Being a bit of a regular at Hopgoods we were stoked to show off this amazing restaurant to family that had travelled over from the UK. They were blown away by the amazing service and exceptional food, saying it was probably the best meal out they had ever eaten.
Myself I was quietly smug and also full with 4 courses of top draw food having been laid in front of me.
Only cloud for me is the wine list and the fact it never really changes, whilst the quality is there I think it needs a revamp and more variety (just my thoughts).
Keep doing what your doing guys your killing it and cuisine restaurant of the year should be in the bag 😉
This is a real treat here and get looked after very well by staff.thoroughly enjoyed my meal and highly recommend coming here for any occasion
Well team I am pretty fussy being ex hospo manager and partner a chef. Tonight my partner and I came in and had the 5 course tasting menu served by the lovely girl from Canada. Her service was top quality. The food was stunning. The wine was devine. Was a busy night being a wed but not noisy or crazy. If you in Nelson and want a romantic night. This is the place. Thank you so much. When we back in Nelson we will visit xx
Superb, our best meal in NZ so far. Excellent service and food. I would highly recommend it.
Carol Cambria B & B recommended your restaurant when we were checking in this afternoon! Marine & staff took great care of us. That goat cheese fritter, the Ora salmon, the duck confit, & the lamb were all superb. One of the best restaurants that we have ever eaten at.
My favourite restaurant in NZ. Fantastic food that never disappoints. Great service. Absolutely love this place. Can’t wait to come back.
I first ate here 4 years ago whilst visiting NZ from the U.K.. I had a most memorable starter of beef carpaccio, with crispy eggs, truffle fries, rocket and Parmesan. I returned last night with my wife, having mentioned the dish when booking. The team had arranged for the dish to be on the menu. It was just as memorable. The other dishes were as good. Service was impeccable. This is what a restaurant should be.
Pure chance we picked this restaurant and pure luck we got a table. Mmmm fantastic food and superb service. A great meal.
Amazing fresh food, staff, service everything was awesome you must try this place if ever in Nelson. I couldn't decide what to have so I had a couple of snack meals then a couple of starter meals and wanted more and more after each mouthful of goodness. Some of the best dishes I've had, I will be back :-)
This was our best meal in New Zealand. The food is delicious and the service is great. I wish we had eaten there more nights!
Een top restaurant ! Goede sfeer, perfect eten, écht aan te raden!! Een must voor de toerist uit Europa!!!!!
If you're in Nelson at any point of your life, go here. Best food and best service I've ever experienced. Thoroughly impressed by everything.
Absolutely beautiful meal last night for our anniversary meal the Beef tartaki starter yum and pork Belly with sour cherry relish and beets I could go on all night..
My dining experience can best be described as 'the best of Master Chef' in the High Street' with everything cooked and presented to the highest standard.
Excellent food and wine selection. Make sure you ask about the tasting menu.
Fantastic dinner for a special birthday on Saturday night - you rock Team Hopgoods !
I had a very good dinner for my birthday. Food and wine were great and service was good. Thanks!
Dragged my crew to hopgoods for a 30th birthday.
Went for the degustation with wine pairing and added cheeses.
Food and service was fantastic however one of the dishes came out with no prawns and while we were comp’ed a wine i dont understand how this could happen. Suppose we should have sent it back instead of eating it.
Beautiful venue. We were seated out side on a great night. No seagulls.
The prawn and this hoki stole the show for me.
Forgot to take photos of some of the food vibe was to good
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I visited for dinner on Saturday night with two good friends. The service was impeccable. Attentive, friendly and welcoming without being too casual, or stuffy. It was just the right balance.
I started with the starter of Chicken Liver Parfait on Brioche. Toasted light buttery brioche with silky smooth parfait, and cornichons and cherries. The taste combo was insane and this dish was my highlight of the night. I'd go back and visit for that dish alone.
Next I had an entree of Pork Belly and this was also excellent. Incredibly well cooked and delicious, the belly was so well cooked it would have been able to be eaten with a spoon. One friend had the duck which was also top notch and my other friend the lamb which she couldn't stop bragging about.
We grabbed a bottle of the 2007 Greenhough Chardonnay from a local Nelson Vineyard, which was pretty exceptional and chilled to just the perfect temperature (Something many restaurants and bars cannot master). The wine list is well rounded and covers plenty of magnificent wines.
Come desert time, there was simply no room left! Which was disappointing as the dessert menu was pretty enticing and I had been looking forward to pushing the boat out. But alas the boat stayed ashore tonight. However it gives me the perfect excuse to return.
The menu is seasonal and changes regularly which keeps things interesting. Its a relatively pricey restaurant however its worth every penny for the perfect service, food and ambience. This place is in the top 100 NZ restaurants and has won many local awards also and for good reason.If you have a special occasion Hopgoods will hit the mark, and if its just delicious food you are after for no special reason, then you will not be disappointed. I can't wait to return when i'm next down in Nelson and give Hopgoods another go.
We came here while on holiday because of some amazing reviews we had been reading. Definitely did not disappoint! We came in on a Saturday evening about 7pm without a booking and they went out of their way to accomodate us. We started with an entree of breads/pate and the scampi tail. For a main I had the venison and the rest of the table ordered the eye fillet with a selection of sides. We were all in heaven as we ate and all exclaiming that it was the best venison/eye fillet we had ever eaten! The waiter was very knowledgeable about the food and the service was impeccable. Overall we had an excellent night!
I started with the pork belly with roast apricot, onion soubise, bacon, thyme and hazelnut brown butter and I was very happy with my choice. For my main I had the Angus beef fillet with mushroom crumble, bacon hash and roast carrots. It was lovely but I felt the price was high given the size of the fillet. For pudding i had Mascarpone cheesecake with strawberry, meringue and poached rhubarb. It was also lovely but the tiniest serve of cheesecake I'd ever had. The service was very friendly and polite. One odd note was cutlery being kept in a set of drawers next to us - lots of traffic and banging of drawers.
Great food and service. With a seasonal menu there is always something new and fresh. Can be more on the pricey side but as an occasional treat dinner it's great!
Good flavours, good food, decent wine list. Have had a lovely meal each time I've visited. Will definitely come back when I'm next in Nelson
Amy @ My Dining Journey
+5
Opened back in 2005 in the heart of Nelson, Hopgood’s has had a solid standing when it comes to creating phenomenal food. This award-winning restaurant on Trafalgar Street is housed in a heritage building and offers dishes made from fresh local produce which you can happily pair with stunning Nelson and Marlborough wine or beer.
Check out my blog for more details :)
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My boyfriend and I were recently in Nelson for the weekend for work and came across Hopgoods while trying to find somewhere to have dinner on a Saturday night. The inside of the restaurant was packed but luckily there was an empty table outside which suited us just fine and we settled in and ordered a bottle of wine. We ordered the pork croquette and stuffed olives for starters. They were both delicious but very small, luckily we didn't just get one to share! Next for mains, I ordered the spinach and ricotta ravioli while he got the lamb. Mine was nice at the start but became quite bland half way through and needed some kind of zing or spicy flavour to break it up. Again they were small, especially for the price tag. After mains we were still hungry and instead of nipping off to McDonald's, decided to get dessert. At this stage the waitress came over and asked if we wanted blankets as it was starting to get a bit chilly, I decided against it but she said to let her know if we changed our minds, very lovely. On to ordering desserts, I got the affogato which was again very tasty and my boyfriend got the apple tart which he was also pleased with. When they arrived at our table I asked if I could have the previously mentioned blanket (it took awhile for the desserts to come out) the waitress said she'd go and fetch one. By the time we had finished eating and the bottle of wine was empty there was still no sign of the blanket which left me feeling super awkward. Hopgood's food was tasty but nothing exceptional, expensive, with small portions and to save having to avoid eye contact, don't take them up on the blanket offer! 😂
Absolutely outstanding meal. Service was warm and friendly , menu was simple but varied, wine list had a great selection of NZ wines from all regions. I had the beef capparcio for entree and pork belly for main. The flavour combinations of all dishes
were excellent. The side of cauliflower with capers and anchovies was worth adding to our order at the last minute. Great to see a regional restaurant doing such an amazing job of representing NZ produce and wines.
A started with a glass of the Saddleback Pinot Noir (a New Zealand wine originating from Central Otago) while I had the Graggy Range Shiraz. As I am a huge fan of parfait, pate and terrines, I twisted A’s arm to share the chicken liver parfait for our entrée. When we had our first bites, we were both amazed at the flavours. The texture was so soft and it was perfect in every way. Hopgood’s also added a circle of micro herbs to the dish, and as I mentioned before I am a huge fan of these herbs (so tiny but so much flavour!).
I had gone there because or a recommendation from another person who runs a restaurant, and he happened to be shut on a Monday. I went there and ordered for a pork belly, and man was I not dissapointed. It was easily the most tender pork belly I had.
My partner ordered lamb dish but was not too pleased with the outcome,
I had a bit of a banter with the pretty looking waitress, and they were really hospitable.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to pamper themselves with a bit of spare cash.
:)
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We were in Nelson for our fourth anniversary and wanted to celebrate with a good meal out.
We researched restaurants, and based on reviews, the menu and advice from our hostess we chose Hopgood's.
We like to dine early so booked for 6.00pm - the place soon filled up quickly tough, so best to book in advance.
It’s a busy restaurant and the staff negotiate this very well. They are still very attentive, without being intrusive.
We ordered a bottle of Saddleback Pinot Noir - perfect temperature, smooth wine.
To start, Pork belly and Chicken liver parfait.
The Pork belly was tender and lean - the accompanying elements complemented the dish. Beets, potato, julienne apple, walnuts, jus and a perfect piece of crackling - crunchy but not tough. A very well balance and flavoursome dish.
The pate was equally impressive. Simple yet delicate. The jelly was sharp and the nectarine sweet. The brioche was light and crispy and all together, delicious.
Mains, we both ordered the venison. It came with kale, roast butternut squash, a cheese and potato stack (like a gratin) and red wine jus.
This dish was sublime. The venison was cooked to absolute perfection, so tender neither of us could believe it. A good portion of meat too. A rich but clean dish.
We shared a desert, the Buttermilk panna cotta, with jammie dodgers, strawberry gelato and fresh berries. This was a fun dish and the perfect finish to the meal. Light and sweet. The home-made jammie dodgers were a great element, made from shortbread. We loved it.
The presentation of the entire meal added to the excitement of each dish.
Saddleback Pinot Noir: $47.00
Pork Belly: $22.50
Chicken Liver Parfait: $19.50
Venison: $37.50 each
Buttermilk panna cotta: $15.95
All up it cost us $179.95 - it was worth it.
If I had one criticism, it would be a minor one. I felt the space between courses was a little rushed at 10 minutes. I would have preferred a bit longer to savor the experience.
This was one of the most enjoyable meals we have experienced in a while. My partner rated it as one of the best she has ever had.
Next time we are in Nelson, we will definitely be back.
Entire experience was amazing - helpful and knowledgable staff, great wine, and I changed my mind 5 times before ordering because everything on the menu looked incredible. Was definitely some food envy at the table!
Keep it up, will be back, and recommending.
Went there in January of this year - a great meal, very good service, and a very pleasant evening. The decor is casual, but the staff and the presentation of the dishes is 5-star. The table next to us had some special dietary requirements, and they were catered in a most accommodating manner - and the dishes were also great. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Hopgoods to anyone, and I'll certainly be back again to try the Duck!
Fantastic service, fantastic food, very enjoyable evening. GF extremely well catered for without compromising the taste. Interesting menu, well presented and tasty food. Not to miss when in Nelson, exactly what a Resturant featured in Cuisine magazine should be.
My husband and I loved this restaurant - food was cooked to perfection and so very tasty, totally worth the money spent. The service was of very high standard, best we've ever had. Highly recommend Hopgoods to all :)
I have had three dinners to Hopgoods and they have all been perfect evenings. I had two work dinners with a large group and one special date. As I am vegan, I am always impressed how they will prepare a menu with several starters, two mains, two deserts, and several sides. They are very accommodating which I really appreciate it. The service is amazing and the atmosphere is lovely. It's a great place to really indulge and treat yourself. I highly recommend it to anyone.
Had heard so much about this place so we tried it for the first time the other night.
We had three courses each, food was just beautiful, amazing flavours.
Service was excellent.
Only thing I didn't like was how close together the tables were that run up the side of the wall and for one reason only. While we were eating, the waitress came to table next to us to take orders etc and her butt was right there in my face. No diners on other side of that table so out of courtesy she could have taken the orders, and served from other side.
If not for that I would rate this place 5 stars.
Love it! A regular favourite. Excellent food, friendly staff and great service. And Mussel Inn beer on tap!
Nelsons Best. Time and time again. We love it. The perfect place to take those who appreciate fine food.
It dosn't have all those awards for nothing! Food - Amazing,Service - Amazing!
----- 28 Jan, 2010 -----
Beautiful food thats well presented,cannot fault it!
Hard to fault this eatery. Good food and decor and the service also was very good. I have eaten here 4 times and it has been very good on all occasions. This place would stand up as a good eatery in any city, that is very rare in Nelson (the city of very very average reataurants and even worse service) Book early here, its a sfe bet it will be full at busy holiday periods.
This is a great place to go for a special occasion. Lovely food, friendly service.
Five of us went for dinner last night . We didn't have a booking but were welcomed and 3 small tables were quickly pushed together and the service was warm and friendly throughout. The menu is excellent and the food was the best I've had in Nelson. My lamb dish was deliciously tender and full of flavour.We all had excellent desserts and my bread and butter pudding was light and scrummy. An appetising easy top dining experience I would recommend to anyone.
The food here is exquisite. My daughter suggested Hopgoods for my family birthday dinner out in February. Today, I am looking for somewhere special to take my daughter to lunch, very few restaurants came close to being considered. Be sure you book ahead or you may be disappointed.
Toni Gallot (Sakura_kiwi)
+5
We have been meaning to come here for ages and finally got the opportunity this time around in Nelson. It was great, every dish was beautiful and the atmosphere was perfect too.
The Lobster toast, the salmon entree and the fish main were the best selections on the night. The potato side we had was outstanding too! We paired our food with an excellent bottle of Felton Road Block 2 Chardonnay….amazing!
Service was good and the maître d was outstandingly good at taking care of customers.
We will return!
First of all, I would like to thank the staff at Hopgoods for accommodating us for NYE dinner which was made the day before. We were in town w/o making any NYE dinner plan and scrambled around at the 11th hour checking openings at numerous restaurants until husband showed up in person to Hopgoods and the staff graciously squeezed us in. Service was impeccable and warm with staff checking up on us quite often, tasting menu was creative and delicious and the staff kindly adjusted my husband's meal to dairy-free so some of his dishes looked like a completely different item from mine. Great place in Nelson for upscale dining.
Impressive! An incredible fine dining experience - such an epic set up - service, atmosphere, food, drink - everything was amazing!! Will be back for sure the next time we are in Nelson, def a must do!!
Excellent night out with my mother, the food was superb while service was friendly and attentive. The cheese soufflé was very interesting with beetroot and raspberry compote underneath, utterly delicious. Mum had the lamb dish minus the sweetbreads done slightly more than medium which was exactly how she wanted it. The staff arranged a little treat for Mum having overheard that it was her birthday. There's a very good wine list (and Verve is sold by the glass).
Hopgoods is well deserving of its fine reputation.
This place was on our to do list in Nelson because it kept showing up in lists and awards in magazines. We were not disappointed! We had the 5 course tasting menu and it was excellent. Easily up to or better than the standard of many of the top spots in the major centers. Great service, excellent food. Highly recommend.
Wow, I’ve been traveling for 6 months and this might be the most sublime, flawless, and “I already wish I could come back” dining experience I’ve had. It reminded why I love the art of food, the surprises and subtleties. And the service! My waitress was cheeky, fun, and always ready to help. Her advice was golden - she even gave me a half portion at half price of an (incredible) saffron potatoes side when I said I was medium hungry. She also gave me three wine tastings to pick from as I chose my glass for the main course. She deserves a medal for her deft and faultless work.
The rest of the staff is lovely and warm, every face and every course. I am actually sad I cannot back again as I move on to Queenstown then return to the US. You MUST get the duck confit, the local Paua appetizer, and the most divine yogurt cake I’ve ever tasted.
Come here. One of the greatest meals of my life, and I’ve had ~20 2-3 star Michelin meals.
Incredible food, friendly, laid-back atmosphere, did I mention the delicious food? We had the pork cheek, beef fillet, confit duck and tiramasu for desert. All of it was amazing. The truffle butter with the bread was a revelation. But what really made our night was the service. All of the staff were really warm and friendly, particularly Vicky, who made us feel like we were her life-long best friends. Would definitely recommend, will definitely go back next time we're in Nelson.
The BEST FOOD I've eaten. AMAZING! The service is brilliant. Had the 5 course taster menu on our recent visit and was just delicious!! Can't fault this restaurant.
I try to visit here each time I’m back in Nelson. I visited just prior to Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed the 5 course tasting menu with matching wines.
Outstanding courses were the whitebait with a beautiful brown butter sauce matched with a stunning Sauvignon Blanc and the eye fillet with a lovely Zinfandel.
Service and staff were fantastic. It’s a wonderful special night out.
Top quality food, service and ambience
We had a truly delicious plant-based meal there, with vegan wines and top quality service. Hopgoods is beautifully decorated, well-located, and the dining experience was one I'd love to repeat. Very vegan-friendly - they had a dedicated vegan menu that featured ingredients bought from the farmers market on the same day. Highly recommended!
A bunch of us were up from ChCh visiting friends and family and Hopgoods was a destination for us. We absolutely loved it. We were a group of six and were seated in a semi-private room, we basically ordered everything off the small and medium sized plates then grazed for a couple of blissful hours. The staff looked after us so well, they kept the food coming, as well as the drinks, they knew the menu and the food! Omg the food was mind blowing. Highly recommend.
Best fine dining in town 👌. Had the delicious Degustation Menu when we were last in, absolutely delicious 😋. If you haven't tried Hopgoods it's a must, worth every cent.
Mind-blowingly good (recommend booking). A must-go in Nelson. My ricotta strozzapreti was one of the best meals I've tasted - incredible mushroom flavour and beautifully balanced. The yoghurt cake (pictured without garnish as requested) was a perfect finish the the meal - so so refreshing and delicious.
The staff were warm and helpful, the whole atmosphere was lovely.
If I had to find some constructive criticism to make it would only be that the elderflower drink was quite plain (a little weak in flavour), but the food more than made up for it.
Upper price range, but well worth it for a treat dinner.
Amazing food and great service from Maia last Friday on our 5 course menu. We've chosen the matching wines and it was just perfect.
We had one of the best meals in Nelson. From the moment we walked in and the server greeted us, then preceded to give us a gin tasting prior to ordering our gin cocktail, then a wine tasting to ensure we chose the perfect bottle of vino to match the food. Oh and then the food was delicious. The crayfish ravioli was juicy and sweet. The richness of the cheese soufflé was cut perfectly with the Temata estate Zara viognier! Our main choices were the confit duck leg and the fennel turbot. Both dishes were just epic. That turbot was one of the nicest fish dishes I’ve ever tasted. Highly recommend you visit Hopgoods next time you visit Nelson or live in Nelson!
Went for the first time with my mum tonight, we have been meaning to go for a while. They did not disappoint and we are already planning our return. We got the degustation menu and it was DELICIOUS! All of the staff were so lovely. Could not fault the night at all, well done to all of the team in making our night such an enjoyable one.
Don’t miss this place. Everything is great from starters to deserts... very decent price and great wine list! The British chef featured in a national cookbook. Cosy place on pedestrian street.
At short notice my husband and I appreciated being given a table to dine..
The food and service were exemplary.
Highly recommended.
Thank you.
Sandra and Kevin. Nelson
I can not fault this place. We went looking for a meal late and found them open on a Friday night after flying in. Great recommendations, excellent service. Food was flawless. Good wine list to suit the food.
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