Wakatipu Grill — Restaurant in South Island

During our stay, we had the chance to enjoy both the breakfast buffet and in-room dining from Wakatipu Grill, and both experiences were outstanding.

The breakfast buffet was a real highlight each morning. The food was always fresh and delicious, with a great variety that changed daily – from crispy hash browns one day to hash bites the next, and alternating pork and beef sausages. The scrambled eggs, bacon, and sides were consistently well-cooked. A standout feature was the pancake machine, which made fluffy pancakes at the push of a button – such a fun and convenient touch. The staff were excellent, keeping everything well-stocked and providing friendly, attentive service throughout.

For dinner, we ordered in-room dining and had two steaks with chips (held the salad) and an Asian basket. Everything arrived hot, well-presented, and cooked perfectly. The steaks were tender and flavourful, paired nicely with the sauces, and the Asian basket was a tasty mix of crunchy bites with delicious dips. Being able to enjoy such a high-quality meal in the comfort of our room by the fireplace made the evening feel extra special, and it was a perfect option for when we didn’t feel like going downstairs.

Overall, Wakatipu Grill impressed us with both their breakfast buffet and in-room dining. Fresh, delicious food, excellent service, and a level of quality that made every meal enjoyable....

They don't really explain their whole booking process at the hotel. We thought it was an open restaurant but it's only open early morning and late evening. Not only that but it's highly exclusive. The manager told us that they can only take 20 person headcount. We made a booking but weren't up for eating at the place. We didn't find out till we called that they don't deliver food to the room. Ok, but when we arrived they had so many open tables which we were told over the phone we could sit down and eat at and they told us when we sat down that they would not serve us food. Waste of time. Lousy communication and they only called our room phone to ask us about our reservation before giving it away to someone else. Didn't bother to call our cellphones. Doesn't make sense to have a 20 headcount only restaurant at a big resort but ok. Wonder what the rest of those tables were for then. Def not a customer friendly restaurant. And I saw their "dinner headcount" was shoved into a corner on the terrace. Fancy name for a crowded corder if you ask me. The only highlight was a view of a lake from that "terrace". We came when they said their opening hours were but what a waste of time. I'm sure the food was lovely for those 20...

I can’t recommend this restaurant and I’ll share my experience. Maybe they will improve. Two of us arrived mid day on a weekday. They were not busy. We were seated out on the patio but it was apparent they had only one person working the front of the house and this was his second day! This reflects poorly on management to put new staff working sole. The menu failed to inspire or even reflect New Zealand cuisine which is again management or the chiefs fault. Why not have grilled lamb lollipop lamb chops, seasoned with salt pepper olive oil and rosemary? They did have a roasted pork belly and while okay it was simply roasted but just two days later I had the same dish where that chief turned the heat up and made crackling on top of the pork belly making it an exceptional dish so this version served by the Wakatipu grill was second best.

So to recap: service was much too slow. Menus is underwhelming. Execution of dishes is only adequate.

It is my opinion that management, the front of the house and the back of the house all need to improve.

On the positive side the waterfront seating is really nice and the location is quiet And removed from the bustle...