stratosfare restaurant & bar

i was shocked at how much it cost to have dinner here. $85!! it is good for a one off experience. the food is good but i could have ordered it at another place for a cheaper price. my fave thing was creme brulee'. view is pretty for sunset too

for the price you pay it was very average. no seafood station but they had sashimi and sushi - tuna sashimi was okay but swordfish sashimi was frozen, no salmon sashimi which was disappointing. rest of the food was not bad but not great either. great for families though!

one of the best buffets i've been too. lots of variety and the dessert corner was the best. not the average buffet dessert that just offers ice cream and jelly and cake.

buffet but foods are taste good, especially seafood, they are very fresh. plus the awesome view. will be back with friends if come to rotorua again.

there's something about the words 'all you can eat' that pose a type of challenge. well, our group of three certainly took it on as such! firstly advanced bookings are essential. we were lucky to get in near last minute for a 8.30pm spot. having the last spot of the night worked out perfectly, as i can imagine earlier in the night there would have been a bit of a crowded situation and make navigating back to seats a little difficult.
the stratosfare experience begins with the gondola ride up, followed by friendly greetings from staff upon arriving. it was well priced at $69pp for the full buffet, with an extensive drinks menu for additional purchasing. we were seated down a quieter end, looking out the window to rotorua. buffet was simply laid out through each courses. highlights include seafood chowder, laksa soup (throw some prawns in), prawn and bamboo salad, pork and the chocolate mousse! however there was such a variety of such quality, many taste preferences could be catered for. some of the red meat could have been better cuts/ better prepared, likewise with the sushi. plates were cleared quickly, water was always full but staff were not overcrowding.
in the end i finished up on six courses, hubby on seven and mother on five. all happy as ever with what we'd received. overall this was hands down the best buffet i have been to and i would not hesitate to come back with each rotorua visit.

food: 4/5
service: 4.5/5
atmosphere: 4.5/5
value: 5/5 (i ate well over my $69 share!)

*this review is for the lunch buffet*

one of the first things i noticed in queenstown was the gondola taking people up to this place nestled high in the mountains. if you're dining here, both lunch and dinner include a return ride on the gondola with lunch being $65 and dinner $85. i recommend going in the first hour of each seating as the chefs don't cook much towards the end of each service. also, make sure to arrive early because there's always a queue for the gondola.

the interior of the restaurant and the view outside is spectacular so top marks for setting. waiters are friendly and efficient; very impressed. the food is the only thing i can fault them for. sushi was made very well but the rice was hard and definitely not fresh - it tasted refrigerated. the caesar salad in the cheese wheel is a great idea but let down by wilted and browning lettuce leaves. dessert and drinks were stand outs as the best section of the buffet.

the photos below highlight some of the selection on offer. note that the food differs from the menu they have on zomato. overall, worth the experience :)

the restaurant itself is fantastic. international staff are very welcoming and friendly except an extremely unfriendly female chinese staff at the sushi table area.

definitely a one time experience and that's it kind of restaurant. food was average, service was pretty much un-noticeable since it's a buffet, way too crowded so it makes you feel like eating in a food court.

i would recommend to try once and decide for yourself.

the buffet was good. a lot of variety for everyone's liking. dessert was my favourite part. they have fresh crepes that are even good enough without toppings. ice cream, cakes and pavlovas was also served. it was really good. we got the deal with the gondola and lunch so it was worth it for the price. the last time i went in 2014, i think they've served something that i didn't get to have this time and that was disappointing a bit. (or maybe it was just all imagination) anyway, the customer service was amazing. they were looking after us really well. they'd take our empty plates right away.

the restaurant there i ever been to with the best view ever, just fabulous. it' been several years so i won't comment on the food but i rember it was a really nice buffet all you can eat. i would definitely go back.

positives: lots of halloumi on offer, the chefs are friendly and their apricot ice cream was real g. however... this can't compare to the queenstown stratosfare :( the food here wasn't bad but not particularly good either. was pretty disappointed for the price that i had paid - $75 pp. but if you're in the mood for buffet and not going to queenstown any time soon, there is a fairly large variety of foods on offer (mostly european style), as with well presented desserts.

first time here for new year eve celebration. range of food was so so, appetisers, meat section, rice/noodle section & dessert. wasn't really impressed with the food. meat was horrible. pork were not cooked. the manager in charge tried to convince me that its medium rare, but which the meat was too hard to be cut, let alone being chewed! (see how pink it is). the roast chicken was too dry (countdown one is even better!)

the only good food here is the butter chicken and dessert. the rest was nah... better go somewhere else.

the service was excellent, staffs were constantly aware of your needs. hence, 1.5 points (otherwise would have been 1 point)

came here for the buffet tonight. initial impressions were high, with friendly staff. we were guided through the buffet by wait staff and were escorted to our table. we were lucky enough to be seated next to a window, providing a breathtaking view of queenstown and the mountains. there was a diverse range of food...from seafood to roasts through to sushi. every dish i tried was of a high standard, along with the service.

very impressive spread!! the food are mostly of high quality and tasted fantastic. you can tell that the sashimi and seafood are fresh, and the prawn cocktail is a must! they have a variety of cuisines to satisfy all sorts of palates. service was quite quick as well! their roasts and relishes are not to be missed too.
desserts were definitely a highlight of stratosfare. most of the desserts were heavenly, so make sure to leave some 'room' for dessert! i especially love the lemon panna cotta, tiramisu, creme brûlée and chocolate mousse. i'm seriously impressed as i haven't been to a buffet of this quality in ages.
the delightful views and the food definitely makes up for the higher than average price. i would return if i'm in queenstown again :)

we've been to rotorua many times and even been up the gondola but never tried the restaurant. on this visit we made a particular effort to go there. we were not disappointed. the restaurant ambience is inviting, and not like other buffet places at all. there is an excellent range of wines and spirits. the wait staff were friendly and very efficient. the food was all arranged with plenty of room for diners to serve themselves. there is quite a range of dishes which would suit a wide range of palates. my favourites tonight were the cold salmon, grilled fish, butter chicken (easily the best i've ever had) meatballs and lamb chops. interesting range of desserts too. we didn't have tea or coffee so can't comment on those.
the view if course is there and was more interesting than usual because of the setting sun, and the storm brewing on the distant horizon.