Base Camp Kitchen — Restaurant in South Island

I have been lucky enough to eat in amazing restaurants all around the world! I have lived as an expat for 20 years and have owned and operated my own restaurant! (Might have got an award or two). I am very fixated on service and value for money. So on a recent trip to New Zealand we heard a whisper about this place in Glenorchy where the chef cooks on fire ! We booked in and turned up at the allotted time for predinner drinks!i. We were greeted so warmly by the host, chef and wait staff as well as the other guests i was ready to explain we wernt family just a couple of hungry travellers. But we were welcomed like family! A big bear hug from Doug around the outside fire started the evening off and it was all uphill from there. Our gracious Chef Liz delivered an exceptional meal which we shared with our new found friends from Boston. Lamb shoulder that just melted in your mouth, asparagus cooked to perfection. Leeks and mushrooms, potato gnocchi and a salad which included the most delicious tomatoes locally grown i believe! The chocolate lava pudding was exceptional and as my husband said “none of that powdered stuff in the pudding it was real chocolate” So my advice, take the drive, make the booking and experience REAL hospitality!! At it’s finest! You wont regret it Julie (the bossy Chef)...

One of the most special dining experiences we’ve ever had.

We had the absolute pleasure of dining at Base Camp Kitchen in Glenorchy and it was unforgettable. The setting is rustic, welcoming, and uniquely social — not in a forced way, but in a beautifully natural, communal way that made everyone feel connected.

The dinner was served family-style in cast iron pots, with each dish more delicious than the last — hearty, creative, and full of flavour. It’s rare to find food this good at such great value. You could feel the care that went into every part of the evening.

A huge part of what made it so memorable was Liz and Doug, the hosts — truly some of the best people you’ll meet. Warm, funny, grounded, and effortlessly able to bring strangers together without it feeling cheesy. You just want to stay and be part of it.

We didn’t realise there were huts on-site as well, but next time we’d absolutely book a night there so we could settle in, have a few drinks, and soak up the full experience.

Can’t recommend Base Camp Kitchen enough — we’d alter our trip itinerary just to eat there again. A...

A unique dining experience you will never forget. I'm not usually a huge social dining fan, but the staff are so welcoming and atmosphere so special this works. The food was delicious with amazing flavours and combinations. Highly recommend, it's more than worth the drive out...