The Fork And Tap

About The Fork And Tap

The Fork & Tap sits on Buckingham Street in the heart of Arrowtown, styled around the idea of "eat. drink. listen." The kitchen prides itself on making honest food from locally sourced ingredients, with a menu that mixes Fork & Tap favourites, kiwi classics and a rotating blackboard of seasonal dishes.

On the food side, the menu runs from bar snacks and large 30cm pizzas through to hearty meals like fish and chips, a Tap Burger, shepherd's pie and slow-cooked beef short rib, plus a dedicated kids menu and desserts such as apple and rhubarb crumble. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-friendly and dairy-free options are clearly marked throughout.

On the drinks side, the venue celebrates New Zealand's craft beer scene with taps from breweries around the country, including some local Central Otago brews, alongside a wine list built around favourite Central Otago vineyards and a few from across the Tasman. The kitchen runs from 12pm to 9pm, and tables can be booked directly through the website.

The Fork & Tap: Arrowtown's Local Spot to Eat, Drink and Listen

On Buckingham Street in the centre of historic Arrowtown, The Fork & Tap sums up its approach in three words: eat, drink, listen. It's a kitchen and bar built around locally sourced ingredients, a strong New Zealand craft beer and wine list, and a menu that blends pub favourites with kiwi classics and a changing seasonal blackboard.

Honest, Local Food

The food menu opens with bar snacks like warm olives, Szechuan pepper squid with crispy chilli aioli, and a cheese board built around Whitestone camembert and house smoked cheddar. From there it moves into large 30cm pizzas - options range from the venison salami Fiordland to the garlic mushroom Crown Range and the classic Hawaiian - before landing on heartier meals: fish and chips with home-made tartare, the signature Tap Burger with smoked cheese and Fork and Tap sauce, a slow-cooked shepherd's pie, and a braised beef cheek fettucine. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-friendly and dairy-free options are marked clearly across the board, including a chickpea and cumin veggie burger and a hawker roll available with lamb or beetroot falafel.

Something for Every Appetite

Dessert keeps things comforting, with an apple and rhubarb crumble, a bread and butter croissant pudding, and a ginger and date pudding with butterscotch sauce. Younger diners get their own menu too, covering a mini beef burger, kids fish and fries, crumbed chicken tenders and a ham, pineapple and cheese kids pizza, alongside a kids ice cream sundae for dessert.

Drink: Craft Beer and Central Otago Wine

The drink side of The Fork & Tap is built around New Zealand's craft beer scene, with rotating taps sourced from breweries across the country, including some very local Central Otago brews. The wine list leans heavily into the venue's home region, celebrating favourite Central Otago vineyards alongside a handful of selections from across the Tasman, giving visitors a genuine taste of the wider wine region right in Arrowtown.

Visiting The Fork & Tap

The kitchen runs from 12pm to 9pm, and the venue takes table bookings directly through its website, making it easy to plan ahead for a meal, a pizza and a pint, or a relaxed evening working through the wine list. Whether it's a quick bar snack and a local beer or a full meal off the seasonal blackboard, The Fork & Tap positions itself as Arrowtown's go-to spot for honest food and good drink in a relaxed setting.

Signature items

• Tap Burger
• Fish and Chips
• Carnivore's Dream Pizza
• Shepherd's Pie
• Braised Beef Cheek Fettucine
• Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib

Menu

Meals

• Fish and Chips — Fish of the day, thick cut chips, home-made tartare sauce, salad, lemon (dairy free)
• Tap Burger — 100% prime beef burger, smoked cheese, red onion, pickle, Fork and Tap burger sauce, aioli, fries
• Pork Belly Sandwich — Slow cooked free farmed pork belly, hoisin ginger sauce, slaw, apple, fries
• Shepherd's Pie — Slow cooked lamb shoulder and mince, jus, buttery mash, roasted baby carrots (gluten friendly)
• Tap Winter Salad — Roasted winter vegetables, toasted spiced chickpeas, mixed seasonal leaves, beetroot puree, candied pumpkin seeds, maple balsamic dressing, with free-range chicken or Whitestone halloumi (vegetarian option, gluten friendly)
• Hawker Roll — Paratha bread, green salad, pickles, vegan butter sauce, honey mint yoghurt, herbs, F&T crumb, with lamb or beetroot falafel
• Manav's Veggie Burger — House made chickpea, potato and cumin pattie, lettuce, pickles, jalapeno aioli, F&T burger sauce, shoestring fries (gluten friendly, vegan)
• Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib — Herbed mashed potato, roasted pumpkin, jus
• Braised Beef Cheek Fettucine — Slow cooked beef cheeks, fettucine pasta, mushrooms and parmesan

Pizza

• Fiordland — Spicy venison salami, confit garlic, chilli
• Crown Range — Garlic roast mushroom, mushroom truffle cream, fresh parsley
• Sawpit — Baja spiced free range chicken, red onion, green peppers, jalapenos
• Carnivore's Dream — Chorizo, free-range bacon, manuka smoked ham, caramelised onion, Fork and Tap BBQ sauce
• Margherita — Fresh tomato, basil pesto (vegetarian)
• Hawaiian — Manuka smoked ham and pineapple

Dessert

• Apple & Rhubarb Crumble — Stewed apple and rhubarb, almond ginger crumb, warm custard
• Bread and Butter Croissant Pudding — Butter croissant, cranberry, vanilla ice cream
• Ginger & Date Pudding — Spiced ginger sponge, butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream

Bar Snacks

• Warm Olives — Warm marinated olives
• Szechuan Pepper Squid — Crispy chilli aioli, spring onion, red chilli (dairy free, gluten friendly)
• Cheese Board — Whitestone Camembert, Windsor Blue, house smoked cheddar, walnuts, chutney, charred ciabatta, crostini, pickled cherries
• Potted Pate — Free range chicken liver, crostini, pickles, chutney
• Shoestring Fries — Tossed in lemon pepper, served with aioli and tomato sauce (gluten friendly, vegetarian)
• Local Hogan's Gully Salad — Gluten friendly, vegetarian
• Thick Cut Fries — Gluten friendly, vegetarian
• Fried Cauliflower — Hot sauce, green ranch (gluten friendly)

For The Kids

• Kids Ice Cream Sundae — Two scoops vanilla ice cream, strawberry or chocolate sauce, chocolate shard
• Mini Beef Burger with Cheese — Tomato, lettuce, tomato sauce and mayo, served with small fries
• Kids Fish and Fries — Fish of the day with fries
• Kids Crumbed Chicken Tenders — Crumbed chicken tenders with fries
• Kids Pizza — Ham, pineapple and cheese (gluten friendly option)

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Fork & Tap located?

At 51 Buckingham St, Arrowtown, New Zealand.

What are the kitchen hours?

The kitchen is open from 12pm to 9pm.

Does the menu cater for dietary requirements?

Yes, dishes are marked for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-friendly and dairy-free options throughout the menu.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes, options include a mini beef burger, fish and fries, crumbed chicken tenders, kids pizza and an ice cream sundae.

What's on the drinks list?

A rotating selection of New Zealand craft beers, including local Central Otago brews, plus a wine list focused on Central Otago vineyards.

Can I book a table?

Yes, tables can be booked directly through The Fork & Tap website.

How do I contact The Fork & Tap?

By phone on 03 442 1860.

Tips

• {"body":"The wine list is built around favourite Central Otago vineyards, a good match for the region.","title":"Try the Central Otago wine list"}
• {"body":"Tables can be reserved directly through the website before you visit.","title":"Book ahead for a table"}
• {"body":"All pizzas are a large 30cm base, with half 'n' half combos available for $2 extra.","title":"Go large on pizza"}
• {"body":"Alongside the regular menu, there's a rotating blackboard of seasonal dishes worth asking about.","title":"Check the seasonal blackboard"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids menu with mains and an ice cream sundae for dessert","dietary":"Menu items are marked for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-friendly and dairy-free options"}