Go crazy for crayfish

The seaside stretch of SH1 may as well officially be dubbed crayfish territory. Foodies were in the queue when the highway, damaged by the 2016 earthquake, reopened after 13 months. The wait was worth it for a taste of that quintessential Kaikōura flavour. After all, the town is named after the pastime — Kaikōura translates in Māori as “to eat crayfish”. While the local delicacy can be found in just about every café, pub and takeaway shop in town, fresh crayfish is arguably best served by the beach with a briny ocean breeze.