Best Seafood Restaurants in Invercargill: 5 Top Picks

Southland sits on some of the best kaimoana in the country, and the best seafood restaurants in Invercargill make the most of Bluff oysters, Foveaux blue cod and green lip mussels. These five cover everything from a central Dee Street bar and restaurant to a waterfront dining room in Bluff itself, a short drive south and the source of most of what ends up on the plate. Buster Crabb and Oyster Cove are two of the names that come up most.

1Buster Crabb

Buster Crabb is a bar, restaurant and cafe in a remodelled heritage building on Dee Street, open since January 2009. The menu names its suppliers directly, with Foveaux blue cod, Aparima whitebait, Bluff oysters and Evansdale cheese listed alongside a chargrill steak offering. It suits a proper sit-down dinner in town, and there are private rooms if you are feeding a group.

Services

• Lunch and evening a la carte menus
• Seafood dishes including Foveaux chowder, Mediterranean seafood stew, green lip mussels and pāua and greenbone dumplings
• Full bar with tap and bottled beer and an extensive wine list
• Private function rooms and a curtained dining area for larger groups
• Table reservations, gift vouchers and delivery

Highlights

• Trading since January 2009
• The Dee Street heritage building remodel won several national awards
• Names its local suppliers on the menu rather than describing produce as simply local
• Private rooms for up to 20, one fitted with a projector and 100 inch screen
• Two rotating guest taps plus Hofbrau, Carlsberg and Cassels on tap, with complimentary bar snacks on Fridays

Location & Contact

Name: Buster Crabb
Address: 326 Dee Street, Invercargill
Phone: 03 214 4214
Website: bustercrabb.co.nz

2The Rocks Restaurant & Bar

The Rocks is a restaurant and bar on Dee Street in central Invercargill, open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. The menu runs across steak, venison, lamb and poultry, with a substantial seafood section covering chowder, mussels, squid, prawns, salmon and whatever the market fish happens to be. There is an enclosed outdoor dining area and a function room, which makes it workable for both a quiet dinner and a group of fifty.

Services

• Lunch and dinner a la carte menus, with dessert and beverage lists
• Seafood including chowder, green lip mussels, garlic prawns, salt and pepper squid and daily market fish
• Private function room with platters or set menus for 20 to 60 people
• Enclosed outdoor dining and online reservations

Highlights

• Sicilian fish bowl of poached king prawn tails, gourmet mussels and market fish in a chorizo, paprika and ginger broth
• Rummage Board sharing platter with smoked salmon, salt and pepper squid and half shell mussels
• Enclosed outdoor dining area, which is not common in Invercargill
• Function room seating 20 to 60 with platter or set menu options

Location & Contact

Name: The Rocks Restaurant & Bar
Address: 101 Dee Street, Invercargill
Phone: 03 218 7597
Website: shop5rocks.com

3The Cabbage Tree Restaurant

The Cabbage Tree sits at Otatara on the way out to Oreti Beach, built on the site of the old Beach Store and rebuilt in 2000. The seafood line is strong, running from chowder and 500g of steamed greenshell mussels through to battered blue cod and house smoked salmon, alongside steaks and tavern fare. With six separate dining areas it handles everything from a family dinner to a 160-guest wedding.

Services

• A la carte, set menu, dessert and beverage lists
• Seafood including chowder, 500g steamed greenshell mussels, seafood salad, battered blue cod and house smoked salmon
• Weddings, corporate events, seminars and birthdays for 5 to 160 people
• Buffet, high tea and platter catering
• Gift cards and online table bookings

Highlights

• Built on the site of the old Beach Store and rebuilt in 2000
• Main building constructed from Central Otago schist
• More than thirteen hundred natives planted on site to recreate the original local environment
• Six dining areas including The Hall at 140 seated, plus a grassed tree-lined outdoor ceremony area

Location & Contact

Name: The Cabbage Tree Restaurant
Address: 379 Dunns Road, Otatara, Invercargill 9879
Phone: 03 213 1443
Website: thecabbagetree.com

4Oyster Cove Restaurant & Bar

Oyster Cove is in Bluff, about a 30 minute drive south of Invercargill, sited where the road turns towards Stirling Point. It calls itself the Pearl of the South and builds its menu on signature oysters, blue cod and mussels, served against 180 degree views over the Southern Ocean towards Ruapuke, Dog and Stewart Islands. It is the obvious choice when the point of the trip is the seafood and the view.

Services

• All day menu, kids menu and beverage list
• Locally sourced seafood including signature oysters, blue cod and mussels
• Licensed bar with local wines and beer, plus coffee
• Function and venue hire for birthdays, engagements and corporate events
• Online bookings and reservations

Highlights

• 180 degree views across to Ruapuke, Dog and Stewart Islands
• Positioned at the start of the road to Stirling Point
• Publishes the Bluff oyster season dates and the current year’s harvest status
• Accommodation available through the linked Land’s End Hotel

Location & Contact

Name: Oyster Cove Restaurant & Bar
Address: 8 Ward Parade, Bluff 9814
Phone: 03 212 8855
Website: oystercove.co.nz

5Hayz @ the Anchorage

Hayz @ the Anchorage is on the Bluff waterfront on Gore Street, established in 2020 and led by Chef Haylee, who was born and raised in Bluff with more than fifteen years in the local food industry. The menu weaves Māori tradition through Southland seafood, with blue cod prepared five different ways and tītī served salted or roasted. It suits anyone who wants the Bluff kaimoana experience done properly rather than as a tourist add-on.

Services

• Lunch, dinner and burger menus, dine in or takeaway
• Blue cod prepared five ways, from beer battered to gluten free tempura, steamed, panko crumbed or pan-fried
• Seafood chowder built on a crayfish and blue cod stock with Rakiura mussels and prawns
• Tītī served salted, or fresh stuffed and roasted

Highlights

• Established in 2020
• Chef Haylee was born and raised in Bluff with over fifteen years in the local food industry
• Signature creamy pāua wontons, using pāua from Foveaux Strait
• Pāua burger with garlic prawns and kūmara fries, and a Kaihuka stuffed mutton bird main
• Seafood supplied by Bluff and wider Southland providers, with the menu framed around manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga

Location & Contact

Name: Hayz @ the Anchorage
Address: 86 Gore Street, Bluff
Phone: 03 212 7670
Website: hayzattheanchorage.com

Seafood Restaurants in Invercargill at a Glance

How to Choose the Right Seafood Restaurant in Invercargill

• Check the season before you set your heart on oysters, because Bluff oysters run March to August and outside that window you will be eating something else.
• Decide whether you want the drive, since Bluff puts you on the waterfront where the catch lands but adds about half an hour each way from Invercargill.
• Look for restaurants that name their suppliers or the specific fishery, as Foveaux blue cod and Rakiura mussels tell you more than the word local does.
• Check the trading days, as several Southland restaurants close early in the week and Bluff venues can vary with the season.
• Book ahead for groups and for anything during oyster season, when the better tables go quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Invercargill Seafood Restaurants

When are Bluff oysters in season?

The commercial season runs from March to August. Outside those months you will not find fresh Bluff oysters on a menu, though some restaurants publish their harvest status so you can check before travelling. The fishery is quota managed and monitored by Fisheries New Zealand, which is why the season is fixed rather than weather dependent.

What is blue cod and why is it everywhere down here?

Blue cod is a firm white fish found around the southern coast and Foveaux Strait, and it is the region’s staple. It holds together well, which is why you will see it battered, crumbed, steamed and pan-fried on the same menu. Locally it is regarded as the benchmark, and one Bluff restaurant prepares it five different ways.

Do I need to go to Bluff for the best seafood?

Not necessarily. Invercargill restaurants source the same Foveaux catch, and a couple name their suppliers directly on the menu. Bluff gives you the waterfront setting and the sense of eating where the boats come in, which is worth the drive if the meal is the occasion rather than just dinner.

What is tītī?

Tītī, also called mutton bird, is a traditional Māori food harvested from islands around Rakiura under customary rights. It is strongly flavoured and oily, closer to a rich game meat than to fish, and it is not to everyone’s taste. If you have never tried it, ask how it is prepared before ordering a whole main of it.

Can these places cater for allergies?

Most will, and gluten free options appear on several menus, with one restaurant offering a gluten free tempura blue cod. Shellfish allergies need a direct conversation rather than a note on a booking, since seafood kitchens work in shared space. Ring ahead rather than raising it when you sit down.

Are they suitable for groups and functions?

Yes, and this is a genuine strength locally. Private rooms take up to 20 in the city, function rooms run 20 to 60, and one venue at Otatara seats 140 in a single hall with capacity for 160. Weddings and corporate events are catered for at more than one of these.

How far ahead should I book?

For a weekday dinner outside oyster season, often the same day is fine. Through the March to August oyster season, and for any weekend table in Bluff, book well ahead. Groups should always book, since the private rooms are limited.

Do they take gift vouchers?

Several sell gift cards and vouchers directly. Check the expiry period before buying, since terms vary between venues, and your rights around unfair voucher terms are explained by Consumer NZ.