Bypass the city centre and explore an area peppered with boutique shopping, niche retailers and fun eateries
A Whole Different East
The east side of Christchurch changed forever in the 2011 quakes. The land cracked and liquified, buildings collapsed, and whole subdivisions were erased almost as if they never existed. But now the red-zoned land of the east is a green space nearly twice the size of New York’s Central Park. Surviving businesses adapted to suit the new times, and creative enterprises popped up in unexpected places. The East is back and bolder than ever.
Looking to book your stay? We’ve found some of the best boutique Christchurch accommodation.
Our favourite spots to visit in East Christchurch
Stuff Woolston, 646 Ferry Road, Woolston
Ferry Road, with its multitude of second-hand stores, has long been a stalwart on the junk junkie’s must-go list.
The new kid on the block is Stuff Woolston, the name being a tongue-in-cheek pushback at real estate agents who like to label up-and-coming Woolston “Coolston”. The irreverence and humour is a theme of this store, which is guarded by a four-metre-tall model of Salvador Dali. The signs are witty, the displays amusing and the walls are covered in vintage movie posters.
You can buy anything here from a kitsch rooster made of shells to an elegant Italian chrome commercial espresso machine from the 1950s. Grab a drink from the coffee caravan on the forecourt and be prepared to spend a while fossicking through the eclectic stock for your must-have item or two.
In Phillipstown, three businesses share a 27 Essex Street. First up is General Pottery (above right), which is crammed full of must-haves for potters; in the middle is a gallery shop called Keep (above left); at the far end is Clae Studio, which offers a variety of pottery classes.
General Pottery/Keep/Clae, 27 Essex Street, Phillipstown
Go through the sage green door and you’re in General Pottery run by potter Gwen Parsons. Jam-packed with everything needed to become a potter, it’s arranged in such an orderly fashion it’s like stepping into an ex-military grandfather’s garden shed. There’s a huge range of clays, glazes, slips and tools, but nothing is useless or frivolous.
All products are ethically sourced, made from sustainable or recycled/reusable materials and, where possible, locally produced. Many of the tools are designed in-house and created from brass and reclaimed rimu by local craftsmen.
Keep, a small gallery shop run by ceramicist/engineer Emma Turner, sits in the middle of the long building, and is stocked with fun and practical ceramic wares from local artists.
At the far end is Clae, a studio run by celebrated potter Tatyanna Meharry. She offers a variety of classes from a one-evening “Try the Clae” experience through to eight-week courses.
Long Way Home, The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, Woolston
The last thing you expect to find deep in Woolston’s industrial area is an Edwardian shopping arcade complete with Italian mosaic tile floors, leadlight windows and tall palms throughout, but there it is. The quakes of 2011 spurred Alasdair Cassels to put something back into the devastated city, so he and his family painstakingly renovated an old tannery factory from the 1870s into what is now one of the country’s most elegant malls.
The mall quickly became home to displaced businesses from the inner city and nearby Sumner, including Manchester Street’s famous Smiths Bookshop (established 1894), Bolt of Cloth (New Zealand stockist of Marimekko), and eldest daughter Maddy Cassel’s shop from Sumner. Long Way Home houses an exquisitely curated collection of homewares, linen clothing, toiletries, books and toys.
Aromaunga Baxters Flowers, 116 Bridle Path Road, Heathcote Valley
Hidden away up a leafy winding driveway in Heathcote Valley is perhaps the city’s best-kept secret, Aromaunga Baxters Flowers shop.
Aromaunga (which means to look towards the mountains) was founded around 45 years ago by Marion and Colin Baxter, whose three sons now run the business. More than 50 varieties of flowers are grown on the site and are supplied all over the country. Order on their website and they also have their florist website through which they get much of their business for courier-delivered bouquets, and special occasion flower arrangements.
Unlike most florists, they sell only what they grow. Apart from signs on the road, the shop isn’t advertised, so people know of it by reputation. Word-of-mouth spreads far and wide. “Yesterday,” the friendly woman behind the counter tells me, “Rachel Hunter came in.”
Super, 5 Norwich Quay, Lyttelton
Super, a Japanese /Maori-inspired restaurant is the brainchild of wāhine toa Sahni Bennett, a mother of seven, who confesses “feeding people is her language of love”.
Situated in the restored 1880 Harbour Board building, Super complements the enormous Victorian windows and high ceilings with hot pink neon artwork to create an open, relaxed and funky atmosphere. Agedashi tofu, hangi kūmara flatbread and fresh oysters with tosazu mignonette are some of the mouth-watering delights on the menu, along with cocktails such as sakura fizz, sake sangria and kimchi bloody Mary.
He Puna Taimoana, New Brighton Hot Pools
More East Christchurch visitor tips:
Make a splash at the New Brighton Hot Pools by the sea, He Puna Taimoana. With five heated pools, a plunge pool, a sauna and a cafe, there is something for everyone.
The Lyttelton Farmers’ Market (Saturdays, 10am to 1pm) with so much delicious food, live music and adjoining craft/collectibles markets, that it’s well worth stopping by.
Book a stay at The Stables, 22 Canterbury Street, Lyttelton. In converted stables, this two-bedroom apartment, complete with log burner, is a quiet haven in the heart of Lyttelton’s bustling township, and features a private garden courtyard with stunning views across the harbour. As one reviewer put it, “Don’t bother staying in Christchurch city… jet through the tunnel and stay at The Stables.”
Try one of these unique experiences in East Christchurch:
- Hot air ballooning over Canterbury with Champagne
- Sea kayaking tour of Lyttelton Harbour and Quail Island
- Orana Wildlife Park
Looking for East Christchurch accommodation? See our list of the five dreamiest spots to book now.
Related articles:
- A weekender’s guide to Greytown and its picturesque shops
- The best Queenstown accommodation for your winter escape
- Janeen Page shares how she creates her pottery from local materials
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