The Mt Cook dining and nightlife is reasonably impressive considering that it is such a small village, although the options are limited and you can experience a little bit of Groundhog Day if you stay at Mt Cook for too long.

Hermitage Hotel Restaurants

The Alpine Restaurant is located in the Hermitage Hotel, and with large picture windows you can dine in the early evening whilst taking in the alpenglow of Mt Cook. It’s a large hall-like restaurant that offers buffet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. During winter when the Panorama Restaurant is closed, a small a la carte menu is also on offer.

Next door is the Panorama Restaurant which is the most upscale dining establishment at the Hermitage. It is more intimate than the Alpine Restaurant and as the name suggests, this restaurant also affords great views of the mountains. This restaurant is closed during winter.

During the day the large Sir Edmund Hillary Café is the place to hang out, especially on the balcony on a sunny day. The food is simple and very affordable and includes sandwiches, sausage rolls, basic hot dishes, cakes, pastries and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Pizzas are sometimes available in the evenings during summer.

Other Mt Cook Restaurants

Just a few minutes walk down from the Hermitage Hotel is The Old Mountaineers Café Bar and Restaurant aka Charlies. This cute little lodge is open for lunch and dinner and features a photo gallery. The Old Mountaineers fully supports organic, free-range and GE-free food that includes pizzas, curries, salmon and other main courses. The prices are not in the inexpensive range, but well worth it for the hospitality.

The Chamois Bar at the bottom of the Mt Cook village offers pub style meals at reasonable prices. The dining area is completely soulless and it feels like a cheap cafeteria with plastic tables and chairs. You even have to bus your own table. An annoyingly loud bell goes off to indicate that a meal is ready, which completely detracts from any potential ambience of the establishment.

Mt Cook Bars & Nightlife

The upscale Snowline Bar is located at the Hermitage Hotel. This is a very classy establishment to lounge about whilst taking in the views of Mt Cook. They have dangerous cocktails on offer so you can knock yourself out! Unfortunately the wine list is a little underwhelming, but luckily the cocktails are delightfully good.

Charlie’s (The Old Mountaineers Café Bar and Restaurant) is popular for low key nightlife at the bar within a reasonably festive atmosphere.

The Chamois Bar has a small bar area that has a little bit of character (unlike the dining area).