TOAST & OAK — Restaurant in South Island

A Secret Still Worth Toasting: Even after many visits in the fifteen months since Toast & Oak first opened, something new always catches my eye. In one of its quietly elegant bathrooms hangs a framed print that reads, “You’re worth opening the good champagne for.” That’s the unspoken promise here: every guest matters enough for the good bottle. Somehow, despite its growing following, T&O still feels like a secret. On a recent Friday night, a long-overdue dinner with a dear friend stretched into a forty-five-minute debate over what to order. Romain, the ever-gracious maître d’, waited with the patience of a saint while we lingered, content to soak up the low hum and the glow of oak and brass that give the room its enveloping calm. One of T&O’s straplines reads, “Come explore the world, one glass at a time.” With more than sixty wines available by the glass, we wisely surrendered the decision-making to the experts. My dinner companion offered only the briefest of briefs—“something crisp, maybe not too sweet.” The results were breathtaking. Her usual New Zealand sauvignons were stylishly traded for a taut French Riesling and a lush Spanish Albariño. Watching her face light up as her palate popped was worth the visit alone. When she returned from the bathroom moments later, she was gleeful. “Did you see that mirror? And they’ve got real Ashley & Co. hand soap!” she said, half laughing. It’s that kind of place: where the small things are done right. The details are the story here, and Toast & Oak excels in them. Chef Giulio appeared briefly from the kitchen, cool, calm with not a hair out of place. Asked about his newly earned chef’s hat, he smiled wryly. “I was happy for about two seconds,” he said. “Then it was back to work.” In a town full of conveyor-belt concepts built for tourists, Toast & Oak keeps evolving, tweaking, trialing—always intent on surprising even its regulars. Best they leave another hook on the wall. Hat number two won’t...

An Unforgettable Culinary Experience in Queenstown

We recently spent 2.5 weeks exploring New Zealand, traveling through both the North and South Islands. Of the many amazing restaurants we visited, Toast & Oak in Queenstown stands out as our absolute favorite. It’s the kind of place that delivers not just a meal, but an experience.

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by warm, attentive servers who set the tone for the evening. The open kitchen added an intimate and engaging touch, allowing us to watch the chefs in action. The decor perfectly balances modern elegance with cozy charm, creating an atmosphere that’s both inviting and sophisticated.

The food? Simply incredible. Every dish was presented beautifully and explained in detail at the table, showcasing the care and creativity behind the menu. We chose the chef’s favorites, complemented by a bottle of over 20-year-old Bordeaux from the extensive wine list and a round of house-infused cocktails. Each bite was a testament to the chefs’ talent, but some highlights for me were the beef tartare appetizer, the indulgent mushroom ravioli, and the perfectly cooked wagyu main dish. My husband, who has celiac disease, was thrilled that the entire menu could be made gluten-free without sacrificing flavor or quality.

The wine list is extensive and thoughtfully curated, and the cocktails are inventive and memorable. Whether you’re a foodie, a wine enthusiast, or someone just looking for a memorable dining experience, Toast & Oak is a must-visit in Queenstown.

Make sure to add this gem to your restaurant rotation—it’s an experience you...

I've been eagerly anticipating the opening of Toast and Oak for months, built it up in my head to extremely high standards, and it still blew me away!

The food was incredible, I already knew it would be good, and as a British person, the food on toast section of the menu was a joy to see, but I didn’t know food on toast could be that good. I tried multiple small dishes across the evening and If I had to choose a favourite from the night, I can only narrow it down to two - Octopus, and the Pappardelle. The presentation was beautiful, and the flavours were fantastic. I’ve never enjoyed pumpkin as much as I did that night!

The Wine What an exciting, cool and delicious list. I had 5 different glasses and tried my first Greek (from Australia) grape. The service was exceptional, and our waiter, Joe, helped choose the wine for me and helped pair them with the dishes. I was with my staff from a local winery and we were more than impressed by the selection by the glass and the big ticket priced items by the bottle. Anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant or worked with wine will have an understanding of how much work has gone in to curating this, and the effort was worth it; this is without a doubt the single best wine list I’ve ever seen in NZ. Bravo!

I will...