When people think of Christchurch, they often think of beautiful landscapes and a laid-back vibe. But you know what’s criminally slept on in this city? Malaysian cuisine!

Christchurch has a rich Asian food scene, although a lot could really be a hit or miss for tourists (and even locals at that). And we don’t want you falling for dishes that are poor imitations of the original, we want you to try only authentic dishes. 

After weeks of visiting numerous restaurants, only these spots made the cut. Our picky foodies picked each one, and we can’t wait for you to try them out. 

1. Makan Cafe

Makan Cafe is one of the city’s go-to spots for locals that’s popular for its unassuming vibe. According to those we interviewed, the restaurant isn’t just modest-looking but also really affordable, which our team heavily agrees with.

What’s even better is that they don’t skimp on flavor. One of our team members pointed out that their beef rendang has that perfect slow-cooked texture, similar to what she’s had at a fine-dining restaurant in Auckland.

The menu also has vegetarian options available on request. Though a few items were unavailable during our first visit, the team offered great alternatives, highlighting their warm and friendly nature.

The place is casual with good portions and enough space for small groups to hang out. It’s also kid-friendly, with enough space for wheelchairs to access and plenty of parking nearby.

Lovely service and delicious grub

“Beautiful aesthetic, good beats, lovely service, and delicious grub! This was my companion’s first time eating Malaysian food and I’m so glad it was here. The nasi goreng with beef randang and the roti canai with chicken curry were spectacular — perfect flavours! The limau ais was refreshing and delightful. Thank you, team Makan, for a 12/10 experience!”

Zainah M | Google Reviews 

Authentic, tasty Malaysian food

“Fantastic experience at Makan Cafe! The Chicken Curry Rice was flavorful and perfectly spiced, and the Sirap Bandung Float was a refreshing treat. The cozy vibe made it easy to relax, and the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. Highly recommend for anyone craving authentic, tasty Malaysian food!”

Arlene Centeno | Google Reviews 

2. City Cafe Asian Cuisine

City Cafe is best known for their delicious curry laksa and fried rice that comes in generous portions. The prices aren’t high either, so it’s easy to see why it’s a favourite for busy locals and even students near the area.

Despite looking a bit outdated, we do appreciate how personal their service was. The owner also acts as front-of-house staff and would often take time to chat and explain the menu.

They can also accommodate special requests, whether it’s making dishes more vegan-friendly or adding a little more spice to the meal.

However, because the restaurant is small with limited staff, service time is long. On average our team waited for about 1 to 2 hours before being served.

While that’s frustrating, we did love the homey energy of the place, which truly feels like you’re outside of Christchurch. That alone made the time fly, in our experience. 

Love this place

“It’s a one person show with the sweetest lady, so sometimes it can take a long time for your food (sometimes between 1-2 hours) but she is worth the wait!!! She cooks the tastiest Malaysian food in Christchurch, so if you don’t mind waiting, definitely come here! Love this place”

Rhianna Day | Google Reviews

City’s hidden gem

“A hidden gem in Christchurch central city! Owner is super friendly and runs the entire restaurant by herself – meals do take a little while but well worth the wait. Hor fun (fried rice noodles with gravy) is absolutely delicious and generously topped off with ingredients. Highly recommend a visit! I’ll be going back again soon!”

Timothy Tay | Google Review 

3. Whale’s Eatery

Whale’s Eatery got our attention with its restaurant-quality food at takeaway prices. We’ve visited the places a total of 4 separate times, and we’re happy to find that the flavours and servings remained consistent every time.

One of the things we loved the most was how diverse and inclusive their menu was. To keep it short, they have items for seafood lovers, meat fans, and even vegetarians. Meals are well-portioned and just filling enough for one person.

Cleanliness was a strong point too. We were able to eat comfortably seeing how spotless the place was. It’s further elevated by their polite and attentive staff who were able to complete orders quickly, both for dine-in and takeaway.

However, their delivery service is a bit poor, with complaints of inconsistent portions and unavailable items. We think it’s better to enjoy their dine-in service to really appreciate their offerings.

Will come back 

“1st time trying here today. I got the pork belly and it was amazing. The meat was so soft, yummy home made aioli, salad and heaps of fried rice. It will feed me tea tonight an lunch tomorrow. Big portions. Will definitely be back again its delicious.”

Natasha Moutter | Google Reviews 

One of the best ever 

“Yum!!!! Sweet and sour pork is the best I’ve ever had. Delicious noodles and pork was nice and crunchy. Staff are friendly and love the plants inside! New fav Chinese place, I’m super fussy and have been looking for somewhere nice, yay. Wish their menu had more!!”

Kayla Campbell | Google Reviews 

4. Malaysia Delights Riverside Kitchen

Being in a central location, Malaysia Delights is very accessible to customers. The place features many delicious classics, including their famous beef rendang and the seafood laksa that many patrons rave about.

We liked that their service remains fast and efficient, which is ideal for quick lunches. Meals are often served between 10 to 20 minutes, so dishes arrive hot and fresh, even during busy lunch hours.

We only wish for the customer service to be a bit better – we did note that their staff can feel cold and a bit dismissive at times. On the good side, there were still some servers who were warm and actually took the time to recommend dishes.

For those coming with a car, there’s a parking spot in the Riverside area. It’s a bit limited, but you can grab a spot as long as you try to get there early.

Plenty of options 

“The taste is not bad and pretty good for lunch. Pricing is ok, similar across the board. Plenty of options to pick from. Depending when you go, finding a table in the place could be a challenge. It wasn’t for me as I went off peak, still busy with tourists. Definitely a good option and a place to explore as a tourist.”

Han Phung | Google Reviews 

Amazing lunch 

“Had an amazing lunch. The portion of the laksa noodles was an amazing size for what you pay for, also the flavours were just amazing. Well be coming back for more often. Would definitely try other dishes. Thank you”

Christopher Dela Cruz | Google Reviews 

5. Ancestral Restaurant at 35 Riccarton Road

The Menu at Ancestral Restaurant is loaded with many popular dishes that we loved. Their stewed beef brisket noodles and spicy eggplant chicken rice had those bold spices we can easily compare to the ones we had in Malaysia.

We also loved the range of drinks they have, particularly the milk teas they have. They have jumbo options, which are perfect for every meal. Our team agrees that everything is delicious too. 

The vibe is very relaxed with plenty of room for group gatherings. We also appreciate that they’re wheelchair-accessible, which is hard to find in small eateries. 

Though we haven’t tried them for ourselves, the karaoke rooms were a nice touch too, especially for those who want a bit of fun.

Just take note that orders must be done through an app, even for dine-in customers. This may be a bit of trouble for elderly customers who aren’t tech-savvy.

Tasty signature meals

“Had a delish lunch on Sunday, plenty of room. The food was well tasty— signature deep fried squid to start, spicy eggplant chicken rice, and rice noodle laksa 💜. Will definitely give the jumbo boba and malaysian rendang a go next time! Just a tip—if you’re not keen on a bit of a hassle, best to skip parking in that complex (maybe a thing going w/ locals)”

Aghita K | Google Reviews

Best place for dessert 

“Best place to get taro ball iced dessert. Soft chewy taro balls with red bean paste, jelly, various condiments in shaved ice and condense milk. We ordered it and paid online by the QR code but forgot to apply the discount code. A bit gutted. All self-service.”

Pleayo Tovaranonte | Google Reviews 

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