Pavilion Bar & Kitchens sits at Queenstown Central on Grant Road in Frankton, on land once known as the 'bread basket' of the region — fertile farmland that fed early Queenstown. Today the venue channels that heritage of generosity into a modern bar and kitchens concept built around social dining, damn good food and the simple joy of gathering around a table. The food is led by celebrated chef Sean Connolly, blending international standards with local Queenstown character, and the venue's tagline says it plainly: merchants of good times, purveyors of good taste.
Despite being relatively new to Queenstown, Pavilion has already earned a Hat in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026, New Zealand's leading independent restaurant guide. The kitchen covers serious ground: Italian-leaning pizzas and pastas, a Steak & Oyster Co. feasting menu with ribeye, T-bone and fresh oysters, shared Pavilion feasting spreads, Sunday roasts, burgers, seafood and a dedicated kids' menu. There's a full bar with signature cocktails, beers and wines, plus Drop'd Froyo, the venue's frozen yogurt offering. Takeaway pizza is available daily from 11:30am to 9pm.
The space is built for gathering — fireside seating inside and out gives it a warm, après-ski feel after a day on the slopes, and it's dog-friendly with water bowls on hand. For private gatherings, the Green Room seats up to 22 or hosts 40 standing, with tableside service, customisable multi-course menus and a dedicated host. Larger functions are covered too, with exclusive mezzanine spaces for up to 30 and full venue hire for events up to 750 people.
Lunch service runs from 11:30am and dinner from 5:30pm, every day of the week. Book online or by phone, or take your chances as a walk-in — and if you're planning a long lunch or late dinner, this is a room made for both.
Set at Queenstown Central on Grant Road in Frankton, Pavilion Bar & Kitchens occupies ground with a story. The area was once known as the 'bread basket' of the region — fertile fields and cultivated farmland that fed early Queenstown. Pavilion pays homage to that history with a spirit of generosity, creativity and social connection, summed up in its own words: merchants of good times, purveyors of good taste.
This is a bar and kitchens concept built around social dining — big tables, shared plates and the simple joy of gathering. The food is led by celebrated chef Sean Connolly, who brings international quality with local soul. For a venue still relatively new to Queenstown, the recognition came quickly: Pavilion has been awarded a Hat in the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2026, New Zealand's leading independent guide to the country's best restaurants.
The menus change seasonally and daily, and there are several threads to pull. The Ciao Brutto feasting menu is the Italian heart of the operation — shared anti-pasto starters of meats, cheeses, olives and pickles, sides like wedge salad with buttermilk dressing and chips, and a pizza or pasta per guest. Pizzas run from Margherita and Pepperoni to Potato & Leek and Sausage & Mushroom; the pasta shapes are rigatoni, orecchiette and casarecce.
For the meat-and-seafood crew, the Steak & Oyster Co. menu steps things up: oysters and shrimp cocktail to start, then ribeye, the T-Bone Savannah and lamb shoulder with whipped potato. The Pavilion feasting menu covers the middle ground with half chicken, Buddha bowl and wedge salad. Sunday roasts, burgers, salads and a dedicated kids' menu round things out, and Drop'd Froyo handles dessert duty — a frozen yogurt offering served alongside the bar menu. Speaking of the bar: signature cocktails, beers and wines back it all up, and takeaway pizza is available daily from 11:30am to 9pm if you'd rather eat at home.
Pavilion leans into its alpine setting with fireside seating inside and out — a warm, après-ski atmosphere built for settling in after a day on the slopes or stretching a lunch into the afternoon. It's dog-friendly too, with water bowls for four-legged guests.
For private occasions, the Green Room is the venue's dedicated private dining space: it seats up to 22 or hosts 40 standing, with tableside service, customisable multi-course menus and a dedicated host. It's used for long lunches, late dinners, milestone celebrations, corporate events and polished meetings. Going bigger? Pavilion offers exclusive mezzanine spaces for groups up to 30 and full venue hire for events up to 750 people.
Pavilion is open every day, Monday to Sunday. Lunch service starts at 11:30am and dinner from 5:30pm, with takeaway pizza running 11:30am to 9pm. The main entrance is on Central Street, where on-street parking is available. You can book online or by calling +64 3 499 0060, and walk-ins are welcome too — though for the Green Room or a big group, it pays to get in touch ahead of time. Menus change seasonally and daily, so if you have dietary requirements, ask the team; they cater for all of them. Gift cards are available if you'd rather let someone else do the choosing — though with pizza, pasta, steak, oysters and froyo on offer, choosing is half the fun.