Must-see nightlife in South Island

  • Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn

    Christchurch

    With more than 30 taps featuring the best of NZ craft beers, Pomeroy’s is an essential Christchurch destination. Among this cosy British-style pub's other…

  • Smash Palace

    Christchurch

    Epitomising the spirit of transience, tenacity and resourcefulness that Christchurch is now known for, this deliberately downcycled and ramshackle beer…

  • Blue Door

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    The only indications that you've arrived are the unmarked blue doors – push them open and it's like stepping into a prohibition-era speakeasy. The low-lit…

  • Pequeno

    Dunedin

    Head down the alley opposite the Rialto Cinema, with the black-and-white kākāpō street-art piece by Phelgm, to discover this intimate and sophisticated…

  • Dog with Two Tails

    Dunedin

    Nightly events here range from jazz jams and soulful singer-songwriters, to indie rock and literary readings with a peppering of quiz nights and open mics…

  • Cardrona Hotel

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    The wood-panelled facade looks like a film set, but it's the real deal – NZ's most photographed pub is a gold-rush relic from 1863. The sense of history…

  • Rhyme x Reason

    Wanaka

    Beer-loving locals head to this inconspicuous tin shed – situated in a light-industrial strip on the edge of town – to escape the tourists down at the…

  • South Sea Hotel

    Fiordland & Southland

    Welcome to one of NZ's classic pubs, complete with stellar cod and chips, beer by the quart, a reliable restaurant (mains $16 to $33) and plenty of…

  • Lalaland

    Wanaka

    Before the Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone flick, there was already this Lalaland in Wānaka. Sink into a comfy chair at the little, low-lit palace/bordello,…

  • Gin & Raspberry

    Wanaka

    If you're in the swing for bling, this lush bar is like stepping into a Baz Luhrmann film set. Gilded mirrors, a grand piano (yes, you can ask to play it)…

  • Atlas Beer Cafe

    Queenstown

    There are usually 23 craft beers on tap at this pint-sized lakefront bar, headlined by brews from Dunedin's Emerson's Brewery and Queenstown's Altitude;…

  • Perky's

    Queenstown

    That hint of wobbliness you feel isn't the alcohol (yet), it's the fact that you're drinking on an old tour boat that's now permanently moored at the…

  • Fork & Tap

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Built as a bank in 1870, Fork and Tap's currency is now craft beer, with up to 19 suds on tap. Add in good food, including shared meat and cheese platters…

  • The Brewery

    Christchurch

    An essential destination for beer-loving travellers, the Cassels & Sons' brewery crafts beers using a wood-fired brew kettle, resulting in well-balanced…

  • Eruption Brewing

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    Every heritage port town needs a decent craft brewery and Eruption Brewing doesn't disappoint. It's a firm local favourite, especially on Friday and…

  • Governors Bay Hotel

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    A scenic 9km drive southwest from Lyttelton is one of NZ's oldest operational pubs (1870). You couldn't ask for a more inviting deck and garden in which…

  • Institution

    Christchurch

    The Institution may well be Christchurch's smallest bar – there's only room for around 20 punters upstairs – but there's no trade-off in the range of…

  • MoW Bar & Eatery

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    A decent selection of NZ craft beers and ciders partners with good pizza ($20 to $26) and bar snacks at this convivial hybrid of bar and restaurant. Score…

  • OGB

    Christchurch

    Old-school speakeasy charm reigns at this versatile spot that's equally fine for a cocktail, craft beer or more substantial offering of a shared platter…

  • The Winery

    Queenstown

    Ignore the uninspiring location and settle in for a journey around NZ wine. Load up cash on a smart card and then help yourself to tasting pours or…

  • Insomnia by Strictly Coffee

    Dunedin

    One of Dunedin’s seriously serious coffee bars, Strictly Coffee is a stylish, retro option hidden down grungy Bath St. Different rooms provide varying…

  • Inch Bar

    Dunedin

    Make the short trek from town to this cosy bar for its selection of Kiwi craft beers and tasty nibbles, and the cute indoor/outdoor beer garden. Despite…

  • The Last Word

    Christchurch

    This cosy spot amid the heritage Spanish Mission facades of New Regent St is a fine option any time of the evening. One of the city's best selections of…

  • Not Without You

    Christchurch

    A popular High St laneway spot, Not Without You morphs from a daytime cafe into an atmospheric after-dark bar and bistro. Partner NZ craft beers or more…

  • 1876

    Queenstown

    How often do you get to drink in a courthouse, as opposed to ending up in a courthouse because of drink? This bar is inside a heritage-listed 1876-built…

  • World Bar

    Queenstown

    Queenstown's legendary party hub before it was destroyed by fire in 2013, the World is once again spinning. Decor swings between degrees of eclectic, from…

  • Bunker

    Queenstown

    Bunkered upstairs rather than down, this chi-chi little bar clearly fancies itself as the kind of place Sean Connery's James Bond might frequent, if the…

  • Bardeaux

    Queenstown

    This small, cavelike wine bar is all class. Under a low ceiling are plush leather armchairs and a fireplace made from Central Otago schist. Whisky is king…

  • Smiths Craft Beer House

    Queenstown

    It's back to basics in everything but the taps, with bare concrete floors and industrial tables and chairs, but 36 creative NZ craft beers to sample. The…

  • Historic Empire Hotel

    The West Coast

    Nostalgia wafts from every brightly painted beam of the Empire. Since 1866, West Coasters have huddled inside the pub, amid yellowing photographs and…

  • Gibbston Tavern

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Just off the Gibbston Hwy, this supremely rustic pub has a jute-lined interior and outdoor seating gathered around a fire. All wines are from Gibbston,…

  • Vesuvio

    Christchurch

    Half-hidden at the back of a busy cluster of eateries, this European-style wine bar is the perfect spot for a pre-dinner aperitivo – though the thoughtful…

  • Pub on Wharf

    Queenstown

    Schmick interior design combines with handsome woodwork at this popular pub, with fake sheep heads to remind you that you’re still in NZ. Mac’s beers on…

  • Dux Central

    Christchurch

    Pumping a whole lot of heart back into the flattened High St precinct, the epic Dux complex comprises a brew bar serving its own and other crafty drops,…

  • Fat Eddie's

    Christchurch

    Seven years after the quakes, jazz bar Fat Eddie's has reopened in a brand-new building on the riverfront. With comfy couches, retro styling, a big dance…

  • Zephyr

    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…

  • Allpress Espresso

    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…

  • New Zealand Whisky Collection

    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…

  • Albar

    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…

  • Allpress

    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…