Vic Road Wine Bar & Cellar brings two things Devonport does well under one roof at 53-55 Victoria Road: a relaxed neighbourhood wine bar and a proper retail cellar. Order from an ever-changing list of wines by the glass, work through the tap beers or a wide canned beer selection, or choose from classic cocktails and non-alcoholic options. The shelves are part of the experience too — pick any bottle from the retail range and enjoy it on the spot, or take it home.
The building has its own story. Set in a former shoe shop, the space keeps its original wood shelving, exposed brick and a stained glass window, while outside a European-style courtyard offers a stylish, laid-back spot for a glass in the sun. The vibe is deliberately welcoming for all wine lovers, from seasoned enthusiasts to people just starting their wine journey, and tastings here are relaxed and informal.
Beyond the everyday pour, there's plenty on: five different wine tasting flights showcasing New Zealand wine, a Blind Wine Tasting Challenge with a prize for correct guesses, monthly tasting evenings that regularly welcome winemakers or follow a theme, artist talks in partnership with nearby Flagstaff Gallery, and live music in the garden every Sunday afternoon. The venue is also available for private hire for groups of 20-80, with tailored wine and food packages for celebrations, corporate events and weddings. Gift packs, gift vouchers and a newsletter round out a place built for browsing, sipping and coming back to discover something new.
Devonport's Victoria Road is lined with the sort of shops you pop into for one thing and leave with something else entirely, and Vic Road Wine Bar & Cellar leans happily into that habit. Part neighbourhood wine bar, part working retail cellar, it invites you to browse the shelves like a shop, then settle in for a glass like a local — or do both at once, because any bottle on the shelves can be opened and enjoyed right there. The team's own pitch says it plainly: every visit is a chance to discover something new.
That dual identity shapes everything. The by-the-glass list is deliberately ever-changing — it moves every week, mixing exciting new wines with old favourites from New Zealand and abroad — so regulars rarely see the same lineup twice. If wine isn't the plan, there are beers on tap, a wide canned beer selection, classic cocktails and non-alcoholic options. Ask for help and you'll get it: the promise is that they can find something you would like to drink.
The retail side runs the same course, with a curated collection celebrating the finest from New Zealand and beyond — vibrant whites, robust reds, and crafted gift packs such as the Terra Sancta Single Block Collection, the Dual Chardonnays two-pack and the Three Origins trio of reds.
The building itself is half the appeal. Vic Road occupies a former shoe shop and has kept its bones: original wood shelving now lines up bottles instead of loafers, brick walls are left exposed, and a stained glass window still filters the light. Out the back, a European-style courtyard offers a stylish, laid-back spot for a long glass — and on fine Sundays it doubles as a small music venue.
For anyone who finds wine lists intimidating, Vic Road leans the other way: welcoming, informal and suited to any level. Five different wine tasting flights showcase the best of New Zealand wine, and the Blind Wine Tasting Challenge dares you to identify four single-varietal NZ wines — guess correctly and a prize is yours. Neither requires a booking; you can simply wander in.
The learning continues after hours. Regular tasting evenings change month to month, regularly welcoming winemakers to tell their own stories or chasing a theme — French, Italian and beyond. Some go deeper still, like a guided six-wine tasting with a top winemaker and shared plates, with every wine poured available to buy at special tasting prices on the night.
Sunday afternoons belong to live music. From 3.30pm to 5.30pm each week, acoustic soloists and duos play in the garden when the weather allows, or cosily inside when it doesn't. The bar also teams up with neighbouring Flagstaff Gallery for its First Thursdays Artist in the Wine Bar series, pairing exhibition openings across the road with artist talks over a glass.
Vic Road is available for private hire, catering to groups of 20-80 with tailored wine and food packages for celebrations, corporate events and weddings — the team handles the details while hosts relax. In the kitchen, the food menu is super seasonal and fresh, a guide rather than a contract, so expect plates to rotate as produce does. Gift vouchers and a newsletter rounding up tastings, events and offers make it easy to share the experience or stay close to it.
However you arrive — curious about a Central Otago red, hunting a bottle for tonight, chasing live music on a Sunday, or planning a party — the invitation is the same: browse, taste, and take your time.