At a glance
- In Auckland and Wellington, cafés often have extensive menus, so it’s easy to get coffee and lunch in one place. In smaller towns, many places close early.
- Choose a pie from the bakery display case. If there’s nowhere to eat nearby, ask first if you can get it to go.
- Fish and chips places in coastal towns can get busy around dinner time, so check their hours before you reach your accommodation.
- If portions are large, consider sharing a box. Also keep in mind that leftovers can be difficult to store before your next long drive.
- A pie and an order of fish and chips aren’t the same size meal. First ask what type of fish is available, how many people the order serves, and how large the chips portion is. You can order more if you need it. On a takeaway stop, find a place to sit, a restroom, and parking ahead of time so you’re not rushed at lunch.
- If you have a food allergy, tell staff directly before ordering and ask about ingredients and possible cross-contact. If the type of fish or pie filling isn’t clear from the name, ask. Don’t assume something is free of dairy, eggs, or gluten just because the menu doesn’t list them.
- To save leftovers for the next day, you’ll need a fridge at your accommodation and a way to store the food safely. Don’t plan to carry fish or pies with meat fillings on a later walk after they’ve been sitting in a hot car for a long time. If a meal is taking too long, choose another nearby option instead of pushing back your driving finish time.
- If your route to Tekapo passes through Fairlie, check the pie options on Fairlie Bakehouse’s official The Food menu. Menus change, so no particular flavor, price, or gluten-free item is guaranteed. Ask the price of one pie and a drink, and check whether you can refrigerate food until your next meal before buying several meals in advance.
- At a café, decide whether you want just coffee or a meal too. For fish and chips, ask whether the fish and chips are priced separately or as a set. If you’re sharing, check the number of fish pieces and the size of the chips portion rather than just the number of boxes. Compare the total for one meal, including menu price, extra sauces, and any surcharge listed at the restaurant.
Day by day
Suggested itinerary
See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.
Visit a café for breakfast or an early lunch. Before ordering, check when the kitchen closes and whether there’s a weekend surcharge.
Before setting off, find an open bakery and a safe place to stop. Pull over before eating your pie.
Check the last order time and expected wait time for fish and chips so you don’t have to drive far again after checking in.
How to fit it in
On driving days, plan for a pie or supermarket meal. On days when you’re staying put, choose a café or restaurant.
Reality check
On long driving days, combine fuel, parking, and a meal in one stop. On days when you’re traveling by bus, check that the stop is long enough to order and wait for food. If there’s nowhere to walk to for a meal near your accommodation, pick up takeaway before checking in.
Allow 30–45 minutes for a meal on a driving day, and 60–90 minutes for a café or beach meal.
Estimate daily food costs by order: for example, a café meal and drink, a bakery pie and drink, or a fish and chips set. Check the menu and payment information before ordering for weekend or public holiday surcharges, extra sauces or fish, and card fees. Don’t assume every shop applies the same surcharges.
Don’t eat while driving. At the beach, watch out for seagulls, hot oil, food allergies, and how you’ll store food as it cools.
If plans change
Keep an open takeaway place or supermarket near your accommodation in mind. Sort out dinner before checking in instead of driving to the next town late at night to look for a restaurant.
If it’s windy or raining, choose a place with indoor seating or take food back to your accommodation. Don’t feed the seagulls, and take your leftover food and packaging with you.
Small tip
Some places close early, so check dinner hours in advance and pack snacks before a long drive.
Final check before departure
- Add a meal stop to your driving plan and check kitchen last-order times and business hours.
- Check whether popular cafés and restaurants take reservations, and review their takeaway, seating, and allergy information.
- Only keep leftovers if you have a way to refrigerate them. Don’t automatically count them as a meal for your next travel day.
Check same-day maps and shop notices for closures and kitchen hours at cafés and takeaway places in small towns.
Information checked: 2026-10-03