Papanui, a suburb in Christchurch, New Zealand, is an exciting location for nightlife and dining, despite its quiet, suburban appearance. Here are 10 places in Papanui to enjoy a good night out.
West Coast Bar & Grill, located on Main North Road, offers a good dinner and lunch spread, in addition to some rare beers. Try some Green Fern Organic Lager here, a clean hoppy lager that is stronger than average, or one of four local West Coast beers, brewed from homegrown Kiwi hops. The wine list is also impressive, featuring a number of wines from New Zealand vineyards.
Burgers & Beers Inc serves exactly what its name suggests –the unbeatable combination of burgers and beers. Choose between the Angus beef, mutton, and venison burgers, or pick the vegetarian or gluten free versions according to your dietary needs. If you are feeling adventurous or just particularly hungry, go for the Super Bugger Burger, which comes with a mountain of beef and bacon. All beers are served ice cold and are extra refreshing.
The Rose and Thistle, or RAT for short, is a classic friendly neighborhood sports bar. With live DJ’s on weekends, live sports screenings, and 18 gaming machines, the Rose and Thistle has basically everything a sports bar patron could wish for. Additionally, they serve some great value all day meals.
Part of the Quality Hotel Elms, Sapporo Gold Restaurant and Bar offers a full a la carte menu of elegant dishes, in addition to a full bar staffed by experienced bartenders. Must try items on the menu include miso chicken spring rolls, and the tender prime beef steak. Ingredients for both food and drinks are always top quality, and an evening at the Sapporo Gold is guaranteed to be pleasant and relaxing.
A combination of bar, restaurant, and cookery school, Chillingworth Road features sleek, contemporary decor and a very long list of well curated wines and cocktails. Unwind at the end of a long day spent sightseeing with a Twinkle (vodka, elderflower, and champagne), or a Caipiroska, served with one of their tasty snacks.
Run by a young Christchurcher tired of the lack of nightlife spots after 2011’s major earthquake, Club 22 is one of the rare suburban nightclubs where the atmosphere is truly youthful and exciting. Come for its three dance floors and pool tables, and stay for the giant leather couches perfect for long end-of-night conversations with friends.
The Carlton Bar and Eatery stands on the location of the historic Carlton Hotel, constructed in 1906 in time for the New Zealand International Exhibition. The original Carlton Hotel had to be demolished after severe damage in the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, but the new Carlton Bar and Eatery carries on its tradition of great hospitality. Sample the fine seafood, or enjoy a cocktail in the nostalgically decorated bar area. The Carlton Bar hosts frequent concerts, including acts like local band CTRL-ALT-ROCK.
Situated a few minutes’ drive to the north of Papanui, Omarino Wine Park is a lovely family-owned vineyard, where visitors can book vineyard tours or enjoy wine tasting in their picturesque gardens. Take home a bottle of Omarino Family Estate after one of their wine tasting sessions by the cellar door, during which you will get to interact with experts and learn about the winemaking process.
Vesuvio offers tapas, wine, and jazz, plus the occasional poetry reading or other events for Papanui’s artistic crowd. Poet Chris Gallavin recently did a reading at Vesuvio, and regular music act Carmel always gets patrons dancing. The team makes it a point to never close before 1am, so you can expect a great, mellow party whenever you stop by.
The Brewers Arms does a decently good job of replicating the cosy, old-fashioned atmosphere of a British pub, with unpretentious pub grub (chips, nachos, burgers) and a list of beers that stays away from better known brews in favor of rare beers like Monteith’s Original Ale and Celtic Red Beer.
