Armadillos Restaurant and Islington Tavern

About Armadillos Restaurant and Islington Tavern

Armadillo's Restaurants NZ is a well-established casual dining chain with venues spread across the South Island and beyond, serving Kiwi pub classics in a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Locations span Christchurch (Beckenham, Halswell, Belfast, Lyttelton, Templeton), Springlands in Blenheim, Richmond in Nelson, Timaru, and Te Anau — with The Moose Tavern and Islington Tavern also operating under the group. The group's stated mission is to provide a fun, friendly, and safe environment where every customer leaves with an experience to remember.

The menu covers the full range of Kiwi pub dining: a well-stocked grill section with prime ribeye and sirloin, classic pub mains, seafood, and a signature burger lineup. The Armadillo's Signature Ribs — slowly braised pork ribs in the house's own BBQ sauce — appear to be the dish most closely identified with the brand. Steaks are grilled to order and served with a choice of garlic butter, mushroom sauce, gravy, or peppercorn sauce alongside duck fat potatoes or crispy fries.

Beyond the standard dinner menu, Armadillo's offers a lunch menu, pensioner menu, kids menu, and function menus, along with dedicated private spaces at most venues for group bookings. The group also hosts fundraiser quiz nights. Online bookings and gift vouchers are available through the website, and franchise opportunities are open to enquiry.

Prices may vary at selected venues.

Armadillo's Restaurants NZ: South Island Pub Dining at Its Most Consistent

Armadillo's Restaurants NZ has grown from a single South Island venue into a well-established casual dining group with locations across Christchurch (Beckenham, Halswell, Belfast, Lyttelton, and Templeton/Islington), Springlands in Blenheim, Richmond in Nelson, Timaru, and Te Anau — where The Moose Tavern overlooks the lake. The group's stated mission has stayed consistent throughout: a fun, friendly, and safe environment, with the best service possible from the team.

The food is built around the kinds of dishes a South Island pub crowd expects done well — and Armadillo's delivers with a menu that covers steaks, ribs, seafood, chicken, and a full signature burger lineup. Prices are mid-range and clearly stated, and the note that prices may vary at selected venues suggests a degree of local flexibility across the network.

The Menu in Full

Starters run from garlic bread on freshly baked ciabatta ($14.90) through to Sizzling King Prawns in a cast-iron ramekin with garlic, lemon, and chilli ($21.90). The Crumbed Camembert ($19.90) — fried until crispy with plum sauce and garlic toast — and the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings ($21.90) round out the more interesting starter options, alongside a Seafood Chowder entrée ($19.90) and Southern-style Chicken Tenders ($16.90).

The grill section is the backbone of the mains. A 250GM Prime Ribeye ($45.90) and a 300GM Sirloin Surf 'n' Turf ($49.90) top the range, both served with a choice of sauce (garlic butter, mushroom, gravy, or peppercorn) and either duck fat potatoes or crispy fries. The 300GM Prime Rump ($39.90) sits in the middle. The Armadillo's Signature Ribs ($34.90) — slowly braised pork ribs in the house's own BBQ sauce — are the dish most closely identified with the brand.

Chicken mains include the Classic Schnitzel ($32.90), a Warm Chicken Salad with bacon, grapes, and house dressing ($32.90), and the Chicken and Bacon Stack on creamy mash with cajun cream sauce ($36.90). Seafood options include the Seafood Workshop (pan-fried gurnard topped with garlic prawns, $39.90), classic Fish 'n' Chips with beer-battered gurnard ($36.90), and a Main Seafood Chowder in white wine reduction ($31.90).

The burger lineup is flat-priced at $29.90 across all options: Grilled Chicken, NZ Prime Angus Beef (with beetroot relish), Beer-battered Fish, Southern Style Crispy Chicken (with peri peri), and a Mushroom & Halloumi option for vegetarians.

Sides can be added individually: mash potato, duck fat potatoes, vegetables, and mushrooms at $8 each; garlic prawns (4) for $10; house salad $8; fried egg $3; extra sauce $3.

Beyond the Meal

Armadillo's venues are built for groups as much as solo diners. Most locations have private function or dining spaces available for bookings, and the group actively hosts fundraiser quiz nights. Lunch menus, pensioner menus, kids menus, and function menus are all available, making Armadillo's a practical choice across a wide range of occasions.

Online bookings can be made for each venue individually via the website. Gift vouchers are available through NowBookIt. For those interested in operating their own venue, the group also offers franchise enquiries through the website.

Signature items

• Armadillo's Signature Ribs
• Prime Ribeye Steak
• Sirloin Surf 'n' Turf
• Seafood Workshop
• NZ Prime Angus Beef Burger
• Classic Chicken Schnitzel

Menu

Sides

• Fried Egg (1)
• Mash Potato
• Duck Fat Potatoes
• Extra Sauce
• Vegetables
• Mushrooms
• Garlic Prawns (4)
• House Salad

Starters

• Garlic Bread — Freshly baked ciabatta smothered in home made garlic butter
• Chilli Cheese Bread — Ciabatta with cheese, home made garlic butter and sweet chilli sauce
• Crumbed Camembert — Crumbed camembert fried until crispy with plum sauce and garlic toast
• Sizzling King Prawns — Six prawns in a cast-iron ramekin with garlic, lemon and chilli sauce
• Entree Seafood Chowder — Fresh seafood in creamy white wine reduction with ciabatta and crispy kumara
• Chicken Tenders — Southern style chicken tenders with BBQ sauce
• Soup of the Day — Ask your wait staff for today's special
• Buffalo Cauliflower Wings — Battered cauliflower wings cooked golden, served with aioli

Chicken Mains

• Warm Chicken Salad — Marinated chicken, bacon, grapes, greens and Armadillo's house dressing
• Classic Chicken Schnitzel — Golden crumbed chicken breast with mushroom sauce, salad and fries
• Chicken and Bacon Stack — Marinated chicken on creamy mash with crispy bacon and cajun cream sauce

Seafood Mains

• Seafood Workshop — Pan-fried gurnard topped with garlic prawns and fresh salsa with choice of sides
• Fish 'n' Chips — Beer-battered gurnard with house salad, fries, tartare sauce and lemon
• Main Seafood Chowder — Fresh seafood in creamy white wine reduction with ciabatta and crispy kumara
• Southern Style Crispy Chicken Burger — Crispy chicken, swiss cheese, smoked tomato relish, bacon, aioli and peri peri in a bun

Red Meat Mains

• Prime Ribeye Steak — 250GM prime ribeye grilled to order with choice of sauce and sides
• 300GM Sirloin Surf 'n' Turf — Sirloin topped with four creamy garlic prawns, with choice of sides
• Armadillo's Signature Ribs — Slowly braised pork ribs in house-made BBQ sauce with crispy fries
• 300GM Prime Rump Steak — Prime rump grilled to order with choice of sauce and sides
• NZ Lamb Hotpot — Lamb hotpot topped with puff pastry, served with mash and gravy
• Chicken Bacon & Mushroom Pasta — Pan-fried bacon, chicken and mushrooms in creamy white wine sauce with parmesan

Signature Burgers

• Grilled Chicken Burger — Marinated chicken, swiss cheese, smoked tomato relish, bacon, lettuce, tomato and aioli
• NZ Prime Angus Beef Burger — Beef pattie, beetroot relish, swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato and aioli with fries
• Fish Burger — Beer-battered gurnard, lettuce, tomato, aioli and tartare sauce with fries
• Mushroom & Halloumi Burger — Portobello mushroom, grilled halloumi, caramelised onion, lettuce, tomato and aioli

Frequently asked questions

How many Armadillo's locations are there?

The group has venues in Beckenham, Halswell, Belfast, Lyttelton, and Templeton/Islington in Christchurch; Springlands in Blenheim; Richmond in Nelson; Timaru; and Te Anau (The Moose Tavern). Each has its own booking page on the website.

Can I book online?

Yes — each venue has a dedicated online booking page accessible from the Book Online menu on the website.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes — a kids menu is available as a PDF from the Menu page on the website.

Do prices vary between venues?

Yes — the menu notes that prices may vary at selected venues. Check with your specific location if in doubt.

Does Armadillo's have vegetarian options?

The Mushroom & Halloumi Burger ($29.90) and Buffalo Cauliflower Wings ($21.90) are the vegetarian options listed on the main menu.

Can I buy a gift voucher?

Yes — gift vouchers are available online through the NowBookIt platform, linked from the Vouchers section of the website.

Does Armadillo's host events or functions?

Yes — most venues have private function spaces for group bookings, and the group runs fundraiser quiz nights. A dedicated function menu is also available.

Tips

• {"body":"Most venues have function spaces, but they fill quickly for weekends — use the venue-specific booking page on the website rather than calling the main number.","title":"Book ahead for private dining"}
• {"body":"The duck fat potatoes are listed as a side option at $8 and come as a choice alongside crispy fries with most mains — worth choosing.","title":"Duck fat potatoes are worth the upgrade"}
• {"body":"Armadillo's runs a '7 Days 7 Rituals' specials programme. The Specials page on the website lists current daily deals.","title":"Check the Specials page before you go"}
• {"body":"If it's your first visit, the Armadillo's Signature Ribs ($34.90) are the most distinctively house dish on the menu — slowly braised in the restaurant's own BBQ sauce.","title":"The Signature Ribs are the house dish"}
• {"body":"Armadillo's offers a separate pensioner menu (available as a PDF download). If you qualify, it's worth asking about at your venue.","title":"Ask about the pensioner menu"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Kids menu available; family-friendly environment across all venues","dietary":"Vegetarian options include Mushroom & Halloumi Burger and Buffalo Cauliflower Wings"}