Restaurants

Caribe Latin Kitchen

36 Ballarat Street, Queenstown 9300

Rating: 4.4 ★ (1419 ratings)

Details

Caribe Latin Kitchen offers a wonderfully vibrant and colourful dining experience in Queenstown, found right in the heart of the town on Ballarat Street. Guests are transported to the Caribbean and Latin America through its lively atmosphere, featuring spirited Latin music and friendly staff. The venue stands out with its unique blend of sounds, smells, textures, and colours, creating a humble yet intense sensory composition for both locals and visitors alike.

The cuisine celebrates authentic Mexican, Latin American, and Caribbean flavours, incorporating Tex Mex influences too. Notable dishes include flavour-filled burritos, tacos, and arepas, alongside delightful tapas and quesadillas. Guests can savour specific offerings such as Reina Pepiada Arepas with chicken and avocado, traditional Choripán, or the Peruvian Lomo Saltado, often prepared with locally farmed meats or fresh vegetarian fillings. Complementing the meal, there are exotic drinks like tamarind juice, rice water, milk, and Mexican Jarritos, with traditional Latin desserts such as churros or Quesillo available to finish.

This restaurant particularly suits those seeking an authentic and casual culinary adventure beyond typical Western or Asian fare in Queenstown. It is an ideal spot for a relaxed lunch or an informal evening meal, embracing a chill and fun vibe without the need for reservations. Guests also have the convenient option of takeaway to enjoy their meal elsewhere, perhaps by the lake, making it perfect for diverse dining preferences and occasions.

Visit Website

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Location

Opening Hours

Contact

+64 3 442 6658 | http://www.caribe.co.nz/

Comments

Emily Smith

19 Jul 2026

5.0 ★

We each had a ceviche and a drink this afternoon. The place was relatively empty, but still quite a good atmosphere. The ceviche was great and my son nearly licked the bowl! I would have liked crunchier tortilla chips, but that is just me being picky. The waitress never came out to see how we were, they lost an opportunity to upsell some guac or more chips etc.

Pragati Khanal

29 Jun 2026

5.0 ★

We four colleagues travelled to Queenstown for a short holiday trip and it was our first time visiting this beautiful town. One of our colleagues had been there before, so he brought us to this place for brunch. We were all hungry and excited to explore Queenstown. I ordered the Chicken Quesadillas, which I was trying for the first time, and I absolutely loved them—they were delicious! I also tried their famous Margarita, which was really nice too. The food, drinks, and atmosphere made for a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking to enjoy a great meal right in the heart of the city.

Tania

22 Jun 2026

2.0 ★

Arrived and paid 6.30pm for beef nachos and a guacamole. We were the only customers there. Two others came in 15 min later and got their meals within 10min and before us, to which I raised my eyes and questioned. Waited another 5 min and got nachos. After 40 min total waiting finally presented with guacamole. No explanation. Overpriced for what it was $28 each item. Beef chewy, guacamole had no chilli and little if any coriander. Very underwhelmed. Would not go back.

Sarah L

30 Jan 2026

4.0 ★

Just stopped by for a quick and filling bite. The restaurant is simple and has a nice selection of options, and the food looks really appetizing!

One note on the quesadilla: it came with quite a lot of mayonnaise, which tended to overshadow the authentic Mexican flavors. It seems like it might be adjusted to suit local tastes.

All in all, it was a satisfying pit stop that hit the spot and left us full. A solid choice for a straightforward, tasty meal!

Gary Bai

17 Jan 2026

1.0 ★

Had a very poor experience here - avoid.

After placing my order it took more than 30 minutes for the food to arrive. This was simply too slow and they only have 1 chef there who simply cannot keep up with the orders at peak time. Also I think they try to serve everything at once, it might have been better to serve at least one dish first to make the wait less annoying, or provide some small snacks whilst waiting.

When the food did come it was honestly pretty bad, the beef we had was dry and flavourless, there was barely any seasoning on the nachos.

Ignoring the slow serving speed I would simply avoid this because it tastes bad.