Eat

Lake Matheson Cafe

Coffee, and during the busy season, breakfast; dinner is on blackboard menus and change to suit seasonal ingredients. Deli style sandwiches, cakes, pies, cookies and salads with all products made on site. Great views of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.

Address: Lake Matheson Road
Getting there: 5-min drive from Fox Glacier at Lake Matheson walkway
Hours: Nov–Mar: daily 7:30AM-late; Apr–Oct 8AM-4PM
Website: lakematheson.com (opens in a new tab)

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Fox Glacier, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

Close by

Buy
ReflectioNZ Gifts and Gallery
Contemporary merchandise with a New Zealand flavour: jewellery, designer merino garments, greenstone & souvenirs, New Zealand artwork & photos. Overseas shipping available. Friendly, efficient service.
Daily from 8:30AM
See
Lake Matheson
Take the 4.4-km walk around the lake to see the beautiful reflection of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman on its dark waters. The lake was formed during the last Ice Age retreat by Fox Glacier 14,000 years ago. The track is well maintained, and there are boardwalks and specially-made platforms for getting the right angle for your pictures. The best light is at dawn, and it's about 20 minutes to the first lookout (and 20 minutes back if you don't want to walk the whole way) and 40 minutes to a floating pontoon.
See
Peak View Lookout
Drive down Cook Flat Rd for 10 km west of the township past the Lake Matheson turnoff until it becomes an unsealed road for the best view of the peaks of Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman. There's a picnic area and a plane table which can be used to identify the different peaks of the Southern Alps.
Eat
Fox Glacier Guiding Cafe
A convenient stop before early morning guided hikes. Serves breakfast and lunch daily. Offer a range of homemade deli style food.
7:30AM-4PM