Café
Bespoke Kitchen
An Isle Street café at the foot of Bob's Peak, known for all-day brunch with strong vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices and organic Allpress coffee.
The Boat Shed Café
A lakeside café in the restored 19th-century New Zealand Railways Shipping Office at Frankton Marina, reached on foot or by bike along the Frankton Track.
At a glance
- Type
- Lakeside café in a historic building
- Area
- Frankton Marina, Queenstown, New Zealand
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- queenstowntrail.org.nz
Good to know
- Lakeside deck
- Indoor fireplace
- Fully licensed
- On the Frankton Track
Why we recommend it
The Boat Shed Café and Bistro occupies one of the most interesting small buildings in the Queenstown area. It dates from between 1869 and 1878, when it was built as a store, and later served as the New Zealand Railways Shipping Office. In 1936 a Dunedin lawyer, Frank G. Duncan, bought it and had it moved from central Queenstown to its present site on the Frankton waterfront. Over the following decades the building and its boat shed fell into disrepair.
Its revival was a community effort. In 2011 volunteers from the Wakatipu Community Maritime Preservation Society began restoring it, a project that won the Heritage and Environment award at the 2012 TrustPower Queenstown Lakes District Community Awards, and Prime Minister John Key officially opened the restored building on 1 March 2013, around two years after the volunteers began work. Look out for the original Shipping Office sign, which was found during the renovation being used as a workbench and now hangs inside the café.
The setting is right on the shore of Lake Wakatipu at Frankton Marina. There is a large deck for sunny days and an indoor fireplace for cold ones. The menu is seasonal and built on locally sourced produce, covering coffee, breakfast and lunch, and the café is fully licensed with local wines and beers, so it works for a relaxed lakeside drink as well as a meal. The tourism board, which includes it among its twelve best brunch spots in Queenstown, lists breakfast and lunch hours of 8am to 3pm.
Getting there is part of the appeal. The café is reached via the Frankton Track, part of the Queenstown Trail network, so you can walk or cycle along the lakeshore from town, or arrive by boat at the marina. It makes a natural turnaround point or refreshment stop on a walk or ride along the trail. Note that a section of about four kilometres of the Frankton Track is closed throughout 2026, with riders and walkers diverted onto the sealed footpath beside Frankton Road.
The Boat Shed suits walkers and cyclists, families, history enthusiasts and anyone who wants a quieter alternative to the town-centre cafés. It is also handy for travellers staying in Frankton. Check current opening times before making a special trip.
The Boat Shed Café FAQs
Where is The Boat Shed Café?
It is on Sugar Lane at Frankton Marina, on the shore of Lake Wakatipu.
How old is the building?
It dates from 1869-78, when it was built as a store. It later became the New Zealand Railways Shipping Office.
How did the building get to Frankton?
Dunedin lawyer Frank G. Duncan bought it in 1936 and moved it from central Queenstown to its present site.
Who restored it?
Volunteers from the Wakatipu Community Maritime Preservation Society restored it from 2011, and it was officially reopened on 1 March 2013.
Can you walk or cycle there?
Yes, via the Frankton Track, part of the Queenstown Trail, though a section is diverted onto the Frankton Road footpath during 2026. You can also arrive by boat at Frankton Marina.
Is it licensed?
Yes. The café is fully licensed, with local wines and beers.
What meals are served?
Coffee, breakfast and lunch from a seasonal menu using local produce.