Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar sits on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street, in the heart of the Arts Precinct in Christchurch's CBD. It's a spot built for lingering: watch the street-side activity from the sheltered courtyard in front of a roaring outdoor fire, or gather friends in one of the intimate dining spaces inside. It's dog friendly, too, so four-legged companions are part of the picture.
The kitchen's menu evolves with the seasons, showcasing produce from local growers across Christchurch and Canterbury. There's a menu for nearly every occasion — a weekday Breakfast Club, weekend breakfast and brunch from 10:30am, a grazing menu for sharing, lunch and dinner, a dedicated Long Lunch, dessert, drinks and a kid's menu. Guests have particular soft spots for the Eggs Benedict — the gluten-free version and its hollandaise have drawn special praise — the prawn pappardelle that made it into the Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose charity cookbook, and the salmon with mussels. For groups, the special feast is a share-style spread that has featured beef flank.
The bar side is well covered, with plenty of tap beers, a fine wine list and bartenders happy to mix cocktails — the spicy margarita among them. Private function areas can be hired for the day or night, with set menus for everything from corporate get-togethers to birthdays, and a functions team on hand to help. Gift vouchers and a loyalty app that earns points redeemable at both Fiddlesticks and its sister venue Beach in Sumner round things out. Open Monday to Sunday from 9am till late.
Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar occupies a corner Christchurch knows well: Worcester Boulevard meets Montreal Street right in the heart of the Arts Precinct. It's a spot that manages to feel both polished and relaxed — the team calls it Christchurch's most sophisticated yet understated retreat, and the description fits. Watch street life drift past from the sheltered courtyard, where an outdoor fire roars on cooler days, or settle into one of the intimate dining spaces inside with a group of friends.
The kitchen builds its menu around the seasons and around the growers of Christchurch and Canterbury. That means the menu changes regularly — the team warns diners not to be disappointed if a favourite has rotated off — but it also means plates built on fresh local produce at its peak.
One of Fiddlesticks' strengths is how many ways there are to eat here. Weekdays run a Breakfast Club and a lunch menu from 11am, with dinner service from 5pm. Weekends shift into brunch mode from 10:30am — and if you're staying a while, the bottomless brunch has earned a loyal following for its flowing top-ups and attentive service. There's a grazing menu for sharing, a dedicated kid's menu, dessert, and a full drinks list.
The dishes guests keep coming back for include a classic Eggs Benedict — one reviewer called the gluten-free version, with its silky hollandaise, among the best they'd had — and the prawn pappardelle, which proved popular enough to be included in the Bayleys Plate Up for a Purpose charity cookbook supporting the Christchurch City Mission. Dinner might start with a pâté parfait and move on to salmon with mussels; groups often order the special feast, a share-style spread that has featured beef flank, made for passing around the table.
Saturdays here have their own rhythm. The Fiddlesticks Long Lunch is exactly what it sounds like — one drink and a quick bite that turns into an afternoon, with a dedicated long lunch menu and nobody checking the time. Beyond the regular menus, the What's On calendar brings one-off events like Trust the Chef dinners and Locals Shout nights, plus something special on Sundays.
The bar pulls its weight. There are plenty of tap beers and a fine wine list, and when you feel like something special, the bartenders will mix you a cocktail — the spicy margarita is a house favourite. Coffee gets its own billing too, whether you're warming up by the courtyard fire or fuelling a long brunch.
Fiddlesticks caters for large groups, whether that's a sit-down dinner or drinks and nibbles in the bar area. Private function areas can be hired for the day or night, with set function menus, and the functions team handles enquiries directly — Christmas parties, corporate get-togethers and birthdays all feature regularly. It's a dog-friendly venue, and families are well covered with the kid's menu. Gift vouchers are available for hard-to-buy-for friends, and regulars can join the Maestro Hospitality loyalty app to earn points redeemable at both Fiddlesticks and its sister venue, Beach in Sumner.
Guest reviews tell a consistent story: warm welcomes at the door, staff who explain the menu and check in throughout the meal, and generous plates cooked exactly to taste. Whether it's a family dinner on the last night of a South Island trip or a bottomless brunch with friends, the same themes keep appearing — lovely food, friendly service, and meals that fill you up and beyond.
Fiddlesticks opens seven days, from 9am till late, at the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street. Bookings can be made online through the reservations page, or by phone on (03) 365 0533.