Lowbrow. Ellerslie

About Lowbrow. Ellerslie

Lowbrow Ellerslie sits on the Main Highway in Ellerslie village, one of three low-key Auckland outposts alongside St Kevin's Arcade on Karangahape Road and Elliott Stables in the CBD. The pitch is right there on the sign: hot chicken, burgers and beers.

Behind it is what the team calls Good Food — a fresh, seasonal, short-order take on contemporary fast food. Kiwi at heart, hand sourced and free range where possible, it is designed to be food you want to eat all the time, at anytime: free-range fried chicken thigh on a five-step heat scale from Lowbrow Original to Firecracker, grass-fed Angus brisket-patty burgers on house-baked sesame seed buns, tempura market fish, a panko eggplant parm for vegetarians, and a fryer's worth of shoestring, curly and kumara fries, loaded curlies and fried pickle chips.

The setting is deliberately low key — an eatery built for the people, where you can drop in at any time of day for a quick meal or a relaxed chill. The drinks list punches well above its weight, with local craft beer on tap and in cans, natural wines, cocktails like the Gin & Chronic and the L&P-spiked Paeroa Mule, and house coolers for the non-drinkers.

Everything on the menu is available to go: order pick up online, get delivery through Uber Eats, or book a table when the whole crew is coming. Sharing platters like The Good Stuff and The Whole Shebang settle the fight over the last piece of chicken in advance.

Lowbrow Ellerslie: Hot Chicken, Burgers and Craft Beer on Main Highway

On the Main Highway through Ellerslie village, Lowbrow keeps things simple and a little bit loud: hot chicken, burgers and beers. It is one of three low-key Auckland spots — alongside St Kevin's Arcade on Karangahape Road and Elliott Stables in the CBD — and it runs on an idea the team calls Good Food: short order, fresh, seasonal and Kiwi. Their stated take on fast food is food you want to eat all the time, at anytime, hand sourced and free range where possible.

The room matches the name. Lowbrow describes itself as a low-key eatery built for the people, a place you can drop in at any time of day for a quick meal or a relaxed chill. There is no fuss and no dress code — just comfort food from the fryer and the grill, and a drinks list that takes itself far more seriously than the decor.

Hot chicken, your call on the heat

Chicken thigh is the heart of the menu. The Lowbrow Chicken Sando stacks free-range fried thigh with cheddar, iceberg, sweet and spicy pickles and Mac sauce on a house-baked sesame seed bun — or an iceberg lettuce wrap if you would rather. The Nashville Hot Honey dunks that thigh in hot honey sauce with pickled cabbage, ranch, pickles and American cheese, while the Old 'Bae' goes cornflake-crusted with Swiss cheese, pickled courgette and Old 'Bae' mayo. Big Buffalo leans on Huffman's buffalo sauce, slaw and blue cheese mayo.

Every hot chicken order comes with a choice of five seasonings, scaled from the Lowbrow Original through Mild & Smoky, Hot Spice and Numb & Spicy up to Firecracker — which the menu sums up as holy cluck, it's hot. Whole organic wings and tenders come with a side of your choice, or split the difference with the Best of Both.

Burgers, sides and the rest of it

Beef lovers are looked after too. The MacDaddy is the house signature O.G. flavour — grass-fed Angus brisket patty, shredded iceberg, cheddar, sweet and spicy pickles and Mac sauce — while the Bronco adds onion rings and BBQ sauce. The O-Fush wraps tempura market fish with tartare sauce, and the Parma Jamma gives vegetarians a panko-fried eggplant burger with red pepper relish, marinara and mozzarella.

Sides do real work here: shoestring, curly and kumara fries, loaded curlies topped with bacon bits, mac 'n' triple cheese, onion rings, O.G. slaw and fried pickle chips. Any burger can be swapped into a bun-free bowl with quinoa, crispy kale and almonds, and there is a wedge-heavy Berg Royale salad and a fried-chicken Caesar for the leafy inclined.

Bring a crew, and bring an appetite

The sharing platters are the move for groups: The Good Stuff pairs two burgers of your choice with four whole wings, fries and a wedge salad, and The Whole Shebang goes all the way to six wings, six tenders, two sides, pickles, milk buns and ranch. Combos can be made boozy with a tap beer or natural wine, and there is always a jug of Lowbrow Lager on offer.

The bar earns its place on the sign. The taps pour Sawmill Pilsner, Brothers Beer XPA and a Garage Project hazy IPA alongside a rotating seasonal pour; the fridge holds everything from the 5% house lager to a 0.5% Tiny Hazy IPA and peach cider. Natural wines — nothing added, nothing taken away — sit beside tap-friendly cocktails like the Gin & Chronic, the L&P-spiked Paeroa Mule and a Coconut Margarita, while non-drinkers get house iced tea, cardamom mint lemonade and an Arnold Palmer.

Leave room for the finish: deep-fried confetti cake with Duck Island fairy bread ice cream, or New York cheesecake with toffee caramel and toasted almonds. Everything on the menu is available to go — order pick up online or get it delivered through Uber Eats — and tables can be booked for when the crew is coming.

Signature items

• MacDaddy
• Nashville Hot Honey
• Lowbrow Chicken Sando
• Whole Wings
• Fairy Bread Ice Cream
• The Good Stuff

Menu

Beer

• Sawmill Pilsner — Fresh, vibrant pilsner from Matakana, on tap.
• Brothers Beer XPA — Auckland-brewed extra pale ale on tap.
• Garage Project Hazy IPA — Wellington hazy IPA on tap.
• Rotating Seasonal Tap — A rotating craft pour that changes with the seasons.
• Lowbrow Lager — The house lager at 5%, served in cans.
• Sawmill Low Carb Pale Ale — Low-carb pale ale at 4.2%.
• Garage Project Fugazi Hoppy Session Ale — Hoppy session ale at a light 2.2%.
• Garage Project Tiny Hazy IPA — A tiny hazy IPA at just 0.5%.
• Strange Brothers Apple Cider — Apple cider at 5.1%.
• Crushed Peach Bomb — Hawkes Bay Brewery peach cider at 4%.

Wine

• Organised Chaos Pat Nat — Skin-contact pét-nat from Hawkes Bay — nothing added, nothing taken away.
• Jumping Juice Chilled Red — Chilled red from Australia.
• Big Fizz Sparkling Rosé — Australian sparkling rosé.
• Trig Hill Pinot Gris — Marlborough pinot gris.
• Still Life Sauvignon Blanc — Nelson sauvignon blanc.
• Das Juice Rosé — Australian rosé.
• Selection Massale Pinot Noir — Central Otago pinot noir.
• Organised Chaos Syrah — Hawkes Bay syrah.

Sides

• Shoestring Fries — With chicken salt and malt vinegar mayo.
• Curly Fries — Chicken salt and malt vinegar mayo.
• Kumara Fries — Kumara chips with chicken salt and malt vinegar mayo.
• Loaded Curlies — Curly fries, Old 'Bae' spice, cheddar cheese sauce, bacon bits and chives.
• Mac 'n' Triple Cheese — Macaroni in triple-cheese sauce with grated Parmesan.
• Onion Rings — Special seasoning with BBQ sauce.
• O.G. Slaw — Creamy garlic dressing, O.G. spice and toasted peanuts.
• Fried Pickle Chips — Fried sweet & spicy pickle chips with ranch.

Sweets

• Fairy Bread Ice Cream — Deep-fried confetti cake, Duck Island fairy bread ice cream, sprinkles and a pink wafer.
• New York Cheesecake — Classic cheesecake with toffee caramel sauce and toasted almonds.

Burgers

• Lowbrow Chicken Sando — Free-range fried chicken thigh, cheddar, iceberg, sweet & spicy pickles and Mac sauce; original or hot.
• Nashville Hot Honey — Fried chicken thigh in hot honey sauce, pickled cabbage, ranch, pickles and American cheese.
• Old 'Bae' — Cornflake-crusted free-range thigh, Swiss cheese, Old 'Bae' mayo, pickled courgette and iceberg.
• Big Buffalo — Chicken thigh coated in Huffman's buffalo sauce with slaw, iceberg and blue cheese mayo.
• MacDaddy — The house signature O.G. — grass-fed Angus brisket patty, cheddar, pickles and Mac sauce.
• Bronco — Angus brisket patty, onion rings, pickles, cheddar and BBQ sauce.
• O-Fush — Tempura market fish, original or hot seasoning, iceberg, Swiss cheese and tartare sauce.
• Parma Jamma — Panko-fried eggplant, red pepper relish, marinara, mozzarella and cos lettuce.

Cocktails

• Gin & Chronic — House-hopped gin & tonic on tap — fresh, vibrant and herbaceous.
• Paeroa Mule — Vodka, house fresh ginger juice, lime and L&P.
• Peach Spritz — Peachcello, sparkling wine, aperol, angostura bitters and soda.
• Yuzu Collins — Yuzu gin, yuzucello, tonic and citrus.
• Pink Panther — Vodka, lemonade, raspicello and egg white fizz.
• Purple Haze — Salted plum gin, campari, triple sec, lemon and pomegranate molasses.
• Coconut Margarita — Coconut Tommy's margarita — tequila, triple sec, lime and agave.
• House Spirits — Vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and tequila; ask the team for the full list.

Hot Chicken

• Whole Wings — Organic whole wings with your choice of side; toss in buffalo for extra kick.
• Tenders — Chicken tenders with sweet & sour pickles and a toasted milk bun, plus a side.
• Best of Both — Three whole wings and three tenders with a toasted milk bun and a side.
• Hot Chicken Bites — Add-on of crispy hot chicken bites for any burger or sando.

Sharing & Salads

• Berg Royale Salad — Iceberg wedges, bacon bits, house-pickled onions and ranch dressing.
• Chicken Caesar — Fried chicken thigh, romaine, boiled egg, bacon, chives, Parmesan and Caesar dressing.
• The Good Stuff — Two burgers of choice, four whole wings, shoestring fries and iceberg wedge salad.
• The Whole Shebang — Six wings, six tenders, two sides, a cup of pickles, milk buns and ranch.
• Burger Bowl — Bun-free swap with pickled cabbage, iceberg, ranch, quinoa, crispy kale and almonds.

Non-Alcoholic & Coffee

• Lowbrow Iced Tea — Strawberry, rosehips and paris tea with passionfruit.
• Cardamom Mint Lemonade — House cardamom syrup, mint, lemon and soda.
• Arnold Palmer — Half and half, double refreshing.
• Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite & L&P — Fridge classics.
• Lemon Lime Bitters — The classic LLB.
• Apple & Blackcurrant Juice — Fruit juice.
• Apple & Feijoa Juice — Fruit juice.
• Bottomless Batch Brew — Hot or iced filter coffee.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lowbrow Ellerslie known for?

Hot chicken, burgers and beers. The kitchen works to a Good Food philosophy — short order, fresh, seasonal and Kiwi — with free-range chicken thigh and grass-fed Angus beef patties at the centre of the menu.

How spicy does the hot chicken get?

You choose from five seasonings: Lowbrow Original, Mild & Smoky, Hot Spice, Numb & Spicy and Firecracker — described on the menu as holy cluck, it's hot.

Are there vegetarian or lighter options?

Yes — the Parma Jamma is a panko-fried eggplant burger, veggie or fish options are available on the hot chicken, and any burger can be swapped to a bun-free bowl with quinoa and crispy kale. Note the kitchen handles gluten, dairy, eggs, sesame and nuts.

Can I get Lowbrow to go?

Yes, all menu items are available to go. Pick up can be ordered at lowbrow.co.nz and delivery is available through Uber Eats.

Can I book a table?

Yes, bookings can be made through the Lowbrow website. Walk-ins are also welcome — it is built as a low-key spot you can drop into any time of day.

What should a group order?

The sharing platters: The Good Stuff (two burgers, four whole wings, fries and wedge salad) or The Whole Shebang (six wings, six tenders, two sides, pickles, milk buns and ranch). Combos can be made boozy with tap beer or natural wine.

What's on tap?

Sawmill Pilsner from Matakana, Brothers Beer XPA from Auckland, a Garage Project hazy IPA from Wellington and a rotating seasonal tap — plus a house-hopped gin & tonic, the Gin & Chronic, on tap as well.

Tips

• {"body":"Every hot chicken order runs on a five-step scale, from Lowbrow Original and Mild & Smoky through Hot Spice and Numb & Spicy to the Firecracker — holy cluck, it's hot.","title":"Pick your heat"}
• {"body":"Any burger can come as an iceberg lettuce wrap, or swap to a bun-free burger bowl with pickled cabbage, quinoa, crispy kale and almonds.","title":"Skip the bun"}
• {"body":"The Good Stuff and The Whole Shebang platters, plus boozy combos with tap beer or natural wine, are built for sharing and fighting over the last piece of chicken.","title":"Bring the crew"}
• {"body":"All menu items are available to go — pick up via lowbrow.co.nz or get it delivered with Uber Eats.","title":"Order ahead"}
• {"body":"Beyond the can fridge, Lowbrow pours Sawmill Pilsner, Brothers Beer XPA, a Garage Project hazy IPA and a rotating seasonal tap — with a jug of Lowbrow Lager on offer for the table.","title":"Work your way along the taps"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Low-key, all-day eatery for quick meals or relaxed hangs, with sharing platters for the table.","dietary":"Free range where possible; veggie and fish options; kitchen handles gluten, dairy, eggs, sesame and nuts."}