Slow Cuts is an Arrowtown eatery built around a simple conviction: slow cooked food — slow cooked meats especially, the way the team grew up eating it — is one of the best things in the world. From their spot on Buckingham Street, they serve elevated comfort food in a cozy, convivial setting: fried chicken and burgers alongside seasonal salads and rotating cheese boards, all honest food sourced as carefully as possible.
Sourcing matters here. Their beef comes from Silver Fern Farms, raised naturally on grass-fed pastures; their fish is delivered daily from Harbour Fish, a family-owned Dunedin business catching between Timaru and Bluff straight out of the deep cold Southern water; and their chicken comes free range from the Waikato hills, every bird carrying the SPCA Blue Tick of quality. The result is homestyle favourites with a modern twist — slow roast lamb shoulder, braised steak off the specials board, and burgers on famously light buns.
There's a full bar too, pouring local craft beers, fine wines and signature cocktails, and Slow Cuts loves a good party: they regularly host functions, gigs and live events, and the whole venue can be reserved for private celebrations of up to 55 guests. With indoor and outdoor seating, a sunny courtyard and heating for cooler evenings, it's a relaxed, family-friendly spot the locals reportedly visit weekly — whether you're an Arrowtown regular or just passing through.
On Buckingham Street in historic Arrowtown, Slow Cuts runs on a simple conviction: that slow cooked food — slow cooked meats especially, the way the team grew up eating it — is one of the best things in the world. The name isn't a metaphor; it's a promise about how the kitchen likes to work. And it seems to land with locals: one Arrowtown hotel manager, quoted in a guest review, calls it a must-do and says plenty of locals eat here at least once a week.
The menu is elevated comfort food served in a cozy, convivial setting. Fried chicken and burgers sit alongside seasonal salads and rotating cheese boards, all described by the kitchen as honest food sourced as carefully as possible. Reviewers describe a great variety of flavoursome homestyle favourites with a modern twist: a cheese burger and a colourful burger on famously light buns, a buttermilk chicken burger, a fish burger, mac and cheese, and slow roasted meats — the slow roast lamb shoulder earns a special mention — plus braised steak off the ever-changing specials board. Portions get their own applause; more than one guest has reached for the word 'huge'.
Slow Cuts calls its suppliers one of the keys to its happiness, and the list is refreshingly specific. Beef comes from Silver Fern Farms, raised naturally and thriving on grass-fed pastures. Fish arrives via Harbour Fish, a family-owned and operated Duneden business making daily deliveries to Arrowtown with fish caught between Timaru and Bluff — straight out of that deep, cold Southern water. Chicken comes from the rolling hills of the Waikato, all of it free range and carrying the SPCA Blue Tick of quality.
The beer story is local too. Arrowtown Brewing Co — the brewery featured under Slow Cuts' 'Our Brew' — was dreamed up over a couple of pints at Arrowtown's Fork & Tap by an unlikely trio: photographer Michael Thomas, The Exponents bass player Dave Gent, and Navman founder Sir Peter Maire. They've created four unique beers so far, with more varieties always brewing.
Slow Cuts doesn't just serve food — it throws a party. The fully stocked bar pours local craft beers, fine wines and signature cocktails, and the venue regularly hosts functions, gigs and live events. The whole space can be reserved for private events for up to 55 guests, custom-designed with the crew and chefs, with private access to the venue — equally suited to an intimate celebration or a large corporate gathering, with the beer, cider and wine kept flowing while you enjoy the company.
The room is relaxed and inviting, with indoor and outdoor seating, a sunny courtyard and heating for the cooler months. Guests report turning up without a reservation and being seated right away, and the service is a recurring highlight — one vegan diner wrote that the team delivered five-star service 'in a meat house', while others single out prompt, friendly, genuine staff. Families are looked after too, with a kids' beef burger on the menu, and there are interesting juices and gourmet coffee options alongside the beers.
Practically speaking, Slow Cuts opens Wednesday to Friday from 4pm till late and Saturday to Tuesday from 12pm till late, though the team advises checking their socials as hours can shift through the seasons. Bookings can be made online or by phone, and pickup orders can be placed the same way. Whether you're an Arrowtown local or just passing through, it's the kind of slow-cooked, comfort-food spot you could happily eat at just about every single day.