Hinton’s Vineyard, Restaurant and Café, Christchurch

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Post-earthquake update June 2011

This beautiful place with the delicious food has been fully operational since the earthquakes that rattled Christchurch in September 2010, February and June 2011. Enjoy a wonderful meal!



We were there for a Christmas function where you had the choice from three starters, three mains and two desserts, so the cooking and preparation could be well planned by the kitchen.
This restaurant normally is open only for breakfast (from 9am) and lunch (11.30am – 3pm), but you can arrange early morning and evening reservations. It is part of the Hinton’s winery at the northern city limits near the airport.

The first impression is fantastic as you drive into a white gravel courtyard, surrounded by gardens and grapevines, and the building is just gorgeous, a restored heritage villa beautifully decorated inside and outdoor as well. A real delight with a romantic touch.

Although Hinton’s is one of those restaurant where you easily find the food on the plates… ;-) it is not as expensive as comparable restaurants in the city centre – but not cheap though either. The evening arrangements you have to prearrange are well priced with set menus: $48 for a two-course, $58 for a three-course and $68 for a four-course menu.

After the delicious but very small starters of our three-course menu we were afraid we would have to order a sandwich afterwards to get satisfied but this fear dissolved quickly with the hearty servings of the main courses. If you had fish or meat dishes (I had salmon which was a bit bland to my taste), the servings were solid and beautifully cooked at a time, and I would not even have needed a dessert to be happy. But those were also very nice, so I did not abstain LOL

Hinton’s wine was fine (I had riesling) but it would not become my favourite choice.

The price range of the lunch menu is from $16 (pasta, omelette soufflé) to $32 (beef fillet), with most dishes ranging from $18 to 25. Desserts from $10 to 13.50, cheese $17.50 – crazy! If you buy Hinton wine by the glass you pay between $ 7.50 and $ 11.

Favorite Dish: -

The service was very friendly. Hubby said I made them nervous with photographing all the dishes and could have got the best service because they were afraid I could be a real food critic LOL But really, the young ladies were perfectly professional and friendly to everyone.

The Hinton family has been involved into the wine business since 1997. Their trademark wine is the pinot noir. They are based in Alexandra in Central Otago, Hinton’s Restaurant in Christchurch is their cellar door.

You can also book garden tours on the 7 hectares property ($ 5 pp, minimum number required), and tours in vintage cars ($ 8 pp, minimum 10 people).

On the photos you see a full menu from starter to dessert plus a picture of the restored villa.

Directions:

By bus from the Bus Exchange: Bus #10 (Airport/Cashmere for the way back) stops right outside the property

By car: On Memorial Ave towards the airport. Turn right at the roundabout before the Antarctic Centre (Russley Rd), and if you miss it, the next one (Orchard Rd), then right again into Wairakei Rd. The restaurant is on the left side of the road.