The Cow Pizza & Spaghetti House
A beloved Wanaka institution serving hearty Kiwi-style pizzas and pastas in a cozy, rustic wool shed with a fireplace.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
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The Cow Pizza & Spaghetti House
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A beloved Wanaka institution serving hearty Kiwi-style pizzas and pastas in a cozy, rustic wool shed with a fireplace.
Generous Portions: Share Dishes
Portions are generous; consider sharing to try more flavors.
Off-Peak Hours for Best Service
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid crowds and ensure quicker service.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Pizza & Pasta
Price
Mid-range
Phone
+64 3 443 4269
Address
33 Ardmore Street, Wānaka 9305, New Zealand
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Her Majesty's Delights Pizza
A famously delicious pizza with generous portions, perfect for sharing and fueling adventures.
Cozy Wool Shed Ambiance
Experience a warm and rustic atmosphere with a crackling fireplace in a historic wool shed setting.
Hearty Kiwi-Style Pizzas
Enjoy unique pizzas with local twists, like venison pepperoni, alongside classic pasta dishes.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Generous Portions: Share Dishes
Portions are generous; consider sharing to try more flavors.
Off-Peak Hours for Best Service
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid crowds and ensure quicker service.
Communicate Flavor Preferences
Inform staff about sensitivities to strong flavors like garlic or onion.
Order Garlic Bread as Starter
The garlic bread is a highly recommended starter, often a whole loaf.
Tips
from all over the internet
Generous Portions: Share Dishes
Portions are generous; consider sharing to try more flavors.
Off-Peak Hours for Best Service
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid crowds and ensure quicker service.
Communicate Flavor Preferences
Inform staff about sensitivities to strong flavors like garlic or onion.
Order Garlic Bread as Starter
The garlic bread is a highly recommended starter, often a whole loaf.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Diners rave about the delicious and generous portions, particularly the pizzas, and the cozy, rustic atmosphere with a charming fireplace. While most reviews are glowing, one diner found the 'Kiwi-style' pizza toppings to be unusual, with ingredients tasting raw rather than cooked.
"Great service! The Her Majesty’s pizza was delicious and huge - easily fed two people. Even had a couple of slices left to enjoy at the mountain summit the next day. Perfect fuel for hiking!"
Dmitry Sadovnikov
"This was such a cool place to visit! We got the recommendation from a friend who had been previously!
The place was such a cool old wool shed vibe with a pumping fire and delicious pizza and food. Even enough for leftovers for lunch the next day! The garlic bread is literally a loaf of bread, which was a lot for us alongside a pizza but we made it work, and the venison pepperoni pizza was great!
Such a great vibe, we enjoyed our Time here and our food immensely :)"
Zoe Papadatos
"Loved our experience here! My friends and I decided to go for some pizza’s and garlic bread and it was delicious. The bread was homemade with delicious garlic butter, and the pizzas were very tasty. Recommend trying the half / half option so you can try different flavours! Will definitely be back. Thank you team"
Em and Dean Travel
What People Like
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Cow is famous for its delicious and generously portioned pizzas, like 'Her Majesty's Delights', and its cozy, rustic atmosphere with a fireplace.
Yes, portions are known to be very generous, with pizzas often feeding two people. Consider sharing to sample more dishes.
The restaurant has a cozy and rustic vibe, often described as an old wool shed with a prominent, warming fireplace.
The 'Her Majesty's Delights' pizza and the spaghetti bolognese are highly recommended. The garlic bread is also a popular starter.
Yes, it's described as a family-friendly restaurant with large portions and a welcoming atmosphere.
It's recommended to communicate any sensitivities, such as to strong garlic or onion flavors, to the staff when ordering.
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Nightlife in Wanaka
If you want a late bite and a good bottle of wine, pop into The Cow on Post Office Lane for good garlic bread, pizza, and spaghetti. It's a very comfortable place, modeled in local stone and heavy timber, just like the original Cow in nearby Queenstown. In winter, the open fireplace does an incredible job of warming the bones (and the wine).
Wanaka Restaurants | Wanaka Bars and Nightlife
This is a copy of the famous pizza and pasta restaurant in Queenstown. The menu is the same and the stonework and wooden booths are very similar, except that it’s much newer (The Cow in Queenstown was an old dairy). It’s popular but it doesn’t tend to attract the same volume of crowds as The Cow in Queenstown.
15 BEST Restaurants in Wanaka (Amazing Food and Better Views!)
The Cow is a family-friendly restaurant with large portions that has been serving the Wanaka community since 2006. Its sister restaurant in nearby Queenstown has been operating since 1977!. The spaghetti bolognese is the specialty here (super good!) and the wide selection of pizzas are always popular.
30 of the BEST things to do in Wanaka this winter
There’s a pizza party in your mouth and all your taste buds are invited. Get your bad self down to The Cow, find a cosy spot (near a fire, preferably) and order yourself a few of The Cow’s famous pizzas. The building has a rich and interesting history, the food is delicious and the wine is fantastic!
Wanaka's Best-Kept Secrets: Hidden Gems You Need to Visit | Take a break
Make your way to The Cow Pizza and Spaghetti House, a cosy spot serving delicious homemade pizza and pasta in a rustic setting. For a unique taste of local cuisine, visit Francesca's Italian Kitchen, where you'll find exquisite dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.
The Best Cafes, Bars And Restaurants In Wanaka
Tuck into pizza and pasta created in a hearty Kiwi style at family-friendly restaurant The Cow. Cosy up by a blazing open fire inside this rustic stone building in the winter, or enjoy a cool summer breeze in their courtyard on Post Office Lane.
Eat and dine, food and wine | Weddings, Ski & Family Accommodation Wanaka - Wanaka
Big fire in a small stone building equals a good place to sit and eat pizza. Her Majesty’s Pleasure is my firm favourite.
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