Guidebook for Dunedin
Food Scene
American style burgers and loaded fries!
My personal favourite is the sweet chilli chicken and aoli loaded fries - be sure to ask for free added jalapenos if you like spice.
There's not a lot of space to eat so get your food to go and drive to a scenic spot to chow down!
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Reburger
36 Albany StAmerican style burgers and loaded fries!
My personal favourite is the sweet chilli chicken and aoli loaded fries - be sure to ask for free added jalapenos if you like spice.
There's not a lot of space to eat so get your food to go and drive to a scenic spot to chow down!
Bagels! And apparently coffee (I don't drink coffee so I can't comment)
They're often busy, and pretty much sell out every day so don't leave it too late.
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Beam Me Up Bagels
9 North RdBagels! And apparently coffee (I don't drink coffee so I can't comment)
They're often busy, and pretty much sell out every day so don't leave it too late.
Kebabs!
Highly recommend the lamb shish, or the kofta, kebab. Paasha is seriously delicious.
Not the cheapest eat but you're sure to enjoy
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Paasha Turkish Cafe & Restaurant
31 St Andrew StKebabs!
Highly recommend the lamb shish, or the kofta, kebab. Paasha is seriously delicious.
Not the cheapest eat but you're sure to enjoy
The farmers market is the best!
If you're here on a Saturday morning you cannot miss it.
Amazing bacon butties, delicious baked goods, there's also a new stall doing bahn mi (so good) coffee, crepes, pizza, vegetarian burgers it's all here.
It's also right next to the beautiful train station so check it out!
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Otago Farmers Market
27 Anzac AveThe farmers market is the best!
If you're here on a Saturday morning you cannot miss it.
Amazing bacon butties, delicious baked goods, there's also a new stall doing bahn mi (so good) coffee, crepes, pizza, vegetarian burgers it's all here.
It's also right next to the beautiful train station so check it out!
Iconic retro kitsch cafe on the main street of town.
A really nice place to hang out and drink some coffee and get some food into you.
The furniture is all retro, and there's usually some cool artwork on the walls.
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Modaks Espresso
337-339 George StIconic retro kitsch cafe on the main street of town.
A really nice place to hang out and drink some coffee and get some food into you.
The furniture is all retro, and there's usually some cool artwork on the walls.
It's a bar and a cafe! Dark and full of character. Good spot to hang out, and some tasty food options - including vegetarian/vegan options.
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Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar
25 Moray PlIt's a bar and a cafe! Dark and full of character. Good spot to hang out, and some tasty food options - including vegetarian/vegan options.
Tasty burgers - more expensive than Reburger - but a bit more gourmet.
Cool decor, can get busy but a good option for dining in.
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Good Good
22 Vogel StTasty burgers - more expensive than Reburger - but a bit more gourmet.
Cool decor, can get busy but a good option for dining in.
Another great cafe with cool retro styling. Very close to the railway station and centre of town.
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Morning Magpie
46 Stuart StAnother great cafe with cool retro styling. Very close to the railway station and centre of town.
Tasty kebabs, and reasonably priced with very lovely owners.
The restaurant is basic with little ambiance, but the food is great. My fave is the lamb shish!
Anatolia Turkish Cafe & Takeaway
152 Princes StTasty kebabs, and reasonably priced with very lovely owners.
The restaurant is basic with little ambiance, but the food is great. My fave is the lamb shish!
Izakaya Yuki
29 Bath StGreat little Japanese place!
Popular Japanese restaurant - you can't book in advance, and usually very busy on Fridays and Saturdays but worth a shot if there are only 2-4 people in your group.
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Jizo Japanese Restaurant
56 Princes StPopular Japanese restaurant - you can't book in advance, and usually very busy on Fridays and Saturdays but worth a shot if there are only 2-4 people in your group.
Ramen! Personally, I love the tonkatsu ramen with dumplings (and no tofu).
They also have another restaurant in the middle of town, not sure if the menu is the same though. Both are good though.
Jitsu - Exchange
1 Queens GardensRamen! Personally, I love the tonkatsu ramen with dumplings (and no tofu).
They also have another restaurant in the middle of town, not sure if the menu is the same though. Both are good though.
Very popular Yum Cha place, dumplings forever!
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Papa Chou's Yum Cha & Chinese Dining
18 Stuart StVery popular Yum Cha place, dumplings forever!
Parks & Nature
Stunning clifftop views and a cool tunnel that takes you down to the beach.
There is a walk down to the beach - so be prepared to walk back up :)
Seriously gorgeous - don't miss it!
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Passeggiata sulla spiaggia del tunnel
25 Tunnel Beach RdStunning clifftop views and a cool tunnel that takes you down to the beach.
There is a walk down to the beach - so be prepared to walk back up :)
Seriously gorgeous - don't miss it!
Walk or drive up Mt Cargill (two very different routes). The walk will take you up to 3 hours return depending on fitness levels, and how often you stop to take photographs!
The track involves quite a bit of uphill - but the view is worth it!
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Mount Cargill Lookout
Cowan RoadWalk or drive up Mt Cargill (two very different routes). The walk will take you up to 3 hours return depending on fitness levels, and how often you stop to take photographs!
The track involves quite a bit of uphill - but the view is worth it!
A shorter hiking trail than Mt Cargill - but pretty much the same views! And you get to go via the Organ pipes on the way. This is a really great walking track and is pretty near to our place.
The beginning is steep (but short)! But once you get past that it's pretty easy.
Depending on how long you spend taking photos the walk may take up to 2 hours return.
Butters Peak
A shorter hiking trail than Mt Cargill - but pretty much the same views! And you get to go via the Organ pipes on the way. This is a really great walking track and is pretty near to our place.
The beginning is steep (but short)! But once you get past that it's pretty easy.
Depending on how long you spend taking photos the walk may take up to 2 hours return.
My favourite close-to-town beach - and you'll often spot a sea lion or two.
Usually pretty quiet except for when the surf is pumping on a summer's day!
Smails Beach
My favourite close-to-town beach - and you'll often spot a sea lion or two.
Usually pretty quiet except for when the surf is pumping on a summer's day!
Orokonui is an ecosanctuary surrounded by a predator-proof fence. It's part of a cloud forest and you'll see kaka, South island robins, tui, bellbirds and takahe in particular. Also the otago skink, long fin eels and jewelled gecko.
Go early to see the kaka mucking about and being playful.
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Orokonui Ecosanctuary
Orokonui EcosanctuaryOrokonui is an ecosanctuary surrounded by a predator-proof fence. It's part of a cloud forest and you'll see kaka, South island robins, tui, bellbirds and takahe in particular. Also the otago skink, long fin eels and jewelled gecko.
Go early to see the kaka mucking about and being playful.
Nice little track for walking, but I especially like coming here at night to see glow worms.
You will need - a torch, and good walking shoes that you don't mind getting muddy.
This is definitely not Waitomo Cave level of glow worms, but if you've never seen glow worms before it's a super charming little night walk.
Walk through the gate at the bottom, and continue along the track - stay on the bottom track and you will come to a sign about the glow worms. Follow your nose and you'll come to a wall of rock and moss, turn your light off at this point if you haven't already and you'll see the glow worms. The track continues with a handrail to the right. You'll get to the water and this is where it ends.
The walk is only 5-10 mins, slightly uphill.
Nichols Falls Track
Nice little track for walking, but I especially like coming here at night to see glow worms.
You will need - a torch, and good walking shoes that you don't mind getting muddy.
This is definitely not Waitomo Cave level of glow worms, but if you've never seen glow worms before it's a super charming little night walk.
Walk through the gate at the bottom, and continue along the track - stay on the bottom track and you will come to a sign about the glow worms. Follow your nose and you'll come to a wall of rock and moss, turn your light off at this point if you haven't already and you'll see the glow worms. The track continues with a handrail to the right. You'll get to the water and this is where it ends.
The walk is only 5-10 mins, slightly uphill.
Arts & Culture
A great place to spend an afternoon - lots of informative exhibits - many of which are free.
There are also some paid areas such as the Planetarium, and the Butterfly House.
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Otago
A great place to spend an afternoon - lots of informative exhibits - many of which are free.
There are also some paid areas such as the Planetarium, and the Butterfly House.
Another great museum to check out that tells the story of the people who settled in Dunedin, and those who have come after them. And it's free!
Toitu is a very cool museum.
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Museo dei coloni di Toitu Otago
31 Queens GardensAnother great museum to check out that tells the story of the people who settled in Dunedin, and those who have come after them. And it's free!
Toitu is a very cool museum.
Great contemporary art gallery for art lovers!
Nova cafe next door is nice as well.
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Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Great contemporary art gallery for art lovers!
Nova cafe next door is nice as well.
Sightseeing
A stunning area to spend the day driving around - beautiful views - best on clearer days.
I recommend driving up the High road (Highcliff road) and coming back via the harbour road (Portobello rd).
Highlights are Sandymount, Hoopers Inlet, Allan's Beach, Victory Beach, the Albatross Colony.
You don't need to visit all, the Albatross colony is expensive, and further away - so if you're short on time and money maybe give this a miss, but the money goes towards conservation for the colony.
Larnach Castle is also popular but expensive. Personally, I don't recommend it if you're from somewhere where real castles exist! But it is nice enough.
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Otago Peninsula
A stunning area to spend the day driving around - beautiful views - best on clearer days.
I recommend driving up the High road (Highcliff road) and coming back via the harbour road (Portobello rd).
Highlights are Sandymount, Hoopers Inlet, Allan's Beach, Victory Beach, the Albatross Colony.
You don't need to visit all, the Albatross colony is expensive, and further away - so if you're short on time and money maybe give this a miss, but the money goes towards conservation for the colony.
Larnach Castle is also popular but expensive. Personally, I don't recommend it if you're from somewhere where real castles exist! But it is nice enough.
A cute little town that you can visit on your way to Aramoana, Long beach, or the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Quaint shops and cute cafe, plus a busy Port that is still quite pretty to look at.
Back beach is a nice little walk, and the Careys Bay hotel is not far if you want a nice place to have a bite to eat on a sunny day.
Port Chalmers
A cute little town that you can visit on your way to Aramoana, Long beach, or the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Quaint shops and cute cafe, plus a busy Port that is still quite pretty to look at.
Back beach is a nice little walk, and the Careys Bay hotel is not far if you want a nice place to have a bite to eat on a sunny day.
Bars
Local bar, very small with nice craft beers. Small heated courtyard out the back and kinda quirky decor. Sometimes they have live music as well.
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Inch Bar
8 Bank StLocal bar, very small with nice craft beers. Small heated courtyard out the back and kinda quirky decor. Sometimes they have live music as well.
Very popular but actually cool bar with whiskey and craft beer and some nice snacks - recommend the squid or the patatas bravas.
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Albar
135 Stuart StVery popular but actually cool bar with whiskey and craft beer and some nice snacks - recommend the squid or the patatas bravas.
Bar and cafe, often there's live music.
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Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar
25 Moray PlBar and cafe, often there's live music.
Hidden down an alleyway, pequeno is a nice little bar. Good for cocktails and craft beer. Dark and moody.
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Pequeno
50 Princes StHidden down an alleyway, pequeno is a nice little bar. Good for cocktails and craft beer. Dark and moody.
Local brewery with a taproom and they are all about branding and design. Busiest on Fridays.
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New New New Corporation
218 Crawford StLocal brewery with a taproom and they are all about branding and design. Busiest on Fridays.