Eating & dining out options
There are plenty of options for dining and eating out in the local area. These range from family friendly, casual, bistro and ala carte.
Our top four recommendations in Amberley are:
1/ Brew Moon Taproom & Kitchen - fab wood fired pizzas and burger, amazing beers
2/ D.O.T.I Eatery & Bar https://doti.co.nz - Lunch or dinner - they have you covered.
3/ Nor’ Wester Cafe https://www.norwestercafe.co.nz - open 7 days a week Breakfast & lunch. Awesome scones.
4/ Little Vintage Espresso - Markham Street Amberley - Lovely food, great coffee. Devine slices. check out their FB page
Wineries and cellar doors
Over 16 wineries and cellar doors are available with a 10 minute drive of the cottage. See our interactive map showing locations, travel times and opening hours.
Amberley Farmers Market - every Saturday 9-12 pm
For an authentic taste of the North Canterbury food community, you can’t beat the Amberley Farmers Market. Over 20 stalls - selling seasonal fresh produce, plants, bread, coffee, cheeses, oils, eggs, meat - something for everyone.
One of our favourite stalls is Wild Child ferments - locally made small batch sauerkraut and kimchi. Olivia will take guide you through a tasting of her delicious products. For more information check out www.wildchildferments.co.nz
Perched on the edge of SH1 in central Amberley, this vibrant get-together draws locals & visitors from afar, buying up the best in fresh, local produce & artisan products.
For more information https://amberleyfarmersmarket.org.nz/
Boutique shopping
Amberley is home to a fabulous range of boutique stores, you’ll find the perfect places to browse for special gifts, homewares, clothes, books or personal treats.
Our top three stores are:
1/ Ruby Six - design and gift store www.rubysix.co.nz
2/ Out of the Bleu - homewares, interior design inspiration, childrens gifts
3/ Markham Street Trader - Flowers, Grocery and Garden items
Sports & recreation
You’ll find lots of outdoor activities to explore in our area.
Golf - scenic Amberley Golf club, Scargill Golf club or Pegasus golf club
Iron ridge quarry / Sculpture Park - awesome space for picnics and to take in the expansive Waipara Valley
Skiing - Mt Lyford
Hot pools - Hanmer Springs
Biking - Ashley park forest or Christchurch adventure park
Weka Pass - Frog Rock scenic drive
Historic limestone rocks, fossils, stunning landscapes. Explore by road or the historic Weka Pass railway - running ever second Sunday.
Day Walks / Hikes
You’ll find plenty of short walks in the Hurunui district.
Our top three are:
1/ Mt Cass/Tiromoana Walkway
2/ Mt Grey
3/ Gore Bay Cathedral coves
Weka Pass Vintage Railway
A historic rural railway using vintage steam and diesel-electric locomotives through the unique limestone Weka Pass - its a short ride from Glenmark Station to Waikari Station. Enjoy a coffee or lunch at the Waikari Kitchen or Star & Garter hotel before your return journey. A favourite for children or train enthusiasts.
Beaches
Hurunui has a selection of East Coast beaches from the peebles to golden sands.
Some worth checking out
1/ Gore Bay - sandy beach, good for surfing
2/ Motanau - fishing village, explore Motanau Island in low tide, dip at Sandy Bay
3/ Amberley Beach - views of Pegasus Bay and awesome sunrises
Essential amenities
Amberley is the closest village with all your essential amenities.
Woolworths supermarket -open 7am - 9 pm daily
Amberley Pharmacy - open Mon- Fri and half day Saturday
Two Bottle shops
Fruit & Vegetable grocer - open Mon- Sat
Fuel stations - numerous options
Hardware store
Bakery - numerous options for delicious pies, sandwiches & sweet treats
Activities within 1 hr drive
Hanmer Springs (55 mins) - Alpine village, awesome geothermal hot pools, forest walks
Christchurch (45 mins) - South Islands largest city - plenty of history and culture to explore
Cheviot & Gore Bay (45 mins) - pretty rural town, stunning costal beach with amazing cathedral cliffs
Activities within 2 hr drive
Kaikoura (1 hr 45 mins) - costal village where the mountains meet the sea. Go whale watching, eat crayfish, take a scenic flight to explore the area by air.
Akaroa (1 hr 55 mins) - unique historical French settled village - stunning drive over Banks Peninsula, vintage shops, harbor cruises
Mauria Hot Springs - in the middle of the Lewis Pass, sit in hot pools surrounded by native bush.
Methven (1 hr 45 mins) - inland rural village - gateway to Mt Hutt ski field - Canterburys largest ski field.
Tourist information links
You can find further information to assist with your travel planning at:
1/ Visit Hurunui https://visithurunui.co.nz
2/ Alpine Pacific NZ - 450 km of stunning countryside to explore https://www.alpinepacific.nz
3/ New Zealand - Alpine Pacific triangle - https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/alpine-pacific-triangle
4/ North Canterbury wine region - https://www.northcanterburywines.co.nz
4/ Made in North Canterbury - https://madenorthcanterbury.co.nz
5/ AmberleyNZ - www.amberleynz.nz
Annual Events in our area
The Hurunui district has an awesome selection of events; here are some of our favorites:
Jan Pegasus Bay Vine Run 26 January 2025
Feb
Mar North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival 9 March 2025
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct Sculpture North Canterbury
Hurunui Garden Festival
Nov Amberley A&P Show 2 Nov 2024
Dec Rolling Meadows Festival @ the Boneline 30-31 December 2024