Nelson Region
A member of the local Sprig & Fern Brewery family, this back-lane tavern is the pick of Motueka's drinking holes. Small and pleasant, with two courtyards,…
Must-see nightlife in South Island
Blenheim
This pub and garden has a beer-hall ambience and suitably Teutonic menu featuring pork knuckle, bratwurst and schnitzel (its pizza and burgers are also…
Greymouth
A stalwart of the Greymouth cafe scene, this quayside java joint is awash with local artwork. Hip clientele and friendly staff make it an excellent place…
Nelson Region
One of NZ's oldest pubs, the Moutere Inn (built 1850) is a welcoming establishment serving meals (homemade burgers, fish and chips, curries) and craft…
Queenstown
Queenstown's hippest rock bar is located – as all such places should be – in a dark, grungy, concrete-floored space off a back lane. There's a popular…
Christchurch
Hidden behind a nondescript facade down the industrial end of Montreal St, the Christchurch branch of this famous Kiwi coffee roastery does a mean…
Dunedin & Otago
Actually a maturation house rather than a distillery, where the whiskies are uniquely aged in red-wine barrels, giving them spicy, cherry-plum, Christmas…
Marlborough Region
Modelled on a bar in Northern Ireland, Seumus' is a cosy nest of dark wood and leather booths. Of course there's Guinness on tap and regular live music,…
Dunedin
This former butcher is now a bohemian bar, with a dark, atmospheric interior and cosy booths, illuminated by a single chandelier. Punters are drawn in by…
Nelson
This outpost of a Richmond brewery offers 18 brews on tap, including three limited releases. No pokies and no TV; just decent beer, NZ wines, pizza, $10…
Queenstown
Tucked into a corner of the Sofitel, this velvet-smooth jazz lounge is named for the French Revolution, with a bloody colour scheme to suit. There are…
Dunedin
The coffee at the Dunedin branch of this famous Kiwi roastery is just as smooth and rich as you'd expect. The simple cafe space fills with students from…
Queenstown
Enter the underworld, or at least the space under the World Bar, to find the heartbeat of Queenstown's late-night life. It's a proper, sweaty, industrial…
Fiordland & Southland
Parrot-design sofas and flying swordfish provide the distinctive animal-themed backdrop to this Invercargill institution. Stop by in the daytime for…
Te Anau
Cocktails, Kiwi-style tapas, a smooth soundtrack and plump black sofas by an open fire...they all conspire to make Black Dog the most sophisticated…
Christchurch
An intimate, speakeasy vibe makes Boo's an alluring late-night hang-out. Southern-style decor meshes with bourbons galore and American comfort food like…
Dunedin & Otago
Drop into this old waterfront warehouse to sample the output of Ōamaru's popular craft brewers. Slouch against the counter for a tasting or head out onto…
Dunedin & Otago
The most Victorian of the Victorian Precinct's watering holes, this corner beauty has a good beer selection and plenty of local wines. There's usually…
Queenstown
This vibey basement bar serves Rhino's house lager on tap ($5), hot rum in the ski months and empanadas. Animal pelts, snowshoes and skis line the…
Dunedin
'Dunedin's littlest bar' might only be 1.8m wide, but this bolthole on George St is still full of punters. There's sometimes even live musicians squeezed…
Dunedin
Monochrome tartan wallpaper, a roof deck and great cocktails leave the classy clientele looking pleased to be seen somewhere so deadly cool. It gets going…
Christchurch & Canterbury
More sweet than spooky, this hip coffee shop cum record store at the top end of London St does a roaring trade in silky coffee and smooth beats alike…
Dunedin
Not much but coffee to be had here, but oh yes, it's good coffee. This is where working street artists hang out while it's raining. Bring a keep cup if…
Nelson
Nelson's slinkiest late-night drinking den serves classy cocktails, fine wines and craft beer while sweet vinyl tunes drift from the speakers. Regular…
The West Coast
Upping Hoki's sophistication factor, this weeny joint packs a fridge full of fine wine and craft beer. Sip it in the hidden-away back garden, laden with…
Queenstown
Slink into the darkened interior of this slick bar for a sneaky afternoon cocktail, or perch yourself on the waterfront terrace for views over the lake.
Dunedin
The Cook hosts many local and touring acts and attracts a lively crowd from across the road at the uni.
Buller Region
The best of Reefton's narrow range of evening entertainment is this no-frills boozer, which has been pouring drinks since 1873. Expect a staccato…
Wanaka
The mainstays of Post Office Lane are this sports bar and neighbouring Barluga, sharing a courtyard and operating more or less in tandem, especially when…
Queenstown & Wanaka
Dating from 1866, this gold-rush pub still has the right amount of rough edge to provide a juxtaposition to Arrowtown's relentless quaintness. The gnarled…
Queenstown
Queenstown has two ice bars and they're pretty similar, but this one is apparently the biggest in Australasia. The frigid room is entirely furnished out…
Fiordland & Southland
Invercargill's liveliest gastropub is rightly popular and not bad-looking either, with trendy wallpaper and muted lighting from oversized lampshades…
Christchurch
Concealed inside a suburban shopping strip, this cosy bar combines comfy old sofas from your last student flat with quirky murals and a wide range of…
Te Anau
An open fire and chalet-style eaves heighten the appeal of this popular local pub, most loved for its hefty Sunday roast dinners ($17.50), Thursday jam…
Fiordland & Southland
A one-stop shop for souvenirs, takeaway fried everything or decent full-blown meals of blue cod or lamb shank (mains $19.50 to $29), the Point is best for…
Nelson
A commendable example of a Mac’s Brewbar, with trademark, quirky Kiwiana fit-out, including a knitted stag’s head. Quaff a handle of ale, dine on honest…
Queenstown
Like an English boozer framed with large-screen TVs, and with 17 beers on tap, this pub is a great place to watch the rugger. There's good pub grub (mains…
Fiordland & Southland
The saviour of Southland's live-music scene, Tillerman’s hosts everything from thrash to flash, with a battered old dance floor to show for it. Visit the…
Queenstown
The big attraction at this otherwise average bar, huddled among shops, is the roof terrace – a wonderfully hidden-away spot for an alfresco drink, though…
Timaru
The pub most likely to be registering a pulse of an evening, this enterprise – housed in an interesting 1870s stone warehouse – redeems its overly…
