Fergburger

Fergburger is one of the best-known places to eat in Queenstown, a burger shop at 42 Shotover Street that opens every day from 7am and stays open until 2.30am. Those long hours mean it feeds early risers before a day on the mountain, families at lunchtime and the late-night crowd from the town's bars.

The menu is long and the names are part of the fun. The Fergburger is the classic: beef with lettuce, tomato, red onion, aioli and tomato relish, with a choice of cheddar, blue, Swiss or brie cheese if you want it. The Southern Swine adds bacon and avocado, the Ferg Deluxe brings bacon, cheddar and sweet dill pickle, and Mr Big Stuff uses three quarters of a pound of beef. Big Al doubles that, with bacon, cheese, two eggs and beetroot. The Bullseye is built on a 200g ribeye.

Some of the most interesting choices use local ingredients. Sweet Bambi is made with wild Fiordland deer, brie and a boysenberry and caramelised onion chutney, Lamby with Blue pairs high country lamb with blue cheese and mint jelly, and The Codfather uses tempura blue cod. Vegetarians can choose between the Ferg-lafel, made with falafel, and Holier Than Thou, a tempura tofu burger with satay sauce. There are chicken burgers, two breakfast burgers served in the morning, kids' burgers, fries, hand-cut onion rings, salt and pepper squid and thickshakes.

The Ferg family of businesses has grown along the same block. Fergbaker, next door at 40 Shotover Street, sells pies, pastries and sandwiches into the small hours, Mrs Ferg is the gelato shop, Ferg's Bar at 44 Shotover Street serves share plates and cocktails, and Fergbutcher in Arrowtown makes burgers and grilled sausages.

The easiest way to avoid waiting is to order ahead. Fergburger has an online ordering system for collection, and payment is taken when you place your order; note that an order confirmation does not mean the order has been accepted, and very large orders may not be possible. Visa and MasterCard are accepted without a surcharge.

Fergburger suits almost everyone, from solo travellers and families to groups of friends after a day of activities. Allow time to wait at peak hours, or plan around them with an online order.