The Huapai Tavern has been pouring cold drinks and serving honest pub food on State Highway 16 since 1883, making it one of the oldest pubs in the district and a genuine slice of Auckland history. Twenty-five minutes from the city, in the heart of Huapai village, it remains a proper country pub: relaxed, unpretentious and open to everyone, whether you're after a quiet pint after work or a long lunch with friends.
The kitchen serves hearty Kiwi pub food all day, every day — generous serves at fair prices, from share plates like karaage chicken and slow-cooked pork belly bites to stacked burgers, a proper 250g scotch fillet and a sticky date pudding to finish. Daily specials appear in-house, and gluten-free and nut-free dishes are marked on the menu. The tavern has been voted "Recommended" by Restaurant Guru (2024) and holds a strong rating across 800-plus Google reviews.
At the bar you'll find ice-cold tap beer, a tidy range of wines from just up the road in Kumeū wine country, and your favourite spirits poured by friendly staff. There's plenty of off-street parking and a sun-filled courtyard that catches the afternoon sun. Local acts play live music most Sundays — no cover charge, just turn up and settle in.
Twenty-five minutes from central Auckland, on the old main road through Huapai village, stands a pub that has been serving this corner of northwest Auckland for well over a century. The Huapai Tavern opened in 1883, and it has poured cold drinks and cooked honest pub food ever since — through the days of the gumdiggers, the orchardists, and more than 140 years of Kumeū life passing by on State Highway 16.
One of the oldest pubs in the district, the tavern has long been the heart of the village — a genuine slice of Auckland history that remains, first and foremost, a local's local. Step inside and you'll find a relaxed, unpretentious room where everyone is welcome, whether it's a quiet pint after work or a long lunch with friends. Regulars on Google put it neatly: "a proper Kiwi pub", "old school", "very nostalgic".
Food runs all day, every day, so there's no need to plan around kitchen hours. Start with share plates: homemade garlic bread, beef nachos, loaded wedges, slow-cooked pork belly bites in homemade BBQ sauce, or karaage chicken with coleslaw, fries, wasabi mayo and tonkatsu sauce. There's even a toastie list — pick two or three fillings from cheese, tomato, bacon, onion, sweetcorn, nacho mince, ham and pineapple.
The burgers are a highlight. The Huapai Classic arrives the true Kiwi way, with salad, cheese, pickles, beetroot, tomato sauce and sriracha aioli, while The Works piles on pineapple, egg, bacon and onion rings. A crumbed chicken burger, a battered market fish burger and a vegetarian burger round out the list, all served with fries.
Large plates show the kitchen's range: a 250g scotch fillet with béarnaise, garlic, mushroom, pepper or jus; surf and turf with creamy prawns; mussels in the shell in creamy coconut sauce; market fish of the day, pan fried or battered; bangers and mash; salt and pepper squid; and a prawn and chicken curry with steamed rice and pappadums. Finish with the sticky date pudding, cheesecake or chocolate brownie, all with ice cream.
Gluten-free and nut-free dishes are marked on the menu, and daily specials appear in-house. The food has earned attention well beyond the village: Restaurant Guru listed the tavern as "Recommended" in 2024, and reviewers regularly call the meals excellent with plenty of choice.
At the bar it's ice-cold tap beer, a tidy range of wines from just up the road, and favourite spirits poured by friendly staff. Reviews often mention the impressive beer selection and reasonable prices. When the sun is out, the courtyard is the spot — it catches the afternoon light, and with plenty of off-street parking, a quick drink has a way of turning into a long, lazy afternoon.
Most Sundays, local musicians take the stage for an afternoon of laid-back, foot-tapping live music. There's no cover charge — just turn up, grab a drink and find a seat. Reviewers describe the room rocking when the band kicks in, and more than one has called it the best way to round off the weekend.
You'll find the Huapai Tavern at 310 State Highway 16, an easy stop whether you live nearby or are passing through Kumeū wine country. Doors open 7 days from 11am until late, with food served right through. No bookings are needed for the bar; for larger groups or function enquiries, phone 09 412 9851 and the team will sort you out.