El Quincho - Argentine BBQ

About El Quincho - Argentine BBQ

El Quincho is an Argentine barbecue house on Oxford Terrace in Christchurch's central city, cooking in the asado tradition — quality meats over a wood fire, finished with chimichurri, and made for sharing. The menu is anchored by the El Quincho Parrillada, a wood fire-grilled spread of beef rump cap, chicken thigh, pork belly, house chorizo and grilled bread served with chimichurri, criolla and alioli, alongside a 600g tomahawk, NZ beef ribeye, golden pork belly, low-and-slow lamb leg and Argentinian-style milanesas.

Beyond the grill there are housemade empanadas with hand-cut beef, pulled chicken or ham-and-bechamel fillings, choripan in housemade baguette, burgers including a lentil and carrot veggie version, smoked cabbage with spicy cheese sauce, provoleta, and flan casero with dulce de leche for dessert. The drinks list leans Argentine — three malbecs by the glass and bottle, aromatic Torrontes — alongside NZ wines, Christchurch's own Cassels beers, cocktails, and the Fernet Cordobés, Fernet Branca mixed with Coca-Cola the traditional Córdoba way.

Open 11am to 9pm every day with a Meat & Side lunch special until 4pm, El Quincho takes online bookings, sells gift vouchers and its own chimi churri spice mix, and hosts events such as Valentine's feasts and pasta and wine pairing nights. Reviewers consistently praise the tender, flavourful meats and warm, friendly service — 'finally a proper asado', as one Google reviewer put it.

El Quincho: Wood-Fired Argentine Asado on Christchurch's Oxford Terrace

On Oxford Terrace in Christchurch's central city, El Quincho is doing what few New Zealand restaurants attempt: a proper Argentine asado, built around a wood fire. The name of the game here is meat cooked over embers — beef rump cap, chicken thigh, pork belly, house-made chorizo and morcilla — finished with chimichurri, criolla and alioli, and washed down with a glass of Argentine malbec.

The restaurant's Google reviews read like a chorus. "Finally a proper asado!" wrote one diner. Others single out the tender, flavourful lamb and platter meats, quick and friendly service, and staff like Candelaria and Jessica who looked after first-timers so well they promised to return. Families celebrate birthdays over the sharing platter, and couples book in for pasta and wine pairing nights. It's the kind of place that turns a first visit into a habit.

From the Parrilla

The centrepiece of the menu is the El Quincho Parrillada — a wood fire-grilled spread of beef rump cap, chicken thigh, pork belly, El Quincho's own chorizo and grilled bread, with chimichurri, criolla sauce and alioli, plus a side of salad or regular chips. There's an option for one, and you can add beef spare ribs or morcilla if you want to go deeper.

For solo carnivores, the 600g tomahawk is the showstopper — juicy, smoky and cooked the way you like it, with the team happy to recommend entrées, sides and a sweet finish "to make it the real deal." There's also a 300g premium NZ beef ribeye, a 250g rump cap, golden pork belly, and a low-and-slow Argentinian-style lamb leg with criolla sauce. Each comes with a small green salad and chimichurri.

Empanadas, Milanesas and the Rest

Asado is only half the story. The empanadas are made with housemade pastry and come filled with carne a cuchillo — hand-cut beef with onions, paprika, cumin and spring onions — pulled pollo, or the clásica with creamy bechamel, ham and oregano. The milanesa napolitana stacks Argentinian-style beef schnitzel with ham, grilled cheese and tomato over chips, while the choripan tucks the house chorizo into a housemade baguette.

Burgers get the El Quincho treatment too — flank steak, chicken thigh, pork belly with char-grilled apple puree, or a lentil and carrot patty for vegetarians. Starters run from smoked cabbage with spicy cheese sauce to a potatoes tortilla and grilled Provolone cheese with wild potatoes. Save room for flan casero: homemade Argentine flan with dulce de leche and whipped cream.

Malbec, Fernet and Córdoba Rituals

The wine list leans — happily — on Argentina. Three malbecs pour by the glass and bottle, from the smooth Estate to the "fresh, vibrant, a little wild" Zorzal and the deep, intense Hermandad, alongside the aromatic Nampe Torrontes. New Zealand pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and rosé cover the local contingent, Christchurch's own Cassels lager and Nectaron IPA are on the list, and cocktails run from mojitos to margaritas. Don't leave without trying the Fernet Cordobés — Argentina's iconic Fernet Branca mixed with Coca-Cola, served the traditional Córdoba way.

Plan Your Visit

El Quincho is open 11am to 9pm, seven days, and takes bookings online. Until 4pm there's a Meat & Side lunch special — choose your meat, your side and your sauce. Gift vouchers are available for anyone who'd rather gift an Argentine BBQ experience, and if you fall for their chimichurri, the chimi churri spice mix is sold online so you can bring a taste of the parrilla home. Keep an eye on the events page too — seasonal feasts like Valentine's Day and pasta and wine pairing nights have a way of winning the whole room over for another visit.

Signature items

• El Quincho Parrillada
• Tomahawk
• Empanadas
• Milanesa Napolitana
• Choripan
• Fernet Cordobés

Menu

Beer

• Cassels Lager (4.4%) — Clean and crisp with light malt sweetness. 375ml.
• Cassels Nectaron IPA (6%) — Bright and hoppy with tropical fruit. 375ml.
• Parrotdog Non-Alcoholic — Pale malt backbone with citrus hops. 330ml.
• Somersby Classic Apple Cider — Dry apple cider. 330ml.

Mains

• El Quincho Parrillada — Wood fire-grilled rump cap, chicken thigh, pork belly, chorizo, grilled bread, chimichurri, criolla and alioli, with salad or chips.
• Tomahawk — 600g premium beef tomahawk — juicy, smoky, cooked the way you like it.
• Beef Ribeye — 300g premium NZ beef ribeye with a small green salad and chimichurri.
• Pork Belly — Golden pork belly with a small green salad and chimichurri sauce.
• Rump Cap — 250g premium beef rump cap with a small green salad and chimichurri.
• Chicken Thigh — Tasty chicken thigh with a small green salad and chimichurri.
• Lamb — Low and slow Argentinian-style lamb leg with green salad and criolla sauce.
• Milanesa Napolitana — Argentinian-style beef schnitzel topped with ham, grilled cheese and tomato, with chips.
• Milanesa — Argentinian-style beef schnitzel with lemon and a side of chips.
• Provoleta — Grilled Provolone cheese with a side of salad and wild potatoes.

Sides

• Fresh Salad — Mesclun, fresh tomatoes, dijon mustard dressing and almond slices (VG, DF).
• Halloumi Salad — Halloumi, dried tomatoes, orange, mesclun, olives and dijon vinaigrette.
• Regular Chips — Chips with chimichurri salt.
• Chips Mate! — Double-cooked potatoes with cheese sauce, bacon and spring onion.
• Wild Potatoes — Double-cooked potatoes with aioli and hot sauce.
• Kumaras — Stick kumaras with aioli.

Dessert

• Flan Casero — Classic homemade Argentine flan with dulce de leche and whipped cream.

EntréEs

• Empanadas — Housemade pastry with hand-cut beef, pulled chicken, or ham and bechamel filling.
• Smoked Cabbage — Smoked and seared cabbage with spicy cheese sauce and a side of mesclun.
• Potatoes Tortilla — Egg and potato frittata with cheese sauce and mesclun in dijon dressing.
• El Quincho's Chorizo — House chorizo with a balance of 70% pork, 15% beef and 15% fat.
• El Quincho's Morcilla — Argentinian black pudding — for many, the asado isn't complete without it.
• Grilled Bread — House grilled bread.
• Demi-Glace — Rich house demi-glace.
• Sauces — Extra sauce for the table.

Red Wine

• Estate Malbec (Argentina) — Smooth and soft with a touch of spice; by the glass or bottle.
• Zorzal Malbec (Argentina) — Fresh, vibrant, a little wild; by the glass or bottle.
• Hermandad Malbec (Argentina) — Deep and intense; bottle only.
• Pinot Noir (NZ) — Delicate and juicy with red cherry; by the glass or bottle.

Cocktails

• Mojito — Bacardi rum, fresh lime and sugar.
• Margarita — Tequila, triple sec and lime.
• Fernet Cordobés — Fernet Branca mixed with Coca-Cola, served the traditional Córdoba way.
• Caipiroska — Vodka, sugar, lime and passionfruit.

White Wine

• Nampe Torrontes (Argentina) — Aromatic and floral with peach and citrus; by the glass or bottle.
• Zorzal Chardonnay (Argentina) — Rich and buttery with tropical fruit; by the glass or bottle.
• Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) — Bright and zesty with citrus and tropical notes.
• Pinot Gris (NZ) — Soft and fruity with hints of pear and apple.
• Rosé (NZ) — Red berries with a delicate floral finish.

Soft Drinks

• Soda 330ml — Coke, Coke No Sugar, Sprite, Lemonade, L&P, Ginger Beer, Lemon Lime Bitters.
• Juice 275ml — Apple, orange and mango, sparkling apple and blackcurrant, apple and feijoa.

Buns & Breads

• Meat & Side — Lunch special until 4pm — choose meat (beef, chicken or pork), side and sauce.
• Beef Burger — Flank steak, lettuce, red onion, tomato, cheese and aioli, with chips.
• Chicken Burger — Chicken thigh, lettuce, cheese, tomato, aioli and llawja sauce, with chips.
• Pork Burger — Pork belly, cheese, coleslaw and char-grilled apple puree, with chips.
• Choripan — House chorizo, lettuce, tomato, aioli and criolla in a housemade baguette.
• Veggie Burger — Lentil and carrot patty with cheese, smoked cabbage and aioli, with chips.

Frequently asked questions

Where is El Quincho located?

At 16/96 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch Central 8013, in the CBD.

What are El Quincho's opening hours?

El Quincho is open 11am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday.

Do I need a booking?

You can book a table online through the website — a good idea for dinner and events.

What should a group order?

The El Quincho Parrillada — wood fire-grilled rump cap, chicken thigh, pork belly and chorizo with the house sauces; add beef spare ribs or morcilla to go bigger.

Are there vegetarian options?

Yes — the lentil and carrot veggie burger, smoked cabbage with spicy cheese sauce, potatoes tortilla, provoleta and fresh salad.

Is there a lunch deal?

The Meat & Side special runs until 4pm: pick your meat (beef, chicken or pork), your side, and your sauce.

Can I buy El Quincho's chimichurri or a gift voucher?

Yes — gift vouchers are sold on the website, and the chimi churri spice mix is available to purchase online.

Tips

• {"body":"Order Meat & Side: beef, chicken or pork with chips or salad and your choice of sauce.","title":"Lunch deal before 4pm"}
• {"body":"Add beef spare ribs or morcilla to the parrillada for the full Argentine spread.","title":"Go all-in on the asado"}
• {"body":"Fernet Branca and Coke served the traditional Córdoba way — the menu calls it a must try.","title":"Try the Fernet Cordobés"}
• {"body":"Book online and check the events page for feasts like Valentine's Day and pasta and wine pairing nights.","title":"Make it an occasion"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Family-friendly — reviewers highlight it for birthdays and group meals","dietary":"Veggie burger, smoked cabbage and salads; some dishes labelled VG/DF"}