So, you want a wine bar that’s inviting but also fun and lively, with a great drinks list and food to match? We’ve got you covered, from Tāmaki Makaurau to Ōtautahi.
Every suburb needs a local like Bar Martin, an inviting wine bar tucked between Mt
Address: 43 Martin Ave, Mount Albert
Contact: 0210 667 490
Beau has gone from strength to strength since opening in 2020. Under the leadership of front-of-house manager Diva Giles and chef Logan Birch, and with a collective goal of inclusivity and whanaungatanga, Beau is consistently full of happy patrons. Beau blurs the line between wine bar and restaurant, with a great menu that befits a full dinner, but also drinks and snacks. Choose a table in the lovely indoor dining room, at a table out the front, or the surprise courtyard outside. The menu is separated into small plates to start, like charcuterie and French cheese, smoked ribs and oysters; raw and fresh plates such as market fish ceviche, tartare or fresh burrata; and larger hot plates, such as market fish with seasonal vegetables and braised beef cheek. There are many interesting wines to sample at Beau and if you feel confused by the winelist, the staff are more than happy to help you select a glass. Beau recently opened a deli next door, serving coffee, sandwiches and takeaway treats for the daytime crowd. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 12pm-late.
Address: 265 Ponsonby Rd, Auckland
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From the team behind Vic Road Kitchen in Devonport, who are creating some of Auckland’s most delicious food, according to dining out editor Jesse Mulligan, comes Vic Road Wine Bar & Cellar, a European-style wine bar-meets-bottle shop in the snug space once occupied by Thompson’s Shoes – a popular spot with Devonport locals for over 80 years. The Vic Road Kitchen team have repurposed elements of the original store, turning the shoe shelves into wine storage and uncovering original stained glass windows and brickwork. They’ve also created a cosy outdoor courtyard, ideal for drinking wine in the sun – see, charming! Not only does Vic Road Wine Bar offer a great list of wines by the glass (which changes regularly), but there are also 200 wines from New Zealand and overseas available to take home. The food is tapas-style, with terrines and dips, cheese and charcuterie, olives, octopus and more, served by attentive staff who know a thing or two about wine. Plus, if you’re after something more substantial, the excellent Vic Road Kitchen is just up the road. Open Tuesday-Sunday.
Address: 53-55 Victoria Rd, Devonport
Contact: (09) 445 0194
Tappo
Tappo in St Kevins Arcade is a wine bar and shop from the Pici team, located right next door to the Karangahape Rd restaurant, offering natural wines to drink on-site or take home, as well as a short menu of snacks. The wines are organic and biodynamic varieties from small New Zealand producers like Deep Down, Amoise, Head in the Clouds, Melange, Brood Fermentation, Huntress and more. Take a seat outside in the arcade and order a wedge of cheese and olives, or a bowl of popcorn, and a glass of natural wine. If you like it, you can always buy a bottle for later. Tappo regularly hosts winemaker showcases, with Dave Mackintosh from Viva Top 50 Winery Kenzie presenting wines on September 9, from 5pm, with burgers by Jono Thevenard. Visit Tappo for more info and upcoming events.
Address: Shop 23/183 Karangahape Rd, Auckland CBD
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Atelier
Karangahape wine bar and restaurant Atelier, from the team behind Paname Social, Ambler and Wander, offers small plates devised by executive chefs Kelian Monteil and Alexis Petit and a great mix of French and local wines by the glass or bottle. The menu has a French flavour, like many of the menus from this restaurant group, with offerings like duck liver parfait with duck fat financier and cornichons; smoke trevally rillets with salmon caviar; charcuterie and even a chicken cordon bleu with mushroom ketchup. Bread and butter is also a focus, with three types to choose from (Fort Green’s pain de Campagne, baguette or OMG Goodness’ gluten-free walnut and honey loaf) and four flavour-infused butters.
Address: 292 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD
Contact: 027 269 9306
Apero
Apero has been serving great food and wine for nearly a decade now, led by owner-operators Leslie Hottiaux and Mo Koski. At Apero, French chef Leslie creates generous, delicious plates loosely inspired by her hometown of Toulouse, with partner Mo on wines. Dine on Apero’s terrine of the day; charcuterie; goat’s cheese croquettes with kamahi honey or a plate of rib eye and enjoy them with wines hand-selected by Mo, who goes out of his way to ensure you enjoy your chosen drop. The wines, from small producers across New Zealand as well as imported bottles, change often, so expect to be surprised. Apero is open Monday to Thursday from 5pm, all day on Friday and is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 280 Karangahape Road, Auckland
Contact: (09) 373 4778
Bon Pinard
Bon Binard is a good-looking French-inspired wine bar in Birkenhead from husband-and-wife team Sarah and Jordan MacDonald, just two doors from their restaurant Uno and cafe Duo. Bon Pinard is the North Shore’s answer to a French wine bar, but you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in Paris while nestled into a booth at one of their handsome wooden tables, a glass of French fizz in hand, and a plate of charcuterie not far away. There isn’t much that requires cooking on the menu at Bon Pinard, with small share plates that pair nicely with French-inspired cocktails and French, European and New Zealand wines. Dine on French saucisson and Cazador’s cured meats, pickled mussels with preserved lemon aioli and Oritz anchovies with Jatz crackers and soubise. As well as wine, there’s Sawmill on tap and a refined selection of cocktails and aperitifs. We’ll be ordering the dirty vodka martini and the Porto Tonico cocktail with white port, quina fina and orange. The vibe inside the wine bar is cosy, with lots of repurposed wood, vintage finds and shelves stacked with wine.
Address: 134A Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead
Contact: hello@bonpinard.co.nz
Somm
Wine bar and cellar door Somm, located on Princess Wharf in Auckland’s central city, is a showcase for a stable of well-known New Zealand wineries under the Foley wines portfolio, including Church Road, Martinborough Vineyard, Te Kairanga, Vavasour and Mt Difficulty. Somm acts as an “urban cellar door” with wines by the glass, bottle and tasting flight. There are also guest wineries on the drinks menu from Waiheke and Canterbury, local beers on tap, cocktails and Champagne. The menu is a collection of snacks and share plates that pair nicely with wine – think cheese platters, charcuterie and antipasti, as well as hot dishes like crispy fried chicken and braised short rib. Like the wine, the menu showcases the breadth of New Zealand too, with olive oil from Martinborough, sheep’s milk cheese from Masterton, and quince paste from Hawke’s Bay. The sleek fit-out is noteworthy too, designed by Nott Architects, who have married exposed concrete with warm walnut and oak timber. Outside on the wharf, tables are awarded with views of the harbour.
Website: Sommcellardoor.co.nz
Address: Shed 22, Princess Wharf
Rhu
Parnell bakery and cafe Rhu is now a wine bar at night, open Wednesday to Sunday. Chef/owner Tushar Grover honed his skills at restaurants including Pasture, Alpha, Boxer, Huka Lodge and most recently wine bar Flor (which would be on this list if it hadn’t closed recently), creating what he calls “intricate, high-end dishes”. At Rhu, the focus is on simplicity and quality, offering a space where people can enjoy well-crafted food and drinks throughout the day. The idea for Rhu took root during Tushar’s time at Pasture, and its closure was the last nudge he needed to open his own spot, which has always been a dream of his. Rhu’s team is made up of business partner Dhananjay Chawla, restaurant manager Pierre Bernardeau and Phil Spector, the mastermind behind the cocktail offering. Evening service runs from Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm until late, serving food that Tushar describes as “fresh, light and crisp, paired with some naughty dishes, and light and fresh desserts”. Find inventive plates with deceptively simple descriptions such as pumpkin with peach and mango; salmon with yuzu and wood sorrel and Rhu’s signature housemade sourdough with cultured butter. The wine list canvasses New Zealand and international wines with a focus on French varietals, available by the glass, carafe or bottle.
Address: 235 Parnell Road, Parnell
Contact: 022 059 1967
Stafford Road Wine Bar
Northcote’s local corner bar has been serving great wine and food since 2009, when the wine shop next door made room for a new wine and tapas bar. Cosy and atmospheric – Viva has even borrowed its interior for a ski-fashion shoot – it had a bit of a makeover in 2020, and is decked out in Chesterfield leather chairs, stained oak and white granite surfaces, with beautiful wrought iron doors at the entrance. The wine list here changes often, benefiting from the variety and resources of Point Wines next door, with pours like Peregrine sauvignon blanc, Felton Road pinot noir and Man O’ War’s Dreadnaught. There are craft beers on tap (rotating Parrotdog and McLeod beers) and fun cocktails like the Santiago, with white tequila, Campari, St Germain and lime. Dine on fries and aioli and smoked kahawai rillets, or bigger plates of slow-cooked lamb shoulder with a side of seasonal vegetables.
Address: 141 Queen St, Northcote Point
Contact: (09) 480 2690
Further afield
Cellar 495
If you’re in Hastings, wine bar Cellar 495 is a must, a lively yet elegant space that opened in 2022, conceived by owner and master of wine Michael Henley (the world’s 495th wine master, hence the name). He’s designed the bar as a wine shop and tasting room by day, and a wine bar by night, with a menu of sophisticated food like Yabon sourdough with bone marrow butter and roasted garlic; little brioche toasts topped with Ortiz anchovies, salted yolk and chermoula; and crispy maple-glazed pork belly on kūmara puree with puffed amaranth and apple. A great way to experience the food is the Trust the Chef option, which is a series of six dishes accompanied by wines hand-chosen by Mike from Hawke’s Bay and further afield. Cellar 495 is in the Municipal Building, with some of the city’s key venues housed inside, including the Toitoi opera house, Akina Gallery, Hastings I-site and Craft & Social. Tables at Cellar 495 spill out into a laneway that connects these venues, making it feel like a vibey slice of Melbourne. Mike’s bar is the ideal spot for pre- and post-show drinks, but with food this good you’d be wise to settle in for longer.
Address: 319 Heretaunga St East, Hastings
Contact: (06) 870 6308
Noble Rot
Located on Swan Lane in a courtyard off Cuba Street, Noble Rot was one of Wellington’s first wine bars when it opened in 2016, a city known for its great restaurants but up until then lacking in bars dedicated to wine. The vibe is relaxed and informal and while the wine list might seem intimidating (there are over 500 to choose from, with 80 available by the glass making it one of New Zealand’s largest wine selections), Noble Rot’s team of sommeliers are happy to help you choose a glass. It’s a diverse and interesting list, available in 100ml and 150ml pours, plus a Corovin wine system allows the team to serve premium wines at drinkable prices. To eat, there are lots of light bites that pair beautifully with wine (fromage, parfait, rillette, charcuterie, burrata), but you can also find main meals, from dry-aged eye fillet to poached market fish with verjus beurre blanc.
Address: 6 Swan Lane, Te Aro, Wellington
Contact: (04) 385 6671
Scotch Wine Bar
Located in the heart of wine country, in Blenheim, Scotch Wine bar and Shop has been helmed by some of New Zealand’s top food and wine talent like Dan Gillet (Wine Diamonds) and Georgia van Prehn (head chef at Auckland’s Alta). In 2020 it entered a new chapter with new owner Jacob Anderson but what hasn’t changed is the ever-evolving list of rare and interesting wines (the bar has a cellar of around 2000 bottles) and a sharp multicourse tasting menu of beautifully presented food. The fit-out is thoughtful too, with deep blue booths, brick walls, industrial concrete blocks and warm wood tables. Scotch is known for its wine-tasting events, so be sure to check what’s on the agenda. Monday-Friday, 4pm-late.
Address: 26 Maxwell Rd, Blenheim
Contact: (03) 579 1176
Londo Bar
A relative newcomer to Christchurch’s thriving food and wine scene, Londo is a petite bar with big ideas, offering natural wine, slick cocktails and inventive food prepared with heart in a tiny kitchen. The team here care about food, with spectacularly presented in-season sharing dishes like pork Milanese with curly endive; or braised leeks with oyster mushrooms and a soft boiled egg, and silky smooth truffle pasta, dreamed up by chef Bob Fairs (previously chef at Lyttelton’s now closed Roots restaurant). Wine is a focus too, with some exciting New Zealand drops like Libiamo Amphora Chenin Blanc from Gisborne, and A Thousand Gods Love Letters Pinot Noir from Melbourne, as well as a roster of low-intervention international wines. From the glassware to the fonts to the lighting, the Londo team have paid mind to aesthetics, and it all looks great. Open from 5pm.
Address: Unit 6/2 Papnui Rd, Merivale, Christchurch.
Phone: 027 340 8385
Margot
Husband and wife duo Juno Miers and chef Tom Adam are the team behind Margot in Wellington’s Newtown, which serves a seasonal menu and inventive cocktails inspired by Juno’s love of a superlative pre-dinner drink. With low-hanging lightshades, graphic framed prints and plants, Margot is a light, bright and cosy restaurant that radiates warmth and care. The menu changes often, but you might find dishes like Te Kouma oysters with a vermouth mignonette; stracciatella with pumpkin and pine nuts or beef tartare with housemade potato chips. Dine on housemade bread with cultured butter and a tin of Ortiz anchovies, Tom’s “death row snack”, with a Margot’s Martini on the side. Combining olive oil-washed gin, Ortiz anchovy oil, dry vermouth and olive brine for a deeply savoury drink, this is a playful twist on a classic beverage you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. The wine list is also beautifully curated with natural and organic styles from New Zealand and further afield.
Address: 63 Riddiford St, Newtown, Wellington
Contact: 027 293 6642
Graze
The butterfish crudo at Graze is a work of art, with delicate layers of radish and tomatillo concealing fresh slices of fish, served on a glass fish-shaped dish. The cornbread waffles are another showstopper, with a grid of blue cheese ricotta and plum jam scattered with delicate sprigs of fennel. It’s the fine work of chef Max Gordy, a Chicago native and ex-speed skater who, with partner Stina Persen, has opened a laidback neighbourhood wine bar in Kelburn with a low-waste ethos and an ever-changing blackboard menu of share plates. Graze is their first venture as owner-operators, having both worked at Hillside Kitchen before launching Graze. Much of the decor is second-hand, from the glassware to the napkins and the reclaimed wood tabletops. The effect is a refreshing and unique interior that’s cosy and cool. To drink, there are exclusively New Zealand wines with interesting glass pours that change daily, and cocktails that reflect the seasons and favour New Zealand-made spirits.
Address: 95 Upland Rd, Kelburn, Wellington
Contact: 022 302 8242
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