Christchurch Nightlife Guide: 7 Best Riverside Bars, Phone-Booth Speakeasies & Jazz
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Christchurch Nightlife Guide: 7 Best Riverside Bars, Phone-Booth Speakeasies & Jazz

Christchurch Nightlife Guide: 7 Best Riverside Bars, Phone-Booth Speakeasies & Jazz

The revitalized central city of Christchurch (Ōtautahi) has emerged as one of the most stylish evening hubs in the South Island. Anchored by the vibrant riverside strip of The Terrace and interwoven with hidden laneways and restored heritage buildings, the city offers an eclectic mix of secret phone-booth cocktail bars, 1930s jazz speakeasies, riverfront craft breweries, and indie rock music halls.

Whether you want to dial a secret number inside a British red telephone box to enter a subterranean cocktail club, sip craft gin along the Avon River promenade, or listen to live jazz in an Edwardian heritage courtyard, here is your essential guide to Christchurch at night.

☎️ 1. Enter the Secret Phone Booth at The Austin Club

Hidden down an unassuming service alleyway off High Street, The Austin Club is Christchurch’s most creative speakeasy.

To gain entry, you must step inside a vintage red telephone booth and enter the weekly secret password into the rotary phone dial. If correct, the false wall opens into a dimly lit subterranean cocktail hideaway featuring velvet booths, exposed brick, and bartenders in suspenders crafting tailor-made drinks to vintage jazz and swing.

  • How to Get the Password: Check the club's Instagram stories or website before you go for the current week's entry passphrase.
  • Location: Basement, 236 High Street, Christchurch Central.
  • Hours: Open Wednesday to Saturday 5:00 pm – 2:00 am.

🌊 2. Riverside Drinks & Craft Beer on The Terrace

Stretching along Oxford Terrace directly beside the tree-lined Avon River (Ōtākaro), The Terrace is the beating heart of Christchurch nightlife.

This modern multi-level hospitality precinct features outdoor heated terraces, vibrant taprooms, and cocktail lounges:

  • The Craft Embassy: An upscale second-floor craft beer bar boasting 30 independent New Zealand taps and river views.
  • Kong: A sleek, 1930s-inspired cocktail lounge featuring leather booths, chandeliers, and high-end spirit flights.
  • Chiwahwah Mexican Cantina: A lively, colourful tequila and mezcal bar serving frozen margaritas and late-night tacos.

🎷 3. Live Jazz & Bespoke Cocktails at O.G.B. (Old Government Building)

Located inside the grand 1913 Italian Renaissance Old Government Building in Cathedral Square, O.G.B. is consistently ranked among the best bars in New Zealand.

Step through the heavy wooden doors into a 1930s speakeasy where bartenders in dapper suits, newsboy caps, and suspenders serve classic cocktails. On most nights, live acoustic jazz and swing musicians perform in the corner of the wood-paneled bar or outdoors in the covered heritage courtyard under heated gas lamps.

  • The Parlour: Tucked behind a hidden bookshelf inside O.G.B. lies The Parlour, an ultra-exclusive secret cocktail room dedicated to bespoke gin and champagne creations.
  • Location: 28 Cathedral Square, Christchurch Central.
  • Hours: Open daily 3:00 pm – 1:00 am.

🍻 4. Indie Vibes & Food Trucks at Smash Palace

Born out of the post-earthquake container mall movement, Smash Palace on High Street is a legendary open-air and indoor Christchurch institution.

Housed in a converted heritage building and outdoor courtyard built around a central red school bus that serves as the bar, it is the ultimate casual meeting spot for locals, artists, and motorbike enthusiasts. Order pints of local Cassels brewing beer, homemade beef brisket burgers, and listen to local rock DJs beside outdoor gas fire pits.

  • Location: 172 High Street, Christchurch Central.
  • Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 pm until late.

🍷 5. Intimate Wine Bars in New Regent Street

New Regent Street is Christchurch’s most charming heritage street, built in 1932 in distinctive Spanish Mission architecture with pastel-coloured facades.

At night, the street is closed to vehicle traffic and lit with festoon lights. Settle into The Last Word (31 New Regent St), an intimate two-storey whisky and boutique wine lounge with leather armchairs and knowledgeable sommeliers. Next door, visit The Gin Gin for botanical gin and tonics infused with local botanicals.

🎸 6. Live Music at Darkroom & 12 Bar

For live indie rock, punk, electronic, and alternative music:

  • Darkroom (336 St Asaph St): Christchurch’s dedicated grassroots live music venue. Free entry on most nights, supporting local up-and-coming Kiwi indie bands.
  • 12 Bar (342 St Asaph St): A vibrant industrial live music and craft beer venue hosting blues, reggae, and rock gigs, accompanied by an authentic barbecue food truck in the alley.

🗺️ Christchurch Evening Blueprint

  • 6:00 PM (Riverside Craft Beers): Start on The Terrace at The Craft Embassy overlooking the Avon River.
  • 8:00 PM (Heritage Jazz): Walk to Cathedral Square for live jazz and cocktails inside O.G.B.
  • 10:00 PM (Secret Speakeasy): Find the red phone booth on High Street to enter The Austin Club.
  • Midnight (Late-Night Buzz): Head to Smash Palace for casual pints by the outdoor fire or Darkroom for live local indie bands. For daytime planning, see our Christchurch 3-day itinerary, check summit walks in Christchurch walks & hikes, and find top boutique hotels in where to stay in Christchurch.

❓ Christchurch Nightlife: Real Questions, Real Answers

Is downtown Christchurch safe to walk around at night?

Yes. The rebuilt central city (The Terrace, Cathedral Square, New Regent Street, High Street) is well-lit, modern, and has an active evening police and security presence.

Where is the best place to eat late at night in Christchurch?

The restaurants along The Terrace and Riverside Market Laneways serve hot food until 9:30 pm or 10:00 pm, while Smash Palace and late-night souvlaki joints along Colombo Street serve food until the early hours on weekends.