Gin Gin fits naturally into New Regent Street's colourful run of heritage shopfronts, then changes character once inside. Lush decor, small rooms and tucked-away nooks create a venue that feels intimate even when the bar is busy. Gin and cocktails are the headline, but the kitchen is substantial enough to turn a drink into dinner, and seven-day opening gives the space uses ranging from an afternoon catch-up to a booked evening with friends.
The menu is designed around sharing rather than conventional starters and mains. Spiced cashews and warmed olives can begin a table gently, before dishes such as twice-cooked potatoes, Indo fried chicken or kingfish ika mata with kumara crisps. Skewers bring chicken, pork belly and vegetable choices from the grill, while broccoli with garlic tahini and a board of local cheeses add contrasting textures. Ordering several plates lets diners move between crisp, smoky, fresh and rich flavours at their own pace.
Pizzettas provide the menu's most recognisable centrepiece. Each is a compact seven-inch pizza made from hand-stretched dough fermented for two days, giving the crust time to develop before baking. A simple margherita sits beside pepperoni, four cheese with pistachio cream, rocket pesto and a kimchi variation. Pizza dogs use the same slow-fermented dough around a meat or vegetarian sausage, retaining the playful bar-food spirit while offering something more filling.
The drinks list rewards curiosity with gin-led cocktails and tasting flights that gather bottles from different New Zealand regions. Wine, beer and alcohol-free choices keep the bar useful for mixed groups, while the food menu clearly marks vegetarian, plant-based and gluten-free options. Gin Gin is therefore more than a stop for one specialist spirit: it can support a sequence of shared plates, a cocktail-paired meal or a relaxed late-night conversation in one of its quieter corners.
Address: 4–6 New Regent Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand
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