Review Salt On The Pier - Christchurch

Salt on the Pier in Christchurch offers a diverse menu with options like beef steak, lamb shank, salmon, spaghetti bolognese, and cheesecake. The beef steak was cooked to perfection, with a delightful medium-rare tenderness that satisfied our palates. The salmon was equally impressive, boasting a succulent texture and a flavorful seasoning that elevated the dish. However, we encountered an issue with the lamb shank, as it turned out to be disappointingly dry. Thankfully, the attentive staff promptly addressed our concern and replaced it. This demonstrates their commitment to ensuring a positive dining experience. The overall environment at Salt on the Pier is pleasant, providing a welcoming atmosphere that adds to the enjoyment of the meal. The service was commendable, with the staff being attentive and accommodating. To conclude, while the dry lamb shank was a hiccup in our experience, the excellent beef steak, flavorful salmon, and the attentive service compensate for it. Salt on the Pier remains a worthwhile dining destination in Christchurch, offering a variety of delicious options in a pleasant setting.

Super surprised at the quality of the food. Salt and Pepper Calamari was light and flavourful, fried perfectly. Ditto with the Peri Peri Chicken. Crumbed and seasoned beautifully and rhe chicken was perfectly cooked. The side salads had a beautiful mint and sweet dressing that was so refreshing, I actually wanted more salad, and that never happens. Top service to boot, great little café. Won't be my last visit that's for sure.

If you're looking for a truly unforgettable dining experience in Christchurch, I highly recommend checking out Salt on the Pier. From the moment you arrive, you'll be greeted by stunning ocean views and a chic, modern atmosphere that perfectly complements the restaurant's delicious cuisine. The menu at Salt on the Pier is diverse and offers a range of options for both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. From fresh seafood dishes to hearty meat dishes and indulgent desserts, there's something to suit every taste and craving. Plus, the restaurant sources its ingredients locally and uses only the freshest, high-quality produce, so you know you're getting a truly authentic taste of New Zealand. But what really sets Salt on the Pier apart is the impeccable service. From the friendly and attentive waitstaff to the knowledgeable and passionate chefs, everyone at this restaurant is committed to making your dining experience unforgettable. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a delicious night out, Salt on the Pier is the perfect spot. Overall, I can't recommend Salt on the Pier highly enough. It's easily one of the best restaurants in Christchurch, offering a unique and memorable dining experience that you won't find anywhere else. So why not make a reservation today and see for yourself? You won't be disappointed!

Pros: Great Service & Food. Cons: Quite Warm in the restaurant, not sure if there was just no cooling on or if there was none at all. The Desserts looked great but were slightly underwhelming in taste. However we enjoyed the starters, mains & overall experience so would go back.

Stopped in for early lunch. West Coast Whitebait was special of the day - absolutely superb and very well priced. Nice salad and chips to go with. The coffee was so delicious that I actually enquired about the brand (Gravity)! Service was superb and plenty of seating.

Really nice atmosphere, very neutral but lot with candles with a beautiful view. Warm, friendly and attentive staff. Great ribs! $20 for a full meal, and a pint! Incredible. Weds Thurs Friday $20 meals, and also good balanced but simple menu offering some really good, classic food. Definitely worth bringing a couple of mates, a date, or the family! Highly recommended.

visited with family Staff is friendly we Order some drinks Oat Late was nice wife did not liked her hot chocolate i think they use chocolate powder Mocha was fine Burger was yummy for kids And fluffy was nice Atmosphere was windy outside good inside Recommend 👍

We chose this venue because of the quizz and the seafood chowder. The quizz master was lots of fun. Very welcoming and friendly. The seafood chowder was outstanding. The service could have been better as the staff were confused as to whether the chowder and toast were gluten free or not. Would definitely recommend it for a fun night out.

Nice Chai Latte was just how I like it.. good service, nice wedges, muffin was a bit weird.. a bit crumbly and tasted a bit weird nice view though and decent overall.. 2 coffees, wedges and a muffin for $24 is not too bad really... cheers

Really great food. The long Island Ice Tea was delightfully lethal. The customer service was top notch.There was an issue with one of our meals but they eagerly resolved it for us and we left well fed and happy. The fried risotto balls were amazing.

I went there with my kids and friend last night.The restaurant is perfect for family gatherings and the food, which is quite delicious and authentic. The place is surely worth a try! Very attentive staff and they're keen to make the customers comfortable. I just loved everything about this place.

Delicious meals and beautiful view of sea out the window.. I had the Crispy Salmon on mashed potato and Hubby ordered Fish of the day. He didn't realise till afterwards that what he actually got was Beer battered fish and chips, but too late to complain

Food was delicious and affordable, quick service and after eating the beach is just nearby to have a stroll

I wish i hadn't gone to this eatery. Its sad, but there will always be a steady stream of unwitting people visiting the beach to prey upon. The main i ordered consisted of a tiny amount of potato hiding under the small serving of meat and a very small amount of veg to the side. I asked for the meat to be cooked pink, but it came out over cooked/well done. The waiter knew it was not rite and said "that's the way the chef cooks it". It was tough and not the way it should of been cooked at all. Don't think i would go back, if that's the state of affairs with a customer wanting the meat the way they want it and not the way the chef or owner chooses to put it out. The plates are huge, but the amount of food on them was so very small. There was also a very bad musty smell in the air. I really don't like handing over good money for such a bad return, its like food fraud.

So, we decided to buy a Grabone voucher for date night having never been to this restaurant before. Upon walking into the restaurant, it smelt like an old gym changing room and everything was covered in condensation. We ordered Arancini & Peri Peri Chicken as entrees (no complaints). I then had to use the bathroom, it looked and smelt like it hadn’t seen cleaning products for a few days. I ordered a surf and turf, the potato gratin had to be the worst I had eaten, it was flavourless and well undercooked. The salad comprised of 3 lettuce leaves, some grated carrot, red cabbage and what I’d assume was 1/4 cup of olive oil. My partners meal came with the same salad, except he was fortunate enough for his to include a slice of tomato, chips that came with no dipping sauce and an unevenly cooked steak. Considering the mains are almost $40 each, id rather spend $25 at a pub for the same thing.

Been there today for lunch. The food from the cabinet and items from the menu were absolutely low standard and we could not consume most of it. The crockeries were dirty and even had the clear marking of coffee froth in the cup and saucers and the stainless steel teapot was not cleaned. Asked the staff to change but the replacements were also dirty. Had to leave the food uneaten. It was an unappetising experience. The place is a prime tourist spot, the local Council needs to enforce the quality control criteria to ensure that the image of the city is not spoiled by operators.<br/><br/>If there is a scope I would not even rate this place as 1.

My friends and I went there last summer to try $10 Steak every Thursday and its great. Then I booked a nice meal for two on Valentines day to try their ala carte menu and its so good.

Starter of bread and dips, awesome dips, especially loved the beetroot and spicy/curry flavoured ones.<br/>Mains: Salmon, best I've eaten out; surf 'n turf, done to liking and great taste.<br/>Dessert: Went one well out of the box for me..... meringue roulade, but loved it. Husband had kapiti ice cream in a brandy basket (wow ice cream in a basket 👍🌝) and was well happy.<br/>Overall, very happy.

Had dinner here with friends tonight. They have a weekly special of a $10.00 steak night so we tried that out. So hey, for $10.00 you aren’t going to get a premium steak but for what we paid for it was pretty good!! My husband’s steak was cooked to perfection and the other people at our table had perfect steaks too. I don’t eat read meat so had the calamari with aioli. The calamari was very rubbery and just wasn’t pleasant to eat. The salad that came with it was abit brown and wilting so wasn’t overly keen on that and left half of it. The waiter came over and asked why I didn’t eat it and I explained why. He didn’t offer to discount it or take it off the bill. To be fair though the service was really attentive and pleasant. I would go back but just not order calamari. The steak meals were a good portion - my husband took my steak so I just had the fries and calamari. Perfect amount for me!

Lovely place and the staff were very nice. Food was great. Very easy to book, you can do it online. We will go again.<br/>Thank you Delys ☺🖒<br/>

I really enjoy the Salt On The Pier Restaurant for casual dining. The menu has a pretty extensive range of items and the seafood in particular is always fresh and cooked perfectly. The portion sizes are good relative to the price. You are always greeted with a smile and there is a fantastic view to boot.

Was told by a friend about their $10 Breaky specials. There was no table service in the cafe. Orders were taken quickly at the counter and breakfast arrived in a reasonable time on a busy morning. We bought their big breakfast, Breakfast of champions for $10. It was really worth it for that price and to be honest, I wouldn't have mind paying full price. Hash browns, scrambled eggs, tomato, mushroom and bacon all cooked well. My partner's Eggs Beni looked amazing and she really loved it. The Mocha was the best I ever had in my life. Service was friendly and great<br/>.

Third visit back since this management started and I wont go again. The first time my steak was so over done it was inedible, when we finally got the waiters attention I had already eaten half of my partners dinner. He told us the chef was aware he had messed it up! why serve it then? We had to ask for it to be removed from the bill. Second visit was breakfast downstairs, my whole family got their breakfast except me, when we asked the waitress she went away and didn't come back, finally went to the counter to ask and the staff member pulled up my receipt and told me he was trying to work it out. My breakfast came (wrong meal but I was too hungry to argue at that point) about 20 mins later and the rest of my family patiently waited for me to eat. today my daughter took me for breakfast and our poached eggs on both meals were extremely under-cooked with raw egg white. We asked for it to be redone and were met with no comment, she just took the plates away. 20 mins later we got new properly cooked food and a weak apology. Customer service is absolutely shocking and the cafe is dirty. Such a shame as this is a prime spot in New Brighton.

Unhelpful staff, brought in desserts and food to the table before drinks. Waited 22 minutes for a one of the worst tasting cups of coffee in my life. French toast was try as cardboard, fried bananas complitely cold, bacon was undercooked and wanted to run away from the plate. Creme brulee tasted average. Place looks run down and not clean. Found hair inside our drinking wate also.<br/><br/>Disappointed with the experience

Seafood lovers must visit!<br/><br/>Visited on New Year's Eve and ordered the Akaroa Salmon as a main. Very nicely cooked, everything else was also above average. Worth what you are paying for.<br/><br/>Only let down was my French soda was served warm but they brought out a chilled out very quickly.<br/><br/>Great atmosphere and good selection on the menu

Really really bad food and no regard for customer service, even when the request was made in politest manner.  Slow service and different items on the same table arrived in gaps of about 15 minutes which made the experience bizzare. ( the kids identical fluffys arrived 20 minutes apart). How restaurants hold their licence...I don' know,,,but such a pride of place in Christchurch should be better managed. A rip off. The beautiful beach lifted our spirits after this dampener.

The perfect place to warm up after a walk through the wind on the pier!  We sat by the window for lunch.  It was quiet, no music, just the pleasant hum of conversation around us.  The place is wheelchair-friendly (caveat: did not inspect toilets) and kid-friendly.  Occasional draught when doors opened.<br/><br/>Lunch menu was somewhat limited and unexciting.  Ordered the Surf'n'Turf cooked medium.  The steak arrived a little overcooked, but very nice.  The sauce (buttery with a hint of garlic?) seemed boring at first, but proved oddly moreish.  The chips were great, the salad fine.  I demurred on the "surf"--not really my thing--and my dining companion didn't think it was great (she'd have preferred if the scallops were battered).  Portion size perfectly adequate for two small eaters.  All in all I rather enjoyed it.  I'd stop by again if visiting the pier.

Very average food, and small portion sizes. Way over priced for the quality you get. It's like an untrained cook is cooking the food. Been here twice now and have been dissapointed both times. I won't be coming back again, and will be telling others to avoid it.<br/><br/>

We just stopped by for drinks after a walk on the pier.<br/><br/>The experience was very pleasant though. The atmosphere was easy and relaxed (they have comfortable couch seats), service was friendly, and the view from the huge glass window was absolutely breathtaking. The drinks were nice too.<br/><br/>The perfect place to chill, or even for functions.

Went there for dinner with some friends and got 2 surf and turfs and 2 Flintstones. The steak and seafood on all the dishes where on point it was a pity that the veges where so average. the lettuce was brown and vegetables tasted old and the dishes where plated very basic. front of house staff where great. <br/>also the chips where terrible..... dont put out crappy chips

Last day before returning to work and decided that we would go out for dinner, in the end choosing to eat locally to support local businesses. This despite what my instinct was telling me about Salt on the Pier, that I would be severely disappointed. I was proven wrong.<br/><br/>Salt on the Pier Restaurant or Salt, as I shall refer to it for the rest of this review, is situated upstairs from it's cafe part, with doors that lead directly out to the New Brighton Pier. There is elevator access downstairs and carparking isn't immediately available on site, but there are a number of carparks around the area that you shouldn't have to walk too far from.<br/><br/>Entering through the doors of the restaurant didn't really quell my fears about the food much. Salt is quaint and there wasn't anything immediately wrong about the place but it did appear very plain. The redeeming feature is the stunning pier and ocean view, which is unfortunately dulled by windows which could stand to use a clean on the outside. BUT being beachside, they would probably have to clean them constantly to keep them crystal clear and that would be near impossible for most restaurants in similar situations - the sheer cost of doing so and the constant need to be cleaning would be a hassle - but would that give customers more reasons to love the place? Possibly.<br/><br/>We were given the choice of seating - being a party of 3, we didn't have the option of window seating, despite there being plenty of window tables available - these were all smaller tables set for 2 people. So they could stand to try and arrange for a larger table to be situated near the windows so that they can enjoy the fantastic view as well.<br/><br/>There weren't a huge number of people dining it, but it was a Monday and it was still relatively early in the evening. However few ventured in during our time there.<br/><br/>Our waitress was lovely and attentive, friendly and polite. She didn't mention to us the specials, which we noticed on a board after we had ordered but did notice that she mentioned it to another party, so a momentary lapse can be excused. She was quick to offer a children's pack, care of smartybags.co.nz which was very cool - kept our wee one entertained for at least a little while and he got to keep the crayons and stickers that came with it as well.<br/><br/>I ordered a rib-eye, medium-well, with garlic butter (comes with salad and fries), and my wife ordered the surf n turf, medium-rare, with hot dog and fries for my son - and a favourite, mushroom arancini to start with.<br/><br/>The arancini came out quickly - 3 round crumbed balls of risotto rice with mushroom and cheese inside, a touch of salad in the middle and some dollops of basil/pesto sauce. The arancini was amazing. It was different from most of the ones we have tried because it seemed to come with what I think was a dukkah crumb but was amaze-arancini-balls. Loved them and had us wishing we had ordered a plate each rather than 1 to share.<br/><br/>Mains followed soon after, our table having been cleared relatively quickly. My wife's plate looked fantastic, the appearance of mine was as to be expected and I always mean to take photos but am always in a hurry to try the food so I missed doing that. The salad could have done with a different dressing, not sure what, but it did come across as a bit tasteless. My steak was overcooked but I accept that it is really tricky to get that fine line of medium well - just enough pink to not be dry. Many have struggled to reach the pinnacle of how I like my steak. My wife's steak was also over-cooked, but she didn't mind eating it medium-well - in fact, overall she seemed to love her meal.<br/><br/>We were served by 2 waitresses in all and both were very friendly and quick to clear tables for us and do so with a smile (considering it was a public holiday).<br/><br/>So overall a couple of, at the end, of the day forgivable aspects but otherwise we were very happy with the service and the meals and will most definitely be back for a plate of arancini each.

Nothing goes better with a beach pier than a beach pier bar. Salt on the Pier is just that - a great bar (and restaurant) located at the end of the pier in New Brighton. There are small tables to enjoy a snack out of the sun or you can choose the bar seating against the large glass windows; regardless of where you sit, you'll have an ocean view. Be on the lookout for events held at Salt on the Pier for holidays to view the fireworks from the warm indoors with a cold beverage in hand.

I've been here a few times!! Kid friendly which is important to us!! Food is always pretty good it's a lil over priced for some things but all in all I will continue to go to salt on th pier

Unfortunately this restaurant continues to disappoint. As the upstairs was booked out for a function, we were seated downstairs in the cafe. This limited our drinking options, as some drinks were upstairs only. After asking if the prices would remain the same for the lesser cafe environment and reduced bar options we were then told there was no change in pricing.<br/><br/>I ordered a 'Flintstone' steak and received an underwhelming meal, especially for $34, with 'medium rare' arriving as medium. If a dish says it includes seasonal vegetables and handcut fries, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect something larger than a small handful of vegetables, or more than 5 fries. Chicken was also ordered and was dry.<br/><br/>If the restaurant is booked out for a function, using the cafe for restaurant patrons is just taking the opportunity to grab additional revenue without regard for the customers experience or expectations. Additionally, while a sea view is nice, it shouldn't be built into the menu pricing - especially if the food quality (presentation and degree of kitchen capability) doesn't live up to the prices being charged. This is not a quality, higher end menu, in it's execution at least.<br/><br/>A poor overall experience - unlikely to return &amp; will definitely be telling others not to bother.

Good coffee and lunch menu which is tasty, rather friendly staff the setting is a little bit crowded but an all round good cafe.

This restaurant is under new ownership. The quality of the usual menu has dropped (I had my usual Surf and Turf, instead of prime fillet on potato gratin, fresh vegetables and large, fresh scallops it now featured an under-seasoned ribeye on a wilted salad with fries and a lonely scallop, albeit for the same price as before) and now features several curry dishes. <br/><br/>Instead of several front of house staff as we're used to, only one staff member was evident all night and while he worked hard, we couldn't help but think that with new ownership, the high standards of the previous owners have been lost which is disappointing.<br/><br/>Extra point for my partner's coconut chicken dish, after the disappointment of my meal it was actually really good although we felt that the chicken was very slightly undercooked. <br/><br/>Dessert was fairly uneventful, we both had the Brulee which featured stale cream and chipped bowls. <br/><br/>Overall.. again, with the drop in quality with no drop in price, I don't think we could justify returning nor recommending this restaurant.

I wish this restaurant would find new management and soon. I have lived in Brighton a few years now and reluctantly keep going back as there is no where else much to go.<br/>Bad and rude service. And they don't seem to care either.<br/>Well that was the last time.

As a walk in guest, I had the oppourtunity to dine at the restaurant. After waiting for about 20 min. on the table, I realised I had to go to the counter and place my order for drinks instead waiting for somwone to take orders on the tabel.The restaurant seemed reasonably quite for a late sunday afternoon though the beach /pier was full of visitors.The staff wasn't very busy either and could have paid attention to walk in customers.<br/>The drinks arrived quickly howver there was not much choice from the menu for afternoon snacks. This prompted us to wait for dinner time and unwillingly we had to kill another 40 min. for the clock to hit the dinner time in anticipation of a good night out.<br/>Waiting anxiously, we ordered the sunday special mains which arrived in 30 min.only to our dissappointment. <br/>The chips were cold and the chicken didn't looked very promising either. The dish did not met our expectation so had reasons to complain. After waiting for a while, decided to cancel and return the dish.<br/>However, the vegetarian pasta recommendded by the waitress were extremely good and did some justice to the dinner.<br/>Sadly, the overall atmosphere of the restaurant isn't inviting either. It's a shame that being on such a prime location, the restaurant hasn't got much to offer.<br/>It holds tremendous potenial and can improve with little efforts.

Disappointing lunch had here. Such potential to really impress with the great view of the water. But the fact I had to order at the till and pay up front didn't impress. So every time we (three of us) wanted a drink you had to get up and go order it and then pay. Madness.<br/>We all had the fish special which was monkfish with prawns. $28 each plus we ordered a plate of fries as the fish came with potatoes which were called gourmet potatoes. Don't know what was 'gourmet' about them they were just boiled new potatoes?<br/>The meal was disappointing. It looked great but was so bland. The prawns had no flavour and I had to really season my fish to grab some flavour.<br/>Nice salad though and the dressing was lovely.<br/>No dessert was ordered. And even though we had all finished our meals and had even ordered some more drinks still our plates remained glued to our table for the next 60 minutes! Wait staff walked right past us countless times even the manager, but no, no one was going to clear our table. Maybe you have to not just order and pay at the counter but clear your table too, hmmm?<br/>Would I recommend this restaurant? Probably not, your paying high prices for crap service and disappointing fare.