A new international food emporium has put a permanent roof over eight family-run eateries in central Christchurch.

Little High Eatery officially opened on Friday in a new building in the $50 million McKenzie and Willis redevelopment.

Eight licensed food outlets, mostly neighbours from the Re:Start container mall, are tenants in the building and sharing indoor and outdoor seating areas.

STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ Caribe Latin Kitchen gears up for the lunch rush.

The businesses are Argentinian eatery El Fogon, Caribe Latin Kitchen, Asian fusion-style Eightgrains, Thai eatery Noodle Monk's Thai St Kitchen, Sushi Soldiers, Base Pizza, Bacon Bros Burgers, and cafe A Mouse Called Bean.

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They will be open daytimes and evenings until 10pm, and until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

STACY SQUIRES/STUFF Outside dining at Little High Eatery.

Landlords Richard Peebles, Kris Inglis and Mike Percasky​ said they were delighted to finally open after spending $2m and a year fitting the place out. The concept is based on similar developments overseas, and in Ponsonby in Auckland.

The premises take up the ground floor of a three-storey building, behind the main building which has the McKenzie and Willis facade.

Rod Thomson, who runs Base Pizza with his sons, said the first diners were "blown away" when they visited this week.

"They don't think they [are] in Christchurch," he said. Thomson built his own wood-fired oven and other fittings for his premises.

"It's great because we're still in an open environment but we know our neighbours from Re:Start. It's a very similar feel, but it's indoors."

At Bacon Bros next door, the front of a truck forms part of the decor.

STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ Base Pizza with its wood-fired oven made by the owner.

Richard Castro, originally from Venezuela, moved from Queenstown with his family to open El Fogon and Caribe.

"We thought, if we come to Christchurch, we want to do something that no-one else is doing here," he said.

"People seem to be happy and enjoying the food."

STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ A new building, made to look old inside.

The look of Little High Eatery was designed by Georgie Inglis, who said she aimed to create an international feel and had hunted overseas for ideas and fittings.

"I just wanted to create something unique for Christchurch, where you can tuck yourself into a little nook or be right in the middle of everything."

Peebles said the eatery had turned out better then they hoped.

STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ Eight Grains at Little High Eatery.

"We went for the high-end international look. I got goose bumps when we walked in."

The landlords wanted local, family-run businesses rather than corporate eating outlets, he said. The project was a co-production, with the the business owners contributing ideas and encouraging each other.

Peebles, Inglis and Percasky also own the Riverside container mall, previously called Re:Start, and are establishing a $80m new farmers' market, dining and retail complex there next year.