One-stop block

It’s time for summer in the city! Our central city has made its mark as a dining, wining, and entertainment destination. Avenues checks out one city block – Colombo, Gloucester, and New Regent Street – to find out what’s hot!

GIN AND NIBBLES

With its signature pastel colour scheme and art deco vibe, gin gin is the place to be this summer. New to the menu are the pizzettas (miniature Neapolitan-style pizzas), with a favourite being the Pizzetta Stracciatella with confit garlic, Wairiri stracciatella, saffron zucchini, and hot sauce. Gin gin has also added lots of new summer dishes, including BBQ’d asparagus and whitefish crudo as lighter options to enjoy during the warmer months. In early November, they also launched a brand new gin with New Zealand artisan gin makers, Elsewhere Gin, called ‘Elsewhere x Gin Gin Premium Gin,’ created using hand-picked botanicals from Christchurch. If that wasn’t enough, jazz fills the street with live music every Friday and Saturday from 9–11pm. From now to February, they also have live music early evening on Sundays.

4 New Regent Street, gingin.co.nz

OLD AND NEW

Odeon, the city’s Andalusian gem, is tucked around the corner on Gloucester Street. Inspired by Mediterranean dining, shared plates of varying sizes transport diners across time and continents. The wine list spotlights passionate producers who respect the land and share compelling stories through their wines. General manager Loren Mitchell Moore is excited about the new season’s dishes, “My current favourite dish is our Surf Clam Crudo with White Asparagus and Macadamia Ajo Blanco. It is incredibly fresh and creative, showcasing what we can grow in Aotearoa but with a lovely coastal Mediterranean influence. I also love the heirloom tomato dish with stracciatella. It has been so thoughtfully put together and really lets the purity of the ingredients shine through.” As summer arrives, Odeon introduces aperitivo hour in the bodega – an opportunity for people to gather for cocktails, mocktails, or wine with shared snacks. Rare and unique bottles will be available by the glass for guests, and Odeon is open for a special New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a curated menu by chef Jack Burgess.

165 Gloucester Street, odeon.co.nz

A MODERN CLASSIC 

In Colombo Street’s historic Isaac House, a pub with a difference has emerged. Opened in October, The Victoria Free House is the latest venture by Christchurch hospitality trailblazer Luke Dawkins. When the city’s Permit Room restaurant was shuttered, Luke jumped at the opportunity to set up shop in the 1927 building, which evoked memories of pubs back home in the UK. A recent trip to the UK where he revisited pubs he grew up around further inspired him. “I came from a background of living and working in pubs from an early age and have always been fond of maybe opening one.” Luke was helped in realising his vision with a menu that has been spearheaded by executive chef Shafeeq Ismail, known for Odeon and Story. It features classic pub grub in an elevated style. Think Scotch egg with Gentleman’s Relish, chips and curry sauce, and fresh daily fish and chips. In the new year, another British classic will join the menu – Sunday roast dinners. The modernised British-style menu is complemented by the space’s design. The Vic, as it’s known colloquially, is a modern take on a traditional English-style pub with a worn-in, relaxed, and modern feel. It has a bar offering alongside a second-storey restaurant. Luke says, “It’s a place to meet friends and family and to bring them all along for a catch-up and a pint and a chat! The Vic is not focused on sports but rather on good food and beer offerings. You can come for snacks and drinks or dine in the upstairs restaurant.” The pub is named for Queen Victoria in the adjacent Victoria Square. “Given its location, it was pretty hard not to give the pub a bit of a classic name. Pubs are also traditionally named after royals or a coat of arms. The ‘Free House’ component refers to not being tied to a brewery and therefore having the freedom to choose any desired beers to offer the guests.”

779 Colombo Street, thevictoriafreehouse.co.nz