Est. 1901 is a small cocktail and wine bar on Ponsonby Road whose rooms look back to another century. It opened in 2018 as a cocktail bar and widened its focus to wine a few years later, and the interior takes its cues from a bygone era, with antique styled furniture, a wooden fireplace, exposed brick and vintage artwork on the walls. There are seats for around 40, which keeps the mood intimate, and guests often remark on its Victorian character. The bar sums up its aim as historic charm delivered through good conversation, fine drinks and pleasant music. The venue is made up of three distinct spaces that can be booked separately or together, so it suits a small celebration, a business gathering or a product launch as well as a quiet drink for two.
The cocktail list is where the love of history shows most. Captain Dedwood, a mix of spiced rum, dry ginger ale, muddled ginger and lime, takes its name from Dedwood, as Ponsonby was known until 1873, while Three Lamps by Gaslight, a whisky sour with vanilla notes and Cointreau finished with kaffir lime powder and chamomile flowers, nods to the nearby intersection named for the lamp that once stood at its centre. Royal Visit 1901 pairs Pimm’s with passionfruit pulp and dry lemonade, Toast the Main Trunk Line tops Champagne with Grand Marnier and pink grapefruit, and Young Winston stirs Talisker 10 with sweet vermouth and Cointreau over a large rock. For something richer there is Miss Irvine, a chocolate laced blend of Amarula, crème de cacao, coconut liqueur and vodka.
Those skipping alcohol are well looked after, with non alcoholic gin and tonics made with Ecology & Co and house creations such as Tram Lights, which mixes coconut water, cranberry, fresh lime and mint, or Electrification, a lively blend of fresh ginger, mint, ginger ale and lemon. The wine list ranges across New Zealand and well beyond, and has featured Kumeu River Estate pinot gris, a Lebanese white from Château Marsyas, Big Sky’s Te Muna pinot noir and an Austrian red from Claus Preisinger served chilled, with Astrolabe chenin blanc to finish. Asahi and a Sawmill hazy pale ale pour on tap beside bottled craft beer from Sawmill, Panhead and Urbanaut, and the spirits shelf holds single malts from Talisker, Ardbeg, Oban and Glenlivet, an Oamaru whisky called The Omaruvian, tawny port and sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry.
The kitchen turns out small bites to share while a glass is in hand. Pecorino potatoes are roasted and then fried, finished with grated cheese and truffle oil and served with chipotle aioli, buttermilk fried chicken comes with tamarind mayo, and chickpea and green pea koftas arrive with date chutney and wasabi peas. Baked brie with spicy honey, thyme and cashews, a chicken liver parfait with pickles and warm bread, and a cheese platter that can be made gluten free all sit well with a bottle of wine. Bruschetta comes four ways, from classic tomato and basil to prosciutto and brie with fig jam or a vegetarian version that brings cherry tomatoes, mandarin and chimichurri together with crème fraîche, while a deli antipasto board gathers Mediterranean cured meats and Italian cheese. To close, the affogato adds a shot of Baileys to the espresso.
Address: 224 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
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