The Longkeeper is a bar and restaurant on King Street in the heart of Pukekohe, taking its name from the Longkeeper - Pukekohe's legendary long-storing onion variety. The site tells the story of Turbott, who, after decades of rigorous breeding and careful selection, is said to have burst into tears of bliss while cutting his onion, for it was perfection.
Branded 'Born, Bred & Braised', The Longkeeper positions itself as a local destination for a relaxing afternoon, an after-work drink, or a night out with friends, running weekly rituals for regulars. It offers separate Food, Drinks, Cocktail, Kids and Lunch menus, available to view or download from the website, and runs a loyalty club for regular customers.
For local businesses in a hurry, The Longkeeper takes phone pre-orders so food is ready for pickup, and bookings can be made online through its reservation system.
On King Street in the heart of Pukekohe, The Longkeeper is a bar and restaurant that takes its name - and its story - from an unlikely source: the Longkeeper, a legendary long-storing onion variety associated with the town.
The site tells it plainly: after decades of rigorous breeding and careful selection, it's said that Turbott burst into tears of bliss while cutting his onion, for it was perfection. It's an unusual origin story for a bar and restaurant, but one that ties The Longkeeper directly to Pukekohe's local growing history, reflected in its tagline, Born, Bred & Braised.
The Longkeeper describes itself as Pukekohe's destination for food and drink, whether that's a relaxing afternoon, an after-work drink, or a night out with friends. The venue runs weekly rituals for locals, positioning itself as a genuine neighbourhood spot rather than a one-off destination venue.
The Longkeeper offers separate Food, Drinks, Cocktail, Kids and Lunch menus, each available to view as images or download as PDFs from the website. Having a dedicated kids menu alongside the main food and drinks offering signals a venue set up for families as well as the after-work and weekend crowd, while the separate cocktail list points to a proper bar programme alongside the food.
Regulars can join The Longkeeper's Loyalty Club, and bookings can be made directly through the venue's online reservation system. For local businesses short on time, The Longkeeper also takes phone pre-orders so food is ready to collect on arrival - a small but practical touch for anyone working nearby who doesn't have time to wait around.
The Longkeeper is open Monday to Thursday from midday, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am, trading late on every one of those days. It's located at 249 King Street, Pukekohe, with bookings, pre-orders and enquiries all handled by phone or through the website.
For anyone in Pukekohe after a bar and restaurant with a genuine sense of place - built around the town's own agricultural history rather than a generic import - The Longkeeper's King Street venue combines that story with a full food and drinks offering, a kids menu, and easy pre-order pickup for those pressed for time. Checking the Food and Drinks menu downloads on the website ahead of a visit is the best way to see exactly what's currently on offer, since the detailed dish list isn't published as plain text on the site itself.