The Speights Ale House Wanaka was my first visit to one of the 12+ Speights ale houses nationwide.
As soon as I arrived I appreciate how they have branded the place. The wording or logo was on detailed everywhere from table numbers, windows, edging on some seats, and more. And best of all, it’s not tacky at all.
It was about 6 pm when I arrived. There are people under the sun umbrellas enjoying the late Thursday sun. I’m glad they haven’t made the interior look like your stereotypical hipster craft beer bar. It’s what I would imagine an alehouse would look like with darker colours and a mature look.
No one greeted me at the door (fine by me) so I wander up to the bar and grab a menu in a clear file (there’s a separate one for drinks and food). I was surprised the menus weren’t inside a brander cover! They are plain like the online menu, that said it does appear the food items change depending on the season.
With only one burger, the Falafel Burger, vegan, my choice was made for me. It’s described as:
Spiced falafel served in a toasted bun with tzatziki, pickled carrot, and a beetroot relish
$22
At $22 the price is on the high side, especially given what I would consider the lack of ‘oomph’ in the burger description.
It turns out the burger comes with a side of fries or salad. That makes the burger about $17, but not having the choice to opt-out of the side rubs me the wrong way.
Anyway, the lad behind the counter is friendly, and requesting for the burger to be made vegan was no problem.
I sit outside, on the stream side rather than in the front of the building where you can get views out over the lake.
Given the time I arrived (6 pm), I was stoked it took about 10 minutes for my order to come out to the table.
The burger looked okay, and the chips looked awesome. I was hoping for a bigger burger, but I guess that’s why there’s no small/large option on the menu. They can be sneaky and cut costs everywhere.
The chips? Yummy. I would eat again. Not that there were many.
After a couple of burger photos (yes, my food photography is poor), I dig in.
Here are my burger tasting notes:
- The bun was toasted, but it wasn’t inspiring
- The beetroot relish, pickled carrot, and greens were present (they remove the tzatziki for the vegan option), but they’re not exactly filling the burger out.
- The falafel patty? Delicious. It was held together well and had a little spice to it (nothing outrageous). This was by far the best part of the burger (as it should be). I just wish the falafel was bigger to fill it out more.
Whereas I was super full leaving Devil Burger Queenstown, I proceeded to eat snacks after leaving the Speights Ale House Wanaka.
Sadly, I didn’t have a beer which feels criminal given I’m at the Speight’s Ale House.
The beer selection on tap did look good, with plenty of Speights varieties you don’t always see like the Empire IPA. Prices? They start at $5 for a small, and $8 for a large (the menu didn’t state how many mls in each).
If you’re sitting outside, you’ll need to go to the bar inside Speights Ale House Wanaka to order your beer each time. They’ll often take food orders at your table though.
After finishing my burger, I watched a little bit of cricket on the TV above the outdoor fire (this would be magic in winter) before heading off.
In short, I would come here for a beer but would look elsewhere for food. The value isn’t great, especially without an amazing burger. That said, the menus at various Ale Houses seem to vary so I am open to visiting another alehouse sometime.
I do like how the manager will respond to TripAdvisor reviews!
p.s. if you want to sit in the sun, you might not get a seat right away if it’s busy. Let the staff know and they’ll let you know when space opens up.
The Speights Ale House in Wanaka is located at 93 Ardmore Street, Wanaka 9305.
If you’ve been to the Speights Ale House Wanaka, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, or email jub@churnewzealand.com. If you want to read more burger reviews, I compile all reviewed vegan burgers in NZ.
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Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.