Fisherman's Wharf sits right on Norwich Quay in the working port of Lyttelton, looking out over Lyttelton Harbour and the bays beyond. It is an informal, family-friendly restaurant built around one simple idea: fresh, locally sourced seafood, cooked simply and best enjoyed with good company. The kitchen even runs its own trawler, so much of the fish travels 'from our boat to your plate'.
The menu leans firmly into the ocean — a seafood sizzle plate that is the house favourite, a rich seafood chowder, green-lipped mussels steamed in white wine, paua and prawn dumplings, and classic fish and chips — but nobody is left out: there is also a 250g rib-eye, vegetarian gnocchi, burgers and a dedicated kids' menu. A wine list selected to match seafood and thirst-quenching craft beers round things out, ideally enjoyed on the deck.
Featured on TVNZ's My Restaurant Rules and in Style (03) Magazine, Fisherman's Wharf opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am to 8pm and welcomes bookings and walk-ins alike. EFTPOS and all major credit cards are accepted.
Fisherman's Wharf sits right on the water at 39 Norwich Quay in Lyttelton, looking out over a working port where fishing boats still tie up within sight of the dining room. The views stretch across Lyttelton Harbour and the surrounding bays, and they are a genuine part of the meal — this is the Lyttelton seafood restaurant with a view, and it is easy to see why. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal: families, friends and couples come for fresh seafood and stay for the panorama.
The freshness here is not a slogan. The team runs its own trawler, so fish can travel from their boat to your plate with very little in between. Their philosophy is deliberately simple — source the freshest, most sustainable fish available, much of it caught within a few kilometres of the restaurant, then treat it simply. That might mean a light beer batter, pan-searing in herb butter, a Cajun spice crust or a bake in coconut lime, with the catch always doing the talking.
Ask anyone and they will point you to the Seafood Sizzle Plate, the kitchen's most popular dish: fresh fish, scallops, prawns, mussels and squid pan-seared and served still sizzling on a hot plate, with coconut-infused jasmine rice and a crisp garden salad. Fisherman's Seafood Chowder is the other classic — a creamy mix of fish, prawns, mussels, shrimp, squid and vegetables, best mopped up with toasted garlic bread.
Good Fry-Days is proper fish and chips: choose orange roughy, catch of the day or blue cod, beer battered or crumbed, with golden fries, fresh salad and house-made tartare. For something more dressed up, Out of the Net lets you pick your fish and one of three preparations — herb butter with potato of the day, Cajun spices with mango nam prik and kumara fries, or coconut lime with seared banana and coconut rice. A Fisherman's Basket piles the plate with mussels, prawns, fish and calamari, and the crispy skin salmon risotto is a house favourite.
It is not all shellfish. There is a 250g rib-eye with onion rings and your choice of sauce, creamy tomato gnocchi for vegetarians, and burgers from classic beef to spiced buttermilk fried chicken. Kids get a menu of their own — hot dogs, chicken tenders, fish bites, mini burgers and sundaes — which says a lot about how family-friendly the room is. Save room for dessert too: warm chocolate brownie, sticky date pudding with home-made toffee sauce, or an orange and almond pudding with lemon curd.
Everything about Fisherman's Wharf is easy-going by design. The owners believe seafood is best enjoyed with friends and family in an informal, friendly atmosphere, ideally out on the deck with one of the craft beers on hand; the wine list is chosen specifically to sit alongside seafood. Non-drinkers are covered with milkshakes, ginger beer, iced tea and proper coffee.
The restaurant has picked up attention along the way, appearing on TVNZ's My Restaurant Rules and in Style Magazine, and featuring among Top Reviews NZ's best restaurants in Christchurch. The crew credit their tight-knit teamwork for the warm, attentive service that guests keep mentioning.
Fisherman's Wharf is at 39 Norwich Quay on the Lyttelton waterfront, a short drive from central Christchurch. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am to 8:00pm and closed on Mondays. EFTPOS and all major credit cards are accepted, and tables can be booked online or by phone on 03 328 7530. If the sun is out, ask for a harbour-facing table, order the chowder to start, and make the sizzle plate the main event.