Finz Seafood & Grill has occupied its lakeside position at Steamer Wharf for more than two decades. The ground-floor dining room and outdoor tables look across Lake Wakatipu, where the passing TSS Earnslaw gives the outlook a distinctly Queenstown rhythm. Lunch and dinner are served daily, so the restaurant can be approached as a midday stop or a slower evening meal. Despite the exceptional setting, the atmosphere remains that of a relaxed bistro, keeping the focus on New Zealand produce rather than formality.
Seafood is the clearest reason to visit. Fresh oysters provide a direct beginning, while New Zealand crayfish offers a more substantial local delicacy. Seafood chowder turns several flavours of the coast into a warming bowl, and fish and chips keeps one of the country's most familiar combinations close at hand. For diners who would rather compare than choose, the seafood platter for two creates a shared centrepiece. Across these dishes, the menu moves comfortably from simple preparations to a generous survey of the sea.
The word grill matters as much as seafood in the restaurant's name. Prime New Zealand beef and Southland lamb give meat eaters locally grounded alternatives and allow mixed groups to dine without treating the non-seafood choices as an afterthought. A dedicated children's menu strengthens that flexibility for families. Ingredients from around Queenstown and the lower South Island link the land and sea sections, giving the kitchen a regional frame even when diners at the same table choose very different main courses.
Wine and cocktails make especially good use of the waterfront location. Central Otago Pinot Noir keeps the list close to home, while Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc offers a natural match for seafood. Queenstown beer appears on tap. The cocktails are more playful: the L&P combines limoncello and prosecco in a nod to a New Zealand favourite, while Burnin' Earnie mixes tequila and mezcal with pineapple and chilli. That range allows an oyster lunch, steak dinner or sunset drink to feel equally at home beside the lake.
Address: Ground Floor, Steamer Wharf, 88 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
Been to Finz Seafood & Grill? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visit
