Fish and chips was outstanding! Others got pork schnitzel and fish sandwich. Can't comment on the…read morebeer as I was the DD..

Dodson's is an expansive German-esque beer garden nestled comfortably on the outskirts of town…read more Parking is to be had in a large lot or on the streets. 20+ taps available at any given moment. Beers are served in 200, 400, and 500mL formats with some strong IPA's, DIPA's, and even a robust stout on tap. Blenheim is quite near to Wellington therefore you'll eye a good number of tap handles occupied by breweries from the area. Food is of the German-fare, but they also have pizza and burgers. The Pork Knuckle served over a hefty bed of mashed potatoes seemed quite revered which the guy gluttonized over since it was just about the heartiest pork knuckle meal I've ever laid mine eyes on. Like woah! I will never forget it! I, on the other hand, went with another favorite in the form of the Fish and Chips (19.5 NZD). Theirs is made with a wheat beer battered Hoki fish, tartare sauce a salad, and requisite chips on the side. Batter was a little cakey, but with the best crunch. The salad was appreciated to bite through this heavy meal while helping the guy some with his massive slab of pork. The fun and laid back atmosphere of this cavernous beer garden with outdoor patio served as a great night cap though it is your typical pub experience in the end with heavy, greasy food and strong beers.

Nelson plays host to multiple Sprig & Fern locations, with the main location being voted 'best bar'…read morein NZ, many years running. With no real knowledge of the differences between locations, we ended up at Hardy Street, simply because it was on our route. We loved this particular location, for its fantastic bar ambiance, and I do hope they are factored into the overall Sprig & Fern ambiance in the 'best bar' vote. Walking in, wandering up to the bar, we were overwhelmed by the variety of hoppy IPA choices- the bartender asked, 'what will it be', and I said, 'no idea', because I wasn't ready to decide on my IPA of choice quite yet. Though, the bartender took this to mean I was a beer novice, and was super friendly, as he began to describe the different beers to me- when I clarified, 'oh I know beers & taste preferences, the bar just offered too many great sounding IPAs'-and he immediately shifted gears and started pouring mini sample IPA sips to help narrow the choices! (and I didn't even have to ask-how nice). Once we made our pint selections, we stayed up at the bar for a bit chatting about life in Nelson, NZ-learning about his life journey, moving from Italy, learning about life during COVID, and life after re-opening. Then we nestled into the corner booth, enjoying our beers & music. An absolute delight of an evening, well-priced, tasty brews, and nice ambiance.

Great brews, food, friendly helpful staff. $10 lunch specials during the week. The falafel was…read morewell seasoned and delightfully crispy. Try the Golden IPA and the cider

This place is great. Nice menu with small snack options and pizza and burgers. Nice selection of…read moreciders if your not a craft beer drinker. Patio and inside seating both a plus. Prices better that other close pubs.

Sprig + Fern operates a myriad of taverns and taprooms throughout the Nelson-Tasman region. While…read morethe actual brewery is located in Richmond, you can only drink (and eat) at the satellite locations. This one seemed a more scenic spot with its location near Tahunanui Beach. It doesn't sit on the beach (nothing does), but it was quite peaceful to sit on the patio, drinking up some Vitamin D, salt air wafting through the air. Delicious pub food is to be had with some creative inclusions like bao buns and seafood. We had a lamb burger and poke bowl alongside some suds. The Nectaron Pale really set things alight with its punchiness though the West Coast Awesome Mix was a worthy contender. In general, though, their beers are on the lighter side with an even grassiness. They even have ciders for more light options. The bites were yummy enough though the poke bowl's avocado was quite over ripe. Easy pickings for free street parking right out front. If you do desire to pop into one of the Sprig+Fern locations, this one should be it!

If you're Californian, and you've been in NZ, you know the pain of finding only 4% beer…read more Really? Dear god if I wanted coors light I would've stayed home. Enter CBD. An oasis. Apparently these are "California boys" who have started to make craft beer in Nelson, the northern part of the South Island. They know what they're doing. And they also have take-away beer that's excellent. If you like craft beer with higher alcohol than 5%, come here. The vibe is chill, the beer is excellent. Currently sipping a half pint of a 12% porter after a 6.5% red Ale. Considering we're from the land of hops and 7-10% beers, this place is a godsend. Come here, especially if you're from Cali and need a good brew. Growlers are for sale. No food on site. Eat before/after you come.

We loved this place!! We are from Hawaii and we stumbled across CBD to grab a beer and wine. The…read moreowner was so nice and we became instant friends!! Beer and wine were tasty. They even have kombucha on tap. We will definitely come back

Golden Bear Brewing is a local pub at Mapua Wharf. It's usually packed with locals on weekends…read more(Fri-Sun.) They have a live band playing every Friday night and it's a great place to enjoy some locally brewed beer while sitting by the water. It gets a bit quieter during the weekdays. You can get a takeout from The Smokehouse (just around the corner) and they let you eat it on their patio as long as you order drinks from them. Beer + fish & chips = perfect combination!

The restaurant was very quiet for Sunday lunch, yet they managed to forget the meal orders of 3 out…read moreof our 10-guest group. When reminded that most had almost finished their meals yet 3 had not even been given their food yet, the woman in charge apologised and explained that they had a shortage of staff. The 3 orders had not gone through to the kitchen. It was too late to have my lunch order prepared so I got a refund. Very disappointing with the service. The food consists of a very limited Mexican menu, that hasn't changed for a year or two, consisting of overpriced finger food. Very disappointing overall.

Great evening with the family at this awesome place. Food was excellent, service good and a really…read morenice atmosphere. My daughter particularly enjoyed the churros and dipping sauce for desert!

I read a snooty (and hilarious) review about how awful this place was on TripAdvisor. I don't know…read morewhy that made me want to try this place more - to prove her wrong?? She just seemed out of control. And how bad could it be?? Oh man, it was baaaaad. We're on day 9 of our trip and it has been the only place that had a wait to be seated and worse, it was the most expensive. Their chili-lime margaritas are super tasty but they are so tiny that they should cost half of what they're charging. The chips are $7 and hard as rocks, I had to keep checking to see if I chipped a tooth. I know, why did I keep eating it then?? Our food was going to take close to an hour and I can't stop if there's chips in front of me dang it. The Guac was good but small for the price. I ordered the chicken burrito bowl which was mostly hard rice and just a tiny amount of chicken. Maybe 2 ounces? My husband got the paella and said it was ok but still the worst Mexican food he'd ever had. It was also a treat to hear everyone pronounce it pie-Ella. Not to rag on them, the staff was super friendly and attentive!! I'd come for the margaritas on happy hour but unless they completely change their recipes, I'd spend my money and time elsewhere.

We had a great time. Service was fine, but wine flights were diverse and delicious! And the pizza…read morewas yummy.

From the owner: Rimu Wine Bar at the Mapua Wharf offers an extensive range of premium Nelson region wines and a few…read morefavourites from New Zealand and around the world. All wines are available to taste, by the glass and by the bottle. You can also purchase wines and beers to take home. Rimu also has a range of quality whiskeys, ports and liqueurs, along with some of the finest craft beers available. Enjoy our wood fired pizzas, platters, or bring in your fish and chips from the Smokehouse to enjoy with your drinks. Watch out for special events over the winter months and come and enjoy the evening with friends in front of our roaring fire.

I went with a group of 14 ... all of the meals were substandard... I had lambs fry and bacon …read more.. two little bits of lambs fry hard bacon and a small amount of lukewarm warm mash ... the meal was disgusting I would never go back

Atmosphere and staff was inviting. Quick and easy seating options- indoor, high top, table, etc…read more The waitress was very friendly and even offered local site tips for us visitors. The house lager was tasty and not too bitter. Food was excellent and came out very quick!

Only sinners here to seek out an afternoon pick-me-up with a visit to a quaint, aged church,…read morere-purposed into a beer bar! Blessed be! When in hop capital, the Freehouse is an automatic add onto one's rotation. The most friendly, helpful staff to serve up a fresh pint and give all the best recs. Quite a few tap handles, but per the sheet, only those with the red check mark were the ones "On". No matter, because the selection with the 15 available was eclectic and very exciting. Surprisingly a number of sours on draft along with some cask options and beers featured from their on-site brewery "The Flavourtorium". We sat outside near this makeshift brewery within a shipping container, fermenter tanks and mashers in full view as a worker toiled away gathering the spent grain for disposal. Many a patron chatted away -- visitor and locals alike -- and dogs lazed away or wandered around off leash for a joyful afternoon basking in the Nelson sun. What an absolutely terrific vibe and what a time to be alive enjoying the fresh Nelson hops of the region!

Good place. They helped me out when I arrived in Nelson to an unacceptable hotel/motel, reviewed…read moreseparately. I ordered a pint and asked for recommendations. I got a few and followed up on one and ended up in a much better spot. It was admittedly not busy, so I had a bit of an opportunity to chat, and they were quite pleasant to get along with. A group came in as I was winding down my pint, and it is clear that they have a good community following (also confirmed by a recommendation of the Freehouse from a friend who lived in Nelson for quite a while). It was also a Sunday evening, so things were already pretty quiet in Nelson. There is a beer garden/patio out front with a food stand, but it is late winter now, so that wasn't active, and they have only a light kitchen themselves, so they were happy to recommend nearby places for take-out to eat-in at their spot. Good neighbors then. Good people. Very helpful. Good beer. Worth the visit. Oh, and it's in a repurposed church. Very cool.

As one of the stops on the Hop on Hop off tour we took as an excursion off of our cruise boat, we…read moredid not quite know what to expect, but we very pleased in the end with our lunch at the Cork & Keg. We decided to wing our last excursion on our trip and took a tour that had a number of wineries, shops and attractions but limited food places. The Cork and Keg looked like a good option and the welcome interior and craft beer selection looked promising as we entered. Their lunch menu is hearty pub food and I selected the Pale Ale from Speight's brewery and ordered their steak sandwich with curly fries. Jo (my wife) ordered the fish and chips with a glass of white wine. My steak sandwich was stacked with thick tender steak and cooked to order medium rare. It was delicious! My wife as well enjoyed her fish and chips in which we enjoyed as we soaked up the interior of white plastered walls low hanging heavy wooden beams that adorn the interior giving it that warm pub feel. The exterior seating was warm and inviting as well, but at the time we arrive fairly crowded and we were on a tight time table so we passed. Food and Beverages 4.5 - Well prepared food and hearty portions. Good selection of local brews and wines. Service 3.5 The bartender who originally greeted us was great one server though skipped over us and went to the larger party that entered after us to get their order and didn't come back to us. The bartender did though follow up with us sure we did have our order in place after a short wait. Atmosphere 4 Nice wooden bar with fireplace and outdoor seating area shaded with umbrellas. A great pub feel to it. Price 4 I thought we had a good value as the food was well prepared and price for value seemed fair. OA 4.25

Ok this place exceeded our expectations. First they picked us up at our hotel and gave us a ride to…read morethe restaurant... not just us, they just do this. The beer and wine selection was good and the chicken curry was just delicious (tonight's dinner special). Just a nice surprise!