The Votes Are In: These Are the Top 50 Gastropubs in New Zealand According to Pint-Loving Kiwis

An impressive lineup of 84 gastropubs throughout Aotearoa have put their best foot forward in the hopes of being crowned New Zealand's best, with establishments from Russell to the deep south of Cromwell throwing their hats in the ring. Last month, Kiwis voted for their favourite spot to have a pint and some kai — and now the results have been revealed.

The concept of a gastropub is pretty simple: a pub that champions food as much as it does pints. While the competition has already made a name for itself in the UK, this will be the first time the best gastropub will be crowned in Aotearoa, with Hospitality New Zealand getting behind the awards.

While some pubs on the list are veterans of New Zealand's gastropub industry there are others that may not fit the typical pub stereotype — such as Auckland Viaduct's Lula Inn, which is well known for its wild bottomless brunch.

Many unique local joints also made the list, like Napier's waterfront cocktail bar The Gintrap, and Godsown Brewery which pours pints out of a caravan and serves them up in an enormous safari tent.

If you're wanting a true pub experience, there are a few must visit spots on this list. The Matakana Village Pub has been the heart and soul of the small town since it was built from a kauri tree in 1903, while The Riverhead pub has been entertaining the Kumeu community for the past 160 years.

Of course, The Top 50 list would not be complete without a mention of The Cardrona Hotel. This unofficial apres ski spot is swarmed by tired, thirsty mountain-goers looking for a mulled wine every evening in the winter, while punters enjoy the gorgeous garden with a vino in hand in the summer.

Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Armitage said the list reflected the huge offering of gastropubs Aotearoa has to offer. "We had more than 5,000 people vote in the awards and the competition was fierce. The list is just a small snippet of the country's best, with more than a thousand gastropubs right across the motu," Armitage said.

The Top 50 awards evening which will be held on Wednesday, April 10. At the event the supreme winner of New Zealand gastropubs will be announced, as well the top gastropub in seven regions across Aotearoa. Scroll for the full Top 50 list.

The Top 50 Gastropubs in New Zealand in no particular order:

1. Fantail & Turtle
2. The Riverhead
3. Milford Motel
4. Franklins Bar & Eatery
5. BBC Tasting Studio by Birkenhead Brewing Co.
6. iTi
7. The Matakana Village Pub
8. The Lula Inn
9. The Shakespeare Hotel & Brewery
10. The Lumsden Freehouse
11. Bay View Hotel
12. The Keg Room
13. The Lookout Bar & kitchen
14. Mavericks Gastro Pub
15. Storyteller Eatery & Bar
16. Pig & Whistle Historic Pub
17. The Helm Bar and Kitchen
18. The Waimate
19. CBK Craft Bar & Kitchen
20. Little River Inn
21. The Speight's Ale House & Street Food Kitchen Timaru
22. Pomeroy's Old Brewery Inn
23. Thirsty Acres
24. Saints Cafe, Restaurant & Bar
25. The Laboratory
26. Ōtoromiro Hotel
27. Cassels Brewery Bar and Restaurant
28. Thistle Inn
29. The Puketapu
30. Brew Union Brewing Co.
31. D4 on Featherston
32. GodsOwn Brewery
33. The Gintrap
34. Portside
35. The Fat Duck Gastropub
36. Redcliff Restaurant and Bar
37. Cardrona Hotel
38. Brunel Peaks Cafe & Bar
39. The Speight's Ale House Dunedin
40. Crafty's Bar & Grill
41. Pog Mahone's Irish Pub
42. Butlers Reef
43. The Tahi Bar + Kitchen
44. Frings Bar & Eatery
45. The Good Home New Plymouth
46. The Crafty Local
47. Nauti Penguin
48. Sprig + Fern Tahuna
49. Strawberry Tree Kaikoura Limited
50. The Vic Public House

To see more details about the Top 50 New Zealand Gastropub list, head to the awards website. The top gastropub and regional winners will be announced at an awards night on Wednesday, April 10.