Food and drink

Real New Zealand flavour

For those with a sweet tooth we have freshly baked muffins, cakes and pastries, and kids are well catered for with special children's meals, Carrello gelato and delicious free of nasties Paleta iceblocks.  We source authentic artisan breads from local bakers Pandoro so you can choose from a selection of freshly baked ciabatta, foccacia and paninis during your sailing.All of our fresh fruit and produce is sourced locally. Our lamb comes from Nelson, our beef from Canterbury and Salmon is supplied from the Marlborough Sounds. Well renowned Wellington coffee roaster - Caffe L’affare even deliver their beans fresh to our ships each day. 

Truly good value tucker 

We pride ourselves on keeping our food prices at a level that is affordable to the average kiwi family without sacrificing quality or portion size (think hungry truck driver)! So it's highly likely that you will leave our ferry with a big smile on your face AND money left in your wallet to spend on the rest of your trip!

Marlborough's finest drop

We are proud to serve the award-winning Ara Single Estate family of wines. Their beautifully lush Pinot Gris in particular is in such limited supply that you can only find it in Australia and New Zealand.

Crafted from grapes grown in the Waihopai Valley at the westernmost end of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, Ara draws on time-honoured wine making methods to create a strikingly different wine experience.

This all combines to offer a point of distinctiveness which refines the quality of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir varieties resulting in wines of elegance and texture.

If wine isn't your thing, we also offer a range of beers, cold drinks, juices and milkshakes.

Quality caffeine fix

Our Caffe L’affare-trained baristas can make you a superb espresso coffee from beans roasted by Wellington’s iconic and revered coffee roastery.

We love Caffe L’affare's no compromise approach to coffee quality and the fact that they source the finest green beans, use the latest roasting technology and create the finest blends.

Food menus

Lunch & Dinner

10.30 am - 9.00 pm

Captain Bluebeard's Pirate Meal
Your choice of either chicken nuggets, fish bites or mini hot dogs all served with chips, a Just Juice box and piece of fruit.

$9.80

Fish and Chips
Crumbed fish served with chips, a fresh salad, tartare dressing and tomato sauce.

$17.80

Salmon Salad
Marlborough salmon pieces tossed through a fresh summer salad with lemon pepper dressing.

$18.80

Bluebridge Seafood Medley
Lightly crumbed scallop, oyster, mussel and squid rings, accompanied with tempura battered Prawn and Hoki sticks served with chips and a fresh salad garnish.

$18.80

Vegetable Lasagne (V)
Delicious pumpkin lasagne filled with sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta cheese and pine nuts, served with a side salad.

$16.20

Bluebridge Burger
Chicken burger with tomato, lettuce, red onion, creamy mayo and sweet chili sauce, served with chips and a salad garnish.

$16.20

Lamb Kofte
Succulent lamb meatballs grilled on a stick served over a bed of mint and carrot couscous.

$17.80

Steak Sandwich
Scotch ribeye minute steak on a toasted bap with mayo, red onion, tomato, cheese and onion marmalade served with chips and a salad garnish.

$16.80

Falafel Open Pita Pocket (V)
Falafel patties served in a pita pocket with lettuce, tomato, carrot and a yoghurt dressing.

$14.80

Snacks

Available all day

Panini
Your choice of either a ham or chicken panini.

$9.20

Basket of Wedges (V)
Potato wedges served with Thai chilli sauce and sour cream.

$9.80

Nachos (V)
Corn tortilla chips served with beans, avocado, red onion, sour cream and tomato salsa.

$13.80

Toasties
Your choice of the following fillings: Ham and Swiss cheese, Tomato and Cheddar (V), Onion and Cheddar (V) or Roast Chicken and Cranberry sauce.

$8.20

Vegetable Frittata (V) (GF)
Baked slice with egg, kumara, carrot, onion, herbs, potato and tomato served with chutney.

$12.80

Polenta Chips (V) (GF)
Polenta chips served with chutney.

$9.80

Basket of Hot Chips (V)
Hot chips served with tomato sauce and aioli.

$7.80

Drinks menus

Wine list

White Wine

Allan Scott Chardonnay
The palate is nicely complex with ripe peachy flavours, nuts and melon

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Allan Scott Riesling
Floral and lemon aromas with subtle underlying tropical notes.

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Ara Pinot Gris
Delicate aromas of pear and nectarine which flow through to honey citrus notes

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Ara Sauvignon Blanc
Mineral and stone fruit characters with grapefruit aromatics.

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Red Wine

Alan Scott Merlot
Berry fruit, coffee, and vanilla bean flavours

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Ara Pinot Noir
Dark raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavours emerge from a soft and savoury wine

$10.00 glass / $40.00 bottle

Sparkling Wine

Allan Scott Celilia 375ml mini bottle
Made mostly with Chardonnay and blended together with Pinot Noir you will be able to taste hints of strawberry and stonefruit flavours.

$22.00

Tea & Coffee

Coffee
Latte, Flat white, Long Black, Espresso, Cappuccino, Mochaccino, Chai Latte. Full, Trim or Soy milk available.

From $4.00

Tea
English Breakfast, Peppermint, Lemon Grass and Ginger, Malabar Chai, Lavender Grey, Honey Dew Green, Fruit's of Eden, Cleopatra's Champagne

$3.50

Hot Chocolate

$4.50

Cold drinks

Just Juice 500ml
Orange, Orange & Mango or Tropical

$5.00

Takaka Springs Mineral Water

$4.00

Soft drinks on Tap
Pepsi, Pepsi Max, 7UP or Mountain Dew

From $4.00

Milkshakes
Lime, Caramel, Chocolate, Banana, Strawberry or Vanilla

$6.00

Bottle Range
Franks Ginger Beer, Franks Key Lime and Lemon Bitters, Franks Zesty Lemonade, Franks Sparkling Blood Orange, Oh! Berry, Oh! Orange & Mango, Ovi Citrus or V Green

$4.50

V Pure

$5.00

Special dietary requirements

We can cater for many customers with individual requirements such as religious, ethnic or dietary needs. Please advise the cafe staff of your requirements. 

Gluten Free dishes & products

It's important to note that we also offer other gluten-free items on a daily basis. You can find our gluten free menu items in our food menu above with the 'GF' symbol listed next to the menu item. If you still experience difficulty with our current menu – simply talk to a member of our friendly crew about your requirements. Our chefs can create something special for you. 

**Please note that our gluten-free fried items are prepared using the same cooking equipment as a number of non-gluten free products.

Food allergies

For your peace of mind and assistance, we carry an up-to-date food allergy manual behind each service counter on board our ships. This manual details every food item we sell and/or make on board with all ingredients listed clearly for our staff. If one of our customers is nut intolerant or allergic for example, the pesto in a scone may have traces of pinenut and this can be checked on the ingredients listed in the manual. We also operate peanut free galleys on board both ships. No peanuts are carried or used in our kitchens. Again if you're unsure or struggling to find something suitable on our current menu selection, please talk to a member of our friendly crew as our Chefs are only too happy to assist you.

Food hygiene and safety

The Wellington City Council's Environmental Health Officers annually inspect all premises that prepare, package and store food for sale. We are delighted to announce that Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferry has been awarded the an excellent food hygiene grading for all of our food service outlets. Our grade is based on the Council's 4-category risk rating. The categories are: conduct and practices, structure of the premises, cleaning and sanitising and staff training.

Halal certification

Each of our current suppliers of beef, lamb and chicken holds a Halal Certificate issued by The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand Inc. (FIANZ), our national Muslim organisation.  The Federation's Halal Committee (comprising the Religious Advisory Board, Meat Scientists, Food Technologists and the Secretariat) ensure that meat plants of New Zealand, operating under the supervision of the Federation, always maintain a high degree of Halal integrity. Halal Accreditation Certificates (for the premises) are issued to such meat plants by the Federation only after a thorough and rigorous Halal auditing process which includes a regime of ongoing supervision and inspection.  You can learn more about the issuing of Halal Certificates to meat plants on the FIANZ website.