Sun’s out, gun’s outs and by that we mean putting all those bicep curls to good use sipping on the best tipples around (that's what they're for, right?). But with the economy what it is right now, drink regret hits even harder. SO, here at the Urban List we took it upon ourselves to do the very difficult job of whittling down a summer sips shortlist and personally taste-testing every single one to proudly (and perhaps a little tipsily) present the best summer sips for kicking back with this summer.
Here are 15 of the best and most refreshing cocktails to sip on in Auckland this summer, whether you're drinking alcohol or are blissfully booze-free.
Seoul Tonic
Online
Image credit: Seoul Tonic via Sophie Hood | Instagram
First things first, if you're getting on the sauce, let's mitigate the morning after damage shall we? Seoul Tonic is the essential pre-drink before you start pre-drinking. Created by Sophie Hood and third-generation Korean pear farmer Mr Park, and endorsed by Gordon Ramsey, Seoul Tonic contains native extracts of Korean pears and oriental raisins which boost alcohol metabolism and reduce acetaldehyde which is responsible for hangovers. Drink before getting on the hard stuff and you'll likely have a much rosier morning after. Available online from Everyday Wine.
Good to know:
- $8 per pouch
- Best enjoyed with whatever’s in your glass
The Broken Lantern’s Summer Sangria
198 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland
Image credit: The Broken Lantern | Instagram
It doesn’t get more summer than sangria. And just between you and us, we’ve sunk a fair few jugs in our time. While we’ve never met a sangria we haven’t liked, we go weak at the knees for The Broken Lantern’s Rose Sangria which is poised to evolve as the summer does. Schtaaap. Chapter one is a rose wine base with bainco vermouth, vodka, strawberry, cranberry, spices and citrus. It’s a light n’ joyful, spritzy situation and we’re not mad about it. Pull up a pew in their sun-soaked garden out back and raise a glass. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $16 for a glass, $35 for a carafe
- Best enjoyed with several platefuls of their mac n’ cheese bites with vodka marinara, parmesan and ranch. (+$15)
Parasol & Swing’s Rosé Tinted Glasses
7/204 Quay Street, Auckland
Image credit: Parasol & Swing | Alice Rich
The prettiest sip in all the land, Rosé Tinted Glasses looks sensational and tastes even better. Served in a glass straight out of a fairytale, it’s a magical infusion of Belvedere vodka, strawberry cordial, Aperol, rosé, coconut, vermouth, and clarified whey. Summon to your hand then unwind on Parasol & Swing's glorious rooftop. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $26 each
- After 10pm? Order their sugar-dusted Crimson & Clover Club instead ($24)
- Best enjoyed with a matching manicure and a bowl of their fried pickles with Togarashi ranch (+$12).
Mexico’s Lychee Margarita
Britomart, Ellerslie, Ponsonby, Silverdale and Takapuna
Image credit: Mexico | supplied
While we’re manifesting a sizzling summer, that’s already guaranteed at Mexico with new summer dishes like cactus tacos and loaded patatas bravas (this is not a drill) and while their margarita list will always be mighty we’re pretty damn stoked with their lychee and yuzu marg firstly because it’s hella refreshing, secondly because lychee and thirdly because there’s no sugar in it. Yes siree, a sugar-free marg and that means it’s practically healthy. Say less. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $18 a glass or $30 for a carafe
- Best enjoyed with whatever taco your heart desires (+$9-13 each)
Darling On Darke’s Venom
27 Drake Street, Auckland CBD
Sometimes you’re feeling a little… feisty. (Was that a typo? Did we mean festive? We’ll never tell…) Whether you’re soaking up the rays on the terrace or revelling in the spacious, immaculately designed interiors, a Venom from Darling On Drake will hit the spot. Olmeca Altos Reposado tequila, mezcal, triple sec, jalapeño, cucumber, pineapple, agave, and citrus.
Or if you’re off the sauce this evening (fair), their Hot Tropics non-alcoholic cocktail will hit the spot. We’ve been on a mission to find a non-alcoholic cocktail that actually slaps for some time now but, at last, we’ve found a winner. Made with non-alcoholic Blanco tequila, passionfruit, pineapple, citrus, soda and orange bitters, she’s a stunner. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- Venom $25, Hot Tropics $16
- Best enjoyed with their potato scallops. Like, they’re a non-negotiable.
Mea’s Peaches And Tonic
7/204 Quay Street, The Viaduct, Auckland
Image credit: Mea | supplied
If there was one bar that epitomised a sun-soaked island getaway, it’s Mea. Better still, getting your thirsty derriere to Mea doesn’t require navigating ferry schedules or hefty plane tickets. Just head for the ocean and park yourself up at The Viaduct’s newest cocktail bar. Our pick? Their Their Peaches and Tonic—a whimsical mix of Bulldog London Dry Gin, rose, peach, palo santo and a delightful helping of fruity, popping ‘peach caviar’.
Good to know:
- $19 each
- Best enjoyed with their yuzu beef tartare with lotus chips (+$22)
Folds Patisserie’s Calamansi Refresher
297 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Ok this is kind of rogue, it isn’t even in a bar—but hell, after one sip we knew we had to put it on the list. For the uninitiated, calmansi is a citrus fruit that's typically used in South East Asia in palce of lemons to make lemonade. At Folds Patisserie, their Calamansi Refresher is giving elixir of life on your way home from a beach day after you’ve been tossed by the waves and are still in denial about your burnt feet. In short, you'll want to sip this, stat.
Good to know:
- $9 each
- Best enjoyed with whatever catches your eye in their cabinet
- Also available in matcha (pictured), strawberry matcha and lychee matcha edits
Duncan's x Apostle San Málà
Online Or Via Their Cellar Door In Paraparaumu
Image credit: Apostle Hot Sauce | Instagram
If you like your sip with a bit of a kick, shock your tastebuds with a hit of San Málà, a spicy and sour craft beer born from a collab between Duncan's Brewing Company and Apostle Hot Sauce. With notes of blueberry, fermented jalapeño and habanero and szechuan peppercorn, it's giving mild electric buzz and we're here for it. Secure the goods, here.
Good to know:
- Snag it in a bundle with a Saint Andrew fruity hot sauce and Mary Magdalene crisp chilli oil for $45
- Best enjoyed with festival vibes
- Contains gluten from malted barley and lactose.
La Zeppa’s Quick Sips
33 Drake Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland
Image credit: La Zeppa | Instagram
Match your cocktail to your mood-of-the-moment with La Zeppa’s "Quick Sips". The teeny-tiny-tinis are just $7 a pop and come in four edits: mini negroni on the rocks, a gin-based 20th Cen-Teeny topped with a square of white chocolate, a peach and mango Snaquiri that's summer incarnate, and a tiny tropical cosmo. Better still, each have a full format sister cocktail which makes for the perfect chaser. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $7 each
- Best enjoyed with their spinach and ricotta dumplings with brown butter and sage (+$16)
A Glass Of Bubbles At Queens Rooftop Bar & Wineshop
Level 21/1 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
Image credit: Queens Rooftop Bar & Wineshop | Instagram
Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic, especially when it comes with Queens Rooftop & Wineshop’s jaw-dropping views of the Hauraki Gulf and a certain white chocolate ice cream Alaska with cherry compote and Italian meringue. If you’re feeling lush shell out on a $1100 mag of NV Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle No 23 or do what we did and opt for a much more wallet-friendly (and no less magnificent) glass of the La Cuvée Brut. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $30 a glass, $170 a bottle, $370 for a mag
- Best enjoyed with their chaat fries topped with curry salt and house mayo (+$14)
Anything That's Flowing From 16 Tun's Taps
10/26 Jellicoe Street, Auckland
Image credit: 16 Tun | supplied
Salute the sun with an ice cold pint of craft beer from 16 Tun. With 19 rotating taps and two hand pulls, 16 Tun is a freehouse which means they aren't contractually obliged to stock anything. The result? Every single brew they've got an offer has been hand-picked by their expert team (a.k.a. it's going to be very, very good). Their entire range of beers, gins and wines are from New Zealand suppliers, and their spirits will soon be, too. Swing by for top-tier beers and even more top-tier banter. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $15-17 per pint
- Best enjoyed with their brand new caprese salad, you know, for balance (+$21)
Kemuri Hi-Fi’s Heart Of Glass
1 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
Image credit: Kemuri Hi-Fi | Instagram
Rooftops and suntraps are all well and good... until, thanks to one ill-advised sunbathing extension, you're serving Crispy McCrispFace. So when you need to retreat from the sun's rays, consider Kemuri Hi-Fi your underground saviour. We're enamoured with their Heart of Glass (gin, muscat umeshu, citrus, lychee, dragonfruit, Cloudy Bay Pelorus and gold) but if the sun did you a dirty you might like to order a round of aloe vera-spiked Love and Happiness. Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $25ish each
- Best enjoyed with freshly-spun vinyl
Goblin's Sgroppino
Upstairs, 134 Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Image credit: Goblin | Alice Rich
Another shadowy spot to add to your sunburn-friendly crawl list (yep, it's a thing) is Ponsonby's engimatic Goblin. And we'd highly recommend their Goblin Sgroppino. Why? Because it comes with a scoop of mango sorbet in it—we're refreshed just thinking about it. Worthy bedfellows include Siete Misterios mezcal, burned strawberry chartreuse (oh snap) and sparkling moscato. Use their contact form to book.
Good to know:
- $24 each
- Best enjoyed with their mushroom parfait slathered on toasted sourdough (+$22)
Ghost Donkey’s La Mañana
Commercial Bay Level 2/1 Queen Street, Auckland CBD
Image credit: Ghost Donkey | supplied
When the sun sets replace it with red neon lights (specifically, those that adorn the ceiling at Ghost Donkey) and order a round of La Mañana. Spanish for ‘the morning’, it blends vanilla infused Los Arcos, cassis, apple, blackberry, lime and egg white for those fresh morning vibes in liquid form. Of course though, if you knock back a bunch, the next morning is likely to not be quite as fresh. (That’s not us speaking from experience.) Book your table here.
Good to know:
- $20 each
- Best enjoyed with their carrot nachos, shared with all your favourite people. (+$25)
Scapegrace's Blood Moon Rising
Your Place
Image credit: Scapegrace | supplied
Maybe you're lucky enough to have your very own sun-drenched deck at home or you're having a rot day. In either case, whip up your very own summer sip with Scapegrace. Simply pop ice cubes and 50mL of Scapegrace Blood Moon gin into a glass, top with tonic and garnish with a wedge of pineapple. Tasting notes: a beautiful slight bitterness from the blood orange marries with an exquisite tart sweetness from raspberries and Makrut leaf. Score a bottle, here.
Good to know:
- $79.99 for a 700mL bottle (but that's good for some 46 drinks)
- Best enjoyed with the quiet pride of having crushed the DIY drinks game
AF’s Sparkling Rose
Online
Image credit: AF | website
Look, sometimes you want to go booze-free and AF’s Sparkling Rosé is perfect for when you’re not drinking but don’t want to feel like a 5-year-old. Tasting notes include summer sweet and a whole lot of pass-us-another-can-will-ya? Sling a couple of cans into your tote (gently, like - nobody wants a volcano) and get into the party spirit with none of the spirits. Drive home smug in the knowledge you didn’t have to shell out of an uber and you’ll definitely make it to run club in the morning. Summon it, here.
Good to know:
- $24.95 for a 750mL bottle or $45 for a 12-pack
- Best enjoyed with good vibes (priceless).
Thirsty for more? Check out:
- Tāmaki Makarau's Best Rooftop Bars To Watch Day Turn To Night
- Dine Out On Views For Days With These Waterfront Gems
- Your Ultimate Sip List: 50 Of The Best Bars In Auckland