Public Bar & Kitchen is arguably the best seat in town in its dress circle location on the Steamer Wharf beside Lake Whakatipu. Owned and operated by Jan Rae, Alex Boyes and Marty and Megan James of the Wai Dining Group the established restaurant and bar has recently been refreshed with a reinterpreted menu featuring an extensive pasta and grill line up.

“The new menu is homely and wholesome with freshly made handcrafted pasta dishes and a huge grill section filled with seriously good locally sourced meats, steaks and New Zealand lamb,” says Marty who is also executive chef.

“Public Kitchen is not fine dining but rather offers a premium casual dining experience with exceptional, well constructed dishes that are truly wonderful to eat. Our meticulous cooking techniques elevate the dishes above the ordinary.”

The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the lake and backdropped by The Remarkables Mountain range.

“We are lucky to have one of Queenstown’s most enviable locations right on the edge of Steamer Wharf with nothing between our deck and the water,” says Marty. “It’s an amazing place to sit back and relax with a glass or Rosé or Aperol Spritz and delicious plates on a sunny afternoon or take in the evening sunset over the Remarkables.”

Public Kitchen & Bar is open every day for lunch and dinner and Marty and his team have designed their new a la carte menu to make it easy for diners to choose from snacks and entrées, mains and sweets.

“We’ve divided the main menu section into eight or nine different pasta dishes that are hearty, comfort plates of food. The grill section features a similar number of meat and seafood based dishes like sirloin, T-bone, ribeye and salmon that together offer a wide variety of individual mains.”