The cute little town of Kaikōura, located on the northeastern end of New Zealand’s South Island, was easily one of my favorite places I visited on my road trip late last year. It is one of the most beautiful places in the world, filled with natural wonder and exhilarating adventures, second-to-none. You can swim with dolphins, go whale-watching, see the stars in its Dark Sky Preserve, visit the lavender farms, and so much more. Your gateway to the South Island is through Picton and if you’re headed to Christchurch first, Kaikōura is about halfway on your journey. Otherwise, you’ll go to the western part of the island (Nelson).
The South Island is less populated than the North Island, and with most of the population concentrated in major cities like Christchurch, you might be wondering if it was difficult to find vegan food in Kaikōura, and the other smaller towns and cities, but this definitely wasn’t the case! Though Kaikōura doesn’t have any vegan or vegetarian-only restaurants, you’ll have no trouble at all finding a good bite to eat, and you can also check out my other vegan food guide to New Zealand blog posts for help.
But let’s start here: check out my list of vegan-friendly places where you can find vegan food in Kaikōura.
Tipsy Foodies
Formerly called The Jailhouse and with a 4.7/5-star rating, Tipsy Foodies is a local favorite and serves up a wide range of comfort food: pizza, burgers, souvlaki, and more. The have the Crim burger, which is vegan as is, and comes with a corn pattie, LTO, gherkins, and a coconut cucumber dressing, and you can ask for fries. Their vege souvlaki (falafel) may also be vegan as the tzatziki is coconut-based.
Strawberry Tree
I was more than a little disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to visit Strawberry Tree, because they have a plethora of vegan options, including Korean fried cauliflower, BBQ tofu, and a BBQ pulled jackfruit burger that can be modified to be vegan-friendly. The menu is also clearly labeled, which is helpful. On my next trip to New Zealand and hopefully Kaikōura to finally swim with dolphins, I will absolutely stop by here.
Thai Kai Takeaway
If you’re looking for fresh and authentic Thai food, look no further than Thai Kai Takeaway. The menu isn’t labeled clearly, but you should be able to veganize the vegetarian dishes by asking for no egg or fish sauce/oyster sauce.
Flo & Co
If you’re looking for good food and coffee, check out Flo & Co. They’re open from 8am – 2pm every day except for Wednesdays, and their BLAT sandwich (bacon, avocado, tomato, mesclun, aioli, caramelized onion on toasted Turkish bread + a side of beer-battered onion rings) can be made vegan-friendly with plant-based ingredients. Just ask!
Street Eats Kaikōura
If you’re looking for another good spot with Asian food, Street Eats Kaikōura has a clearly labeled menu with a few vegan-friendly options, including mee goreng, fried coconut rice, and rice noodles. They’re open from 11am – 8pm every day except for Sundays.
Simes Kitchen
Simes Kitchen is another Asian restaurant with clearly labeled options. They have a few dishes that are either vegan as-is or can be modified to be vegan-friendly, including Japanese fried chicken, Korean fried chicken, seared sesame tofu, and an Asian-inspired power bowl. There’s also a vegan-friendly dessert: an earl gray cashew creme cheesecake with coconut caramel!
Emporium Brewing
More than just a brewery, you could choose to spend an entire afternoon at Emporium Brewing, which has an 18-hole mini golf course and two escape rooms, in addition to the on-site bar. Their brewery/bar serves vegan-friendly beer, a black bean burger that is vegan-friendly without the cheese, and polenta fries that come with a vegan aioli.
Beach House Cafe
With a 4.4/5 rating, Beach House Cafe is not a bad option if nothing else on this list appeals to you. Their vegan stack is no longer on the menu, but they have a few other options that can be modified to be vegan, including the scrambled tofu and vegge nachos. They also offer non-dairy milks for coffee for an additional charge.
Black Rabbit Pizza
If you’re looking for something simple (or if there’s nothing else available), this pizzeria is open seven days a week and can add vegan cheese for an additional charge ($2 NZD) to any pizza. The veggie burger (without cheese) and kumara chips (sweet potato fries) should also be vegan-friendly. The HappyCow reviews are mixed.
Bernie’s Diner
Another option, Bernie’s Diner has non-dairy milk alternatives for coffee and a veggie burger that can be made vegan.
Did I miss any vegan food options in Kaikōura? Let me know in the comments below!
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