Public Italian Kitchen Menu

Public Italian Kitchen is the refreshed identity of the former Public Kitchen & Bar, retaining its ground-floor Steamer Wharf home while turning decisively towards Italy. The dining room has been opened up with more tables beside the windows, drawing Lake Whakatipu and the surrounding mountains into the experience. It remains relaxed enough for a midday plate or aperitivo at the bar, but the waterfront position and long-dinner format give an evening meal a real sense of occasion.

Handcrafted pasta is the heart of the new direction. Fusilli al ragu brings the comfort of a slow-cooked meat sauce, fettuccine frutti di mare gathers seafood into fresh ribbons of pasta, and spaghetti ai gamberi focuses on prawns. These dishes express the restaurant's central idea particularly well: Italian forms are treated with care, then matched to ingredients and appetites that make sense in Queenstown rather than reproduced as museum pieces.

Starters and the grill broaden that idea. Burrata offers a cool, creamy beginning, ricotta-and-mushroom tortellini can bridge the gap to a main course, and fresh New Zealand oysters connect the menu directly to the country around it. Ribeye is the grill's headline cut, while whole pan-fried sole, Akaroa salmon and lamb striploin give seafood and New Zealand meat equal weight. The result is a menu that can stay light or become a substantial shared feast.

Aperitivo is built into the rhythm of the restaurant rather than treated as an afterthought. Spritzes and fruit-led cocktails sit beside craft beer and an extensive New Zealand wine list, including a strong selection of Central Otago pinot noir. Many dishes can be prepared gluten free, with dairy-free choices also available. Indoors or on the deck just above the water, that combination supports an unhurried progression from the first drink through pasta, grill dishes and a final glass of wine.

Address: Shop 4, Block C, Ground Floor, Steamer Wharf, 88 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand

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