Sundays

The story

Sundays Queenstown: Woodfired Italian Dining in a Relocated Church

A Historic Gathering Place

Sundays in Queenstown brings a relaxed approach to Italian cooking inside a relocated wooden church originally constructed in Waipahi during the early 1900s. The structure moved to Country Lane in Frankton during early 2023 before staff transformed the interior into a venue designed for neighbours to share meals. Guests gather on a spacious covered patio beside a working fireplace, while a grassy lawn extends outward for weekend live music sessions. This architectural history earned a recent Cuisine Good Food Guide Destination award, recognising how the space successfully blends heritage with modern dining.

Woodfired Kitchen Techniques

The culinary team draws direct inspiration from European neighbourhood eateries, favouring honest preparations that rely on smoke and open flame. Operators maintain a dedicated woodfired oven to roast ingredients, creating subtle flavour shifts across an otherwise familiar menu. Local produce guides their selections whenever possible, keeping the Italian kitchen approach grounded rather than overly complicated. This method defines every plate served during the warmer months.

Savoury Plates and Social Sips

The menu features Italian dishes centred around pizzas topped with pepperoni, nduja, and coppa, alongside handcrafted pasta bowls and Nonna’s slow-cooked meatballs. Guests often start the evening with award-winning salami before moving through several courses. The beverage program complements the food with house spritzes, large format sangrias, and tap beer poured directly from a parked caravan bar. These casual pours encourage lingering conversations well past dinner service.