A foodie weekend in New Zealand's second city Christchurch

You can argue as to which is NZ’s first city, Auckland or Wellington - Auckland is the busiest with the largest concentration of people whilst Welly is the capital and arguably the countries beating heart.

Regardless of this North Island fight, Christchurch is most definitely the countries second city - the largest on the South Island and second only to Auckland in terms of population. It’s a city on the up, recovering from a number of natural and man-made incidents over the last few years that would arguably rip the heart out of most. Despite of, or maybe because of this, its a city rapidly embracing change and eager to try new things. Over recent years so many new cafes, bars and eateries have emerged that the city has become a great place for us foodie types to while away a couple of days. There are the local favourites, C1 Expresso, Dux Dine, Fiddlesticks that still remain popular - these are now interspersed with new kids on the block - such as Amazonita, Miro and Crockett. Then there are the new dessert bars that have opened not to mention Riverside Market which is a haven for food lovers from all walks of life and spending desires.

A Saturday morning in Christchurch should begin with a trip to a market - there are several great options to choose from but I particularly recommend Riccarton Market, Lyttelton Farmers Market and of course the permanent Riverside Market. Riccarton showcases local produce within the grounds of Riccarton House. It’s an idyllic setting with the only problem being the parking - it’s mainly off road and you have to hunt around the side streets to find parking in spaces in front of locals houses. It can sometimes mean a bit of a stretch of the legs to the market but that probably isn’t a bad thing once you get there and start consuming - believe me your eyes will be bigger than your belly. All manner of stores sell great local produce ranging from posh porridge, to famous bacon butties, to Italian cheeses and Cornish pasties…You really are spoiled for choice. After browsing the many market stalls take a seat by the side of the river and watch the ducks and sometimes eels swim by. The grounds are also home to a small section of native bush which is surrounded by a large fence to protect it from outside pests. A circuit walk takes you through a forest representative of how Canterbury once was, before we humans arrived and cut it all down for farming. It’s a heart warming place and leaves you mourning the loss of such places.

Lyttelton Farmers Market is a held on a Saturday morning also and although smaller in scale is probably just as good. There is a first rate bread stall selling the best bagels I have possibly ever tasted. There are numerous local vegetable growers and sellers, fish mongers and cheesemongers. Heck you can even enjoy samples from a local winery. The main street is closed to traffic so you can mingle through the crowds and there are numerous coffee shops to enjoy a break. There is usually an excellent band providing some entertainment as you browse. I love taking my shopping list to Lyttelton, filling my bags then going to grab some breakfast or morning tea at one of the cosy cafes nearby. My particular favourites are Coffee Culture and Super, and I’ll come to these two in a later article.

Riverside Market is in central Christchurch and has only opened very recently. It’s a mecca for all the great and good food stalls. You could spend the whole day here and still not try everything. It’s home to the wonderful Bohemian Bakery (try the Portuguese tarts), a Mediterranean Deli, and green grocers. There is even a machine to recycle and fill your glass milk bottles. Snack wise choose from authentic dosas from India, Malaysian Street Food, Greek souvlaki, freshly made donuts or cookies. Heck, there is even a Turkish shop selling delectable Turkish delight.

So any of these options are a great way to spend a Saturday morning, but how about an afternoon in Christchurch? Want to discover more about the cities top foodies spots, I’m happy to share ideas in my next post shortly…..