Sugarloaf at Flockhill opens in New Zealand’s Southern Alps

Sugarloaf at luxury lodge Flockhill in Canterbury is now welcoming outside guests and visitors, offering an immersive experience where nature, sustainability, and hyper-local gastronomy converge

Sugarloaf, the onsite restaurant at New Zealand luxury lodge Flockhill, opened to lodge guests in December 2024 and is now welcoming the public with advance reservations. Located on the 36,000-acre Flockhill Station and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Southern Alps, the remote restaurant brings high-country heritage and modern culinary techniques together to create a new kind of destination dining experience on New Zealand’s South Island.

Leading the kitchen is New Zealand-born chef Taylor Cullen, whose career has included time at Sydney’s Chiswick, Longitude 131 in Uluru, and Blanket Bay in Queenstown. At Sugarloaf, Cullen has crafted a hyper-seasonal, regionally focused menu built around Canterbury’s farming traditions, foraging, and fermentation techniques.  In keeping with Flockhill’s ethos, sustainability is central to Sugarloaf’s philosophy of taking only what is needed from the land. Everything served is sourced locally, with an emphasis on minimal waste and enhanced natural flavours.

“Our main goal is to show what’s possible when you grow and preserve your own food,” says Cullen. “We champion Canterbury’s farming heritage while pushing the boundaries of New Zealand cuisine.”

Menus change daily and showcase both comforting classics and more refined plates. Breakfast might feature local fruit toast with cultured butter or venison sausage with duck eggs and sourdough, while lunch and dinner could include prosciutto pizzas, duck fat fries with aioli, or delicate dishes like fish with horseradish and magnolia, and lamb with potato and macadamia. Signature desserts such as pavlova with native berries and sesame-infused chocolate round out the offering.

Sugarloaf also features an intimate Chef’s Table experience, where diners are guided through a curated multi-course menu personally presented by Cullen. The setting combines fireside warmth with high-country seclusion, creating what Cullen describes as “the energy of a buzzing city dining scene in a remote alpine landscape”.

Reservations at Sugarloaf can be made here.