Monday–Sunday
9am–5pm
An oasis in the heart of the botanic gardens. Ilex Café consists of multiple indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. Inside, floor to ceiling windows fill the room with light and views that overlook vast lawns and the luscious palm-filled nursery. Outdoor guests are treated to an extensive outdoor area surrounded by nature, with bar and food stations setting the scene for a lively day in the gardens.
Ilex Food
Living by the mantra: “From garden to plate” Ilex food and beverages are a continued appreciation of the land, with produce grown and sourced locally. Culinary creative Jonny Schwass creates menus that reflect the garden landscape, ever- changing with the seasons for all hours of the day.
Events
Wanting to use the Ilex Café or function room for your next conference, wedding or corporate event? In the evenings this space is brought to life, transforming into multiple indoor and outdoor entertaining areas.
Menu
Cookies, cake and slices
Organic carrot & walnut Cake with cream cheese frosting
$8.00
Bliss ball with walnut, fig, manuka honey flax seed oil and linseed
GF/DF
$4.00
Triple chocolate brownie slice
GF/VG
$5.50
Coconut bounty slice
$5.50
Passionfruit and coconut friand
GF
$5.50
Milmore downs organic Oat Cookie with botanic gardens honey and fennel pollen
$4.00
Sweet scones, muffins and pastries
Morena brioche Bun with supreme espresso and walnut caramel
V
$7.00
Almond, kahikatea honey and marmalade croissant
V
$7.00
Brioche donuts with custard creme and dehydrated berries
V
$7.00
Apple, cinnamon and golden syrup muffin
V
$5.00
Date Scone with butter and boysenberry jam
V
$6.00
Savoury
Botanic gardens organic vegetable quiche with curators chutney
V
$12.00
Jake the bakers yorkshire muffin
V
$7.00
Cheddar Cheese scone with butter
V
$6.00
Slow cooked Canterbury beef cheek and barrys bay cheddar pie
$12.00
Sandwiches (grilled with chips $6.00)
Luxe beef slow roast beef, onion jam, chimichurri, truffle mayonnaise and sourdough loaf
$12.00
BBB: Botanic Bacon Bap, Peter Timbs bacon, crisp lettuce, tomatoes & aioli
$12.00
Ham Sambo Peter Timbs ham, cheese and wholegrain mustard on grain loaf
$10.00
Vegan rye burger with beetroot, kumara and kiwi quinoa pattie, greens and cashew sunflower aioli
VG
$14.00
Lox N Bagel gravlax Akaroa salmon on a grizzly bagel with red onion, capers, cornichon, cream cheese
$16.00
Breakfast Roll with bacon(or without), fried egg, cheese, onion jam and sriracha mayonnaise
$14.00
Salads
Organic barley, cucumber, smokey yogurt, mint, radish, salty cheese and spring collective greens
V
$8.00
Roast root vegetables, harissa, crispy chickpeas, green olives, feta and pickled red onions
V/GF
$8.00
Super greens with kale, broccoli, peas, spinach, greens, tamari almonds and lemon olive oil dressing
VG
$8.00
From the Kitchen
Kitchen open from 9.00am to 3.00pm
Ilex Breakfast streaky bacon, butchers sausage, pastrami hash, spinach, poached eggs & mustard hollandaise
$25.00
Black Forest Waffle with white chocolate mascarpone, cherry jelly & dark chocolate
V
$22.00
Smoked mushroom, creme fraiche, lemon & parsley on midnight rye with poached eggs & parmesan
V
$23.00
Avocado, feta, lemon & mint on midnight rye, poached lamond farm egg, tamari almonds and kale
V
$24.00
Coconut chia with preserved plums, puffed barley and honey poached pears
V/GF/DF
$12.00
Lunch
Oak smoked akaroa Salmon, french fries, rough cut tartare, lemon cheek and greens
GF/DF
$28.00
Wood fired BBQ Chicken with roasted carrots, hazelnuts, lemon, potato creme, salsa verde and botanic herbs
GF
$26.00
Botanic double cheeseburger with double pattie, double cheese, special sauce, pickles, fries & aioli
$24.00
Slow roast pulled lamb shoulder with potato rostis, smoked yogurt, mint, lemon, sumac and green pea chimichurri
GF
$26.00
Shoestring Fries, tomato sauce & aioli
VG/GF/DF
$9.00
Kids (of all ages)
Kids Lunch pack-Ham and cheese sandwich, carrot sticks, raisins, mandarin and a cookie
$9.00
Roma Burger-beef, cheese, special sauce, fries and tomato sauce
$10.00
Poached eggs on toast
V
$10.00
Kids Boysenberry waffle, vanilla icecream and milk caramel
V
$10.00
Juices
Orange, pineapple, apple
$5.00
Aroha sparkling rhubarb
$6.00
Aroha apple and pear
$6.00
Raspberry and black currant
$6.00
Orange and mango
$6.00
Cold Drinks
Ginger beer, Cola, Lemonade, Sugar free Cola
$6.00
Bottled Water
$4.50
Sparkling Water
$5.00
Wellness Drinkns
No ugly plum wellness tonic
$7.00
No ugly detox citrus wellness tonic
$7.00
Seasonal Kombucha
$6.00
Handmade
Iced coffee with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream
$9.00
Iced chocolate with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and a flake
$9.00
Noble & Savage Strawberry and Plum Iced Tea
$7.00
Coffee by Supreme Coffee
Flat white, Latte, Cappuccino or Mochaccino
$4.50 $5.50
Short Black, Long Black or Americano
$4.00
Short or Long Macchiato
$4.50
Hot Chocolate
$4.50 $5.50
Chai Latte
$5.50 $6.50
Alternate milks oat, soy, coconut and almond(please add)
$1.00
Syrups Vanilla, hazelnut, caramel(please add)
$0.60
Tea by Noble and Sunday
English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Strawberry Plum, Peppermint Breeze, Imperial Sencha green
$6.00
Local Craft Beer
Cassels Brewing Co New Zealand Pale Ale
$10.00
Cassels Brewing Co Dry hopped Pilsner
$10.00
Cassels Brewing Co Milk Stout(Best Stout in the world)
$10.00
Three Boys Local session IPA 2.5%
$10.00
Three Boys Smashing Cider 4.5%
$10.00
North Canterbury Wines
Main Divide Sauvignon blanc
$10.00 Glass/$45.00 Bottle
Nor Wester Pinot Noir
$10.00 Glass/$45.00 Bottle
Georges Road Rose
$10.00 Glass/$45.00 Bottle
Cocktails
Gin and Tonic
Lighthouse gin, fancy tonic & a slice of lemon
$12.00
Aperol Spritz
Aperol, prosecco and orange
$12.00
Mimosa
Bottle of prosecco and a flask of orange juice for DIY Mimosa
$50.00
Fancy RTDs
Cucumber, yuzu and denzin gin
$12.00
Blood orange, ginger and denzin gin
$12.00