Speight's Ale House Tower Junction is Christchurch City's only Speight's Ale House — a leading Christchurch restaurant and bar serving the best of Southern fare to locals and travellers alike. Since opening for business in December 2005, it has built its reputation on quality food made with the best ingredients, fantastic beer and, in its own words, brilliant banter.
A substantial refit completed in February 2018 refreshed the venue inside and out, creating a more comfortable setting for customers with an indoor/outdoor flow that gives patrons plenty of options, especially during summer. The superb Speight's family of tap ales is all available at the bar, alongside an extensive range of wines, spirits, coffees and non-alcoholic drinks.
The menu features Ale House classics such as seafood chowder, blue cod, lamb shanks and steak, as well as vegetarian options, with lunch, dinner, bar snack and Wee Mates menus covering every occasion. Located close to Wolfbrook Arena, Addington Raceway and the Christchurch Train Station, the venue is a popular destination for the wider Christchurch community and New Zealand travellers, catering for everything from a quiet meal and drinks in the bar to group outings, functions and watching the game on the big screen.
Speight's Ale House Tower Junction is a leading Christchurch restaurant and bar — and the city's only Speight's Ale House. Since opening in December 2005, it has built a reputation for exceptional food and service, welcoming the wider Christchurch community and New Zealand travellers with the best of Southern fare. It is a place where quality food made with the best ingredients meets fantastic beer and, as the team puts it, brilliant banter — a combination that keeps regulars coming back and makes it a natural stop for anyone visiting the city.
The Ale House completed a substantial refit in February 2018, realigning the stars with new features inside and out that give customers a more comfortable setting. One of the biggest wins from the makeover is the indoor/outdoor flow, which gives Tower Junction patrons plenty of options — especially during summer, when the outdoor spaces come into their own. Whether you are settling in for a long lunch, dinner with the family, or a quick pint and nibbles at the bar, there is a corner of the venue to suit.
The menu is built around hearty Southern fare and Ale House classics: seafood chowder, blue cod, lamb shanks and steak, with vegetarian options alongside. A full lunch menu and dinner menu are joined by a bar snack menu for more casual occasions — golden fries, cheesy garlic fries, beef and bean nachos, loaded wedges, popcorn shrimp, Summit ultra beer-battered cod bites and twice-cooked Pig Hunter ribs in smoky BBQ sauce. Flatbreads and platters round things out, including the Malthouse platter piled with meats, seafood, cheeses, dips, crackers and more, and a deep fried platter of wedges, fries, pork money bags, vegetarian spring rolls and samosas.
All meals are expertly matched to one of the superb Speight's family of tap ales, although an extensive range of wines, spirits, coffees and non-alcoholic drinks is also available. Younger diners are covered too, with a dedicated Wee Mates menu.
The venue's location — close by Wolfbrook Arena, Addington Raceway and the Christchurch Train Station — makes it a natural meeting point before a concert, race day or the big match, and the big screen means you can enjoy the game without leaving your table. Function organisers are well catered for: upstairs or downstairs areas can suit different needs, with two-course and three-course set menu options, and events ranging from 10 people to a full-venue option. Quality platters can be arranged at excellent per-head prices for group functions, and the team stresses that one size does not fit all — packages are designed in partnership so you get the options that suit your needs. If you are looking for the perfect gift, meal vouchers are available on request at the bar.
Speight's Ale House Tower Junction is open Monday to Sunday from 11am until late, serving lunch, dinner and everything in between. You will find it at 2 Troup Drive in Tower Junction, Addington — handy for Riccarton, the arena and the raceway, and an easy stop for travellers passing through Christchurch. Bookings are a good idea, particularly for groups and event nights; you can book a table through the website or get in touch with the team directly. If you have any allergies, let the wait staff know — while the kitchen endeavours to be gluten-friendly, it cannot fully guarantee, and it will always do its best to accommodate your needs. Come for the tap ales, stay for the chowder, and do not be surprised if the brilliant banter turns a first visit into a regular habit.