Neighbourhood Brewbar

The Verdict

There’s always a special place in our hearts for a local bar. We’re talking hearty eats, a beer garden and—most importantly—relaxed, unpretentious vibes. And, if Neighbourhood Brewbar is not yet your local, you might want to reconsider your life choices.

Located in the heart of Kingsland, Neighbourhood knows a thing or two about good times. Pop in for a pre-game feast (it’s a hop, skip and a jump from Eden Park), after-work drinks or a lazy Sunday session.

The industrial yet homely fit-out showcases concrete floors, wooden beams and pops of greenery. There are quirky pieces of art with orange ‘birds’ and ‘clouds’ dangling from the ceiling. Outside, you’ll find a sun-drenched courtyard perfect for grazing away the day, complete with an open fireplace and cosy blankets for the cooler months.

Every day’s a party at Neighbourhood with daily specials worth visiting on the regular for. Think: quiz night (Mondays), two-for-one pizza (Tuesdays) and $20 pasta with wine (Wednesday). On Thursdays, you’ll score you an epic burger, thick-cut chips and a refreshing beer for just $20—what a steal!

The weekends are all about $10 espresso martinis (Fridays), brunch followed by live music (Saturdays) and finally a wood-fired Sunday roast (our fave!). The latter showcases slow-cooked meat served alongside seasonal charcoal veges that will comfort you from the inside out.

Whatever day of the week you visit, you’ll also find Neighbourhood’s epic all day, erry’day menu. Kick things off with wood-fired king prawns, finger-lickin’ hot wings or burrata made with creamy mozzarella cheese and served with blood orange, tomatoes and fresh basil. Personally, we can’t go past the steamed buns with your choice of soft shell crab or fried chicken.

The deliciousness continues across the mains with lamb cutlets, pork schnitzel and butternut pasta. It wouldn’t be a bar without a decent burger (they’ve got beef, chicken or mushroom) or, alternatively, the courtyard’s wood-fired oven is known and loved for its epic pizzas. Handcrafted by the bar’s Italian chef, they wood-fire creations are topped with the likes of prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, cherry toms and truffle oil. Mama mia!

Stick around for dessert because there’s Italian-esque tiramisu and doughnuts calling your name. However, the true star of the show is the insane baked cookie dough oozing with melted Whittaker’s choc and Nutella. This bad boy comes served in a skillet and will feed two to four chocoholics. Trust us when we say: it’s heaven on a plate!

Wash your meal down with a refreshing bevvy in the form of a beer, wine or cocktail. You’ll find Mac’s much-loved beers on tap as well as a range of seasonal releases. As for cocktails, there’s a range of light spritzers and classic creations alongside fun numbers (anyone for a lemon meringue cocktail?). Sober drivers are spoilt for choice with Mac’s non-alcoholic creations and Höpt sodas.

Yep, we weren’t kidding when we said Neighbourhood brings the good times. Looks like you’ve found the perfect new local, right? Right!

Image credit: Jared Donkin