Rātā

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#24 of 207 Restaurants in Queenstown$$$$, European, Contemporary, Vegetarian friendly

+64 3-442 9393+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Mon

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Tue

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Wed

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thu

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Fri

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Sat

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

2,432 reviews

#24 of 207 Restaurants in Queenstown

Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

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PRICE RANGE

$22.00 – $42.00

CUISINES

European, Contemporary, Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

43 Ballarat St, Queenstown 9348 New Zealand

+64 3-442 9393

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Details

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About

Rātā pays homage to Southern New Zealand. A modern light-filled eatery tucked away in the centre of bustling Queenstown, surrounded by an urban forest of native trees with a backdrop of some of the regions oldest historic buildings. It is the essence of New Zealand. Rātā creates genuine dining experiences featuring well balanced and inspired New Zealand cuisine, coupled with generous service delivered by our skilful team. The menu is of New Zealand. The best we have to offer from diverse cultural traditions coupled with freshest quality produce and ingredients from the region which includes our commitment to sourcing organic ingredients and following sustainable practices. We also preserve, ferment and dehydrate to bring you the flavours of the south year round. Our wine list proudly showcases wines from the Otago region, greater New Zealand and beyond, with an emphasis on an eclectic mix of the highly regarded and little known gems.

PRICE RANGE

$22.00 – $42.00

CUISINES

European, Contemporary, Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

2,432 reviews

Excellent

1,689

Very good

444

Average

186

Poor

Terrible

darrenjAtl

84 contributions

Elegant fine dining, unique menu items - charge $100 per person to cancel a reservation

Dec 2023 • couples

We had a nice meal at Rata. It is fine dining with small portions intended to eat multiple courses (snacks, starters, mains, extras, desserts). There were definitely menu items and combinations that we'd never seen before and had to ask what a couple of them were. But of the ones we tried they were all good. My only complaints would be that they require a credit card to book a table (and bookings are mandatory) and if you cancel less than 24 hours they charge you $100 NZD per person!! Also, our waitress only offered us still or sparkling water and a bottle cost $11. I saw that other tables were getting tap water and wished we'd been offered that option. Overall, it was expensive but good and you do need to order from the different courses if you want to get enough to be full.

Written 2 December 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TonyL_Brisbane

Brisbane127 contributions

Very Highly Rātā'd

Jul 2024 • couples

Booked Rātā for our last dinner in Queenstown and it didn't disappoint. They serve excellent quality food, with delicious flavour combinations, that would not be out of place in a major capital city. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, but it did become a little hard to get their attention once the place filled up with diners. We had the Speights sourdough with Marmite butter as a starter and the butter looked like Nutella, but it was very tasty and not overpowering in flavour. We followed that by sharing the Remarkable Fungi brown butter roasted cauliflower and Lake Ōhau wagyu eye fillet with a side of roasted brussel sprouts. Steak was cooked to perfection (medium) and the accompanying jus had a nice intensity to it. Wrapped up with the Alexandra walnut dessert (small but tasty). All washed down with sparkling water and a couple of glasses of Laurent-Perrier champagne. Magnifique!

Written 5 August 2024

Wanderlust

Nottinghamshire594 contributions

Worth a visit

Jan 2024 • couples

We booked Rata well in advance of our trip to NZ as we had read some great reviews for this restaurant. We loved the interior of the restaurant, with the open modern feel and the fact that the tables were not packed together was good to see. Service was pleasant and brisk, but allowing enough time to make selections and to look through the degustation menu or a la carte. We had the sourdough bread served with marmite butter, quite tasty, despite the fact neither of us would choose to eat Marmite neat! The pork terrine for starter was sensational, beautifully presented and the best course of the evening. Our other starter of Octopus, served in a bowl, looked lovely but unfortunately not a great deal of flavour. For mains, we both chose lamb loin, cooked perfectly, but for us, not the tastiest piece of lamb we have experienced whilst in NZ. Accompanying dishes of triple cooked potatoes were underwhelming and too salty for our liking and the leeks we found a little stringy, although we liked the texture and floor the hazelnuts that were served with them. Overall a good meal with excellent service.

Written 21 January 2024

JOSEE J

Toronto25 contributions

Disappointing bd celebration

Dec 2024 • couples

Recommended as no1 restaurant in Queenstown very disappointing felt like cafetaria with screeching chairs cold atmosphere food overpriced and very limited choices For tasting menu you had to order 2 Will not go back

Written 17 December 2024

John V

4 contributions

A most unrelaxing culinary experience

Nov 2024 • family

Food - 9; ambience - 0. My husband and I shared the cheese doughnut, which arrived in 4 little pieces. Delicious, just the right amount for us. My husband ordered the venison, so far so good. I had the fungi and cauliflower, which was delicious but SO small a portion that I ate some of my husband's venison. Neither of us is a big eater. Hence the 9 rating. BUT, the noise in this restaurant was off the chart. At first we were seated next to two couples, who were so loud, we asked to be moved. After that we just had ambient roaring noise. The restaurant was so busy that the waitresses seemed frenetic. It was the most unrelaxing experience I can remember having in a long time. We couldn't wait to get out of there.

Written 23 November 2024

Curious Kiwi

Dunedin89 contributions

Not great!

Jul 2023 • family

We visited twice. Most of the food was quite palatable and the floor and wait staff attentive. But you had the feeling they didn’t really care. The agnolotti was our favourite, with truffle shavings, but chef doesn’t understand how a hot bowl keeps the truffle aroma, and when asked to heat the bowl, our dishes were simply put in the microwave, which mixed the broth and miso flavours and ruined the dish. For our large group we were offered a truncated menu and charged 10% extra for the privilege of less choice. We’ve been for the last time. Didn’t bother to take a single photo.

Written 7 July 2023

sanjosebarbie73

San Jose108 contributions

Best restaurant in Queenstown!

Feb 2023 • couples

Rata is the best restaurant in all of Central Otago! We went here in January and liked it so much that we immediately booked again for February. It is a special occasion restaurant (a little more expensive than we would do on a casual night out), but compared to the restaurants in the Bay Area where we are from, it was a great deal. It is hard to single out any one dish, because everything was incredible, but they had a duck breast with kumara (sweet potato) cake that was the best thing I ate in New Zealand. We also loved the duck pate and the cheese roll for starters, and the chocolate otago cherry for dessert. It was all so incredible. The restaurant is elegant but not stuffy, and the service was amazing both times we were here.

Written 13 April 2023

Mark Hannon

Melbourne22 contributions

Birthday celebrations

Sept 2024 • family

My birthday dinner at Rata in Queenstown was nothing short of extraordinary. We indulged in the tasting menu, and it was a breathtaking celebration of New Zealand’s finest. Each course was a masterclass in flavor, bursting with creativity and precision. The service was impeccable, making every moment feel special. The Otago Pinot Noir was a revelation—smooth, elegant, and the perfect companion to the meal. We finished with a local port that was pure velvet, and the cheese selection? Heavenly. This was a dining experience that transcended expectations, unforgettable in every sense.

Written 21 September 2024

S K

Wellington79 contributions

A little off its game tonight

Apr 2024 • couples

Our go-to restaurant in QT. But a little off its game tonight. The new menu tries just too hard, like an over-talkative acquaintance. What tomfoolery is this, pairing pork with clams? The madness of the match is reflected by the fact the clam (singular) is served separately. The pork itself was average, too, though the lamb was excellent. We’ll return. We always do. But without quite the anticipation of old.

Written 5 April 2024

andyww2018

Savelletri535 contributions

Refined dining with great flavors

Jan 2023 • couples

The staff really know their food and help with choice from an innovative menu . I really enjoyed a tomato with anchovy and tomato foam starter and lamb belly slow cooked with a separate aubergine with crunchy topping . Wine list is good and obviously with great local choices at a spread of prices , but still not for someone looking for a budget meal . The atmosphere is sophisticated but not stuffy although it could maybe do with a few more tables to dial up the intimacy - they are very well spaced post Covid !

Written 14 January 2023

Patrina F

11 contributions

Disappointing

Jun 2021 • couples

Rata is overpriced, and the service was below par which was disappointing given its reputation and expense. Our wait staff were inattentive, we ordered wine and had to remind them of our order, someone else returned and asked what our wine order was. We were never asked if we’d like more drinks, we were left with empty glasses. The food was tasty but very expensive and having dined at various other Queenstown restaurants, we had other favourites and won’t be rushing back. This is disappointing as we have dined at Rata several years ago but unfortunately the service has not remained consistent. No plans to return

Written 14 July 2021

guest_abroad_111

Missoula22 contributions

muy delicioso

Dec 2022 • family

This was the one fine dining experience we pursued during our trip to NZ and it definitely lived up to its reputation for crazy fresh ingredients and culinary excellence. I specifically ordered… 1. Te Kouma Bay oyster with yuzu, bonito vinegar 2. Raw Venison with beetroot, horopito, amaranth 3. Dry aged Canter Valley duck with kumara cheesecake, rhubarb, pistachio 4. Delicious cocktail the name of which I cannot recall… Staff was very friendly and music was well curated (Bonobo on play list among other artists). Five stars.

Written 30 December 2022

Jodie R

Tauranga2 contributions

Was a little disappointed

Jul 2021 • family

We dined here in July school holidays. Was really excited to have the Rāta experience as we had heard good things, but left feeling disappointed. Meals were overpriced, portion sizes tiny and steak cut was average. We were given a slight discount on the steak as bits were inedible and chewy. Wait staff were very awkward and initially said, thats just the type of steak. However owner/ manager offered a discount on steak in end. When we settled the bill noone, apologised. Just a bit disappointed.

Written 18 July 2021

Max G

Los Angeles962 contributions

Great Food and People

Feb 2023 • none

A friend who was in NZ a week before us recommended that we immediately make a reservation at Rata and we were glad we did, since the place books up quickly. The food was excellent, the cocktails creative and tasty, and the staff fabulous. The menu changes regularly, based on what ingredients are fresh at the moment. We enjoyed the fried mussels and fresh tomato salad as starters. Then had the lamb belly and fish of the day for mains. All were superb. Our server had only been with the restaurant for 2 weeks, but she acted like a seasoned pro. After 2 weeks in NZ, Rata is still our best meal.

Written 28 February 2023

tlclg

Los Gatos650 contributions

Good food

Dec 2024 • couples

Good food, but not amazing. Nice atmosphere and the staff was really great. The fish dish was excellent, although it was a small portion. The potatoes were very good. The Wagyu beef was not very good in my opinion. It was average. I would eat there again, but it is not what we expected, people had raved about eating there.

Written 6 December 2024

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RĀTĀ, Queenstown - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos