ROCA is a Mediterranean restaurant and bar at 134 Oxford Terrace in central Christchurch, overlooking the Avon River. It has a 4.7 rating from 789 Google reviews. Its website describes cooking with fire and smoke, inspired by flavours from Spain to the Middle East and built on New Zealand produce from local growers. Dishes listed include goat cheese croquettes, chargrilled octopus, smoked aged beef rib, Lumina lamb loin, confit potato latkes and desserts, with sangría and cocktails, and dietary notes marked on the menu. Reviewers mention the balcony seating, goat cheese croquettes, lamb loin and potato latkes, and praise the service.
A good restaurant built around fire cooking is best explored by sharing, with a few small plates, a couple of grilled or smoked dishes and a salad, so everyone tastes more of the kitchen. Plates tend to arrive as they are ready, so order in stages rather than all at once. Balcony and river-view tables are popular, so ask for one when you book, and mention dietary needs early, as the menu notes that traces of allergens cannot be ruled out.
For a shared Mediterranean dinner by the Avon in central Christchurch, ROCA is