Client News

Eye-catching garnishes help build the well-crafted cocktails, married with homemade infusions, and natural replacements like water-bean liquid aquafaba for egg whites ensure even the drinks are vegan friendly.

Other homemade ingredients include old-school favourite hard lemonade (traditionally a mix of vodka, lemon, sugar and water), with a recycled twist to minimise waste at the bar.

Venue manager Darren O’Grady said the ingredients and cocktail names had been crafted to take customers on a “time-travelling adventure”.

“Head bartender Phil and I have been working with a variety of ingredients to create a cocktail list with a distinguishable difference,” he said.

“Our homemade lemonade is incredible. We’ve paired this with our own citrus infused 42 Below vodka and Four Pillars gin with a slice of orange, and the flavours are just insane.

“Times have changed since the insipid sugar hit of forgotten drinks. We’re trialling and testing a number of ingredients to get the right balance and flavour to revive old favourites.”

For coffee-lovers, New Zealand coffee roasters’ Atomic Coffee is the staple ingredient for cocktails with a caffeine hit.

“Die-hard coffee fiends are in for a treat,” said Darren.

“Our retro bright pink Black Eagle coffee machine is producing the goods and we’ve experimented with a variety of flavours to make your next coffee fix an inventive alcoholic tipple.

“Atomic Coffee is the best roastery in New Zealand so we felt we would be doing the product injustice if we didn’t fully explore the flavours of the coffee.

“New to the menu is our Cold Brew Espresso Martini. Our homemade cold brew gives the classic drink a lighter character and paired with homemade coffee liqueur, Diplomático rum, vanilla vodka and aquafaba, we’ve created a new coffee sensation.

“The café transforms into a rad little cocktail bar in the evening, which we’re currently in the process of tweaking as we go.

“Our bartenders will have the freedom to ‘take over’ each night to push their revival cocktails of choice. It’s just another fun little twist for our cool new venue.”

Situated in the old McNeill’s Cottage, the café is an intimate spot, whatever the time of day. The small cocktail bar will serve a list of Instagram-worthy cocktails and canned beers such as Lion Red, Panhead and Speights.

Just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of the lakefront, Yonder director Gary Livesey described the venue as a “welcome escape” from the daily grind.

“The space is oozing with a homely, super-friendly and quirky appeal embracing art, food, coffee culture, music and drinks,” he said.

“Our staff are renowned music-lovers who care about delivering flawless hospitality experiences and it’s great to see likeminded people joining us from morning to night.

“We’re not about low-end or high-end because you just can’t put us in a box like that. It’s all about accessibility, and the guys have done a fine job ensuring our menus are attractive to everyone.

“We’re becoming the perfect spot for socialising, meetings and functions, large-scale music events, or a little bright sanctuary where locals come to unwind after a busy day.”

Picture caption:

1/ An ‘East 8 Hold Up’ is a must-have cocktail at Yonder

The design duo has combined original cottage features with pastel hues, mixed with “colours of the rainbow” sound-reactive LED lighting to help the venue evolve throughout the day.

The combination might not sound as if it ‘works’ – but surprisingly it does.

“We’ve spent many days and nights designing and dreaming about creating an interesting space for Queenstown,” said Yonder director Gary Livesey.

“It’s all about having a bit of fun, and the layers of the venue are helping us break down a few social boundaries and pre-conceptions.

“The whole premise of this place is the garden conservatory-type feel. We see it as an ‘extension’ of our neighbouring venue, The World Bar, and I’m so stoked to see the ‘garden’ flourish.

“We’ve mixed old with new to embrace the natural beauty of this historic building and by implementing contrasting colours and furniture we’ve helped these old stone walls shine.

“My favourite part about our hidden gem is the natural light pouring in through the skylight reflecting on our mural, all nods to the ‘greenery’ and ‘life’ concepts within the artwork.”

The well-thought-out design reflects an environment that will evolve throughout the day.

The building’s original stone walls cocoon the café situated within the old cottage. Statement features include a timeless pastel pink Victoria Arduino Black Eagle espresso machine, a framed Bill Murray portrait in a commanding position above the fireplace and contemporary furniture.

Brunch or coffee can be enjoyed here or outside in the sun-drenched courtyard to make the most of the all-day rays.

Beyond the main entrance sits a turquoise wooden-panelled bar that spans the length of the room, framed with one-off panels of decorative frosted glass.

A striking gold tap pour covers the back wall, while gorgeous rectangles of Welsh slate, sourced from Arrowtown-based artist Shane Woolridge, communicates ‘what’s on tap’ with chalk-esque coloured printed decal.

Statement photography prints by Queenstown-based Good Buddy Photography, pot plants, mirrors and Steel’s plant-inspired mural decorates the dining space.

The restaurant introduces contemporary elements including a Yonder sign lit up with bright pink neon and bespoke wooden multi-level furniture and booths, with the original old stone wall fireplace in this main room as the feature.

Described by Gary as a “little bright sanctuary”, the natural light from the skylight plays a significant part in creating a charming space for locals and visitors.

“We’re not predetermining what we’re trying to be, ambiguity is really important,” said Gary.

“I’ve been here morning, day and night watching people’s reactions to the space, and really, we’re surprising people with something that’s pretty humble and accessible at the same time.”

Once the sun fully sets, Yonder’s the ‘go-to’ spot for original and interesting acts, performances and events in Queenstown’s buzzy CBD.

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1/ Housed in the historic McNeill’s Cottage, Yonder’s interior is a mix of old and new to embrace the natural beauty of the building

Every year Patron sets out on a worldwide quest and a handpicked cocktail wizard from each representative country goes forth on a trip of a lifetime to the grand finale in Hacienda, Mexico where the overall Patron Perfectionist will be crowned.

After logging many hours after work behind the bar, Leo’s formulating has found him in the finals of the New Zealand entries. His ‘Taitanic’ Mai Tai-inspired cocktail is blended with homemade jackfruit jam and garnished with pandan leaf, or what he likes to call the “vanilla of Asia”.

Leo is set to showcase his cocktail in Auckland on 11 October where it will be sipped, inspected and critiqued on all components from originality to aesthetics and of course, the all-important flavour. He hopes it will be more successful than the Titanic’s ability to dodge icebergs.

He isn’t alone — the bar boys are triple threats with all of them originating from long-standing hospitality backgrounds and award-winning restaurants from around the globe.

Kolin’s career started very close to home at his own mother’s restaurant in Avignon, France at the tender of 10. Subsequently he chased his passion to London and studied to become a sommelier, qualifying to work in several European Michelin-star restaurants. His habit of darting around the world and leaving broken hearts in the dust gave him the nickname ‘fantôme’, French for ‘phantom’.

“Being a part of the opening of the Social Wine Bar has meant I’ve had the opportunity to put my own twist on the cocktail menu, giving it a little ‘je ne sais quoi’” he said.

“The creative process with the mixology was fun and something we’re all very proud of.

“We work really hard on the floor here, but we like to be cheeky and have a lot of fun too, especially with our customers. We’re proud of our cocktail menu but enjoy being challenged if customers request something totally unusual.”

Leo Bancale is also a well-seasoned globetrotter and has worked in various hospitality and hotel outlets, starting in the Philippines 10 years ago and then moving around Queenstown, Australia, Auckland and now Christchurch.

“I love being on the go and being able to work in such a universal industry has let me work in some pretty cool venues,” he said.

“I also picked up some pretty fun flaring skills in Singapore which never fails to draw a bit of a crowd!”

Corey Ellis was drawn to the industry at 18 when he started waiting tables. In no time he scaled the ranks to become maître d’ of a 150- guest restaurant before helping open a Jazz and Whisky bar.

“Making people’s stay enjoyable is what I get a buzz out of, and I’ve got to admit I do throw great parties,” he said. “Funnily enough my favourite cocktail is a cosmopolitan, I appreciate a well-balanced citrus drink.”

The boys’ most recent feat is the two show cocktails they invented to help promote Social Wine Bar’s partnership as an official bar venue of the Christchurch Arts Festival.

Kolin’s concept ‘Ziggy Starman’ cocktail is a futuristic sci-fi inspired cocktail reminiscent of glam-rock pop icon Bowie himself. It is infused with mint caviar, fresh mint and vodka.

Leo’s ‘Velvet’ cocktail stirred into life from the jazzy, loud disco divas of the Arts Festival’s Velvet show and New York’s famed cocktail bar, The Clover Club, evoking the bar’s atmosphere of vintage glam.

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1/ Crowne Plaza Christchurch Social Wine Bar cocktail alchemists (L-R) Leo Bancale, Corey Ellis and Kolin Abassi

Already famed for its cookies and innovative cookie-related treats including freakshakes and cookie sandwiches, the Cookie Bar will roll out the Cookie Dough this weekend (Saturday September 30) in seven formats – in a ball, cup, cone, sandwich, shake, sundae or served straight up on a spoon.

“No Bake Cookie Dough is such a fun treat. It’s got that little bit of nostalgia and naughtiness from memories of licking the baking bowl. But it’s all grown up in a specific no egg, edible dough formula that tastes just sensational,” says Vicki Onions, Cookie Time International General Manager, Retail.

Made with three base doughs – classic chocolate chip, cheesecake and dark chocolate brownie – six flavours will be on offer:

• Original Chocolate Chip
• Confetti Cheesecake
• Fudge Brownie Cheesecake
• Moro Bar, fudge & sea salt
• Double Chocolate S’more
• Ferrero Rocher Brownie

The Queenstown Cookie Bar is Cookie Time’s New Zealand flagship retail store. Opened in May 2010, the Cookie Bar is the ultimate destination for cookie lovers, offering freshly baked cookies and their perfect partners in a vibrant magical environment that celebrates all things cookie. Cookie Time also operates a Japan flagship Cookie Bar store in Harajuku, Tokyo.

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1/ Queenstown Cookie Bar’s Becca Stokes holding a No Bake Cookie Dough ‘tiny cone’