Chillingworth Road

About Chillingworth Road

Chillingworth Road is a fine dining restaurant at 2/478 Cranford Street in Papanui, Christchurch, built around an award-winning kitchen that moves seamlessly from elegant breakfast service to refined evening dining. The space is deliberately layered: a contemporary bar for aperitifs and digestifs, a hidden dining room for immersive tasting menus, and a curated kitchen store for guests who want to take a piece of the experience home.

The kitchen's standards are set by Chef Navi, the restaurant's Operations Manager, whose career runs from The Sheraton and the prestigious ITC Hotels in India to acclaimed New Zealand venues and the celebrated Blackbird Bar & Café he established in Sumner. His cooking is defined by precision, innovation and balance, with a deep respect for provenance.

Dining takes several forms here: an elevated bistro menu with plates such as confit duck and 14-day aged beef fillet; the Trust the Chef degustation, a multi-course journey through the hidden dining room with optional curated wine pairings; and the Billecart-Salmon Room, a newly refurbished private space for intimate gatherings of up to 18 guests. The cellar leans into premium New Zealand wine alongside benchmark international vintages, with a champagne list that runs deep on Billecart-Salmon, while the bar pours a polished list of classics and house cocktails. Guests consistently praise the kind, attentive, knowledgeable service and the personal touches the team adds to birthdays and anniversaries. Gift vouchers are available, and bookings can be made online, by email at [email protected] or on 03 352 7784.

Chillingworth Road: Fine Dining, Degustation and Champagne in Papanui, Christchurch

Step off Cranford Street in Papanui and you find one of Christchurch's most quietly confident dining rooms. Chillingworth Road is a fine dining restaurant with an award-winning kitchen at its heart, moving seamlessly from elegant breakfast service to refined evening dining. The space has been deliberately layered: a contemporary bar for aperitifs and digestifs up front, a hidden dining room for immersive tasting menus, and a curated kitchen store where guests who fall for the philosophy can take a piece of Chillingworth home.

The chef behind the standards

Much of the restaurant's character traces back to Chef Navi, who leads as Operations Manager. Educated in hotel management with a specialisation in cuisine, he began his career in India, refining his craft at globally recognised establishments including The Sheraton and the prestigious ITC Hotels. A move to New Zealand opened a new chapter: stints at acclaimed dining venues, then the celebrated Blackbird Bar & Café in Sumner, which quickly earned a reputation as a destination for discerning diners. At Chillingworth Road, that background shows up as precision, innovation and balance on the plate — and a deep respect for provenance behind it.

Three ways to dine

The beauty of Chillingworth Road is that it can be several restaurants in one night. The bistro menu is refined comfort: plates built on technique and uncompromising flavour, headlined by succulent confit duck perfected over time and a rich, tender 14-day aged beef fillet. Guests single these out often — one reviewer called the aged beef the most superbly cooked meat cut they had enjoyed in a very long time, with accompanying vegetables that hit every note of flavour and texture.

For the full experience, the Trust the Chef degustation unfolds in the hidden dining room. It is an immersive multi-course journey — each dish a chapter in a story of flavour, elegance and discovery — with the option of expertly curated wine tastings to elevate it further. Diners report starting with a five-course chef's choice and leaving with plans to return for the nine-course.

Then there is the Billecart-Salmon Room, an elegant, newly refurbished private space for intimate gatherings of up to 18 guests. It can be set for a relaxed bistro-style evening or the full degustation, which makes it a natural fit for milestone birthdays, anniversaries and small celebrations. The team is known for the personal touches it adds to those occasions — details guests mention again and again in reviews.

A cellar built for the journey

The drinks programme could carry an evening on its own. Champagne is the house obsession: the list runs deep on Billecart-Salmon, from the Brut Reserve through Brut Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, the 2013 vintage and the prestige Cuvée Nicolas François 2008, with Taittinger and Mumm alongside. Beyond champagne, the cellar balances premium New Zealand wine — Central Otago pinot noir, Marlborough sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, Hawke's Bay syrah — against benchmark bottles from France, Australia, Italy, Argentina and the USA, and staff are on hand to guide pairings through each course.

The bar holds its own with a cocktail list spanning the classics and house originals: a Black Forrest Espresso Martini, an Apple Bourbon Mojito, a French Martini topped with champagne, and the Midnight Elixir finished with torched orange. Dessert wines, port, cognac and tap beer round out the back pages of the list.

What guests say

The pattern in reviews is remarkably consistent: kind, attentive service from a team that knows the menu well, a quiet room that suits conversation, and food that lives up to the restaurant's very high ratings. 'The food was top notch and the cocktails were stunning,' one guest writes; another praises good portion sizes and value alongside beautiful presentation. Anniversary and birthday dinners come up repeatedly, usually with a promise to return.

Chillingworth Road describes itself as more than a place to dine — a benchmark of culinary excellence where every detail is orchestrated. Bookings can be made online through the Book Now page, gift vouchers are available for those giving the experience, and the kitchen store lets regulars carry a little of the philosophy home.

Signature items

• Trust the Chef Degustation
• 14-Day Aged Beef Fillet
• Confit Duck
• Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cellar
• Signature Cocktails
• Salmon Plate

Menu

Beer

• Hazy — Hazy beer poured from the tap.
• Lager — Lager poured from the tap.

Bistro

• Confit Duck — Succulent duck confit, perfected over time.
• 14-Day Aged Beef Fillet — Rich, tender fillet aged 14 days for depth of flavour.

Riesling

• Knappstein Dry — Dry riesling from Clare Valley, Australia.
• Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg — Central Otago riesling.
• Pegasus Bay — Waipara riesling.
• Pegasus Bay 'Bel Canto' Dry — Dry riesling from Waipara.

Champagne

• Charles Le Bel Inspiration 1818 by Billecart-Salmon NV — Champagne made with Billecart-Salmon, also by the glass.
• Billecart Brut Reserve NV — The house brut from Billecart-Salmon.
• Billecart Brut Rosé NV — House rosé champagne from Billecart-Salmon.
• Billecart Blanc de Blancs NV — All-white-grape champagne from Billecart-Salmon.
• Billecart Vintage 2013 — Vintage-dated champagne from the 2013 harvest.
• Billecart Cuvée Nicolas François Brut 2008 — Prestige cuvée from the acclaimed 2008 vintage.
• Billecart Brut Reserve 1.5L NV — Magnum of the house brut.
• Billecart Brut Reserve 375ml — Half-bottle of the house brut.
• Billecart Brut Rosé 1.5L NV — Magnum of the house rosé.
• Billecart Brut Rosé 375ml NV — Half-bottle of the house rosé.
• Taittinger Prestige Cuvee Brut — Prestige brut champagne from Taittinger.
• Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut NV — G.H. Mumm's brut, poured by the glass.

Cocktails

• Chillingworth Road 2.0 — Vodka, peach liqueur, elderflower and dry ginger ale.
• Black Forrest Espresso Martini — Chocolate liqueur, vodka, Kahlua, coffee and Chambord.
• Boulevardier — Bourbon, sweet red vermouth, Campari and orange.
• Whisky Sour — Whisky, lemon, sugar and egg white.
• Old Fashioned — Whisky, bitters, orange and sugar.
• Apple Bourbon Mojito — Apple, bourbon, lemon, soda and mint.
• Margarita — Tequila, triple sec and citrus.
• Passionfruit Daiquiri — White rum, sugar, lemon and passionfruit.
• French Martini — Vodka, Chambord, pineapple and champagne.
• Cranberry Sour — Gin, cranberry juice, sugar syrup and egg white.
• Midnight Elixir — Coffee liqueur, orange liqueur, dark rum with torched orange.

Chardonnay

• De La Terre — Hawke's Bay chardonnay.
• Whyte Estate — Marlborough chardonnay.
• Villa Maria Reserve — Hawke's Bay chardonnay.
• Vavasour — Awatere Valley chardonnay.
• Kumeu River Estate — Estate chardonnay from Kumeu, NZ.
• Collaboration 'Aurulent' — Hawke's Bay chardonnay.
• Taylor's Pass by Villa Maria — Marlborough chardonnay.
• Bogle 'Twenty Acres' — Chardonnay from California, USA.
• Pegasus Bay — Waipara chardonnay.
• Keltern by Villa Maria — Hawke's Bay chardonnay.

Pinot Gris

• Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg — Central Otago pinot gris.
• Bohemian 'The Poet' — Hawke's Bay pinot gris.
• Peregrine — Central Otago pinot gris.
• Hawkshead — Central Otago pinot gris.
• Domaine Muré Pierres Sèches — Organic pinot gris from Alsace, France.

Pinot Noir

• Bohemian 'The Goldsmith' — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Hawkshead — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Earthkeepers Otiake — Pinot noir from Waitaki, NZ.
• Mt Difficulty 'Roaring Meg' — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Villa Maria Reserve — Marlborough pinot noir.
• Villa Maria Single Vineyard 'Taylors Pass' — Single-vineyard Marlborough pinot noir.
• Hawkdun Rise — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Peregrine — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Pegasus Bay 2015 — Waipara pinot noir.

Degustation

• Trust the Chef Degustation — Immersive multi-course chef's journey with optional curated wine pairings.

Dessert Wine

• The Ned Noble Sauvignon Blanc — Noble sauvignon blanc, half-bottle.
• De La Terre Noble Viognier — Noble viognier from Hawke's Bay, half-bottle.
• Pegasus Bay 'Finale' — Noble sauvignon-semillon from Waipara, half-bottle.

Port & Cognac

• Niepoort Ruby — Ruby port from the Douro, Portugal.
• Taylor's Fine Tawny — Tawny port from the Douro, Portugal.
• Taylor's 10 Year Tawny — Ten-year-old tawny port, Portugal.
• 'H' by Hine VSOP — VSOP cognac, France.
• Hine Rare VSOP — Rare VSOP cognac, France.
• Martel VS — VS cognac, France.
• Hennessy — Cognac, France.

Shiraz & Syrah

• Knappstein — Shiraz from Clare Valley, Australia.
• De La Terre Syrah — Hawke's Bay syrah.
• Mollydooker 'The Boxer' — Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Australia.
• St Hugo — Barossa shiraz, Australia.
• Esk Valley 'River Gravels' Syrah — Hawke's Bay syrah.

Sparkling Wine

• Villa Maria Sparkling Brut Cuvée — New Zealand sparkling brut.
• Villa Maria Sparkling Rosé — New Zealand sparkling rosé.
• Sartori Prosecco — Prosecco from Veneto, Italy.
• Sartori Prosecco Piccolo 200ml — Single-serve prosecco from Veneto, Italy.
• Sartori Prosecco Rosé — Rosé prosecco from Veneto, Italy.
• Mont'Albano Organic Prosecco — Organic prosecco from Veneto, Italy.
• Domaine Muré Organic Crémant Brut — Organic crémant from Alsace, France.
• De La Terre Cuvée II — Méthode traditionnelle from Hawke's Bay, NZ.

Sauvignon Blanc

• Whyte Estate — Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
• Chateau D'Arricaud Blanc — Sauvignon-semillon blend from Bordeaux, France.
• Folium Organic — Organic Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
• Seaspray by Villa Maria — Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
• Villa Maria Reserve 'Clifford Bay' — Reserve Marlborough sauvignon blanc.

International Reds

• Mont'Albano Montepulciano d'Abruzzo — Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy.
• Santa Ana Reserve Malbec — Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.
• Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallele 45 — Organic Côtes du Rhône rouge, France.
• Sartori Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore — Ripasso from Veneto, Italy.
• Bogle Phantom Zinfandel — Zinfandel from California, USA.

Merlot & Cabernet Blends

• Bohemian 'The Author' Merlot — Hawke's Bay merlot.
• Collaboration 'Impression Red' — Cabernet franc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon blend from Hawke's Bay.
• Knappstein Cabernet Sauvignon — Cabernet from Clare Valley, Australia.
• Pegasus Bay Merlot/Cabernet — Red blend from Waipara.
• Villa Maria Cabernet/Merlot 2014/15 — Hawke's Bay cabernet-merlot blend.
• Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot — Merlot from Washington, USA.
• Santa Ana Organic Cabernet Sauvignon — Organic cabernet from Mendoza, Argentina.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Chillingworth Road located?

2/478 Cranford Street, Papanui, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand.

How do I make a booking?

Book online via the Book Now page on the website, email [email protected], or call 03 352 7784.

What is the Trust the Chef degustation?

An immersive multi-course tasting journey in the hidden dining room, with the option of expertly curated wine pairings. Guests mention five-course chef's choice and nine-course formats.

Is there private dining?

Yes — the Billecart-Salmon Room hosts intimate gatherings of up to 18 guests, either a relaxed bistro-style evening or the full degustation.

What is the drinks list like?

A deep champagne list centred on Billecart-Salmon, premium New Zealand and international wines, classic and house cocktails, dessert wines, port, cognac and tap beer.

Can I buy a gift voucher?

Yes, gift cards are available for purchase online.

Is Chillingworth Road good for celebrations?

Reviews frequently mention birthdays and anniversaries, with the team adding beautiful personal touches to mark the occasion.

Tips

• {"body":"Reserve through the Book Now page, especially for weekends, degustation seating and the 18-guest Billecart-Salmon Room.","title":"Book ahead"}
• {"body":"Choose the bistro for refined single plates, or commit to the multi-course Trust the Chef journey with optional wine pairings.","title":"Pick your format"}
• {"body":"Mention birthdays or anniversaries when booking; guests rave about the personal touches the team adds.","title":"Flag the occasion"}
• {"body":"Staff know the menu and cellar well and will happily guide champagne and wine matches through your meal.","title":"Ask for pairing help"}
• {"body":"Many diners do the five-course chef's choice first, then return for the nine-course.","title":"Save room for round two"}