If you’re in New Brighton for a good time, and also a delicious one, these are the food and drink spots worth seeking out, according to Papa’s Smashies owner Piripi Baker.
“It feels like there shouldn’t be a suburb this good,” says Piripi Baker (Whakatōhea) who has lived in New Brighton’s North Beach with his whānau for the past decade.
Last year, Baker opened his burger shop Papa’s Smashies in Sydenham, which has quickly earned a reputation as one of Christchurch’s best burger destinations. More recently, he teamed up with Bones Pickles to launch Glizzys, a New York-style hot dog stand at the city’s new One New Zealand Stadium. But when he’s not at his own venues, he’s exploring his local seaside suburb.
Rugged, windswept and ever so slightly rough around the edges, New Brighton is defined by its long pier, faded arcades and sweeping views of Te Tai-o-Rēhua. For decades, it was the only place in Canterbury, and potentially the entire South Island, where shops could legally trade on Saturdays, which, for a time, made it one of the country’s busiest and most bustling shopping destinations. Those glory days have passed. Many shopfronts now sit boarded up, but beneath that weathered exterior, Baker says, is a surprisingly vibrant food scene.
“The funny thing about New Brighton is it is kinda shit – but it’s shit in the best kind of way,” he says. “It’s hilariously cheap to live by the beach in a quiet suburb in a major city. There’s a complete lack of pretentiousness… I love it”.
Here’s how to eat your way through New Brighton and neighbouring North Beach according to Baker.
Three words (other than vibrant) that sum up the food in New Brighton: We need more.
My most controversial food opinion about New Brighton: It underachieves in variety, but at the same time it massively overachieves on casual eats, takeaways and cafes. It would be nice if there was somewhere you could splurge.
Everyone has a dining out pet peeve. Mine is: Pints not being pints. If you’re going to sell a pint, can it be an actual imperial 568ml pint or a loose European metric pint which is 500ml? If it’s not at least 500ml it should be illegal to call it a pint.
The local dish I crave most: Fish and chips. Specifically a scoop of chips with chicken salt and a large piece of crumbed Akaroa cod from my local fish and chip shop, Bower Fish Supply. As long as I can remember I’ve had fish and chips once a week and I’m so grateful that I live a two-minute drive away from a truly excellent fish and chip shop. We need to celebrate our affordable fish and chip shops, they’re a gift from god.
The best restaurant in New Brighton is: Chanakya South Indian Cuisine.
Why I love Chanakya South Indian Cuisine: It’s so New Brighton. It’s in the semi-abandoned Surfside arcade off the New Brighton mall. I think there’s barely anything else in the arcade that’s actually functional. In there, you’ve got one of the best Indian restaurants in the whole city. It’s great value too.
My go-to order is: Masala dosa, hot butter chicken (very controversial but this is a butter chicken that’s got flavour) and three garlic paratha. Dunking the paratha in the hot butter chicken is one of the great joys of my life.
When I’m craving something cheap and cheerful I head to: Little German Kitchen. On Saturdays they’re at the New Brighton Market and they do a great, cheap currywurst for around $10 that comes with a little bun on the side which you can mop up all the sauce with.
The most underrated local gem is: The Bower Fish Supply. They’re a gold standard local chippie. When people talk about the top Christchurch fish and chip shops, the ones that come up often are the more elevated ones and I think Bower Fish Supply is underrated because it’s that classic fish and chip shop from my childhood. They also do handcut chips. It’s never greasy, I don’t know how they do it. It’s so extremely consistent too.
A recent food discovery I can’t stop talking about: There’s this new Nepali restaurant called Yak&Fern. Seriously good food, really limited hours which I like. Go hungry and order absolutely everything.
A place I’ve been dying to try is: A new food truck called Christchurch Cheesesteak. It’s an English guy doing Philly cheesesteaks in New Brighton. He’s open Fridays and Saturdays. People have been going on about it so I can’t wait to get down and try one.
Celebrating with a group? Book a table at: I’ve got a double recommendation. If the weather is great, the North Beach Beer Garden. It’s a collaboration between the guy that owns the land and Bacon Brothers. It’s pretty much on the beach and it’s beautiful in summer. It’s an outdoor brew pub and since the Bacon Brothers have taken over the food, the food options are great. And if the weather is bad I’d go with Phad Thai Restaurant for a really classic BYO Thai situation.
Pub or bar of choice: Gav’s Endeavour – the pub 400 metres down the road from my house. It’s a corner pub in a tiny strip mall. We’re so lucky, some awesome local people took over a couple of years ago. They’ve improved it significantly. $15 jugs with an outdoor smoking area, a TV and a pool table inside, and really friendly owners. It’s comfy and cosy and cheap and awesome, with all sorts of characters – I just love it. And then for great brews (even if they’re not full pints), we’ve got to go to Southpaw in central Brighton. Cam (the co-owner) is awesome.
For a late-night food fix you’ll find me at: We’re super limited. If I’m going late-night I’m going to the BP on Bower Ave getting some of those gross chicken bites and a Krispy Kreme.
Got visitors from out of town? I’m taking them to: Before I take them to the chippy, or my favourite pub, I’m taking them to C&C Chicken & Cornbread, I’m taking them to meet Bobby Wayne. He’s from Atlanta, he’s a true character and there is no one else like him in the entire country. He makes ludicrously great wings, cornbread, and Kool-Aid. He’s making soul food.
An ideal date spot would be: Go to Dune Cafe in South Brighton for coffee and brunch. Then walk down to the beach to He Puna Taimoana Hotpools. A great early afternoon date.
Make sure to order: The house made hash and then any of the revolving cast of cakes. It is seriously lush.
But I’d advise you to avoid the: Peak sessions at the hot pools. To avoid, find the adults only sessions.
New Brighton’s best…
Breakfast: It’s a tie between Dune Cafe and Saturdays Cafe.
Coffee: My local, the North Beach Coffee Shed, for a mini flat white.
Sandwich: The classic cheese from The Burger Joint. That’s because I’m a burger guy but also because there’s really not a great sandwich place in New Brighton. If there was a proper deli here, it would pop off.
Noodles: Moon Wah Takeaways for stir fried noodles. Not necessarily because of quality, but the portions are ludicrous. They might be the most generous Chinese takeaways in the city. They have to rubber band their containers shut because they can’t put the lids on properly.
Pie: Steak and cheese from the Burwood Bakery.
Comfort meal: Onion rings and a jug of Speights at Gav’s Endeavour.
Fish and chips: Bower Fish Supply.
And the best place to unwrap and eat them is: In summer, on the beach, in front of the surf life saving club. Or in winter, in the car, with a view of the pier.
Bread: Any of the incredible handmade breads from Jerry & George at the New Brighton Market on a Saturday.
Baked treat: My mate AJ is doing sporadic cinnamon roll pop ups from his house in North Beach under the name Dangerously Goods Co on Instagram. He does classic cinnamon, oreo and biscoff. They are just phenomenal. And enormous too.
What defines a great cinnamon roll? It’s the way the sugar caramelises on the bottom and then the lushness of the sweet bread. The sugar and the cinnamon should sort of penetrate the bread. There shouldn’t be any dry element to it, except for the slight crispiness of the sugar.
For a serious sweet tooth, head to: Sweet As Waffle Hut at the New Brighton Mall. Great waffles.
If you’re after spice, make a beeline for: Chanakya for the hot vindaloo. It’s incredible and it’s genuinely hot. I love spice – this is a hot vindaloo.
A splurge that’s worth it: There’s no serious splurges available in money terms. But if you want to splurge health-wise go to Henry’s Fish and Chips in central Brighton and get the deep fried Cookie Time.
The dairy with the best lolly selection: The New Brighton Mega Discounter Ltd. They have good mixes and all the prepackaged treats. It’s nicely displayed and what’s really nice is it’s quite a tidy dairy. We’ve got some really untidy dairies in the area.
A little local treat that always cheers me up: A sunrise dip followed by a coffee and a danish from the North Beach Coffee Shed.
For the best produce, I stop in at: Slightly out of the suburb is Veges Direct. You’re paying 20% less than the supermarket and you’re getting a product that’s significantly better.
A perfect place to linger over a drink: Southpaw.
My favourite local hospo personality: Mandy and Pat from Gav’s Endeavour. Cam and Penny from Southpaw. Anna from the North Beach Coffee Shed. They’re people betting their livelihoods on New Brighton. And all great, whānau-oriented and community-oriented people.
For outstanding people watching, go to: Walk the length of the New Brighton Mall towards the pier, and then walk the length of pier. Between the mall and the pier you’re going to see every kind of person who lives in Christchurch. There’s always going to be antics.
The place I’m most likely to bump into someone I know: Everywhere, but specifically anywhere close to North Beach Coffee Club and the North Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.
The place I go to avoid bumping into anyone I know: Southshore. It’s like its own little universe.
A local spot I wish we could bring back from the dead is: The Bower Ave Bakery. It shut down before I moved into the suburb but it was next to Moon Wah and Bower Fish Supply and I can’t believe how off the chain that block of shops would be if it was still there. The second one is the Kasbah Bar in North Beach which was a whack as, hyper-narrow, old-school pub building. It was the North Beach bar, and it fell down in the earthquakes. If we still had that building it would be such an icon for our little community. Any of the old butchers – they’re all gone. Also, the tram which used to run through New Brighton mall. That’s my wishlist.
A restaurant I would love to relocate to New Brighton: Three Seven Two on Waiheke Island. I feel like we’re missing a destination restaurant and we’re by the beach. Just being by the beach doesn’t mean you’re going to have great seafood, but you certainly could if you wanted to.
The place I return to again and again: You’re not going to be surprised. Bower Fish Supply, Gav’s Endeavour, Chanakya, C&C Chicken & Cornbread.
Why I love eating in New Brighton: The people are incredible and it’s my local.
