Frequently Asked Questions

Location is something you either have or do not. We are right on the Queenstown waterfront at 50 Beach Street—lakefront, central, with the kind of view that makes people put their phones down and just look. Lake Wakatipu is in front of you, the Remarkables behind it.

Add a plate of our Garlic Prawns cooked in Spanish olive oil and a glass of Traditional Red Wine Sangria, and the evening tends to take care of itself. It’s the kind of spot that turns a dinner into a memory, which is rather the point.

We are a Mediterranean restaurant with a strong Spanish heart, available for fine dining in Queenstown. The menu draws inspiration from Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. Think hot tapas, croquettes, fresh seafood, and slow-cooked meats—all are built around the best of New Zealand’s produce.

Dishes like our Seared Yellowfin Tuna Tataki, Chorizo a la Cidra flambéed with local cider, and our multi-award-winning Roast Lamb sit comfortably in fine dining territory. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming rather than stiff. Smart, relaxed, and genuinely delicious—just how you would love it!

Tapas, when done properly, can be a shared experience—small plates, excellent wine and great company, taken slowly. That’s precisely what we have built at Momentos By The Lake.

Our hot tapas menu runs from Grilled Garlic Scallops with garlic butter, lemon, and chilli powder to Paprika Crumbed Calamari with aioli and gremolata. The Spinach Croquettes with cheese fondue are a firm favourite for vegetarians. Order a few plates, share them around, and let the evening drift. For anyone searching for a proper tapas bar in Queenstown, this is where to come.

Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for dinner and weekends. Queenstown gets busy, and we are a popular spot on the waterfront. Walk-ins are welcome when we have vacant space, but a table reservation takes the guesswork out of the evening. You can reserve a table near you directly through our booking page or call us at (03) 409-0757. For special occasions or larger groups, booking ahead is simply the sensible move.

We are open seven days a week. Monday through Sunday, doors open at 8:30 am, and we close at 9:00 pm. Breakfast and brunch run from 8:30 am through to 3:00 pm, making us a solid option for a lakeside morning or a lazy weekend lunch. Dinner service carries through the evening. Whether you are after coffee and eggs before a day on the slopes or a full Mediterranean dinner afterwards, we have got the hours to fit around you.

Our breakfast and brunch menu runs from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm daily. It carries the same Mediterranean warmth as the rest of our kitchen—fresh, flavourful, and worth sitting down for rather than rushing through. It’s a proper start to the day, right on the lake.

For anyone looking for the best food near them in Queenstown before hitting the mountains or the water, a lakefront brunch here is an amazing idea.

Our cocktail list, Cócteles de la Casa, is built with the same spirit as the food menu—confident, characterful, and a little unexpected. The Traditional Red Wine Sangria is the one people come back for. Guests tell us it makes them feel like they have been transported straight to the Spanish Riviera. The recipe stays under lock and key.

Beyond that, the Mango and Ginger Tequila Mule, Besos de Mora with Havana Rum and blackberry liquor, and the Bodega Spritz with Aperol and Vermut Rojo are all worth your attention. As a cocktail bar in Queenstown, we take the drinks side as seriously as the food.

Very much so.

We can host birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, and celebration dinners with the waterfront setting doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

For groups looking to let the kitchen lead, our 5 Course NZ Highlights Degustation at $85 per person is the standout choice. The course features our award-winning Roast Lamb, NZ Green Lipped Mussels, West Coast Whitebait, Calamari, and Southland Venison, all in one sitting.

It’s a proper tour of New Zealand’s finest produce through a Mediterranean lens. When looking to reserve a table near you for your group, let us take care of the rest.

There’s plenty here for vegetarians, and it’s treated with the same care as every other dish on the menu.

The Spinach Croquettes with cheese fondue are a highlight, as is the Pisto Polenta — a Spanish-style ratatouille served with creamy polenta. The Mediterranean tradition has always leaned heavily on vegetables, pulses, and olive oil. So, plant-based eating fits naturally into what we do.

It’s worth mentioning when you reserve your table so we can point you to the best of our menu.

We are at 50 Beach Street, right on the Queenstown lakefront — as central as it gets. If you are already in town, you are a short walk away.

The waterfront location means you are dining with Lake Wakatipu directly in view, which tends to make every dish taste that little bit better. For anyone asking where to eat in Queenstown and wanting somewhere within easy reach of the town centre with a view that actually delivers, this is the answer.

Call us at (03) 409-0757 or book your table online.