During the winter season every night in town is a busy night, with many bars enticing you in with a roaring fire, happy hour deals and good music.
On the Lake front there is the “Speights Ale House” as well as "And Bar" with four pool tables upstairs, “Shooters Bar” with sport TV and Trout Bar just down the road.
If you feel like a quiet drink and some gentle jazz then “Uno” is the place for you. Should Guinness be your drink then “Scruffy Murphys” have it on tap.
“Red Rock” at the other end of town is nearly always pumping. Has pool tables, live music and some pretty good food.
Just up from the Lake Front is Post Office Lane, a small thoroughfare off Ardmore Street, is now home to four of the town’s newest and most exciting venues for food and drink - Barluga, Woody’s, The Cow and the Botswana Butchery.
Nestled below street level, this mini neighbourhood has become a hub for eating, drinking and socialising, featuring indoor and outdoor seating, open fires, and a something-for-everyone selection of bars and restaurants.
Barluga’s drink menu features a rotating list of cocktails, from the traditional Martini to the Moscow Mule, quality spirits, a full page of cellar stock and a range of wines including a strong showing of Wanaka and Central Otago labels. The bar also specialises in the après ski drink Gluhwein in winter.
The next stop on Post Office Lane is Woody’s, a cosy sports bar with wall to wall pool tables, wide screen televisions, and a slightly more casual atmosphere than its neighbour. Here one can still order a glass of Pinot Noir but the emphasis is on having a beer and watching a bit of sport.
"The Cow" is an institution in Queenstown for 30 years, Wanaka’s Cow serves up pizza and spaghetti in a fun atmosphere popular with all age groups, both visitors and locals.
And lastly the newest addition to Post Office lane is the Botswana Butchery a first class restaurant where the food has already won a fantastic reputation. Perfect for a romantic candlelight dinner or group get together, and the wood burning grill is in to finish those steaks to perfection! |
