The Brown Pub sits right at the crossroads of Methven's two main streets, warm in atmosphere and welcome, the kind of place you'll feel like a local from the moment you walk in. Located right in the middle of Mt Hutt Village, it combines a bar, family restaurant, affordable upstairs accommodation and the Methven Liquor Centre all in one spot.
The pub traces its history back to 1883, when William Rowse, a former South Rakaian police constable, built the original Canterbury Hotel on the site. The wooden building was destroyed by fire on 19 June 1922, and publican James McTaggert rebuilt it on the same site. Sons, grandsons and great-grandsons have inherited The Brown as their local ever since, keeping its history a living part of the place.
The restaurant serves pub favourites including the famous Chicken Schnitzel, alongside steak, burgers and classic pub fish and chips, with small plates available to share. The bar offers a pool table, TAB, Sky TV, jackpot gaming machines and a wide range of beers on tap.
The Brown Pub sits right at the crossroads of Methven's two main streets — pull into town and you'll spot two pubs on opposite corners; theirs is the brown one. Warm in atmosphere and welcome, it's the kind of place you'll feel like a local from the moment you walk through the door.
The Brown Pub's story goes back to February 1883, when William Rowse, a former South Rakaian police constable, bought the site and laid the foundations for what would become the Canterbury Hotel. It opened later that year, with the local Ashburton Mail reporting on 13 October that Rowse was ready to welcome 'the travelling public' to his 'newly erected and commodious hotel.' The original wooden building was destroyed by fire in the early hours of 19 June 1922, despite the local fire brigade drawing water from the open race running beside the hotel. Publican James McTaggert rebuilt it on the same site, and generations of the same families have called The Brown their local ever since.
Today, The Brown Pub combines a bar, family restaurant, affordable upstairs accommodation and the Methven Liquor Centre, all in the heart of Mt Hutt Village. The bar is where to head for a game of pool, a flutter on the TAB, Sky TV sport, jackpot gaming machines and a wide range of beers on tap. The restaurant welcomes families — let the kids play outside while you sit down for pub favourites including the famous Chicken Schnitzel, a tasty steak, a burger, or classic pub fish and chips, with small plates available for sharing with friends. Upstairs, comfortable accommodation offers a place to rest up between adventures, all within a stone's throw of everything Methven has to offer.
Methven is a lively ski town in winter, drawing an influx of international and domestic travellers with Mt Hutt Ski Area on the doorstep, and a peaceful stop for sightseeing and relaxation in summer, set among some of the region's most beautiful scenery.
The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 4:30pm to 8:30pm, and Friday to Sunday from midday to 8:30pm. The Brown Pub is located on the corner of Main Street and Forest Drive, Methven, Mt Hutt Village, and can be reached by phone or email for bookings and enquiries.