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“True fine dining in heart of Queenstown”
Review of Rata

Rata
Ranked #28 of 286 Restaurants in Queenstown
Certificate of Excellence
Price range: $22 - $42
Cuisines: Contemporary
More restaurant details
Restaurant details
Dining options: After-hours, Breakfast, Delivery, Reservations
Description: 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.
Reviewed 26 September 2024

Rātā is located down an alley off Ballarat St in the heart of Queenstown (look for the black pillar with the name of the restaurant on the bottom line).
Service provided by a young waitress from Paraguay was exceptional. Nut allergy was noted and dishes with nuts were highlighted in green on one of the menus given to us. This idea was outstanding.
I had a cocktail called Doctor’s order which was sweet like I requested and came with an ice block with the restaurant’s name on it!
The oyster starter was so good I wished I ordered more than one.
Kingfish crudo and artichoke entrees were fine though I preferred the more savoury elements to the artichoke dish (sweeter part reminded me of apple pie).
Mains were venison and mushroom/cauliflower with brussel sprouts as a side.
Unfortunately we were too full for dessert.
It’s hard to fault this meal as service, drinks and food including the pace of the meal were great.
It was wonderful to see the restaurant welcome a lot of solo diners.
For those that enjoy fine dining with excellent service Rātā is one of the best places to eat in Queenstown.

Date of visit: September 2024
Thank ScubaGirlMelbourne
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.
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3 - 7 of 2,422 reviews

Reviewed 22 September 2024 via mobile

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.

Date of visit: September 2024
Thank G5615ACmarkh
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.
Reviewed 6 August 2024

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!

Date of visit: July 2024
    • Value
    • Atmosphere
    • Service
    • Food
Thank TonyL_Brisbane
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.
Reviewed 13 June 2024 via mobile

Not the easiest place to find but worth it once you do. The ambience, food and service were first class. We also loved the rainforest wall which made looked real enough to walk into.

Date of visit: June 2024
Thank Austravel58
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.
Reviewed 26 May 2024 via mobile

Wine we ordered wasn’t the year on wine menu - were told “oh that is a mistake on menu it shouldn’t be 2022!”. (We were served 2023!). Duck leg entree was incredibly tough and when waiter asked how was our entree’s we told him and he proceeded to say that it had been cooked for 12 hours!! - not the one we tried to eat iam afraid!. And the lamb was ordered by two of us at table which arrived looking amazing but sadly when we tried to cut it with our knives we couldn’t! Obviously chewing it was also a chewy mission and hence left most of the uneatable lamb which was apparently from Royalburn - Nadia’s farm on the plate. It was uneatable mainly - very very tough and chewy. So disappointed as the evening was a finale to our south otago holiday and a treat for our parents.

Date of visit: May 2024
Thank Sassafraz M
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.

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