Retropolitan Social occupies an upstairs corner beside Little High in central Christchurch, turning retro style into a relaxed bar and restaurant rather than a theme-room novelty. An all-weather deck with heaters and an open fire extends the space through cooler evenings. Live music, sport on projectors, tap beer, old-school cocktails and flexible function areas make the venue work best when food is part of a longer social occasion.
Bar snacks range from straightforward fries and onion rings to buttermilk fried chicken, lemon-pepper calamari, pork belly and sauced chicken wings. Mixed hot platters solve the ordering problem for a group, while five burgers cover fish, falafel, fried chicken, slow-cooked pork and a large beef build. That spread gives drinkers something substantial without limiting diners to the usual handful of fried sides.
Fondue provides the menu's most deliberately nostalgic experience. The savoury version brings steak, mushrooms, pork belly, jerk chicken, prawns and vegetables to the pot, finished with either gravy or a triple-cheese sauce. Elsewhere, blue cod, twice-cooked pork belly, sirloin, Korean-style ribs, chicken parmigiana and creamy chicken pasta offer conventional plated mains for guests who would rather not share the centre of the table.
Pizza moves from Hawaiian, pepperoni and margherita to garlic prawn, falafel vegetable, cranberry chicken and a heavily loaded meat option. Dessert keeps the playful tone through brownie, doughnut and caramel-cookie pots, a towering sundae and sweet fondue for dipping cakes, marshmallows, banana and cinnamon doughnut. Children's meals and the broad bar offering make it possible for families, date-night diners and late-evening groups to use the same room in very different ways.
Address: Upstairs at Little High, 255 St Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
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