The Bathhouse turns a recognisable Queenstown Bay landmark into an all-day restaurant and wine bar. The classic Edwardian building was erected in 1911 to mark the coronation of King George V, and its regal origin still shapes the venue's British character. Floor-to-ceiling windows keep the lake and mountains in view, while a deck places tables close to the sand when the weather allows. The setting can feel intimate over morning coffee yet sufficiently ceremonial for a celebration, which explains why the building and beachfront are also used for weddings and private events.
Morning food is deliberately familiar but composed with care. A British bacon butty comes with HP sauce and tomato relish, and can be extended with a fried egg and hash browns. Poached eggs arrive on an English muffin with hollandaise, while scrambled eggs stay simple with buttered toast. Avocado and pickled onions sharpen a plate of sunny-side eggs, and granola uses coconut yoghurt and berry compote for a lighter start. Together these dishes suit the venue's sunrise-to-sunset rhythm without turning breakfast into an oversized hotel-style spread.
As the day progresses, the menu leans more openly into Great British nostalgia. The Sunday roast roll packs pork, crackling, apple sauce and gravy into a handheld form, while a coronation chicken sandwich layers gem lettuce and pickles. A Ploughman's lunch brings cured meat, piccalilli and cheese to the table, and the fish-finger sandwich is completed by mushy peas and tartare sauce. Even a bowl of chips can take the northern chip-shop route with cheese and curry sauce, alongside more universal choices such as kale Caesar and freshly shucked oysters.
Drinks make as much sense here as a full meal. Oysters can be matched with prosecco or Champagne, and the wine list moves between French labels and New Zealand bottles, including Central Otago selections. Cocktails range from a marmalade-led Breakfast Martini to a local spritz, Negroni and Paloma, while alcohol-free spritzes, cold-pressed juices, coffee and tea keep daytime visits equally well covered. The sweet cabinet continues the theme with a giant Jammie Dodger, cream-and-jam doughnut, carrot cake and banoffee slice: playful finishes that suit a historic bathhouse without making it feel like a museum.
Address: 38 Marine Parade, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
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