely delicious meal, we savored every bite! I know tiping isn't customary in NZ, but the service, food, and atmosphere were fantastic, I couldn't leave without leaving them something to show my appreciation and satisfaction. I highly recommend coming here!

I heard on the street (well, in the Speight's Ale House actually) that this is THE cafe to head…read morefor in Blenheim. They weren't wrong, wish I'd found it sooner! Described as an urban grocery delicatessen, this place delivers with a smart cabinet selection of savoury choices and some yummy sweet treats, Paleo included. Plus a big range of gourmet deli products and kitchen/homewares. A few brands I recognise from up north, plus some locally sourced products too. Nicely presented food and a good range of seating inside and out. Set away from the main shopping area and well worth the visit. There's a small Bkfst menu at the counter, but mostly cabinet food. I had a delicious sundried tomato and feta risotto cake, a 'hot' coffee and a passion fruit melting moment. Can see why this place has won best cafe in Marlborough more than once.

Friendly staff and a bustling cafe…read more Nice date scone but coffee could have been better. Not bad, just not great. Will give it another try.

Quick stop for a bite, ended up trying the mussels before leaving the South Island... a must try…read moresince it's very close to Havelock, green lip mussels "capital". Totally hit the spot! Glad decided to drop by.

By London Quay, close to Picton Harbour and Memorial Park, Le Cafe is a coffee shop on the right…read more(west) and a bistro on the left (east). Very friendly and good service, providing detailed explanation on menu items. Many outdoor seats by the street. Indoor area is small, wide open to the view, with a little windy. Ordered the famous Blackfoot Abablone (New Zealand Paua) $49 and Grouper $35. Both are fabulous dishes, nice presentation, and juicy tender taste. Knowing local people could get paua for free, commercial price goes up. This is a very reasonable cost in such nice restaurant, much better than what we had ($118 for a smaller one) in Wanaka. At last, we kept the shell :)

We been on a cruise ship drinking very ordinary java bout a week now…read more SO LOOKING FORWARD to proper barista coffee, lobbed into le Cafe in Picton town midday. Really wanted em to be great... Sadly..... To report ...... "Not as such". Got order wrong. Didn't fix it. Dairyfree i.e. almond milk error meant we paid and didnt consume no money back is unacceptable by any measure. Friendly staff. Clean loos. Not hurrying back to le Cafe