CBD Bar

No Longer In Business

Kind of reminds me of brewpubs in Australian circa ~2002. Wouldn’t say it’s the best pub going around but about ten different Cassel’s beers on tap and they’re mostly really good. Three handpumps. No guest beers, in spite of what’s on their website. Food was pretty average - they’ve got this great pizza oven and the bases are great but they’re loading it up with Pizza Hut-style toppings. It would be so easy for them to be doing top-notch pizza. Frustrating. Worth a look but only for the beers.

If only I had heeded Cantabrian’s advise and not appeared on a Friday evening here to slake my thirst. Think cheesy hip-hop party night featuring drunken students. However, my time in Christchurch was short, I hadn’t long arrived and I craved a Milk Stout. No faults there, that delivered. I chopped my pint and retreated hastily back into the dimly lit streets and onto a much wiser pub choice that is Pomeroy’s.

Just don’t go an a Friday. Loud music is absolutely overwhelming, and particularly an apalling selection of tunes. Perhaps the reason why some tables were still empty. Because there is NO OTHER REASON for not going to this bar. Excellent beer - even though there are no guest taps, patrons should be more than happy with the great selection of Cassel’s own brews. Friendly and attentive service, this bar is nice, clean and here is where you find the best Kiwi pizzas in Christchurch, by a far margin. The tables inside have that lovely Jules-Verne style futuristic chairs. Any day but a Friday evening is a delight.

Looking for some place to take a beer in the city after I couldn’t find any of the pubs showed in the Lonely Planet guide. Very good beer and very nice service. They give me a glass as a present cause we were visiting NZ for holiday. Great

Lomg narrow place wit a lot of outdoor tables, in the recovering CBD district. Pizzas are very creative. Beers are the same as what’s on at The Brewery, no guest taps at the moment. Staff is helpful and friendly. Worth a look.

Full range of cassels brewery beers on tap and some interesting Kiwi cocktails including one with feijoa and kiwi. Decent woodfired oven pizzas and a buzz about the place with most outside tables occupied mid-afternoon during my visit. Friendly staff, though be warned take your passport with you for ID!

This is a new offering, part of the growing Cassel’s and Sons group and is within throwing distance of the Twisted Hop in Poplar Lane (although TTH’s future is up in the air). So nice to see a business making its future in the centre of the city post-earthquake, although the new city plan may interfere with its future. I have been here twice so far with the visits occurring one month apart. Lots of little annoyances from the first time have been fixed as the bar is new and its development is on-going. These were things such as: the ambient noise level was overwhelming, since fixed by the installation of accoustic bats in the ceiling, which has made a world of difference; an underwhelming snack menu, changed to include tapas - we had the garlic chilli king prawns, about $16 for six prawns which were very very tasty; and a few minor environment issues that come with on-site development. The beer taps were handpull ales and gas flow lagers and ales from the Cassel’s brewery, although on both occasions I had imported and local bottled beers because I hadn’t tried them before. This bar appears more geared toward drinks and nibbly food rather than a full-blown restaurant in quite stylish surroundings (think of the film Metropolis type of art-deco adapted to light, building and table fittings). This is a project that will grow and get better, hopefully without the council pulling the rug from underneath it. Well worth a look.