Hopgoods Restaurant

About Hopgoods Restaurant

Hopgood's & Co. has been a fixture in the heart of Nelson since 2005, when Kevin and Jane Hopgood opened its doors with a simple aim: to present modern, seasonally based bistro-style dishes in a casual and relaxing environment. The restaurant is housed in a heritage-listed premises — formerly known as the Dalgety & Company Ltd Building — whose historic character offers a stylish backdrop to the food and wine.

The menu is deliberately kept short and changes daily, allowing the kitchen to make the most of the great produce Nelson has on its doorstep. Kevin, originally from London, spent more than twenty years in some of the city's toughest kitchens, including the legendary Le Gavroche with the Roux brothers. His philosophy is 'simple food done well', with many organic vegetables sourced from local farmers and the best wines of the Nelson region showcased alongside. A five-course tasting menu, designed for the whole table, offers the fuller journey with an optional wine match.

The drinks list leans into its home region, pouring Nelson wines such as Neudorf, Blackenbrook and Heaphy by the glass, alongside an all-New Zealand gin and tonic collection, classic and zero-proof cocktails, and local tap beer. Dinner is served Sunday and Monday from 5:30pm to 9:00pm; reservations can be made online or by phone, and gift vouchers are available through the website.

Hopgood's & Co: Seasonal Bistro Dining in a Heritage Nelson Landmark

There are restaurants that chase trends, and there are restaurants built to last. Hopgood's & Co. on Trafalgar Street belongs to the second camp. Opened in 2005 by Kevin and Jane Hopgood, it has spent nearly two decades serving modern, seasonally based bistro dishes from one of Nelson's most characterful dining rooms — a heritage-listed building once known as the Dalgety & Company Ltd Building, whose historic bones make a stylish backdrop for the food and wine.

Simple Food, Done Well

'Simple food done well' is how Kevin Hopgood describes the approach — and few chefs are better placed to deliver it. Originally from London, he spent more than twenty years working in some of the city's toughest kitchens, including the legendary Le Gavroche with the Roux brothers. Since opening the restaurant with Jane, that classical grounding has been pointed at a decidedly local pantry: the menu is deliberately kept short and changes daily, allowing the kitchen to make the most of the produce Nelson has on its doorstep, including many organic vegetables sourced from local farmers.

The published menu is only ever a sample, but it gives a clear sense of direction. Things open with snacks for the table — bread with truffle butter, marinated olives, Marlborough oysters with mignonette and cucumber & lovage oil, chicken liver parfait with port jelly and walnut brioche, salmon croquettes with nduja salsa, and seared beef fillet crumpets topped with Welsh rarebit and pickles.

Starters have ranged across manuka-smoked salmon with saffron potato and creamed leeks, Westcoast whitebait with crispy potato and brown butter, a goat cheese soufflé with roasted pumpkin, pork collar with bacon jam and XO prunes, and yellow fin tuna with miso, cauliflower and burnt orange gastrique. Mains run from ricotta gnocchi with black truffle and sunchoke crisps to snapper with fennel, caponata and smoked mussels, lamb neck with wild mushroom and parmesan crumb, peppered beef fillet with black garlic mustard, and confit duck leg with braised red cabbage, beetroot and pickled quince. Sides — charred cabbage with baba ghanoush, cos lettuce with bacon and mascarpone, fried broccoli with anchovy cream, lyonnaise potatoes with truffle mascarpone — round out the table.

The Tasting Menu

For diners happy to hand over the reins, a five-course tasting menu is available, designed for the whole table with an optional wine match. A recent sample version ran from torched Akaroa salmon and snapper with chive butter to pig cheek with pāua sausage and parsley mash, grilled beef sirloin with bacon jus, and a lemon meringue artic roll to finish — each course paired with a New Zealand wine from producers such as Neudorf, Greenhough and Peregrine.

A Cellar That Champions the Region

The wine list leans happily into its address. By the glass you'll find Nelson names like Neudorf 'Moutere' Pinot Gris, Blackenbrook Sauvignon Blanc and a Heaphy Montepulciano Rosé, alongside Central Otago pinot noir, Hawkes Bay syrah, Barossa shiraz and a Lalande de Pomerol from Bordeaux. The gin and tonic collection is entirely New Zealand — Pollen from right here in Nelson, plus Scapegrace, Strange Nature and Lighthouse, each poured with East Imperial tonic. Cocktails put twists on the classics, from an Elderflower 'Pétiller' built on elderflower vodka and Veuve Clicquot to a chipotle-laced Lime Leaf Margarita, and there's a full zero-proof list plus Eddyline pilsner and IPA on tap.

Planning Your Visit

Hopgood's serves dinner from 5:30pm to 9:00pm on Sunday and Monday and is closed Tuesday through Saturday, so it's worth planning ahead. Reservations can be made through the website's reservation page or by phone, and gift vouchers are available to buy online. One practical note: credit cards and payWave attract a 2% surcharge. And because the menu changes daily to catch the best local produce, treat any dish list as a snapshot — the surest way to know what's on tonight is to ask on arrival or get in touch before you go.

Signature items

• Five Course Tasting Menu
• Marlborough Oysters
• Manuka Smoked Salmon
• Westcoast Whitebait
• Confit Duck Leg
• Ricotta Gnocchi

Menu

Mains

• Ricotta Gnocchi — With black truffle, sunchoke crisps and cress pesto.
• Snapper — With fennel, caponata, smoked mussels and lemon butter.
• Lamb Neck — With wild mushroom, roast onion and parmesan crumb.
• Peppered Beef Fillet — With roast roots and black garlic mustard.
• Confit Duck Leg — With braised red cabbage, beetroot and pickled quince.

Sides

• Charred Cabbage — With baba ghanoush, black garlic and bonito.
• Cos Lettuce — With bacon, garlic breadcrumb and mascarpone.
• Fried Broccoli — With anchovy cream, pine nuts, lemon and caper.
• Lyonnaise Potatoes — With truffle mascarpone and onion crumble.

Starters

• Manuka Smoked Salmon — With saffron potato, creamed leeks and apple.
• Westcoast Whitebait — With crispy potato, cucumber and brown butter.
• Goat Cheese Soufflé — With roasted pumpkin, walnut and red onion.
• Pork Collar — With roast carrots, bacon jam and XO prunes.
• Yellow Finn Tuna — With miso, cauliflower, hazelnut and burnt orange gastrique.

Cocktails

• Elderflower 'Pétiller' — A seasonal take on a French 76 — elderflower vodka and Veuve Clicquot.
• Aperol 'Spritz' — Aperol, Prosecco and Lillet Blanc.
• Amaro Old-Fashioned — Bourbon, Amaro Averna and orange bitters.
• Rhubarb & Berry Sour — Rhubarb and berry infused gin with lemon.
• My Sheroni — Campari, gin, Rosso and Amontillado with a PX sherry-soaked prune.
• Lime Leaf Margarita — Lime leaf infused Jose Cuervo, Cointreau, agave and chipotle.

Beer & Cider

• Eddyline 'Kaiteri Gold' Pilsner — Nelson pilsner on tap (5%).
• Eddyline 'Summer in the Citra' IPA — Citra-hopped IPA on tap (6.1%).
• Mussel Inn 'Golden Goose' Lager — Bottled lager (5%, 330ml).
• Garage Project 'Fugazi' — Low-ABV pour (2.5%, 330ml).
• Garage Project 'Tiny' — Near-zero alcohol beer (0.5%, 330ml).
• Heineken — Classic lager (5%, 330ml).
• Peckham's 'Farmhouse' Apple Cider — Farmhouse-style apple cider (5.6%, 330ml).

Tasting Menu

• Five Course Tasting Menu — The chef's daily five courses, designed for the whole table, with an optional wine match.

For The Table

• Bread & Truffle Butter — Warm bread served with house truffle butter.
• Marinated Olives — Olives with lemon, thyme and garlic.
• Marlborough Oysters — Fresh oysters with mignonette, cucumber and lovage oil.
• Chicken Liver Parfait — With port jelly, walnut brioche and fig & raisin chutney.
• Salmon Croquettes — Crisp croquettes with nduja salsa and tartare sauce.
• Seared Beef Fillet Crumpets — Crumpets with Welsh rarebit and pickles.

Wine By The Glass

• Satori Prosecco NV — Crisp Italian bubbles.
• Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV — France — Champagne by the glass.
• No.1 Family Estate Cuvée NV — Marlborough méthode traditionnelle.
• Heaphy Montepulciano Rosé 2023 — Nelson — brightly aromatic, juicy and crisp.
• Peregrine Riesling 2022 — Central Otago.
• Neudorf 'Moutere' Pinot Gris — Nelson — wild fruits with subtle minerality.
• Blackenbrook Sauvignon Blanc 2023 — Nelson — gooseberry, citrus and elderflower.
• Neudorf 'Rosie Block' Chardonnay 2023 — Nelson chardonnay.
• Francis Coppola 'Diamond Collection' Zinfandel 2020 — California.
• Neudorf 'Tom's Block' Pinot Noir 2022 — Nelson pinot noir.
• Peregrine Pinot Noir 2021 — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2016 — Barossa Valley shiraz.
• Smith & Sheth 'Cru' Heretaunga Syrah 2020 — Hawkes Bay syrah.
• Château Vieux Chevrol 2019 — Bordeaux from Lalande de Pomerol, mostly merlot.

Soft Drinks & Water

• Juices — Apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry or tomato.
• Soft Drinks — Coke, Coke No Sugar, lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer.
• Mixers — Tonic water or soda water.
• Antipodes Water — NZ bottled still or sparkling water.

Zero-Proof Cocktails

• Blackcurrant & Elderflower 'Spritz' — Homemade blackcurrant and elderflower cordial with lemonade.
• Cucumber 'Mojito' — Zero-proof rum, cucumber, mint, lime and soda.
• 'Secret Garden' — Zero-proof juniper spirit with herbs and Royal Botanic tonic.
• 'Dark… But Not Stormy' — Zero-proof rum with lime and ginger beer.

New Zealand Gin & Tonics

• Pollen Gin (Nelson) — Homegrown botanicals, rich flavour and smooth finish; East Imperial Royal Botanic tonic.
• Scapegrace Uncommon Late Harvest Gin (Hawkes Bay) — Slightly sweet, tart and savoury; served with grapefruit tonic.
• Strange Nature Grape Gin (Marlborough) — Gin grown from sauvignon blanc grapes — tropical, zesty, herbaceous.
• Lighthouse Batch Distilled Gin (Martinborough) — NZ orange and lemon zest; pure and citrus-driven with yuzu tonic.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of food does Hopgood's & Co. serve?

Modern, seasonally based bistro-style dishes, with a deliberately short menu that changes daily around great Nelson produce.

When is Hopgood's open?

Dinner is served Sunday and Monday from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. The restaurant is closed Tuesday through Saturday.

Do I need a reservation?

Reservations are recommended and can be made through the website's reservation page or by calling 03 545 7191.

Is there a tasting menu?

Yes — a five-course tasting menu is available, designed for the whole table, with an optional wine match.

Does the menu change?

Yes. The kitchen updates the menu daily to make the most of local produce, so the published menu is only a sample.

Can I buy a gift voucher?

Yes, gift vouchers can be purchased through the restaurant's website.

Are there extra card fees?

Credit cards and payWave payments incur a 2% surcharge.

Tips

• {"body":"Reserve online via the reservation page or call 03 545 7191 to secure a table.","title":"Book ahead"}
• {"body":"The published menu is a sample only — the kitchen rewrites it daily around local produce, so ask on the night what's available.","title":"The menu changes daily"}
• {"body":"The five-course tasting menu is designed for the whole table and can be matched with wines course by course.","title":"Try the tasting menu"}
• {"body":"The list champions Nelson producers like Neudorf, Blackenbrook and Heaphy, plus an all-New Zealand gin and tonic collection.","title":"Go local with your glass"}
• {"body":"Dinner runs Sunday and Monday from 5:30pm to 9:00pm only — the restaurant is closed Tuesday through Saturday.","title":"Plan around the hours"}

Good to know

• {"payments":"Credit cards and payWave incur a 2% surcharge."}