Snowed under with choice

YOU'RE spoilt for choice in Queenstown where the holiday playground's more than 160 bars and eateries are out to impress.

Cheers ... icy inside and outside at the Minus 5 ice bar, just one of over 160 choices when it comes to eating and drinking in Queenstown

IT'S a novel way to cool down a bar full of people, and not one easily forgotten.

There you are, happily chatting away on a sofa by the fire, getting to know the locals over a game of pool or dancing to the DJ, when, slowly but surely, the roof begins to open.

For the first-time visitor it can be a shock – especially if it's snowing. But, before you know it, the magic mechanical ceiling has closed and you are once again safe from the elements – at least until next time.

In a town such as New Zealand's year-round holiday playground, Queenstown, where there are more than 160 bars and eateries, it's important to stand out.

And Winnies has definitely found a way to do so. Located in a former cinema at the centre of New Zealand's adventure mecca, the gourmet pizza bar is filled with character.

Wooden beams cross the room, old school advertisements line the walls and there is plenty of sports action on the big-screen TVs.

But it isn't just the novelty roof that draws the crowd – the food isn't bad either.

Among the mouth-watering dishes on offer is the chicken, cranberry and brie pizza. Set on a cranberry base, it has smoked chicken and Kapiti brie sprinkled with fresh rosemary and parmesan.

Another popular pizza is the pescara, which comes covered with NZ green-lipped mussels, garlic prawns, smoked salmon, roma tomatoes, fresh parmesan cheese, pesto and lemon.

But it's hard to imagine a place on Earth with a greater concentration of food and beverage riches than this South Island ski town. And of all the delights on offer, Monteith's – or Monty's to those in the know – is my favourite. It's the kind of place where time gets away from you.

On our first visit we parked the hired 4WD out the front with a plan to have a quick afternoon ale.

Late that night, after many hours sampling various local brews, we found ourselves forced to leave the car behind and get a taxi home.

Depending on your mood you can sit on the sunny terrace out the front, at a booth inside, or a high table near the fire.

A man in the corner plays guitar as guests tuck into a juicy steak or share a platter of delicious cheeses, dips and bread.

At the end of town on Steamer Wharf, The Boiler Room is another place we find ourselves returning to time and time again.

The narrow bar, next door to the Minus 5 ice bar, plays retro music and attracts an older crowd than many of the backpacker pubs, therefore earning the nickname the "Old Boiler Room". From the back deck there are stunning views of The Remarkable Mountains and Lake Wakatipu, on which the town sits.

About a 40-minute drive from Queenstown, on the way home from the ski resorts, the historic Cardrona Hotel is the ultimate apres ski destination.

For a couple of hours at the end of each ski day the rear beer garden is buzzing, as skiers and snowboarders meet and exchange tales of their day's adventures on the mountain, while sipping on mulled wine. Hang around long enough and you will get a spot near one of the outdoor fires.

All stone walls, wine barrels and spinning wheels, the pub is made of weatherboard and stone, with a tin roof. Along with the annexe and adjoining general store, it is the only remaining building from the area's early gold rush days, and also offers accommodation.

But if there is one place in Queenstown you cannot miss it has to be Fergburger. Opened seven years ago as a "hole in the wall burger joint" in Cow Lane, it later moved to its current location in Shotover St and quickly became a local institution thanks to its big, juicy burgers. Open 21 hours a day, it has become the place many people end their night.

Burgers start at $9 and include the Cockadoodle Doo chicken burger, The Bun Laden falafel burger and the Tropical Swine burger, with prime New Zealand beef, bacon, edam cheese and pineapple. If you didn't know any better, the place could easily be mistaken for a nightclub, as it is overflowing day and night during peak season.