Queenstown has welcomed new Italian bistro Sasso in late December, perfect for group or corporate dining.

Sasso, meaning stone in Italian, is centrally located in historic McNeill’s cottage, just a few steps from New Zealand’s picturesque Lake Wakatipu.

Executive Chef Sal Grant heads a team of eight chefs and offers Italian-inspired cuisine that is both traditional and innovative – think rustic Italian with fresh local ingredients.

Sasso is the creation of two local businessmen, The Rees Queenstown CEO Mark Rose and David Matthews, also a UK Property developer, who felt Queenstown was missing a chic modern Italian dining option.

The dining room of the newly-opened Sasso in Queenstown.

The historic stone cottage has undergone a stunning $500,000 refurbishment revealing a clean crisp interior with a solid wood bar and marble counters sourced in Italy. Crystal light fittings form a lavish centrepiece while the state of the art kitchen offers an open servery that, along with the Mediterranean outdoor courtyard and open fire, creates a warm and relaxing ambiance.

The familiar face of general manager Candice Chow, previously of the Rees Hotel Queenstown, will greet guests. Chow has worked at the prestigious Michelin three-star Caprice Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel & Resort, Hong Kong, and is a professionally trained sommelier. She has an excellent knowledge of the fine local pinots to be featured at Sasso along with the impressive wine collection directly sourced from Italy.