SUNDAYS

One of the beloved residents of Country Lane in Frankton, SUNDAYS is set inside a beautifully refurbished church. While the building hosts a different kind of service these days, we can promise there’s still plenty of bread and wine to go around.

United by the shared experience of motherhood, owners Annabel Herbison and Alex Long dreamt up a place that brought the community together over great food and genuine hospitality, inspired by the laid-back spirit of everyone’s favourite day of the week. When fate presented itself in the form of a historic church, they eagerly seized the opportunity.

Originally standing in Waipahi, a town east of Gore, this charming structure dates back to 1933. With support from Jennifer Warring of Studio Collective, known for projects such as Christchurch’s King of Snake and Odd Saint in Queenstown, Annabel and Alex breathed new life into its timeworn walls. They preserved the architecture while introducing modern comforts, with a soft colour palette for the walls and ceiling, and antique treasures scoured from vintage stores adding an old-world touch.

Designed to foster connections at every point, SUNDAYS boasts large indoor and outdoor tables for loved ones to gather over a shared feast. Where was once an altar is now a wood-fired oven, helmed by French-born Ludo Paris and his small but mighty team of chefs slinging Neapolitan pizza and European-inspired plates. The sourdough bases are made in-house, achieving that light and airy texture with elevated toppings that take a slightly less traditional route (think clams with pecorino, gremolata and artichoke, and oyster mushrooms with béchamel and porcini salt). European-inspired sharing plates accompany the pizza offering – and the pecorino churros come strongly recommended. Accompany your meal with their famed sangria, local beers on tap, interesting wines and classic cocktails. 

SUNDAYS is more than a place to dine. Live music fills the air during summer weekends, children run around playgrounds and meet neighbouring horses, and a new covered patio with an outdoor fireplace welcomes apres-ski moments. Meanwhile, Annabel and Alex are busy working away on exciting collaborations with other local businesses. Something tells us we’ll be singing their praises for a long time yet.