The Old Vicarage Cafe, Restaurant & Bar

About The Old Vicarage Cafe, Restaurant & Bar

The Old Vicarage is a cafe, restaurant and bar set in a historic former vicarage on Halswell Road in Christchurch. Once home to a minister and his family, the building now serves a different but familiar calling — looking after and nurturing the local flock — with fresh, local New Zealand fare created by down-to-earth people in a warm, homely space where scents and sounds drift from room to room.

Dining runs all day, every day. Breakfast and lunch are served from 8:30am to 2:30pm — think eggs benedict over potato rosti with homemade hollandaise, avocado toast on midnight rye, French toast with blueberry compote, beer-battered fish & chips and the signature-blend beef burger — before dinner takes over from 5pm with pork belly, slow-cooked lamb rump, market fish, eye fillet with porcini jus and pumpkin risotto. Small plates, bar snacks and desserts are available all day, backed by a New Zealand-leaning wine list with plenty poured by the glass.

Beyond the a la carte menu, private rooms suit special occasions and events, while the sun-soaked deck and beautiful gardens offer some of the city's best alfresco dining — with ample parking an added bonus. Set lunch and dinner menus, gift vouchers and loyalty cards make it easy to come back, and tables can be booked online or by phone on 03 322 1224.

The Old Vicarage Halswell: All-Day Cafe, Restaurant & Bar in a Historic Christchurch Vicarage

Some buildings simply feel made for hospitality, and The Old Vicarage on Halswell Road in Christchurch is one of them. Traditionally, vicarages were built to house the local minister and his family — a safe harbour that freed the Vicar to devote his attention to the needs of his congregation. The Old Vicarage is no longer home to a minister, but its purpose is remarkably unchanged: to look after, and nurture, the local flock. Today that happens over breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, in a warm and inviting venue that has earned a reputation for both the quality of its food and the calibre of its service.

A Homely Space with Its Own Ambience

Step inside and the building does half the work. It's a relaxed environment where down-to-earth people create fresh, local New Zealand fare — a place where scents and sounds drift from room to room, infectious laughter spreads like wildfire and enticing aromas inspire and delight. Stories are told, laughter is shared and memories are made; it reads like a mission statement, and on a busy service it plays out exactly like one.

From Eggs Benedict to Eye Fillet

The kitchen keeps generous hours: breakfast and lunch both run from 8:30am until 2:30pm, dinner picks up from 5pm until late, and it all happens seven days a week. Mornings bring eggs benedict layered over potato rosti with homemade hollandaise — your pick of bacon, haloumi, mushroom, fried chicken or smoked salmon — avocado toast on midnight rye with basil & cashew pesto and pistachio dukkah, Old Vic French Toast with blueberry compote and mascarpone chantilly, and the full Vicars Breakfast on Grizzly sourdough. Lunch leans comforting: soup of the day with toasted rye, mince on toast topped with a fried egg, beer-battered fish & chips, the signature-blend beef burger on chunky fries, chicken schnitzel caesar and a warm winter salad of miso-roasted parsnip and carrot.

Come dinner, the menu turns proper restaurant: pork belly with burnt apple and red wine sauce, slow-cooked lamb rump with pearl cous cous, market fish with caper & preserved lemon salsa verde, eye fillet with truffle potato puree and porcini jus, and a pumpkin risotto with vegan options. Sides like truffle whipped potatoes and roasted carrots round out the table.

Small Plates and Serious Snacks

Between mealtimes, the small plates carry the day — served all day alongside bar snacks and desserts. The stand-out is the 24 Hour Potatoes: crispy Agria potatoes with Aleppo pepper, parmesan and garlic toum. Old Vic Fried Chicken pairs buttermilk thigh with a sweet & spicy glaze, house pickles and ranch; pork & prawn dumplings come with chilli oil; goat cheese croquettes arrive with walnuts, hot honey and apple; salt & pepper squid gets togarashi and lime mayo; and a beef & pork ragu gnocchi can be upsized to a main. Save room for New York baked cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate cremeux or a vegan-friendly caramel and pistachio sundae.

Alfresco, Private Rooms and a Local Wine List

Outside, the sun-soaked deck and beautiful gardens offer some of the city's best alfresco dining, with ample parking an added bonus. Inside, private rooms are perfect for special occasions and events, and set lunch and set dinner menus make group occasions easy. Gift vouchers and loyalty cards keep regulars coming back. The wine list leans proudly New Zealand — pinot noir from North Canterbury and Central Otago, Marlborough sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling and rose — with a sparkling shelf that runs from prosecco to Moet & Chandon, most poured by the glass.

Planning Your Visit

The Old Vicarage opens at 8:30am daily and runs until late; bookings can be made online or on 03 322 1224, and are a wise move for dinner and weekends. Dietary needs are well flagged, with gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian options across the menu, and younger guests get their own line-up — children's breakfasts served until 3pm and kids' mains all day. Whether it's a long brunch in the garden, shared plates at the bar or a celebratory dinner, the old vicarage still does exactly what it was built to do: take care of people.

Signature items

• Eggs Benedict
• 24 Hour Potatoes
• Old Vic Fried Chicken
• Eye Fillet
• Old Vic French Toast
• Sticky Toffee Pudding

Menu

Lunch

• Soup of the Day — Ask your waitstaff for today's bowl, served with toasted rye bread. GF option.
• Mince on Toast — Beef & pork ragu with fried egg, parmesan and salsa verde on milk loaf. GF/DF options.
• Fish & Chips — Beer-battered market fish with salad, fries, tartare and lemon. Gluten free, dairy free.
• Beef Burger — Signature blend with cheese, streaky bacon, pickles, house mustard, aioli and chunky fries. GF, DF, vegan and vegetarian options.
• Chicken Schnitzel Caesar — Romaine lettuce, streaky bacon, fried sourdough, broken egg, parmesan and ranch dressing. GF and vegetarian options.
• Warm Winter Salad — Miso-roasted parsnip & carrot, rocket, hummus, quinoa, pear and witlof seed; add fried chicken, haloumi, salmon or tofu. GF/DF/vegan.

Dinner

• Pork Belly — Burnt apple, parsnip puree, savoy cabbage and red wine sauce. GF, dairy free option.
• Lamb Rump — Slow-cooked lamb with dried fruit, pinenuts, olive tapenade, pumpkin and pearl cous cous. GF option, dairy free.
• Market Fish — White bean & brown butter puree, sauteed greens and caper & preserved lemon salsa verde. GF, dairy free option.
• Eye Fillet — Truffle potato puree, shallot, oyster mushroom, heirloom carrot and porcini jus. GF option.
• Pumpkin Risotto — Roasted buttercup, lemon creme fraiche, pumpkin seeds and parmesan. GF, DF and vegan options.
• Warm Winter Salad — Miso-roasted parsnips & carrot, rocket, hummus, quinoa, pear, witlof and seeds; add chicken, salmon, haloumi or tofu. GF/DF/vegan.

Desserts

• New York Baked Cheesecake — Blueberry compote and whipped mascarpone. Gluten free.
• Sticky Toffee Pudding — Butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream. Gluten free.
• Dark Chocolate Cremeux — Hazelnut, olive oil and sea salt. Gluten free.
• Ice Cream Sundae — Caramel and pistachio. GF, dairy free and vegan.

Breakfast

• Eggs Benedict — English muffin and potato rosti with poached eggs, baby spinach and homemade hollandaise; add bacon, haloumi, mushroom, fried chicken or smoked salmon. GF option.
• Avocado Toast — Midnight rye with avocado, basil & cashew pesto, whipped lemon ricotta, chilli oil, pistachio dukkah and poached egg; add mushroom, bacon, haloumi or salmon. GF/DF/vegan options.
• Old Vic French Toast — Blueberry compote, lemon curd, almonds and mascarpone chantilly; add maple bacon.
• Vicars Breakfast — Grizzly sourdough with poached eggs, bacon, Cumberland sausage, potato rosti, mushroom and tomato relish. GF option.
• Eggs Your Way — Eggs cooked how you like them on buttered milk loaf or Grizzly midnight rye. GF option.
• Breakfast Sides — Smoked salmon, roasted field mushrooms, buttered baby spinach, streaky bacon, Cumberland sausage, haloumi, hollandaise, potato rosti, avocado or a free-range egg.

Wine List

• Mount Brown Pinot Noir — North Canterbury pinot noir, by the glass or bottle.
• Devil's Staircase Pinot Noir — Central Otago pinot noir, by the glass or bottle.
• Rua Pinot Noir — Central Otago pinot noir, by the glass or bottle.
• Nga Waka Pinot Noir — Martinborough pinot noir, by the bottle.
• The Maker Merlot — Gisborne red, by the glass or bottle.
• Main Divide Merlot Cabernet — North Canterbury blend, by the glass or bottle.
• London Calling Cabernet Malbec — Clare Valley red, by the bottle.
• Grant Burge Ink Shiraz — Barossa Valley shiraz, by the glass or bottle.
• Cote Mas Syrah — French syrah, by the glass or bottle.
• Claymore 'Dark Side of the Moon' — Clare Valley shiraz, by the glass or bottle.
• Henkell Troken Brut — German sparkling, served in 200ml bottles.
• Henkell Troken Rose — German sparkling rose, in 200ml bottles.
• Edenvale Blanc de Blanc — South Australian sparkling, in 200ml bottles.
• Mionetto Prestige Prosecco — Veneto prosecco, by the glass or bottle.
• Allan Scott Cecilia Brut — Marlborough sparkling, by the glass or bottle.
• Cloudy Bay Pelorus — Marlborough sparkling, by the glass or bottle.
• Moet & Chandon — Classic Champagne, by the bottle.
• The Maker Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough, by the glass or bottle.
• Lake Challice 'The Falcon' Sauvignon Blanc — Lighter 9.5% alcohol Marlborough sauvignon blanc.
• Mount Brown Sauvignon Blanc — North Canterbury, by the glass or bottle.
• Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough, by the glass or bottle.
• The Maker Chardonnay — Gisborne, by the glass or bottle.
• Matawhero Chardonnay — Gisborne, by the glass or bottle.
• Main Divide Chardonnay — North Canterbury, by the glass or bottle.
• The Maker Pinot Gris — Marlborough, by the glass or bottle.
• Devil's Staircase Pinot Gris — Central Otago, by the glass or bottle.
• Main Divide Riesling — Waipara, by the glass or bottle.
• Bijou Rose — French rose, by the glass or bottle.
• Squealing Pig Rose — Marlborough rose, by the glass or bottle.
• Jules Taylor Rose — Marlborough rose, by the glass or bottle.
• Rua Rose — Central Otago rose, by the glass or bottle.

Bar Snacks

• Makikihi Fries — Local potatoes with confit garlic aioli. GF, vegetarian and vegan options.

Dinner Sides

• Truffle Whipped Potatoes — With parmesan and pangrattato.
• Seasonal Greens — Charred greens with hazelnuts. GF, dairy free option.
• Roasted Carrots — With labneh and pistachio dukkah. GF, DF, vegan option.
• Garden Salad — Mixed leaves, cucumber, carrot, cherry tomato and mustard vinaigrette. GF, DF.

Small Plates

• Breads & Dips — Bread selection with whipped butter; add homemade flatbread with garlic butter and dips like hummus & curry leaf, labneh & confit garlic, or white bean crema with pistachio dukkah.
• 24 Hour Potatoes — Crispy Agria potatoes with Aleppo pepper, parmesan and garlic toum. DF, vegan option.
• Pork & Prawn Dumplings — Spring onion, chilli oil and soy dipping sauce. Dairy free.
• Goat Cheese Croquettes — Walnuts, hot honey and apple. Gluten free, vegetarian.
• Beef & Pork Ragu — Potato gnocchi with pangrattato and parmesan; make it a main. GF/DF.
• Old Vic Fried Chicken — Buttermilk thigh with sweet & spicy glaze, house pickles and ranch dressing. Gluten free.
• Duck Liver Parfait — Rhubarb chutney, pickled shallots and crostini. GF option.
• Salt & Pepper Squid — Crispy fried squid with togarashi and lime mayo. Gluten free, dairy free.

Children'S Menu

• Baby Benedict — Poached egg, bacon, English muffin and hollandaise. GF option; children's breakfasts served until 3pm.
• Kids Waffle — Banana, maple and whipped cream.
• Kids Fish & Chips — Battered fish, chips and salad. GF and DF.
• Kids Fried Chicken — With fries and salad. Gluten free.
• Kids Pasta — Chicken, bacon, cream sauce and cheese.
• Mini Hotdogs — With fries and tomato sauce. Dairy free.
• Kids Sundae — Ice cream, cream and sprinkles with your choice of caramel or chocolate sauce. GF option.
• Kids Chocolate Brownie — Served with ice cream. Gluten free.

Frequently asked questions

What are The Old Vicarage's opening hours?

Open every day, 8:30am until late. Breakfast and lunch are served 8:30am–2:30pm, dinner from 5pm, with small plates, bar snacks and desserts available all day.

Do I need a booking?

Bookings can be made online via the Book Now page or by phone on 03 322 1224 — booking ahead is a good idea for dinner and weekends.

Is there parking?

Yes — the venue highlights ample parking as an added bonus.

Can you cater for dietary requirements?

The menu flags gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian options across breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts; ask your waitstaff for details, such as the day's soup.

Is there a children's menu?

Yes — children's breakfasts (like the Baby Benedict) are served until 3pm, with mains such as fish & chips, fried chicken, pasta and mini hotdogs available all day, plus sundaes and chocolate brownie for dessert.

Do you offer set menus or private dining?

Set lunch and set dinner menus are available, and the private rooms are perfect for special occasions and events — see the Private Dining/Functions page or contact the team.

Is there outdoor seating?

Yes — the sun-soaked deck and beautiful gardens offer alfresco dining that the venue calls some of the city's best.

Tips

• {"body":"Dinner runs from 5pm until late and the homely dining rooms suit groups — reserve online via the Book Now page or call 03 322 1224.","title":"Book ahead for dinner"}
• {"body":"Breakfast and lunch finish at 2:30pm and dinner starts at 5pm; the all-day small plates, bar snacks and desserts bridge the afternoon.","title":"Mind the meal windows"}
• {"body":"The deck and gardens are among the city's best alfresco spots — aim for a fine day and settle in outside.","title":"Chase the sun"}
• {"body":"Crispy Agria potato with Aleppo pepper, parmesan and garlic toum — pair with the Old Vic Fried Chicken for a shared spread.","desc":"An easy first pick from the all-day small-plates list.","title":"Start with the 24 Hour Potatoes"}
• {"body":"The wine list leans New Zealand, with North Canterbury pinot noir and Marlborough sauvignon blanc among the pours by the glass.","title":"Drink local"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Children's breakfast served until 3pm; kids' mains all day","dietary":"Gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian options across the menu","parking":"Ample on-site parking"}