Red 16
What makes your venue the Best Gastropub in New Zealand?
Wide range of quality food & drinks available all night. Small intimate venue where we make guests feel comfortable to dine at the bar on there own, as part of a large group or just bump into friends. Relaxed fun atmosphere, lots of different events & live music to compliment the food & drinks.
Describe the experience your customers have at your establishment – what is your food and beverage offering and why do people come back for more?
We try to let the guest dictate their experience. Whether it be a quiet wine in a corner with a book, getting some work done over a pint, or meeting friends and other regulars after work. We cater to everyone for dinner with family or friends or a work party. Often, we have a mix of tradies, lawyers & retired folk enjoying a beer together. Fourteen changing beers on rap or cask ales, local and international wines. Large cocktail list with classics and some of our own creations. The varied food menu includes tacos, bao Buns, burgers, salads, and weekly specials, and the full menu changes regularly depending on the season. And with a weekly special, it keeps the regular diners interested.
Tell us how you showcase NZ produce / offerings? Does your menu change with the season, and how is it locally influenced? How do you accommodate allergy and dietary requirements?
The menu changes regularly depending on season and availability. Weekly specials make the most of local produce and grow some of our own herbs and veggies on-site. 95% of the menu is gluten-free, along with always at least one beer on tap from the local Eddyline brewery. Everything is made fresh & to order, and you can easily change every item on the menu to suit your requirements.
What are your key points of difference and how have you managed to deliver them?
Hospitality, to us, is about enjoying it. We offer a fun, friendly service. No over-the-top pretentious service; come in and enjoy, and leave with a smile & full belly. Staff, a small team who have all been with us for years, are key to creating this atmosphere. Regulars we see as friends.
Tailoring the guest's experience to what they want, table service for dining or popping to the bar to check out the new beers & special boards and chat with staff or other regulars perched at the bar. Everyone is welcome all of the time.
Tell us about your commitments to Customer Service and Host Responsibility
Customer service is as important as quality food & drinks. As above, we tailor the guest experience to what they want from the evening.
One of our favourite things is that local & travelling singles feel welcome to come in and dine on their own. Often, they end up staying all night and making friends. We have a real family feel to the bar. Making sure everyone is looked after & safe. Being strict on who is in the bar & and the level of intoxication. A safe environment to enjoy a night out.
Best Known for:
Fun, friendly service
Tailored guest experience
Live music & events.
Have you won any awards in the recent past?
We won Best Bar at the recent Nelson Hospitality Awards held by Hospitality New Zealand and Restaurant Association. We were also finalists in the Best Bartender & Best Atmosphere categories in the same awards.
Please describe how you create ambience.
Red16 is a small, intimate bar with different areas, couches, bar leaners, and dining tables all help create a varied space. Lots of artwork and bits of interest to keep people engaged in the area. Carefully selected playlists to match the time & current crowd. All areas of the bar have separate lighting so it can be dimmed as to appropriate guests & times. Live music every Thursday, Saturday and some Friday afternoons. A varied mix from reggae, blues, rock, DJs, and open mic nights.
