In Christchurch for food and wine also check out The Cellar Door at the Arts Centre https://www.cellardoor.nz/wine-tasting. Not only is the Arts Centre a lovely place, it is over the road from the Boatanic Gardens and feedback from wine industry people is that their wine list is really good.
The last few times we have been Riverside Market has been good during the day, but closes early in the evening (around 6pm). There is a great craft beer bar in there - The Canterbury Brewers Collective
https://canterburybrewerscollective.nz/. You can buy food from other vendors and eat it at the collective with your beer.
Another option - open later in the evenings in Christchurch is Little High
https://www.littlehigh.co.nz/. It is really popular and crowded, but we have never had an issue getting a table when we have arrived.
In the same neighbourhood as Little High is C1 Espresso https://www.c1espresso.co.nz/ Great food and coffee and the cafe set up is quirky and fun - some food items on the menu are delivered in cannisters via vacuum tubes that snake across the ceiling. The water fountains are old dentists water fountain and an old sewing machine and you go through a bookcase to get to the bathrooms.
As far as cafes go - for sweet items Sweet Patisserie is outstanding - they are open later too so it works for dessert
https://www.sweetsoul.nz/
Rollickin Gelato https://www.rollickin.co.nz/ serves great gelato with a kiwi twist - when you're in line read the descriptions on the paper on the doors and or walls that describe each flavour - e,g,
Who’s Pop? Who knows! But he’s the type to slip you a fiver… then a whole pie.
Lick your way through creamy vanilla & lemon zesty gelato, layered with tangy lemon curd and buttery biscuit crust.
Riverside, Sweet Patisserie and Rollickin Gelato are in Cashel Mall (an open air mall) that also has New Zealand designer brand shops Kate Sylvester, Alchemy Equipment, Moochi, Mons Royale all come to mind, and Christchurch's iconic department store Ballantynes.
Near the botanic gardens Airstream Icecream serves great icecream https://www.facebook.com/airstreamicecream/
In Wellington Cuckoo Emporium
https://www.facebook.com/cuckooemporiumnz is a great retro wine bar with a good wine list.
The Library is good for cocktails https://www.thelibrary.co.nz/. Going earlier (before about 8pm) it is quieter and there is no queue to get in.
Current favourite coffee shop is Sketchbook
https://www.facebook.com/p/Ske.....509345060/. It is near Te Papa, the National Museum.
For chain coffee and food, Mojo is pretty reliable.
Smith the Grocer in the Old Bank Arcade (Lambton Quay, Featherstone Street, Willis Street corner, is pretty good for coffee and food too, with the advantage of it being a fashion centre. If you are there near the hour go upstairs (stairs are at the Starbucks end of the arcade) and when the clock chimes the clock opens with a display / diorama of old Wellington.
Fashion in Wellington, Lambton Quay for high street labels, Old Bank Arcade, Featherston Street, Victoria Street and Ghuznee Street for designers.
In Queenstown, Arrowtown, to be specific, The winery is worth a visit https://www.thewinery.co.nz/.
There are lots of lovely wineries in Central Otago that are accessible from Queenstown. Christchurch they are about an hour north around Waipara, and Wellington they are several hours away in the Wairarapa or over Cook Strait in Marlborough. In Auckland, they are on Waiheke Island which would also be a whole day trip, which may not be worth it if you are also going to Central Otago.
