odd saint — Restaurant in South Island

I stumbled upon a recommendation for Odd Saint when looking up Queenstown dining options on Trip Advisor, and I’m so glad I did… it was simply the best meal I had in my 3 days of meals in Queenstown. Odd Saint has a fresh, breezy cafe atmosphere, with a big outdoor dining area that was great on the beautiful summer day we ate there. It must take its name from the fact that it’s located right next to a charming stone church and wooden rectory.

Although I’m not a vegetarian, I was in the mood for something light, so I ordered the Falafel Salad, which also featured poached pears, buckwheat, and lightly dressed salad greens. I nearly moaned aloud when I took my first bite of that crispy Falafel… it was crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and simply the best I have ever tasted in any country in my 65 years. I was so bowled over by it that I asked to meet the chef, and I was able to deliver my compliments in person to Chef Koko, who is originally from Brazil.

My Coconut Margarita was also a masterful concoction, with shredded coconut on the rim… so don’t miss a chance to do some high-end day-drinking with your lunch!

Note for my fellow American tourists: In New Zealand, they don’t bring your check to your table and settle up with you there… so don’t forget to go to the cashier in the front of the restaurant to pay your tab… that has confused me a few times now, but I am finally getting...

I am truly dismayed by the appalling service at this cafe. Upon entering, we were directed to stand awkwardly in the middle of the interior walkway. As we waited for our table to be cleaned, we felt like an inconvenience rather than valued patrons. I tried to ask a passing staff member, who wore a distinctly hostile expression, whether we could sit down at the cleaned table, but she completely ignored me.

This was our first visit since the previous Halo Cafe closed, and we were hoping for a warm welcome. Unfortunately, we were met with the complete opposite. I strongly recommend the restaurant owner to reconsider the layout and the process of your establishment, especially the waiting area. If you expect your guests to wait, please designate a suitable area for them that does not obstruct the flow of service for your staff. We felt like we were in the way of your team, who were moving around with food and drinks.

Moreover, when your staff members feel that guests are blocking their paths, they shouldn't express their frustration by showing an angry face. It's important to remember that the essence of the hospitality industry lies in its service. Yet, this morning, you marred the start of our day with your lack of hospitality. I sincerely hope you take this feedback to heart and strive to improve your services for the...

This menu is going to be a pretty big surprise to any western visitors, who generally have a very specific view of what morning food should be, but Odd Saint has done a great job of folding multiple ideas in on themselves and creating a totally unique menu. They actually cave in a little more than I think they should, by offering the weak the ability to build a breakfast out of ala carte pieces. Instead of doing that I would stick to my guns and I’d offer them their choice of a German cutting board with cold cuts, cheeses, spreads and breads or a “Mexican burrito” with spiced rice beans egg and avocado. Anyway, I’m losing track. I had the steamed bun filled with spiced apples and served with a black currant jam, and coconut ice cream. It was a 10/10 and although I had never seen anything like it in the morning, it seemed so obvious when I did. It felt like a missed opportunity to have a gluten granola with a rice bun, but semantics. It was delicious, and although we were leaving the next day, we got up earlier to have it again.

UPDATE: I had given this place five stars on my first visit but it seems as though in the two years since they must have changed ownership because the menu has become very basic and has lost nearly all of its creativity to pander to a colonialist’s pallet.

I have...