Get ready for summer: NZ’s best beer gardens

Looking for the best craft beer gardens in Aotearoa this summer? These spots offer exceptional views and brews. Photo / Canyon Brewing
Take advantage of the longer days of spring and summer by relaxing and refuelling at these craft beer gardens across Aotearoa, writes Brett Atkinson
Located at the Plough and Feather Tap Room and Kitchen right on Kerikeri Basin, Kainui’s diverse beers are best experienced as a tasting flight. Weekend afternoons attract sunseekers to the pub’s absolute waterfront location, while there’s live music most Friday nights from 5pm.
What to drink: Ninety Mile IPA, a West Coast United States-style IPA referencing the North Island’s own west coast.
ploughandfeather.co.nz
Look for the hops growing outside and you’re in the right place. Sawmill teams excellent beers with New Zealand’s best brewery food – try the flatbreads if they’re available – and certified for sustainability and social responsibility, the relaxed, rural set-up is New Zealand’s first B Corp brewery.
What to drink: One of Sawmill’s Aotearoa hazy IPAs, a series of seasonal brews using different New Zealand hops.
sawmillbrewery.co.nz
Whitewashed walls and palms give Mangawhai’s craft brewery a suitably Pacific vibe, and there’s also pizza available to pair with their impeccably crafted beers. Classic cocktails including Negronis and Mojitos are made with Pacific Coast’s very own locally distilled gin and rum.
What to drink: Hoʻōhelohelo, a refreshing sour beer made with hibiscus flowers and sea salt.
pacificcoastbeverages.co.nz
The newest addition to the Auckland Beer Mile, Saint Leonards have turned a former automotive garage into a hip venue. They’re big on brewery collaborations, and have recently made beers with Parnell’s Two Fold and Mt Eden’s Behemoth. A food truck and DJs often rock up at weekends.
What to drink: Meditations Citra hazy IPA, a big hit at Wellington’s recent Beervana festival.
saintleonards.co.nz
Serving up their own crafty brews since 1995, Galbraith’s Alehouse also features beers from other top Kiwi breweries. Adjourn to the leafy English-style garden and mix and match shared plates and Auckland’s best pub food. There’s also a great gin selection.
What to drink: Heidelberger, one of New Zealand’s most authentic German-style pilsners.
alehouse.co.nz
In the surprising surroundings of the leafy Seabreeze Holiday Park, Hot Water Brewing is an ideal destination after digging your own Coromandel spa pool at Hot Water Beach. Kick back on comfy furniture from your first student flat and dine on dumplings or wood-fired pizza.
What to drink: KPA (Kiwi Pale Ale) packed with hops from New Zealand’s Tasman region.
hotwaterbrewingco.com
Elevated above Hāhei Beach, the Coromandel Brewing Company’s base at the Pour House is perfect after a sea-kayaking adventure along the coast to Cathedral Cove. Beers range from easy-drinking lagers to Munted Monk, a stonking 9% Belgian Trappist-style ale. Wood-fired pizzas and house-made ciders are also available.
What to drink: Good as Gold, a refreshing Czech-style pilsner.
thepourhouse.co.nz
Housed in the abandoned shell of a former dairy factory 15km east of Hamilton, Bootleg’s raffish beer garden is one New Zealand’s quirkiest drinking spaces. The hardworking brewers magic up a continuous array of seasonal beers, and there’s food truck action and occasional live music on weekends.
What to drink: One of Bootleg’s barrel-aged Belgian-style beers.
bootlegbrewery.co.nz
At the southern end of Wellington’s boho Cuba Street, Heyday’s a savvy and innovative option in a town packed with great breweries. Catch some afternoon rays at their shared outdoor tables, and be sure to ask what’s new and different on tap.
What to drink: Snow Leopard, a citrusy American-style IPA with US hops.
heydaybeer.com
From October to May, Marlborough’s best spot for a cold beer is Boom Town in the Forrest, Boom Town Brewing’s spring- and summer-only beer garden at Forrest Estate Wines. Look forward to comfy bean bags, lots of shade from well-established trees, and plenty of room for the kids and the dogs to run around. If you’ve been wine-touring, it’s a great last stop of the day.
What to drink: Pelorus pilsner, an easy-drinking quaffer named after nearby Pelorus Bridge.
boomtown.nz
Venture 22km north of Dunedin to Arc Brewing’s Evansdale location on the shores of Blueskin Bay. A former petrol station has been repurposed as a very cool brewery, and at weekends, the best of Dunedin’s food trucks head north to park themselves in Arc’s relaxed beer garden.
What to drink: Ask if Arc’s luscious and creamy Coconut Chocolate stout is on tap.
arcbrewingco.com
Beside Queenstown’s Shotover River, Canyon Brewing is an easy winner of New Zealand’s Most Spectacular Brewery gong. Take in river and mountain views and the occasional roar of the Shotover Jet, while basking in Central Otago sunshine and feasting on shared plates and pizza.
What to drink: Canyon’s tart and summer-ready watermelon and cucumber sour beer.
canyonbrewingqt.co.nz