Zaffron brings Thai and Vietnamese cooking together in a polished Beckenham dining room, offering both lunch and dinner every day. The Colombo Street restaurant suits a booked evening meal as readily as a relaxed midday visit, with table service and a wine list complementing the food. Takeaway and delivery add flexibility without displacing the venue's clear restaurant character.

The opening section is built for sharing and gives both cuisines room to speak. Vietnamese fresh or fried spring rolls sit beside satay chicken, sweet-potato curry puffs and crisp squid, while pork ribs, prawn cakes and sticky chicken wings provide richer options. Tom yum and coconut-laced tom kha then introduce the bright herbs, citrus and heat that run through the menu.

Rice and noodle dishes provide familiar anchors without narrowing the choice. Pad Thai combines rice noodles, bean sprouts, spring onion and crushed peanuts, while fried-rice variations move from seasonal vegetables to ginger, cashews or curry spices. Thai salads deliver lime, chilli and roasted rice, and Vietnamese pho offers a more broth-led route through the restaurant's second culinary tradition.

Larger plates extend from Thai curries and wok dishes to signatures such as honey-lemon chicken, Massaman beef cheek and red duck curry. Vegetarian cooking is treated as a speciality rather than an afterthought, with vegan and gluten-friendly adaptations available on request. That breadth makes Zaffron useful for mixed groups seeking a composed dinner as well as diners stopping in for one focused favourite.

Address: 147 Colombo Street, Beckenham, Christchurch 8023, New Zealand

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Zaffron Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant Menu Menu updated on 18 Sep 2026

Dinner – Starters

Gluten friendly and vegan options available upon request. No added MSG.

Sticky Nibbles

$14

Deep fried chicken wings caramelized with special sauce. (GFA)

Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (6)

$14

(Pork mince OR Vegetables)

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (3)

$14

(Pork and Prawn OR Vegetable OR Duck spring rolls) (GFA, VGA)

Pork Spare Ribs

$14

Marinated in a mixture of spices & sauces accompanied with dipping sauce. (GFA)

Guri Puff (6)

$14

Pumpkin & vegetables wrapped in fluffy pastry served with dipping sauce.

Satay Chicken Sticks (4)

$14

Dipped in spices & covered with peanut sauce topping. (GFA)

Lab Deep Fry

$16

Thai pork mince mixed with fresh coriander, rice powder then deep fried in wonton pastry.

Prawn Cake

$16

Thai traditional entree for prawn lovers.

Spicy Crispy Squid

$24

Thai-Style marinated squid served with home made dipping sauce. (GFA)

Combination

$24

Your choice of Pastry or Meat. Pastry: Guri puff, deep fried spring roll (Veg & Pork) and lab dumpling (3 of each) OR Meat: Pork spare ribs and grilled chicken wings (5 of each) (GF)

Dinner – Thai Traditional Curries & Soup

Served with steamed jasmine rice. Chicken, Pork, Beef, Vegetables or Tofu $25.50; Prawn, Seafood or Combination Meat $27.50.

Green Curry

Green curry paste, slowly cooked with coconut cream, spices, fresh vegetables, and fresh basil. (GFA)

Massuman Curry

A mild curry with potatoes, vegetables, ginger and peanuts cooked in coconut cream. (GFA)

Panang Curry

A mild curry cooked with lime leaves and vegetables in coconut cream. (GFA)

Red Curry

Red curry paste cooked in coconut cream with fresh vegetables. (GFA)

Yellow Curry

Yellow curry cooked in coconut cream with fresh vegetables, potatoes, onion and pineapple. (GFA, VGA)

Tom Yum

hot & spicy. Spices, lime leaf, lemongrass, galangal, lime juice, spring onion & coriander. (GFA, VGA)

Tom Kar

Similar to Tom Yum but laced with coconut cream, has distinct flavours of lemon and coriander. (GFA, VGA)

Dinner – Salad

Served with steamed jasmine rice.

Yum Salad

$24

(Chicken, Beef or Tofu) Wok fried meat slices mixed with Thai herbs, coriander, lime juice, chilli and rice powder. (GFA)

Thai Spicy Pork Salad

$24

Chef’s special spicy salad with roasted rice powder, shallots, spring onions, coriander, chilli, lime juice and traditional Thai sauce. (GFA)

Lab Salad

$24

(Chicken, Pork or Tofu) Minced meat tossed with coriander, green onion, red onion and roasted rice powder in lime and fish sauce dressing. (GFA)

Mixed Spicy Seafood Salad

$27

Mixed seafood with tomatoes, onions, Thai herbs, spring onions and coriander in sour and spicy dressing.

Vietnamese Salad – Goi

$24

(Chicken, Beef or Tofu) Your choice of meat mixed with Asian herbs, red onion, fried shallots, peanuts and Vietnamese sauce. (GFA)

Dinner – Fried Rice & Noodles

Chicken, Pork, Beef, Vegetables or Tofu $25.50; Prawn, Seafood or Combination Meat $27.50.

Zaffron Fried Rice

A traditional Asian favourite cooked with jasmine rice and fresh seasonal vegetables. (GFA, VGA)

Thai Spicy Fried Rice

Fried rice cooked with curry paste and spices. (GFA)

Cashew Nut Fried Rice

Jasmine rice seasoned with curry powder then stir fried with fresh vegetables and roasted cashew nuts. (GFA, VGA)

Pad Thai

White rice noodles with bean sprouts, spring onion & crushed peanuts in Pad Thai sauce, served with fresh lemon. (GFA, VGA)

Stir Fried Noodles

Choice of meat stir fried with egg noodles, vegetables and egg.

Spicy Fried Noodles with Basil

Flat white rice noodles stir fried with seasonal vegetables, fresh basil, chilli and a spice paste. (GFA)

Satay Stir Fried Noodle

Your choice of meat stir fried with egg noodles and vegetables in the Chef’s special peanut sauce.

Thai Laksa

Rice noodle soup in curry broth and vegetables. (GFA)

Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodles

Vietnamese favourite street food. Fresh vermicelli mixed with fresh herbs and green vegetables, roasted peanut and fish sauce. Served with deep fried pork spring rolls.

Vietnamese Stir Fried Noodles

Stir-fried glass noodles in our Vietnamese special sauce, with egg and seasonal vegetables. (GFA, VGA)

Dinner – Zaffron Stir Fry Dishes

Served with steamed jasmine rice. Chicken, Pork, Beef, Vegetables or Tofu $25.50; Prawn, Seafood or Combination Meat $27.50.

Garlic & Ginger Stir Fried

Fresh garlic strips fried with a selection of vegetables. (GFA, VGA)

Pakapow

Fresh basil and hot chilli cooked with fresh vegetables. (GFA, VGA)

Cashew Nut Stir Fry

Thai favourite meal of all time. Stir fried with your choice of meat with Zaffron special stir fry sauce with vegetables and cashew nuts. (GFA, VGA)

Sweet & Sour

Cooked with vegetables & pineapple. (GFA, VGA)

Peanut Sauce

Roasted spiced peanut sauce combined with seasonal vegetables. (GFA)

Wok Fried Spicy Thai Herbs

Lemongrass, fresh basil, garlic, green peppercorns and fresh vegetables. (GFA)

Sizzling Black Pepper Stir Fried

Stir fried with Zaffron black pepper sauce and seasonal vegetables, served on a sizzling plate. (GFA, VGA)

Sizzling Black Bean Stir Fry

Your choice of meat stir fried with black bean sauce and seasonal vegetables, served on a sizzling plate. (GFA, VGA)

Vietnamese Lemongrass

Your choice of meat stir fried with lemongrass and vegetables. (GFA, VGA)

Dinner – Zaffron Signature Dishes

Home-Style Vietnamese Noodle Soup – Pho

$21

Your choice of meat served with a mix of Asian herbs. (Chicken or Beef) (GFA)

Honey Lemon Chicken

$26

Chicken with a tangy honey lemon sauce, served with thin slices of crispy kumara and fresh salad.

Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew

$28

Slow cooked beef cheek with carrots and potatoes in Vietnamese spices. (GFA)

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Belly

$28

‘Thit Kho’ A popular Vietnamese dish which consists of caramelised pork belly cooked in a savoury fish and soy sauce. (GFA)

Thai Red Duck Curry

$29

Slow cooked red curry with roasted duck with a full balance of Thai spiced herbs. (GFA)

Lamb Shank in Massaman Curry

$29

Slow cooked in a Massaman curry paste and coconut cream, with mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of roasted peanuts. (GFA)

Thai Beef Ribs

$29

Slow cooked in our special dark curry sauce, served with steamed vegetables and rice. (GFA)

Beef Cheek in Massaman Curry

$29

A wonderful fragrant slow cooked Thai style mild massaman curry, braised with beef cheek, potato and pineapple. (GFA)

Roasted Pork Belly Stir-Fried Noodle

$29

Stir-fried egg noodle flavoured with Thai honey and garlic sauce with a roasted pork belly masterly placed on top, served with bokchoi.

Fried Fish Steak

$29

Fish fillets dipped in tempura batter and deep fried, placed on a hot plate with stir fried tomatoes, red onion and mushrooms, covered in a mild garlic, chilli and black pepper sauce.

Spicy Pork Belly with Herbs

$29

A delicious Thai dish with roasted pork belly, fresh basil, vegetables and spicy Thai herbs. Served with steamed rice. (GFA)

Steamed Fish

$28

Asian fish steamed with homemade soy sauce delivered on a hot plate with stir fried cabbage, carrots and onion.

Spicy Fish Stir Fried

$28

Crispy fish in a spicy red curry infused sauce. Served with mashed potato, cherry tomatoes, pineapple and capsicum.

Phuket Seafood Curry

$29

Wok fried fresh seafood with vegetables and curry paste bring a mouthful of creamy smooth curry and medium spicy flavours.

Roasted Chicken in Ginger & Orange Sauce

$29

A tasty, juicy chicken breast roasted in our popular ginger and orange sauce. Served on egg noodles. (GFA)

Dinner – Extras

Rice

Double Rice

Chicken, Pork or Beef

Vegetables or Tofu

Prawn or Seafood

Lunch – Starters