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The Drake
2 Drake Street, Freemans Bay
(09) 307-3220
www.TheDrake.co.nz

The Drake is one of Aucklands oldest pubs. Large photos hang in the bar that show the pub (then called the Freemans Bay Hotel) before the land reclamation, when it was on the shoreline. 

This is second pub to be built on this site. The original wooden one was built in the 1850s and was considered “the principle hotel in a very large and progressive area”. It lasted about 25 years before becoming victim to fire. The replacement brick building opened in 1886.

At the time the pub was surrounded by the municipal abattoir, numerous tanneries, the gas works, fishing ports and later the Destructor, which burnt the city's rubbish. The area wasn't known for its air quality.

In the great depression of the 1930s, the licensee; Bill Dervan, set up a boxing club in the basement of the pub, in an attempt to steer the local youth away from crime.
While successful, the boys remained hungry and impoverished. So he provided food, clothing, shoes, haircuts and hot showers (at a time when a lot of houses didn't have running water). He even paid the fuel bills of the boys families, to try and remove some of their hardship.  Talk about a local hero !

Over the years, it went through a series of names, including the Leopard Tavern and Kitty O'Briens. In 2002, after being renovated by the same people who own the Horse & Trap, it opened as The Drake.

The inside of the pub is a mixture of the original high ceilings, architrave and ornate ceiling roses, coupled with modern, plush wall coverings and elegant booths.
There's plenty of seating in the large open area, with tall tables near the bar.
Look carefully and you'll find a plaque from the stars and crew of The Chronicles of Narnia, who spent many a night here during the making of the film.

There are 2 function rooms upstairs, catering for both corporate and private events. You might even bump into the ghost that is reputed to roam the upper floors.
The smoking area is restricted to the pavement at the front, although seating and tables with umbrellas have been provided.

The food is of a high standard and we found Sundays to be extremely popular, with their 2 for 1 meal deals and laid back music.

The staff were courteous, friendly, and offered table service. Nothing was too much trouble for them.  We visited on over 50 occasions and the standards were consistently high.

Drinks :  Being a Monteiths pub they have the full range of their beers on tap, including Golden lager, Radler, Pilsner, Original Ale, Celtic Beer and Monteiths Black.  Also available on draft is Cider, Amstel Light and Murpheys Stout. At certain times seasonal brews are also available.

 

The Zookeepers Son
715 Mt Albert Rd, Royal Oak
(09) 625 7550
www.ZookeepersSon.co.nz

In 1912, Onehunga zoo, owned by John James Boyd, opened on this site. The locals were not happy as they feared for their safety. Boyd's son Ted used to let the lions out of their cages at night, while attempting to train them.

In 1917 a gate wasn't shut properly and one of the lions escaped. It bounded down Symonds St and ran towards Isabella Hutchinson, an elderly lady who fended it off by opening an umbrella in its face. The lion then ran into Trafalgar St and onto what is now Onehunga Mall, whereupon Ted caught up with it and managed to coax in into the zoos van. This pub is named after him.

You enter via their patio which provides a good deal of seating under a retractable awning. You walk over the stone-tiled entranceway passing pillars of jungle-like flowers, giving you a taste of things to come. To the left is a small sitting room, complete with winged-back chairs.

Ahead of you is the imposing bar back. It climbs 2 stories and is full of peace lilies, bird of paradise plants and stuffed wild animals. Try and spot the wildlife in the wild grasses. The bar area is double height with chandeliers on the ceiling. The restaurant to the left is awash with candles, large set pieces being above the fireplace and on the larger tables. At night the whole place looks fabulous.

To the right is a separate pool table area and a hidden pokie room. A large sweeping staircase leads up to the mezzanine floor which is ideal for functions and parties.
The menu offers a complete range of options from antipasti and platters, to burgers and pizzas, through to multi-person carving boards. The portions were large and the quality was exceptional. Check out their website for a full menu.

We were greeted by the owner on the way in and were dealt with by an army of great staff.  Quality is found in every element of the place and it proved to be very popular.
This is a new pub to the Auckland scene and it sets a very high standard. The residents of Royal Oak are lucky to have such a place.

Drinks :  On tap they have Monteiths Golden, Original, Radler, Pilsner and Black, Heineken, Tiger, Erdinger, Export 33, Export Gold, Murphy's Stout, Tui and Tui Blond, Amstel Light.

 

Swashbucklers
23 Westhaven Drive
(09) 307 5979
www.Swashbucklers.co.nz

Swashbucklers pub (a.k.a. the Boatshed) is next door to the restaurant of the same name. It's situated on the waterfront and surrounded by the boat yards.

The pub is no larger than an average front room and is reminiscent of the harbourside pubs that are found in the fishing villages of Devon and Cornwall.  It's easy to recognise the fact, that this restaurant and bar were started by a man who was born in a lighthouse, was the son of a whaler and spent his life sailing the world.

As you enter through the front door, you're greeted by the semi-nude figurehead that's fixed to the tree in the centre of the room. Scattered throughout are lifebuoys, pulley blocks, ships bells and all sorts of nautical paraphernalia. The wooden walls are adorned with ship nameboards, navigation lights, lighthouse etchings, signage, gaffs and fenders.  From the corrugated tin roof hangs an assortment of tools, fishing equipment, foreign number plates and ships maps.

The furniture is an assortment of tall tables and slices of Kauri tree nailed to the wall.
The clientele are mainly from the boat yards and marine based companies that populate Westhaven. 

During the summer, people spill out on to what has to be the largest deck in Auckland. Standing on the waterfront, it provides great views of the boats in the harbour.

The staff were attentive and homely e.g. when they spotted us with a dog on a hot day, they came out with bowl of water.

The bar food is predominantly fish (being so close to the fish market) and coming from the adjoining restaurants kitchen, is of high quality.

Large functions can be catered for next door, either in the restaurant or the beautifully decorated function room.

If the ideal day for you is to go fishing off the back of a boat, cooking what you catch on the beach over a fire you built yourself, then this is the sort of pub for you.

Drinks :  On tap they have Speights Gold, Export Gold, VB Bitter, Steinlager, Kronenbourg 1664, Lion Red, Monteiths Original and
Monteiths Black.

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