You can’t miss Karaka Lobster—literally. Sitting right on State Highway 1 in Ōkiwi Bay, this tiny roadside café has a massive bright-red crayfish perched on the roof. It's the perfect place for a photo because nothing says “I visited Kaikōura” like posing in front of a giant seafood statue, right?

A whole crayfish will set you back $60+, served with a salad, a toasted garlic bun, and a wedge of lemon. If that’s too much for a little roadside stop, they also sell classic whitebait sandwiches, which will run you $15 for two.