Overview
Over the past few weeks we have searched the entire CBD and beyond for where you can get scrumptious and affordable cocktails. And Wellington can boast cocktail connoisseurs that have your back economically every day of the week. We have some absolute bangers to share which taste divine but will also have you heading home with enough change for a midnight snack.
MONDAY
COCO'S BAR & GRILL
What's the deal? $10 cocktails every Monday from 4-7pm.
Coco's Bar & Grill has 11 classic cocktails to choose from and that you can practically steal on a Monday between 4-7pm. This is one of the few bars we found where you can get a Long Island iced tea for only $10 — what a time to be alive for the young and poor. The melon and raspberry sour is created from shaken Chombard liqueur and is a crowd pleaser. We also tried the lychee and passionfruit cooler which is a strong fusion of saccharine flavours. This imaginative and vibrant beverage is garnished with an entire lychee and is like nothing we have tried before. The Crouching Tiger is another powerful abundance of tang that consists of an assortment of fruit juices as well as Japanese sake. Coco's Bar & Grill showcases all your favourite cocktails but with a distinctive Asian influence.
TUESDAY
THE BANGALORE POLO CLUB
What's the deal? $6-$9 cocktails every Tuesday from 6pm.
If you love tequila and cocktails then The Bangalore Polo Club is where you need to be on a Tuesday evening. The earlier you get there the better because the cocktails are only $6 before 6pm, $7 before 7pm, $8 before 8pm and $9 thereafter. Why not consume one of your five fruits a day with the pineapple and elderflower fizz or the fresh juiced Granny Smith Delight? If you enjoy a little more of a spice burn in your throat, try the mango chilli margarita or the ginger beer and raspberry fizz. On Saturdays, The Bangalore Polo Club also serves its cocktail of the week for $10.
WEDNESDAY
BETHEL WOODS
What's the deal? $10 cocktails from 5pm.
Both the décor and the cocktails at Bethel Woods are funky and animated. The bar serves every kind of frozen daiquiri flavour under the sun: strawberry, raspberry, peach, mango, coconut, blueberry and lychee. Our favourite is the coconut daiquiri which comes garnished with a slice of lime and has a refreshing kick. We also enjoy the whisky sour which is not for the faint of heart and perfect if you are looking for an enjoyable cocktail that will get the job done. If you love a cocktail that looks and tastes like dessert, choose the cookies and bourbon boozy shake. Other innovative cocktails available are the mint julep and the negroni. We can vouch Bethel Woods have top notch cocktails and the collaged vinyl walls, jazzy rooftop bar and friendly staff are additional drawcards.
THURSDAY
FOXGLOVE BAR & KITCHEN
What's the deal? $10 house cocktails from 5pm.
Foxglove's cocktails are very good. The lemon curd martini is one of the best cocktails we have tried in Wellington, and we have tried many. The potency of the citrus was infused into the consistency that was sweet, smooth and zingy all at once. The Red Lady has an aromatic allure with a verve combination of raspberry puree, lemon juice, gin and Free Brother's orange bitters. Twelfth Night, Boston Tea Party and the pineapple old fashioned are other memorable numbers. We commend Foxglove on the dynamism, amount of alcohol and passion they have put into their cocktail productions.
FRIDAY
DRAGONFLY
What's the deal? $10 every Friday and Saturday after 11pm.
Dragonfly serves undeniably delicious cocktails. You can get a select few for $10 after 11pm every Friday and Saturday. The Jin and Yuzu is made from elderflower liqueur, gin, Licor 43, watermelon, lime, mint and yuzu tonic. The classic daiquiri and the coconut sour are also available and incredulously delectable. These cocktails are exquisite; the mix of high quality ingredients and liquor pays off.
SATURDAY
PARK KITCHEN
What's the deal? $10 cocktails every Friday and Saturday after 5pm.
Across the road from Miramar's Roxy Cinema, Park Kitchen is perfect for a cheeky cocktail before and after a movie. You can find ten classic cocktails at $10 on Friday and Saturday after 5pm. We loved the Bramble which is a zesty delight complimented by a blackberry liquor and is served with dehydrated lemon and orange slices. This drink is an aesthetic enigma as it changes from a deep orange hue base to a cloudy top. Park Kitchen also serves a popular sparkling cocktail range of a bellini and gin fizz. Another classic available is the cosmopolitan served with citrus vodka, triple sec, fresh lime and cranberry juice. Park Kitchen is worth venturing to with a quirky ambiance and outdoor quarter.
SUNDAY
THE ARBORIST
What's the deal? Two for $20 cocktails everyday from 4-6pm.
If one presumes that cocktails should be sweet and pretty, then Arborist's cocktails highly satisfies both these prerequisites. With their offer of two for $20 cocktails every night of the week from 4-6pm, this is our Sunday pick. The special cocktails on offer include the Rosebud, margarita, Jameson Hibiscus and the Curious George. The Rosebuds are so delicious, once you start drinking them, you might not be able to stop. The combination of vanilla Absolut vodka, passionfruit, pineapple, cranberry and lemon create a fragrant treat. The margarita is made with a punchy agave nectar, tequila, lime and garnished with a gelatinous watermelon rim. We are warning you now that the drinks are so flavourful, you may forget you're drinking alcohol. These cocktails are devised with alchemistic excellence.
Header image: The Bangalore Polo Club.