Food and Drink
We have resources to help cooks and food lovers - from cookbooks to food history and food dictionaries.
We have a great selection of cookbooks covering all dietary requirements from plant-based to gluten-free. Search for a particular cuisine, like Thai, Mexican or Vegetarian. If baking or brewing is more you we have books available.
We have a great collection of food and drink magazines both in libraries and online.
Read about chefs and the history of food, find out about health and wellbeing that food can provide.
Find out more about
Don't toss out your tomatoes!
Every year New Zealanders throw away 157,398 tonnes of food. We have tips, books and resources on reducing food waste.
New this week
Every week we publish just ordered, new fiction, and new non-fiction lists. Find out the newest titles added to the library collection.
New For You - Quirky - December 2025
Something a little different. An eclectic mix of new titles ranging across the Library's non-fiction collection.
Cameron Japanese Family Restaurant: Picturing Canterbury
Cameron Japanese Family Restaurant, ファミリーレストラン キャメロン, on Main South Road, Hornby. An image from Canterbury Stories.
Don't toss out your tomatoes!
Every year New Zealanders throw away 157,398 tonnes of food. We have tips, books and resources on reducing food waste.
New this week
Every week we publish just ordered, new fiction, and new non-fiction lists. Find out the newest titles added to the library collection.
New For You - Quirky - December 2025
Something a little different. An eclectic mix of new titles ranging across the Library's non-fiction collection.
Cameron Japanese Family Restaurant: Picturing Canterbury
Cameron Japanese Family Restaurant, ファミリーレストラン キャメロン, on Main South Road, Hornby. An image from Canterbury Stories.
Food and Cooking
Drinks
Kiwi cuisine
Books We Love - Edmonds Cookery Book
Terrisa shares another favourite - a true Kiwi classic the Edmonds Cookery Book. It is hardly unique in New Zealand to own a treasured…
History's kitchen: Jugged hare just like granny used to make
Joyce delves into the cookbook offerings of the gentlefolk of Papanui in 1903. Who were they (and why were their recipes so terrible)?
Canterbury Stories: Hāngī
Explore a selection of photographs from our collection that showcase the preparation of kai in our local communities.
WORD Christchurch 2020: Annabel Langbein 'Bella'
Helen reports back on an evening of foodie wisdom and colourful stories, with Annabel Langbein.
Books We Love - Edmonds Cookery Book
Terrisa shares another favourite - a true Kiwi classic the Edmonds Cookery Book. It is hardly unique in New Zealand to own a treasured…
History's kitchen: Jugged hare just like granny used to make
Joyce delves into the cookbook offerings of the gentlefolk of Papanui in 1903. Who were they (and why were their recipes so terrible)?
Canterbury Stories: Hāngī
Explore a selection of photographs from our collection that showcase the preparation of kai in our local communities.
WORD Christchurch 2020: Annabel Langbein 'Bella'
Helen reports back on an evening of foodie wisdom and colourful stories, with Annabel Langbein.
Traditional Māori kai
The Māori word for food is kai. Find out about traditional Māori food sources and food preservation practices.
Get the latest recipes
Food magazines full of recipes and inspiration, with everything from baking to vegan.
Non-fiction - Food journeys
The rich history of what appears on our plate is celebrated in these books which celebrate food around the world - feast your eyes on these.
Get the latest recipes
Food magazines full of recipes and inspiration, with everything from baking to vegan.
Non-fiction - Food journeys
The rich history of what appears on our plate is celebrated in these books which celebrate food around the world - feast your eyes on these.