Address: 69 Customs St East, Auckland CBD
Rating:
First drinks: Took some time to decide on as there were so many tempting options. We settled on the excellent Chilli and Ginger Drop (gold rum, lime, cucumber, chilli, ginger beer) and the signature White Rabbit lager. The cocktail was a winner but the house lager missed the mark (apparently it was too hoppy for lager). A second round saw us test a Cherry Shrub and Cherry Cola Rumble, which both met with enthusiastic approval.
The vibe is: Melbourne cool. Formerly The Crown (and before that the Rose & Crown), this classic pub has been given a whitewash facelift. It's simple, cool and has a great buzz. Large shared tables occupy one end of the room for those after a more casual drink, or you can grab a table for a more intimate encounter. Despite serving full meals earlier in the day, it's grazing only come evening, which gives the bar its relaxed atmosphere. The food is great should you want to eat but there's no pressure to move on if you're only there for drinks. Upstairs, a full bistro menu is on offer for those after a more substantial dining experience.
On the stereo: All tunes come courtesy of the discreet house DJ, who perfectly complements the relaxed vibe.
Room for improvement: Honestly, this may be our new favourite pub. The service was excellent, the drinks superb and we loved the atmosphere. We would probably pass on the zucchini fries next time though, which sounded more exotic than they tasted.
