With its sign still proudly hung in full view, you'd likely assume that West Lynn Organic Meats is still going strong. But the literal innards are long gone and the space now takes the form of an intimate watering hole for the locals of Grey Lynn.
If you ask the barman, Freida Margolis takes its name from a woman he met in Colombia. If you ask him for an explanation of the beers on offer, you'll likely get a brilliant conversation for the whole night. The space is equally as inviting. With the bar nestled in the corner, there's a good amount of space and plenty of seating options, including stools at the bar, brown leather bench seats, small circular tables that would be perfect for an intimate rendezvous, and the outdoor covered area looking out over Richmond Road. There's an impressive vinyl stash in the corner, and to complete the lounge feel there's a mish-mash of light shades and chandeliers, hanging plants, and for some reason a couple of chairs strung up on the wall.
The drinks list is whittled down to a couple of craft beers - with regularly changing options from Wellington's micro brewery Garage Project - on top of boutique wines, Freida's punches and cocktails including mojito, whiskey sour, classic or espresso martini, plus some winter warmers like mulled wine or a rum hot toddy. The food menu is in somewhat of a French-Spanish-inspired tapas style. Treat yourself to Freida's Parfait ($10.50), pomegranate molasses dip ($8), toulouse sausage in a merlot sauce ($8), chicken baton rouge ($13), or Freidas sliders - which come in peking duck, beef, pulled pork or chicken mumbai ($13.50).
With only a year and a half on the butchers block, Freida's are doing pretty well to have received two consecutive nominations at the Lewisham Foundation Hospitality Awards. A great addition to the other outstanding local across the street - the Gypsy Tearoom.
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