Curators House Restaurant

About Curators House Restaurant

Curators House is a Spanish restaurant set inside a 101-year-old heritage building in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens on Rolleston Avenue. For more than 21 years, Javier and Jackie Garcia Knight have welcomed guests to this character-filled home, serving Spanish cuisine fresh from their own garden. In the warm months you can dine among the gardens; on cooler days, fireside in one of the charming dining rooms.

The kitchen celebrates the Spanish tradition of sharing. Tapas — marinated olives, gambas al ajillo, croquetas, patatas bravas and their own award-winning Chorizo Garcia — are designed to be enjoyed between friends with a glass of wine or beer. Mains run from a slow-roasted Canterbury lamb shoulder for two to seafood casserole, caldo gallego and a vegan zarzuela, while the house-speciality Paella de Marisco is cooked to order in a paella pan with saffron and calasparra rice.

The drinks list loves Spain and Canterbury in equal measure: sangria, Spanish sherries, Larios gin and cava alongside Waipara chardonnays, Central Otago pinot noir and Christchurch's own Three Boys beer on tap. Save room for the Crema Catalana, the house speciality, perhaps with a glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry.

Lunch and dinner are served Monday to Saturday, with lunch only on Sundays. Reservations are recommended — lunches are seated for 1.5 hours and dinners for 2 hours — and the restaurant also caters for groups and events, with gift vouchers available.

Curators House: Spanish Dining in a Heritage Cottage in Christchurch's Botanic Gardens

On Rolleston Avenue, tucked inside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, sits a 101-year-old heritage building that has been home to Spanish cooking for more than two decades. Curators House is run by Javier and Jackie Garcia Knight, who applied to the council to open the historic home to the public as a restaurant — and have been serving delicious Spanish cuisine fresh from their garden ever since.

The setting does half the welcoming for them. In fine weather you dine surrounded by the gardens; in the cooler months, the charming dining rooms open their fires. The Spanish greeting on their website — *le doy mi más calurosa bienvenida*, my warmest welcome — sets the tone.

The Spanish way: dishes to share

The kitchen builds its menu around the Spanish tradition of tapas, little tastes of gastronomy meant to be shared between friends with a good wine or beer. The chorizo here is a point of pride: their own award-winning Chorizo Garcia, sliced and grilled to order. Around it sit gambas al ajillo with garlic, olive oil and a hint of chilli; pimenton-dusted calamari; chicken and chorizo croquetas; patatas bravas; sherry mushrooms; and pan tostado for the vegan table. A tapas tasting selection gathers the favourites for two.

Gardens matter beyond the view. The garden salad collects seasonal treasures from the restaurant's own plot, and the vegetable soup follows the seasons too.

Mains, and a paella worth planning around

For larger appetites, the Cordero Asado is a slow-roasted Canterbury lamb shoulder for two, scented with freshly picked rosemary and finished with a red wine reduction. There's a seafood casserole with almond picada and toasted bread, Caldo Gallego — braised chicken on the bone in a white bean and chorizo stew — confit pork belly in a sherry sauce, and a 200g Angus flat-iron steak with a choice of duck fat potatoes, fries, seasonal vegetables or salad. A vegan zarzuela of kumara, chickpea and mushroom keeps plant-based diners well treated, and gluten-free and dairy-free dishes are marked throughout.

The house speciality is the Paella de Marisco for two: wild Australian banana prawns, clams, mussels and calamari cooked with tomato, vegetables, saffron and calasparra rice in a paella pan. It needs a minimum of 30 minutes, so order it when you sit down. Desserts hold their own — the Crema Catalana, also called a house speciality, arrives with caramelised sugar and berry compote, alongside Tarta de Santiago and a dairy-free chocolate mousse.

A drinks list that loves Spain — and Canterbury

Sangria comes traditional, with champagne, mulled in winter, or alcohol-free as a singria. Spanish sherries run from bone-dry to raisiny Pedro Ximenez, Larios gins and Hendrick's stand behind the cocktails, and the sparkling list climbs from organic cava to Taittinger and Bollinger. The wine benches are strong on Spain — Rioja, Toro, Rias Baixas — and equally proud of Canterbury: Waipara chardonnays, North Canterbury pinot noir and Central Otago icons like Two Paddocks and Felton Road. Christchurch's own Three Boys pours on tap, and the list closes with ports, sherries, brandy and an Irish coffee.

Plan your visit

Lunch runs Monday to Thursday from 11:30am to 2pm and Friday to Sunday until 2:30pm. Dinner is served Monday to Thursday from 5pm to 8pm and Friday and Saturday until 8:30pm; the restaurant closes on Sunday evenings.

Reservations are recommended — call, email or use the online form. Allow 1.5 hours for lunch and 2 for dinner, and let them know if you'd like longer. Groups and events are catered for, gift vouchers are available, and the restaurant has caught the eye of travel writers including Travel International Magazine. Whether you come for the paella, the garden, or a fireside glass of sherry, you'll be welcomed — warmly.

Signature items

• Paella de Marisco for Two
• Cordero Asado
• Fresh Chorizo a la Parrilla
• Gambas al Ajillo
• Crema Catalana
• Vegan Zarzuela

Menu

Mains

• Cordero Asado — Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder for Two — Canterbury lamb with rosemary, red wine reduction, potatoes & seasonal vegetables
• Fish of the Day — Beetroot & balsamic puree, garlic saute potatoes & tender braised leeks
• Seafood Casserole — Fish & seafood in onion-tomato sofrito with almond picada & toasted bread
• Vegan Zarzuela — Kumara, chickpea & mushroom casserole with tomato sofrito & almond picada
• Angus Flat-Iron Beef Steak 200g — Cooked to your liking with truffle butter, plus two sides (duck fat potatoes, fries, vegetables or salad)
• Caldo Gallego — Braised chicken on the bone in white bean & chorizo stew with spinach & sourdough
• Pork Belly — Confit rolled pork belly in creamy trotter-stock & sherry sauce with mushrooms, scalloped potatoes & greens

Roses

• Finca Constancia Altozano Rosado 2024 (Castilla la Mancha) — Light raspberry colour; blackberry & plum, fresh long finish
• Fromm Organic Rose 2023 (Marlborough) — Tropical fruit & wildflowers with notable texture & dryness

Sides

• Curator's Fries — Hand-cut agria fries with tomato sauce
• Duck Fat Potatoes — Crisp potatoes cooked in duck fat
• Fresh Garden Side Salad — From the restaurant's own garden
• Seasonal Vegetables — Whatever the season offers
• Bread Slice — A simple extra slice

Tapas

• Aceitunas — Marinated Spanish olives
• Pan Tostado — Toasted sourdough with crushed tomato & extra virgin olive oil (vegan, GF on request)
• Fresh Chorizo a la Parrilla — Their own award-winning Chorizo Garcia, sliced & grilled
• Gambas al Ajillo — Wild Australian prawns pan-fried in garlic & olive oil with a hint of chilli
• Calamares a la Andaluza — Pimenton-dusted cold-water calamari, flash fried, served with alioli
• Croquetas de Pollo con Chorizo — Chicken & chorizo croquettes
• Croquetas de Setas y Parmesano — Mushroom & parmesan croquettes
• Patatas Bravas — Hand-cut agria wedges with spicy roasted capsicum-tomato dressing & alioli
• Baked Fresh Goats Cheese — Baked goats cheese with rosemary & crostini (GF on request)
• Sherry Mushrooms — Sauteed Swiss mushrooms in a sherry & fennel dressing
• Cheese Board — One, two or three cheeses with seasonal garden chutney, crackers & treats
• Tapas Tasting Selection — Chorizo, calamares, chicken & chorizo croquetas & beetroot-feta salad — for two
• Vegetarian Selection — Mushroom & parmesan croquetas, sherry mushrooms, baked goats cheese, braised leeks
• Baked Eggs — Free-range eggs on potato, spinach & spiced tomato-capsicum sauce; add chorizo or mushrooms

Sauces

• Pedro Ximenez Sherry & Truffle Reduction — For steaks & mains
• Homemade Alioli — Classic garlic emulsion

Sangria

• Traditional Red Sangria — Chilled Spanish wine fruit punch
• Champagne Sangria — Sparkling take on the classic
• Mulled Wine — By the glass or litre
• Non-Alcoholic Sangria (Singria) — All the fruit, none of the wine

Desserts

• Affogato — Vanilla bean ice cream with a shot of espresso
• Tarta de Santiago — Almond Tarte — Spanish almond tarte from Santiago de Compostela, icing sugar & chocolate ice cream
• Crema Catalana — House speciality: citrus & vanilla custard, caramelised sugar top & berry compote
• Chocolate Mousse — With raspberry & pistachio crumble and syrup-soaked apricots

Aromatics

• Mount Beautiful Riesling 2019 (Waipara) — Orange blossom & white peach, refreshing acidity
• Summerhouse Pinot Gris 2024 (Marlborough) — Stone fruit, fresh pear & a hint of ginger
• Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling 2025 (Waipara) — Citrus & floral with honeysuckle & rousing acidity

Cocktails

• Aperol Spritz — Aperol, prosecco & a splash of soda
• Pimm's Cup — Pimm's, ginger ale, lemonade & fresh fruit
• Hugo — Larios gin, prosecco, house-made elderflower, fresh mint & soda
• Elderflower Mocktail — Elderflower syrup, fresh mint & soda

Digestifs

• Lepanto Gran Reserva Brandy — Spanish brandy
• Delamain Grande Champagne Cognac — Fine French cognac
• Jameson Irish Whisky — Triple-distilled Irish classic
• Johnnie Walker Black Label — Blended Scotch
• Talisker Scotch Whisky — Maritime single malt
• The Dalmore 12 Year Old Single Malt — Highland single malt
• Liqueurs — Amaretto, Grand Marnier, Drambuie, Baileys, Cointreau, Kahlua, Tia Maria

To Finish

• Gonzalez Byass Nectar PX Dulce Sherry — Sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry
• Grant Burge 10 Year Port — Tawny port

Pinot Noir

• Opawa Pinot Noir 2022 (Marlborough) — Supple red fruit & soft fine tannins
• Mt Beautiful Estate Pinot Noir 2020 (North Canterbury) — Bramble fruit, spice & dark chocolate earthiness
• Picnic Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2024 (Central Otago) — Full bodied with a vanilla oak finish
• Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2024 (Central Otago) — Concentrated berries, florals & savoury minerals

Spanish Gin

• Larios London Dry Gin — Sun-kissed beaches & warm breezes in a glass
• Larios Rose Pink Gin — Intense strawberry aromas, soft fresh strawberry flavours
• Larios 12 Botanicals Blue Gin — Complex botanicals with sweet orange blossom
• Hendrick's Gin (Scotland) — Juniper, coriander & citrus peel

Beer & Cider

• Three Boys Hikari Lager (tap) — Christchurch brewery; 330ml or 400ml pour
• Three Boys Easy Juice Hazy (tap) — Hazy IPA on tap
• Three Boys Craft Bottle — Lager, pilsner or IPA
• Corona / Speights — 330ml bottles
• Heineken 0.0 — Non-alcoholic lager
• Garage Project Tiny Hazy IPA — Low-alcohol 0.5% canned hazy
• Three Boys Cider — 330ml, 4.5%

Coffee & Tea

• Irish Coffee — A shot of Jameson with thickened cream
• Short Black / Long Black / Americano
• Flat White / Latte / Cappuccino
• Mochaccino / Chai Latte / Hot Chocolate
• Iced Coffee or Iced Chocolate
• Tea Selection — English Breakfast, Earl Grey, mint & fennel, chamomile, jasmine green, organic passion plum & garden teas

Spanish Reds

• Oveja Tinta Graciano Malbec 2020 (Castile) — Blackberry & raspberry with clove, thyme & floral undertones
• Bideona Tempranillo de las Laderas 2022 (Rioja) — Cherries, red berries & thyme; medium bodied
• Telmo Rodriguez Dehesa Gago 2022 (Toro) — Deep, dark & earthy with ripe blackberries & cherries
• Muga Reserva 2021 (Rioja) — Modern meets traditional; lush, bright, elegant, medium bodied

Non-Alcoholic

• Fresh Juices — Orange, pineapple, cranberry, apple or tomato
• Soft Drinks — Coke, Diet Coke, lemonade, ginger ale, tonic & soda
• Ginger Beer / Lemon Lime & Bitters
• Three Boys Kombucha — Apricot or hoppy
• Mineral Water — Still or sparkling

Soups & Salad

• Seasonal Vegetable Soup — With a slice of bread (vegetarian)
• Garden Salad — Leafy greens with beetroot & seasonal treasures from their garden
• Add Crumbed Fried Chicken — Add to any soup or salad

Spanish Whites

• Alba Martin Albarino 2022 (Rias Baixas) — White stone fruit & citrus with a lingering finish
• Rohe Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough) — Currant aromas, stone fruit & refreshing acidity
• Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Marlborough) — Lemon, stone fruit, sweet herbs & a fine-boned acid finish
• Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Waipara) — Gooseberry, guava & capsicum, vibrant acidity
• Main Divide Chardonnay 2025 (Waipara) — Pear, apple & lemon; creamy with a structured finish
• Muddy Water Deliverance Chardonnay 2023 (Waipara) — Local organic; pink grapefruit, nectarine, spicy toasty oak
• Smith & Sheth CRU Heretanga Chardonnay 2023 (Waipara) — White peach, roasted cashews & toasted brioche

Cava & Champagne

• Dibon Cava Brut Selection (Penedes) — Fine bubbles, baked apple & crusty sourdough
• Vilarnau Cava Reserva NV (organic) — Ripe red apple, melon & peach with a crisp clean finish
• Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle NV (Central Otago) — Biodynamic; apple, lime & brioche, creamy acidity
• Taittinger Cuvee Prestige NV (France) — Chardonnay-led champagne, elegant, creamy & refined
• Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut NV (France) — Full bodied, toasty, nutty & concentrated

Spanish Sherries

• Dry Sherry — Light & dry — apple, lemon, dried flowers, a touch of sea breeze & iodine
• Pedro Ximenez Dulce Sherry — Raisin & fig aromas; rich with chocolate & cinnamon spice

Arroz — Rice Dishes

• Paella de Marisco for Two — House speciality: banana prawns, clams, mussels & calamari with saffron calasparra rice, cooked in a paella pan
• Vegetarian Paella — Seasonal vegetables with saffron rice (vegan on request)

Cabernets, Merlots & Syrah

• Black Barn Merlot Cabernet 2023 (Hawkes Bay) — Dark red berry, smoke & spice with plum, clove & vanilla
• Craggy Range Syrah 2023 (Hawkes Bay) — Blackberry, lavender & black pepper
• Pegasus Bay Merlot Cabernet 2023 (Waipara) — Blackberry, plum, cassis & mocha; rich ripe tannins
• Pegasus Bay Reserve Maestro 2020 (Waipara) — Black forest fruit, mushroom & smoked game with liquorice & spice

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a reservation?

Reservations are recommended. Call (03) 379 2252, email [email protected] or use the online booking form. Lunches are seated for 1.5 hours and dinners for 2 hours — book longer in advance if you wish.

What are the opening hours?

Lunch: Monday–Thursday 11:30am–2pm, Friday–Sunday 11:30am–2:30pm. Dinner: Monday–Thursday from 5pm to 8pm, Friday & Saturday from 5pm to 8:30pm. Closed on Sunday evenings.

Where exactly is the restaurant?

At 7 Rolleston Avenue, inside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens — a 101-year-old heritage building.

Are there vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options?

Yes. The menu marks gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan dishes, including a Vegan Zarzuela and a vegetarian paella (vegan on request). Many tapas are GF or can be made so.

Is the paella available for one person?

Paellas are cooked and served in a paella pan with a minimum order of two people, and need at least 30 minutes cooking time — order early in your meal.

Can you host groups or events?

Yes — Curators House caters for groups and events, and gift vouchers are also available.

What should we drink with the food?

The list leans Spanish: traditional red or champagne sangria, dry sherry through to Pedro Ximenez dulce, Larios gin, cava and Rioja — plus a strong line-up of Canterbury and Central Otago wines and Three Boys beer on tap.

Tips

• {"body":"Reserve by phone (03) 379 2252, email or the online form — lunches are seated for 1.5 hours and dinners for 2 hours.","title":"Book ahead"}
• {"body":"The house-speciality seafood paella needs at least 30 minutes in the pan and serves a minimum of two — put your order in when you sit down.","title":"Order the paella first"}
• {"body":"The kitchen closes on Sunday evenings; dinner is served Monday through Saturday.","title":"Sunday is lunch only"}
• {"body":"You're inside the Botanic Gardens — pair your meal with a stroll, or dine fireside in the charming dining rooms in winter.","title":"Make a day of the gardens"}
• {"body":"Finish like the Spanish do: a Pedro Ximenez dulce sherry or 10-year port alongside the Crema Catalana.","title":"End with sherry"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian & vegan dishes marked on the menu; vegan paella on request; oat/soy milk available"}