Because we were the only people in the main building, the hotel set up our breakfast nook in the sitting room parlour. It was so warm and enveloping to have our table amongst leather wing tip chairs and mohair rugs, a beautiful log fireplace with big chunks of wood in a brass bucket, walls in bitter chocolate - a favourite colour with us - and antique mirrors and potted palms. This lounge is really ‘country posh’ and guests can elect to take their breakfast and dinner here, which I recommend as it is so different from the usual hustle and bustle of big breakfast rooms - quite special. And in such a small (or as the kiwis put it “wee”) room people are going to wake up at different times so maybe you won’t even have to share the space.

The crisp mountain air and activities of Queenstown require good fuel so your start to the day is major here! We cut loose and skipped the whole skim yoghurt part of the menu and got into their banana pancakes.

There is a fantastic place that serves the best burgers in town - even though we don’t normally go out of our way to just do burgers. By 11.00 am there are queues down the street from a little shopping complex called “Shotover 3” for “the ferg’s” absolutely delicious taste combos that are as unique as the quirky names, like the “Cockadoodle Oink” or “Bun Laden” - hilarious.

Sheira normally has to give up so many mainstream food options because of her wheat allergy, so she was in heaven to see gluten free buns - a really good touch. New Zealanders are really savvy about the organic, niche food movement. And in this place the world is your oyster! There are so many interpretations, from the “Holier than thou” with desiccated coconut to the “Morning Glory” with hash browns and Avocado.

The NZ beef is top quality and with the best lamb in the world right here (Australians always tease the ‘kiwi’ locals because there are more sheep in NZ than people) of course there is a lamb/mint jelly burger. They also had a ‘kid-size’ for Zoe, who loved what she called the “fat” chips.

They have seating for 20 and the place is busy from the minute it opens until it closes. We loved the humour and food - and went back more than once. We’d love to make our way down the whole menu…one day.

The burgers clock up around NZD11, and would cost you double in Bondi Beach, the beach hotspot near where we live in Australia. Enjoy at least one if you’re on this trip.

No prizes for guessing from the name that this restaurant is all about red meat and barbecue, which is the most appealing thing on the menu.

Working with such a small-scale town, we only had to leave Eichardt’s at 3 minutes to 8 for our 8pm booking! We walked into a very busy restaurant, which I always find inviting. We weren’t crazy about our table in no-man’s-land against the wall so we switched to one with comfortable wing chairs near the kitchen, which I always find interesting as I love process and watching the busyness behind the scenes that creates the final meal on the table.

The problem: 10 minutes went by with no menus or drinks being brought to us. For me this is a cardinal sin in any restaurant. And with a young child of seven along, you don’t want to linger for slow service or violins. It’s a case of eat, enjoy, go home.

I approached the Maitre ‘d who brushed me off with, “someone will come to you.” Still nothing. I was prepared to pull the plug when a really nice woman took our drinks order. We practically pleaded, “please don’t be long to take our food order” but we got stuck in limbo, hungry and committed to the drinks.

I was starting to lose my cool, concerned about my daughter and mother who aren’t exactly late-nighters. But it wasn’t until the first round of diners started leaving that we got some attention - and apologies. The waitress explained that they get so busy and people linger.

But I’m glad we stayed; the food was really good and the African kitchen really knows how to do charcoal grilled beef. It’s the thing to order - washed down with a good local red. My mum, Jackie really enjoyed her glass! You’ll have a delicious meal here - just go early and sit near the front, which gets more concentrated wait service.