About Us

Eat

The years our chefs have spent honing their skills in kitchens and savouring great food have instilled in us the importance of striking a perfect balance between cooking and dining. At The Square, our goal is straightforward: to serve fresh, seasonal dishes that focus on quality, not gimmicks. We prioritise the finest ingredients, ensuring every bite is full of flavour and authenticity.

Drink

A fantastic meal often goes hand-in-hand with a good drink (or two.) That’s why we’ve put together a wine list that’s both approachable and adventurous, featuring some of the best bottles from New Zealand winemakers. No stuffiness here – our team is happy to help you find something that suits your mood and price point. We also mix some killer cocktails and have great New Zealand beers on tap.

Enjoy

Most of all, we want you to have a wonderful time with us. Whether you’re an old friend or brand new, our goal is more than just feeding you. We want you to feel right at home, with genuine Kiwi hospitality that leaves you walking out the door happier than when you arrived.

  • L Ryder, via First Table

    On a freezing winter night in Christchurch, what a pleasure it was to check into the Square Restaurant where our friends and my husband and I were warmly greeted and led to our table with a great view of Cathedral Square. As the restaurant of the Novotel Hotel the atmosphere was remarkable as we felt as though we had been transported away from our winter and might well have been anywhere in the world! The service was perfect as was the menu and because First Table dining operates at such a great time we were excited to be able to leave with our appetites feeling soundly indulged and be at home again in fine tme to tune into all the latest exciting Olympic medal wins. A lovely evening well enjoyed.

    1st August, 2024

  • N Baker, via First Table

    Excellent food, great location and great service. Steak was cooked just right. Very enjoyable.

    25th July, 2024

  • I Field, via First Table

    We had a lovely dinner at The Square. The highlights were the tiger prawns and the ravioli - absolutely delicious!

    20th July, 2024

  • H Gray, via First Table

    The Square Restaurant, Novotel Level One, provides a great view and you can rely on the food being up to your expectations as they look after all the finer details which my friends appreciated.

    28th July, 2024

  • A Hardy, via First Table

    Good food, good service, clean and pleasant dining area. Had a window seat looking out on to Cathedral Square and thus able to watch all the comings and goings of people and trams which made for a most enjoyable lunch.

    10th July, 2024

  • R Hamilton, via First Table

    Great central location and outlook over the square with delicious food! Relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant which feels hidden away from the CBD.

    13th July, 2024

  • B Lock, via First Table

    It was our first visit to this restaurant. The restaurant was nice and light and we were seated at a table that overlooked Christchurch Square. There was a good selection of dishes and we ordered the salmon and fillet steak. Both the salmon an steak were cooked well and tasted delicious. The salmon dish was the larger portion of the two. The staff were pleasant and attentive. Would recommend.

    2nd July 2024

  • G S, via Google Reviews

    Wow the Square Restaurant within the Novotel Christchurch is outstanding, your NZ culinary experience begins as soon as you exit the lift and enter the incredible candelit bar with a stunning selection of quality cocktails, the bar has a hip/cool vibe not found in many hotels around the world, that is buzzing with both locals and tourists from around the world, sit back and enjoy a cocktail or two before dinner soaking up the house vibes, great local service and recommendations from the bar staff, I was amazed with the wine selection covering the entire bar wall and the audio visual lighting/entertainment, a bar not to be missed in Christchurch, the dinner was superb everything was on point, the food, the service, range of options at very affordable prices, sit back and relax if you can request a window table you can also enjoy the sweeping views of Christchuch and the wonderful city Church, this was a very special night that will live in our memories forever!

    July, 2024