Sherwood

Sherwood is the restaurant at the community-minded hotel of the same name on Frankton Road. It was awarded one MICHELIN Star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide New Zealand, and the tourism board's summary of the award notes its garden-to-table approach, with much of the produce grown on site, as well as its wood-fired flatbreads and sustainable seafood.

The property has an organic vegetable garden and beehives, and guests are welcome to stroll through the kitchen garden to see what is growing. The kitchen also forages around the basin: wild thyme and rosemary from the Kawarau Gorge, birch bolete mushrooms from above Lake Hayes, and elderflower, fruit, nuts and berries from trees growing wild in the area. Menus change with the seasons. A recent sample dinner menu included Marlborough oysters, market fish crudo, Southern octopus, pāua with pasta and karengo butter, and a Lumina lamb shoulder to share, alongside a Leave it to us three-course option for those who prefer not to choose.

The wood-fired flatbreads cooked over fire are a signature, and they are a good way to try Sherwood without committing to a full meal. A flatbread and local beer offer runs daily from 2pm to 5pm. The large central bar pours natural wines, many of them from taps, along with locally brewed beers and Antipodean spirits.

Unusually for a starred restaurant, Sherwood serves three meals a day: breakfast from 7am to 11am, lunch from midday to 5pm and dinner from 5pm until late. Breakfast is an easy introduction, with dishes such as scrambled eggs with mushroom and truffle or Aparima whitebait on toast. The restaurant looks out over the lake, and arriving early for a drink outside in the garden is part of the experience. The atmosphere is relaxed rather than formal, and the hotel also hosts live music and events in its Workshop space.

It suits couples, groups of friends and anyone interested in local, sustainable food. Book through the website or by phone, especially for dinner. Sherwood has free on-site parking for those driving, as well as the hotel's yoga studio and sauna if you want to make a longer visit of it.