An Alexandra and Clyde Food Guide
When you need to wet your whistle, you couldn’t be in a better place than Alexandra and Clyde. The main hubs of Central Otago, Alexandra and Clyde are surrounded by boutique wineries and are home to passionate craft beer brewers. With its warm and dry climate, it’s also a thriving fruit-growing region, which visitors will find incorporated into their B&B breakfasts or gardens of their holiday home. No wonder the Otago Central Rail Trail, one of the New Zealand Great Rides of the area, is deemed as much of a foodie discovery as a cycling journey.
So plan a trip orientated around food, with vineyard stays, wine tours, beer tastings and more, with this foodie guide to Alexandra and Clyde.
Things to Do in Alexandra and Clyde for Foodies
- Tour the boutique wineries of Alexandra
- Sample craft beer at the local breweries
- Pick your own raspberries or enjoy afternoon tea at Monte Christo Raspberry Cafe
- Check out the Alexandra Friday Food and Produce Market
- Enjoy local cuisine at the restaurants and cafes.
For more details on each experience, check out the 5 Things to Do in Alexandra & Clyde for Foodies.
Food Tours in Alexandra and Clyde
When it comes to foodie experiences, the wine scene in Alexandra and Clyde begs to be savoured. The region is home to more than 10 boutique wineries, many opening their cellar doors for tastings, purchases; some for platters and some to stay the night! Visit them independently using the 10 Best Wineries in Alexandra. Alternatively, let someone else worry about the driving and setting the itinerary on a relaxing wine tour with Vine2Wine Uncorked or a 4WD bespoke wine tour with Rock and Tussock Safaris. Grey Ridge Vineyard, Hawkdun Rise Vineyard and Legacy Vineyard also offer accommodation in their vineyards, which tend to include at least a complimentary glass of wine up to a full vineyard tour for guests.
If you’re more of a beer drinker, then you won’t feel shortchanged in Alexandra and Clyde. Treat your tastebuds to the hoppy flavours of Ferris Road Brewery’s beers, open Thursday to Sunday for beer tastings accompanied by pizzas, wine, coffee and more. In Clyde, don’t miss The Victoria Store Brewery inside a 125-year-old gold miners store now a two-storey gravity-fed brewery with a bar, restaurant, cafe and accommodation on-site. More beer highlights include Manuherekia Brewery, found at the local markets and beer festivals, and Dark Horse Brew Werkz inside the grounds of the Omakau Commercial Hotel along the Otago Central Rail Trail.
For a foodie experience that’s more family-friendly, why not sample the fresh fruit of Monte Christo Raspberry Cafe?! Pop in to pick your own raspberries, indulge in berry fruit desserts and ice cream at the cafe or enjoy a traditional afternoon tea experience at their tea shop.
For more foodie experiences, like the Alexandra Friday Food and Produce Market, check out the 5 Things to Do in Alexandra & Clyde for Foodies.
The Best Restaurants in Alexandra and Clyde
In a region awash in orchards and vineyards, you can hardly beat the freshness of Central Otago’s cuisine. One of the must-do restaurants in the area is Olivers (34 Sunderland Street, Clyde). Located in Clyde, the award-winning restaurant is set in the charming heritage setting with three eateries in this complex: the fine dining and local fare of Olivers Restaurant, the casual dining of the Merchant of Clyde Cafe, Deli & Bakery, and the Olivers Bar pouring beer straight from their in-house brewery.
Clyde is also home to Paulina’s Restaurant & Bar (6 Naylor Street), which draws inspiration from Spanish, Italian, Japanese cuisine to create a menu of wholesome food. Enjoy alfresco dining on the expansive patio or cosy up in a booth with “windows” and “overhead luggage compartments” drawing on the theme of a pioneering railroad.
Cosy cafes inside charming historical buildings are also a staple of Alexandra and Clyde, with some of our top picks including the Post Office Cafe & Bar (2 Blyth Street, Clyde), The Bank Cafe (31-33 Sunderland Street) and The Court House Cafe & Bar (8 Centennial Avenue, Alexandra). We also love the giant maze and gardens to accompany the contemporary lunches and homemade baking of The Orchard Garden & Maze (576 Dunstan Road, Alexandra).
Finally, if you’re passing through the historic gold-rush village of Ophir, stop by Pitches Store for its inventive menu of regionally inspired cuisine amidst the schist stone building and upcycled decor of this historic building.
For more recommendations, see more fine dining in The Luxury Guide to Alexandra & Clyde and cheap eats in The Guide to Alexandra & Clyde on a Budget.
Alternative Things to Do in Alexandra and Clyde
While beer, orchards and especially wine are the main focus of Alexandra and Clyde’s offerings, you can’t visit these towns without, for instance, cycling one of the country’s “Great Rides”! There’s something for everyone here, so complement your itinerary with the additional things to do in Alexandra and Clyde to suit your style, including:
- Ride the Otago Central Rail Trail
- Cycle the Roxburgh Gorge Trail
- Or hit the Clutha Gold Trail
- Hike to the Alexandra Mountain Clock
- Blast down the Clutha River on a jet boat tour
- Explore the Jolendale Park arboretum
- Do a 4WD safari of the surrounding mountain ranges
- Visit the Central Stories Museum & Art Gallery
… And so much more! Check out the 10 Alexandra & Clyde Must-Dos for more details on these activities and more.
Foodie Accommodation in Alexandra and Clyde
Accommodation with a restaurant, meals and/or breakfast:
- Grey Ridge Vineyard Experience
- Olivers Central Otago Lodge & Stables
- Centennial Court Motor Inn
- Omakau Commercial Hotel
- Hawkdun Rise Vineyard & Accommodation
- The Lord Clyde
- Hartley Homestead Boutique Bed & Breakfast
- Criterion Club Hotel
- Lavender Drive Bed & Breakfast
- Pitches Store
- Blacks Hotel
- Muddy Creek Cutting
- Argyll on Clyde
- ‘The Crib’ on Legacy Vineyard
Self-catering accommodation:
- Mirabell Chalets
- Alexandra Garden Court Motel
- Alexandra Heights Motel
- Antique Lodge Motel
- The Station House
- Alexandra Motor Lodge
- Almond Court Motel
- St Andrews Church Nave
- St Andrews Church Vestry
- Rose Bern
- Nangari Studio Unit
- Clyde on Naylor
For more details on our top picks, check out the 10 Best Accommodation in Alexandra & Clyde for Foodies.
More About Alexandra and Clyde
Author
Laura S.
This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in New Zealand over 10 years ago and with a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to travel New Zealand. She knows Aotearoa inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience New Zealand’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides and is the co-host of NZ Pocket Guide’s live New Zealand travel Q&As on YouTube.