Best Burgers in Christchurch: Central City

The best burgers in Christchurch are concentrated in the rebuilt central city, inside the ring of the four avenues. Riverside Market, the food hall on Oxford Terrace beside the Avon River, is the easiest single stop, with several burger counters under one roof. Victoria Street and the laneways around New Regent Street add bars and casual kitchens, and Riccarton, near the University of Canterbury, serves the western suburbs.

Christchurch’s dining scene was largely rebuilt after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, which is why so many of its venues sit in new buildings, food halls and laneways rather than old shopfronts. The city’s burger scene is young as a result. Canterbury is farming country, and lamb from the region’s plains appears on menus next to beef, a reminder that the Canterbury Plains begin at the city’s edge.

Burgers in Christchurch: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: the central city, Victoria Street, New Regent Street and Riccarton.
• Food hall: Riverside Market, on Oxford Terrace by the Avon River (Ōtākaro).
• Local ingredient: Canterbury lamb, alongside New Zealand beef.
• Getting around: the central city is flat and compact, and the heritage tram loops through it.
• Currency: prices in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
• What our guides check: whether each venue is open in the year of publication, its address, a dated price and a dated rating with its review count.

Every guide we publish on Christchurch is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For other South Island and world cities, browse our restaurant guides by city.