Auckland: Bar Albert
Sophisticated, understated and welcoming, Bar Albert is the highest rooftop bar in New Zealand. Located 38 floors above Auckland’s Wyndham Street, Bar Albert offers a rooftop deck, exceptional, locally-inspired food and beverage selection, and comfortable and inviting surrounds (and sounds).
Signature cocktail: Eden Cres – The Roots dry gin, Yellow Chartreuse, house-made pistachio & rosewater orgeat, spray of rhubarb bitters, served in a coupe glass and garnished with dried rose petal.
Top food & beverage pairing: Napier St – Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or scotch, Cocchi Americano Blanco, topped with house made tamarillo and honey soda with honeycomb skewer – paired with the house charcuterie.
Whangarei: ASTROBOY
Opened by two long-time hospo workers mid-pandemic, ASTROBOY is a bustling, boisterous environment that is unapologetically loud and fun. With decor inspired by the owners’ favourite watering holes in Melbourne, paired with the aromas and neon light aesthetic of east Asian cities such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, ASTROBOY is a space where families and friends can come and enjoy a range of east-meets-west street food and cocktails. With housemade burger buns, sauces and syrups and locally-sourced produced, the team at ASTROBOY is obsessed with quality and showcasing local food and beverage in an international way.
Signature cocktail: The current favourite is the Social Club – a Roku gin and lychee-based cocktail. Well-balanced, not too sweet, not too strong or sour, the fluffy garnish of blue candyfloss makes it clear that you can let your hair down while enjoying this cocktail!
Top food & beverage pairing: Cheeseburger Spring rolls… with pretty much anything!
Christchurch: Two Thumb Brewing Co
With two venues in Christchurch, each with a very different feel, this Colombo Street location is a bit more cosmopolitan than its Manchester Street counterpart. Street art by Wongi Wilson and comfy couches keep the same Two Thumb relaxed atmosphere but this location features a great selection of cocktails, local premium gin and boutique wines (plus a wide range of hand-pulled non-carbonated traditional English Ales) to compliment the full menu offering.
Signature drink: Yorkshire Bitter – a very traditional recipe.
Top food & beverage pairing: Two way beef burgers –brisket smoked then braised in milk stout with a seared beef pattie – paired with the milk stout.
Christchurch: Austin Club
A themed cocktail bar from the post-war 1946 period, Austin Club teleports you to a place of celebration where you can kick back and relax, relish intimate dynamic service, innovative libations and energetic music. With menus that utilise fresh and seasonal ingredients, passionate and experienced staff and live comedy and jazz, Austin Club is a welcoming space to enjoy a night out.
Signature cocktail: Currently the ‘Cat in the Hat’ which is a twist on a ‘Miami Vice’. White rum is infused with fresh strawberries and lemongrass, shaken with fresh citrus and sugar for a base. This is then topped with a piña colada foam, made from a housemade tropical cordial and coconut milk which has been left in a sous vide bath at 50C to keep warm.
Queenstown: Little Mez
A sophisticated new addition to the south island’s hospitality scene, Little Mez is Queenstown’s only dedicated Agaveria. A cosy, speakeasy-style space, it’s a bit off the beaten track but well worth finding. Inside the stylish, ambient bar, a passionate team of mixologists will introduce you to the world of Mexican liquor, which has been carefully curated to showcase all that Mexico has to offer.
Signature cocktail: A classic Margarita is timeless for a reason – it is perfectly balanced. But the Pineapple Barbacoa really shows off the style of the bar, it’s a smoke-forward old fashioned which is beautifully presented.
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