Arbour Bar & Woodfired Pizza is an artisan pizza restaurant and bar located at 17 Oxford Street in Lyttelton, Canterbury. The business started as a pop-up before opening permanently in the Lyttelton village, and has built a reputation around slow-fermented pizza dough, innovative toppings, and a deep commitment to local Canterbury produce.
The pizzas combine Italian technique with bold Kiwi flavours — foraged herbs, seasonal produce, and locally made Italian-style cheeses and meats sit alongside classic bases. The result is described on the site as "pizza you can't get anywhere else." The menu is designed with sharing in mind, reflecting the restaurant's view that food is best experienced as a communal activity.
The bar draws on an equally local drinks list: beers from Cassels Brewing Co in Christchurch, wines from Whistling Buoy (a harbour basin vineyard at Charteris Bay), Forager wines from Waipara winemaker Dominic Maxwell, Lothlorian Organic Feijoa Sparkling Wine (the only certified organic feijoa winery in New Zealand), Little Biddy Gin from Reefton Distillery, and Mikaku Tea Blends.
The building itself is distinctive: housed in a new structure with a clear roof, exposed wood finishings, and a repurposed 120-year-old Lyttelton fishing boat serving as the bar, surrounded by plants. The arborist owners describe the intention as making guests feel like they're walking into a giant glasshouse. Sustainability is central to the operation — compostable packaging is sourced from Christchurch-based Frankly Packaging, the business works to minimise waste and reduce delivery emissions, and staff are paid fairly. Bookings can be made online. Takeaway is available by calling 027 388 9048.
Arbour Bar & Woodfired Pizza is a woodfired pizza restaurant and bar at 17 Oxford Street in Lyttelton, Canterbury. What began as a pop-up became a permanent fixture in the Lyttelton village — and since then, it's developed a reputation for a kind of pizza that genuinely can't be found anywhere else.
The owners are arborists by background, and that connection to nature, local ecology, and community runs through everything at Arbour: the name, the suppliers, the building, and the approach to food. The menu is built around slow-fermented dough — not a shortcut base, but one given proper time to develop — combined with seasonal, local ingredients that change with what's available. Foraged herbs, locally made Italian-style cheeses and meats, and produce from Canterbury suppliers sit alongside Italian classics, creating combinations that feel both familiar and distinct.
The venue is one of the more unusual dining rooms in Canterbury. The building features a clear roof, exposed wood finishings, and is packed with plants throughout — the intention, described by the arborist owners, is to make guests feel like they're walking into a giant glasshouse. The bar itself is made from a repurposed 120-year-old Lyttelton fishing boat, giving the space a specific, local character that's hard to replicate.
The drinks list is as deliberately local as the food. Beers come from Cassels Brewing Co, a family-owned craft brewery in Christchurch. Wines include Whistling Buoy — described as "our very own harbour basin vineyard" with grapes grown on the hills of Charteris Bay — alongside Forager wines from award-winning Waipara winemaker Dominic Maxwell, and Lothlorian Organic Feijoa Sparkling Wine, the only certified organic feijoa winery in New Zealand. Little Biddy Gin from Reefton Distillery, made with native West Coast botanicals in honour of a local goldmining legend, also features. Mikaku Tea Blends are available for non-drinkers.
Arbour aligns with the Food Made Good Standard and takes its sustainability commitments seriously. Packaging is compostable, sourced from Christchurch-based Frankly Packaging. Delivery is low-carbon. Staff are paid fairly, and the business sponsors local fundraisers. The menu also reflects a commitment to supporting farmers, fisheries, and high-welfare producers — and actively works to offer more plant-based choices alongside its meat options.
The menu is designed for sharing, reflecting the belief that food is best experienced with others. Bookings can be made online. Takeaway is available by calling 027 388 9048. Gift vouchers are available through the website.