Little River Inn

Surrounded by 360-degree views of rolling tussock hills, Little River Inn is a place for locals to gather, clink glasses and look out the window to remind themselves how lucky they are to call this part of the world home.

Horse-drawn carriages first started pulling up to this site in 1877, with weary travellers seeking a cold pint and a comfy pillow. The original building survived for 80 years, before being replaced with a practical (albeit a little uninspiring) concrete structure. It wasn’t until 2022 that the McFarland family came along to inject new life (and some seriously fun wallpaper) into the premises. Today it’s a destination for locals down the road, city folk, and travellers from further afield.

While you won’t find any hotel rooms at Little River Inn these days, you’ll be well accommodated nonetheless. The main dining area has been stylishly redesigned to feel like one big living room, with a fresh lick of deep indigo blue, warm pendant lights and plenty of cosy spots to pull up a chair. Perhaps the most striking feature of all is the large windows that face out towards the rolling hills – beautiful at any time of the year, whether each curve is soaked in the golden light of summer or a dusting of snow. On warmer days, the outside courtyard is the place to be, where picnic tables with retro umbrellas sit under solar festoon lights.

Offering more than a pretty view, the menu is everything you want from a gastro pub in the middle of the countryside: hearty and delicious. Snack on thick-cut chips and calamari, share a few pizzas or tuck into a generous plate of Akaroa salmon or roast pork. To wash it all down, you’ll find a great selection of beers on tap, wine, cocktails and nice non-alcoholic options – as well as a small but well-stocked bottle shop out back for those on the go.

To rattle off reasons to visit Little River Inn would keep you here a while. Live music every Saturday, a dog-friendly policy, ample space for wee ones to roam, zero-waste initiatives… It’s no wonder they’ve secured a spot in Hospitality New Zealand’s esteemed Top 50 Gastropubs competition.