The Best Eats Down Riccarton Road

We start our journey at Dux Dine, a well-loved restaurant housed in a quaint heritage villa that feels miles away from the busy thoroughfare. It’s a truly beautiful spot to come at any time of the day, whether for brunch, lunch, dinner, or an afternoon gin and tonic in the sunny courtyard. Vegetarian and pescatarian dishes dominate the menu, using only the freshest produce sourced locally. Got stubborn meat lovers at the table? We can tell you, hand on heart, they won’t even notice a whole food group is missing.

Once you’ve discovered Sasuke, you can’t help but beat yourself up about all the times you drove past unaware of its existence. This small but mighty Japanese restaurant is hidden away in the Windmill Centre, but has managed to draw plenty of attention for those looking for a warming bowl of ramen, katsu curry, fresh sashimi, donburi and many more dishes perfectly executed. Add in the smiling service and you’ve got yourself an eatery worth returning to regularly.

Head next door and you’ll discover another Windmill resident luring hungry passersby in with an authentic Korean feast. In a minimalist wooden space, it’s relaxed enough to swing by for a quick and casual weekday dinner but also very worthy of a more special occasion. You’ll find all the classics, from bibimbap and bulgogi to hotpot and Korean pancakes. The drinks list slaps too, with traditional soju and makgeolli (Korean rice wine), as well as wine from top North Canterbury vineyards. 

Looking for somewhere that brings the heat? You’ll want to knock on the door of number 87. For such a humble entranceway, Little Spicy opens out into a surprisingly large and modern dining area – after all, they need plenty of seats to keep up with demand. Here, it’s all about loading the table with a generous amount of traditional Chinese dishes, so make sure you bring a big group to get the job done.

Locals have been slurping up noodles at this spot for over twenty years now, and it’s not hard to understand why it’s lasted the test of time. Owner and head chef Pauchanda makes sure everyone is well fed and cared for at Riccarton Noodle House, from the fast and friendly service to the quality Cambodian dishes inspired by her great grandmother’s culinary teachings. Open every day, it’s perfect for takeaways, solo dining, cheerful date nights, extended family get-togethers… Everything, really.

Riccarton Road isn’t exactly known for its cafe scene, but Park Ranger is most certainly the exception. Offering a wilderness-inspired retreat from its urban surroundings, there are nods to the great outdoors everywhere you look – from the wooden furnishings to the thriving plant life to the boy scout-esque logo. In keeping with the natural theme, the cabinet is packed with wholesome goods, including filling salads, hearty sandwiches and handmade baked goods.

After raging success as a vendor at the Bush Inn Night Market, it wasn’t long before the snaking line of regular customers inspired this sell-out stall to transition into a brick-and-mortar cafe on Riccarton Road. Ngon Ngon specialises in fresh and delicious bánh mì, as well as a range of Vietnamese-inspired brunch and lunch dishes. The crepe cakes, Vietnamese coffee and specialty iced teas shouldn’t be overlooked either.

While Hello Vietnam’s fitout may be modest, bucketloads of effort has been injected into their food and welcoming hospitality. It’s not uncommon to set this spot bustling with groups of diners on any night of the week. The menu is hefty and while it’s pretty hard to go wrong with ordering, phở is certainly the hero here – perfect for a chilly Christchurch evening.

If you’ve always thought meat is the key to delicious Chinese cooking, this long-standing eatery on the corner of Wharenui Road will quickly extinguish your theory. Welcome Vegetarian serves MSG-free vegan and vegetarian dishes that show off the flavour power of mushrooms, tofu, eggplant and more meat-free produce. Whether you’re in the mood for dumplings or wontons, soulful soups or claypot rice, you’ll find plenty of tasty plates to enjoy with your full-time (and part-time) herbivore friends. 

Opening in 2010, Daphne’s is somewhat of an institution in the Church Corner neighbourhood. It’s always at the top of our list when we need a cheerful BYO spot to come with lots of people or are craving a slow weekend morning over hearty dim sum. You’ll find an extensive list of authentic dishes from all over China, including all your favourites as well as a few that may be unfamiliar to you – but definitely worth getting to know. The dining room is large but always packed, so we recommend booking in advance to avoid any disappointment.