Pub spy: Garrison Public House

Reluctant shoppers seek out Garrison. Photo / Doug Sherring

Address: No 61 Sylvia Park, 286 Mt Wellington Highway
Ph: (09) 573 1212
Website: garrisonpub.co.nz
Open: 7 days 11am till late.

I rarely go to Sylvia Park, it has to be said.

The thought of spending the day in dense crowds of avid shoppers (none of whom has the slightest interest in looking where they are going) fills me with horror. Screaming children, daydreaming mothers running you down with pushchairs and depressed blokes being hauled around the place by their partners - it's not exactly a recipe for eternal happiness, is it?

But on those occasions that I cannot avoid descending into that hell that is the large shopping mall, there is one bright ray of hope, and that is Garrison.

Garrison Public House is a haven of calm amid the bustling crowds; a place where the hurly-burly of the shopping experience can be briefly forgotten over a cold beer and a bite to eat. It deserves a medal for restoring sanity to so many every day.

It's got a good selection of drinks, too. The Monteith's range, some European-style lagers and a nice wine list that manages to combine the familiar with the intriguing.

But what I really love Garrison for is the food; its pizzas are excellent and just what the doctor ordered after a hard morning's retail therapy.

Sitting in the sun with a pint and a pizza in front of you, while the wheels of commerce grind on relentlessly in the background, is one of life's real pleasures.

Shop on.

Scores

Service: 4/5
Drink: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Overall: 4/5