Cabin Wānaka is a wood-fired restaurant on Helwick Street in Wānaka, part of the Bruto Hospitality group alongside sister venues Sofi and Francesca. The restaurant strips dining back to the elemental truth of wood, ash and smoke, with a menu that follows the land — seasonal harvests, regional delights, and prime Wānaka steak — all given over to the mercy of an open woodfire.
Wood is treated as a key ingredient rather than hidden away, stacked against the walls and drying in the kitchen's ambient heat, with specific logs chosen for how their smoke perfumes a ribeye or blackens a vegetable. Cabin partners closely with local farmers and regional suppliers to source prime Wānaka steak, pristine seafood, wild meats and heirloom vegetables, resulting in a shifting, seasonal menu defined by a single philosophy: Wānaka woodfired.
The drinks program is equally considered, featuring local and international wines, elegant cocktails and cold beers chosen to cut through the rich, smoky profile of the hearth. Head Chef Ketan trained under Ben Bayly with stints at Aosta and Origine, while Restaurant Manager Carolina brings experience from Sherwood, Roki, Blanket Bay and local wineries. Cabin describes itself as not fine dining, but far from ordinary — an open, informal way to share a meal served with an honest hand and zero pretension.
On Helwick Street in Wānaka, Cabin strips dining back to its most elemental form: wood, ash and smoke. Part of the Bruto Hospitality family alongside sister restaurants Sofi and Francesca, Cabin is built entirely around an open woodfire hearth, with every dish given over to the fire's mercy rather than a conventional kitchen setup.
At Cabin, wood isn't hidden away in a back room — it's stacked openly against the walls and left to dry in the ambient heat of the kitchen, treated with the same care as any spice on the pass. Specific logs are chosen for how their smoke will perfume a ribeye or blacken a vegetable, a visceral way of cooking that demands the chef be present in every spark, using wood, air and timing to shape each dish. Every seat, sightline and pocket of warmth in the restaurant is dictated by the central flame.
That commitment to fire is matched by a commitment to sourcing. Cabin partners closely with local farmers and regional suppliers to bring in prime Wānaka steak, pristine seafood, wild meats and heirloom vegetables, resulting in a menu that shifts with the seasons rather than sitting fixed to any single country or style — a philosophy the restaurant simply calls Wānaka woodfired. Behind the bar, the drinks programme is just as deliberate, leaning into local and international wines, elegant cocktails and cold beers specifically chosen to cut through the rich, smoky character of the food.
Cabin's kitchen is led by Head Chef Ketan, who trained under one of New Zealand's premier culinary talents, Ben Bayly, with further experience at Aosta and Origine — a calm, steady presence amid the controlled chaos of the fire. Front of house, Restaurant Manager Carolina brings an impressive footprint across the region's finest establishments, including Sherwood, Roki, Blanket Bay and local wineries, pouring with the same warmth as the hearth itself. Overseeing all Bruto kitchens is Executive Chef Lucas, whose Argentine and Italian background shapes the group's broader culinary direction.
Cabin also offers a range of private dining options for groups, from exclusive use of the whole venue (seated for 46, plus 10 at the bar, or standing for 70) through to more intimate private dining for 12 or a partial dining room booking for 24. True to the Bruto ethos, Cabin doesn't pitch itself as fine dining — it's described instead as an open, informal way to share a meal, served with an honest hand and zero pretension. As the restaurant puts it: the fire is lit, see you soon.