Riverside Market: Christchurch Travel Guide (4.7★)

Under one roof on Oxford Terrace

Riverside Market is one of the most-reviewed places in central Christchurch, so you won’t have it to yourself. It sits at 96 Oxford Terrace, facing the Avon River, which Māori call Ōtākaro. Under one roof you’ll find retailers selling locally sourced food alongside sit-down restaurants, cafes and bars.

That mix sets the day’s pattern. In the morning people come for coffee and groceries. At lunch the crowd shifts to the eateries, and in the evening the bars take over. You can buy dinner ingredients and then stay for a drink without going back out on the street.

Timing it around the crowds

The doors currently open at 7:30am every day. The building closes at 8pm Sunday to Wednesday and at 9pm Thursday to Saturday. Hours can change, so check the market’s official site before a late visit.

• Quietest: 8am–10am, weekdays and weekends alike.
• Also quiet: 8pm–9pm, but only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, because it closes at 8pm on the other days.
• Avoid: weekends from 11am to 7pm. Seats and counter space are hardest to find then.

A walk around takes about 30 minutes. Allow 1–2 hours if you’re eating.

Ordering, paying and finding a seat

Each stall works on its own. Order and pay at the counter of the vendor you want, then look for a seat. In a weekend lunch crowd, get someone in your group to hold a table before the rest of you queue for food.

• Payment: cards and contactless are the norm in New Zealand, and EFTPOS is everywhere. Every vendor sets its own rules, though, so look for the payment signs at the counter.
• Tipping: you don’t need to tip in New Zealand. Prices already include GST, so the figure you see is the figure you pay.
• Prices: these are on each vendor’s menu board or shelf labels. They vary from stall to stall.
• Restaurants: the sit-down restaurants inside are run separately from the stalls. For a busy Friday or Saturday night, check with each one directly about bookings.
• Picnic shopping: for a riverbank picnic, buy from the produce retailers early. That’s before the 11am weekend crowd, when the choice is best.

Getting there and what’s nearby

The market is in the flat, walkable central city. Christchurch has no metro. The Bus Interchange on Lichfield Street is a short walk away, and most local Metro routes run through it.

Walk along the river after you eat. These are all within walking distance:

• Bridge of Remembrance: the memorial arch where Cashel Street crosses the Avon, a few minutes south along Oxford Terrace.
• Cashel Street: the pedestrian shopping strip that runs east from the bridge.
• Cathedral Square: a short walk north-east.
• Christchurch Botanic Gardens: further west along the river, past Hagley Park, if you have a few hours.

On a dry day, take your food out to the riverbank. In winter, do the opposite: start with a walk by the Avon and finish indoors with a hot meal.