Hikari Teppanyaki brings modern and authentic Japanese flavours to the heart of Frankton in Queenstown. Dining here is dinner and a show in the truest sense: guests gather around the chef's teppan — 'teppan' meaning iron hot plate, 'yaki' to grill or fry — as highly skilled, well-trained chefs cook steak, chicken, seafood and fresh vegetables in traditional Japanese style, providing marvellous entertainment while they cook.
The menu goes well beyond the grill. Signature teppanyaki courses named after local landmarks — Queenstown, Remarkables, Kingston and Wanaka — sit alongside a delectable sushi selection, the crowd-favourite karaage chicken, lunch bento boxes, rice bowls like chicken katsu don, crisp tempura and fresh sashimi. Ingredients are carefully sourced both locally and internationally while staying true to authentic Japanese flavours.
The interactive format is fun for couples, large groups and special celebrations like birthdays — up to 20 guests can fit around a single teppan table, and any more and the team reserves a third grill for your group. Sake is a popular choice, served hot or chilled, and if you'd rather dine at home, delivery is available through Uber Eats and Deliver Easy, with pick-up orders online.
Dinner and a show, in the most literal sense. At Hikari Teppanyaki in Frankton, Queenstown, the kitchen is the entertainment: you gather around the chef's teppan — a searing iron hot plate — and watch your meal grilled to order right before your eyes. It is modern and authentic Japanese cuisine with a generous side of theatre, and it has made the restaurant a popular pick for date nights, family dinners and birthday celebrations alike.
The name gives the game away: 'teppan' means iron hot plate, and 'yaki' means to grill or fry. Hikari's chefs are highly skilled and well trained, cooking favourites such as steak, chicken, seafood and fresh vegetables in traditional Japanese style on the teppan table — while keeping everyone at the table thoroughly entertained. Expect fire, flying food and plenty of laughs. And yes, when the chef makes fried rice, you really can try to catch it.
At the heart of the menu is the Main Teppanyaki Course selection, with each course named after a beloved local place. The Queenstown course pairs prawns, scallop, salmon and white fish in egg sauce and carpaccio dressing with tender chicken thigh in teriyaki glaze. Wanaka builds on that seafood medley with a tiger prawn sizzled in garlic butter. Kingston is the one for meat lovers: New Zealand premium beef fillet with garlic butter alongside a herb-marinated NZ premium lamb rack. The Remarkables course shows the plant-based side of the teppan — vege tempura, edamame and fresh tofu with seasonal vegetables in teriyaki glaze.
Teppanyaki is only part of the story. The extensive menu stretches from fussy eaters to the more adventurous: a delectable sushi selection including the Gold California Roll with salmon, crab meat, cucumber, avocado and tobikko; the crowd-favourite karaage chicken; assorted tempura with king prawn, scallop and whitefish; and fresh sliced tuna sashimi. Lunch leans casual, with teriyaki beef or salmon bento boxes packed with sashimi, salmon roll, tempura, salad and miso soup, plus rice bowls like crispy chicken katsu don and teriyaki chicken or salmon don. Ingredients are carefully sourced both locally and internationally while staying true to authentic Japanese flavours.
Many guests come as much for the entertainment and ambience as for the meal, and the format suits couples, large groups and special celebrations like birthdays. The team can fit up to 20 guests around a single table; any more and they reserve a third grill for your group. It is genuinely family friendly too — one reviewer brought their two-year-old and found the whole table laughing most of the night, while another raved about a birthday dinner with 'lots of fire and flying food'. To drink, sake is a popular choice, served either as a warming hot pot or a refreshing chilled glass.
Reservations are made online. Lunch is à la carte dining, while dinner offers a choice of a teppan table reservation or à la carte dining. A small $0.50 pre-authorisation is required to complete a booking, and the manager confirms each reservation by text and email; for larger parties, it's best to call or email the team directly. If you'd rather enjoy the feast at home, delivery is available through Uber Eats and Deliver Easy, with pick-up orders available online.
Whether you are marking a birthday, hosting out-of-towners or simply chasing Queenstown's best dinner theatre, Hikari Teppanyaki delivers an evening to remember — great-tasting Japanese cuisine, skilled chefs working the teppan, and a night that flies by as fast as the fried rice.