Bar & Café - Tekapo Springs

altitude 720 cafe & bar

Relax, refuel, and take in the views at the heart of Tekapo Springs.

Our Bar & Café is more than just a place to eat and drink. It’s a warm and welcoming spot to gather, unwind, and enjoy some of the best local flavours New Zealand has to offer. Whether you’re après ski in winter, cooling off after a summer dip, or taking a break from mini golf, ice skating, or spectating some ice hockey, we’ve got something to satisfy every craving.

* The café is open daily, opening hours may change without notice due to seasonal demand.

Café Menu (example)

Outdoor balcony with lake and mountain vistas

Sangria in Summer, Mulled Wine in Winter

Daily cabinet with a wide variety of sweets and savouries

Food to Suit Every Appetite

Our café offers a full cooked menu with a variety of delicious options that change with the seasons. We also cater for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets, so everyone can find something they love. Best of all, there’s no entry fee to our café and no surcharges on public holidays.

From light bites to hearty meals, our menu has you covered. Grab something quick from the cabinet like fresh sandwiches, slices, or our staff-favourite housemade carrot cake, or treat yourself to a classic Kiwi pie or sausage roll.

Looking for something more substantial? Our kitchen serves up crowd-pleasers like fish & chips, nachos, waffle chicken, and gourmet pizzas, alongside kid-friendly meals to keep the little ones happy. And don’t forget to check out our ice cream freezers, filled with a wide variety of flavours.

(Menu items change seasonally, so there’s always something new to try.)

Local Craft Beers & Drinks

We’re proud to be a fully licensed café and bar, serving House of Hop craft beers on tap (brewed just down the road in Geraldine) alongside a wide selection of Emerson’s beers from Dunedin. For something a little different, try the crisp and refreshing Crimson Badger Ginger Bear, or explore our carefully chosen range of local wines, such as Straight 8 from the Canterbury plains. We also offer a variety of international drinks for those who like to sample flavours from further afield.

Our bar is stocked with seasonal drinks, fresh juices, milkshakes, smoothies, sodas, and more – perfect for kids and adults alike. And if you’re after the perfect pick-me-up, you’ll love our house-roasted coffee beans, roasted on-site for the freshest flavour.

A Setting Like No Other

Choose your perfect spot to relax:

Cosy indoors by the fire in winter.
Sunny outdoor seating by the ice rink (winter) or mini golf course (summer).
Balcony dining with sweeping views over Lake Tekapo.

Whether you’re here for a family lunch, an après soak snack, or a sunset drink with friends, our Bar & Café is the ideal place to soak up the atmosphere of Tekapo Springs.

our story

Our cafe & bar sits at 720 metres above sea level, perfectly positioned to take in the lake and mountain views as well as the pure alpine air! Our decor pays homage to New Zealand’s “Monarch of the Mountains”, the magnificent Himalayan tahr that live in the grasslands of our alpine environment.

IT STARTED WITH A DUKE

In 1904, the Duke of Bedford introduced Tahr to New Zealand with the intention of hunting them for sport. He supplied three males and three females from his own herd at Woburn Abbey although one reckless spirit jumped off the ship so only five arrived. Later, another eight animals were shipped over and released near Aoraki/Mount Cook.

king of the mountain

With their shaggy coats, exceptional eyesight, excellent hearing and sense of smell the Tahr quickly adapted to their new environment. They thrived on eating snow tussock, alpine herbs including the Mount Cook lily and sub-alpine plants such as the native broom. Numbers grew to pest proportions and the government introduced pest control measures in the 1930s.

A HUNTER’S PARADISE

New Zealand is the only country in the world where tahr are freely hunted in the open. Visitors come from all over the globe for the challenge of hunting these agile beasts; they are often hard to find as they live in rugged country and are adept at moving quickly through steep and rough terrain.

The Department of Conservation operates a tahr control plan with the goal of keeping total numbers below 10,000. Local tahr near Tekapo are monitored for population trends, the effects of hunting and their impact on vegetation.