Little Blackwood

About Little Blackwood

Little Blackwood is a classic yet hip cocktail bar perched on Steamer Wharf at the water's edge of Lake Wakatipu in central Queenstown — the closest venue to the waterfront, with the Remarkables filling the view. Out on the heated decking, sunset drinks come with locally made artisan meat and cheese boards; inside, there's a roaring fire, hand-crafted blackwood furniture and regular sets from some of New Zealand's best live musicians.

Cocktails are the headline act: the bar was voted Best Bar in New Zealand at the Hospitality NZ Awards for Excellence 2026, and its mixologists refresh the list with themed menus — the current chapter, The Heist, runs from The Spark to The Fallout. Alongside sit long-time favourites like Dance With the Devil, a whole family of espresso martinis, a full classics list and the choose-your-own Trust Your Bartender experience.

The food is proudly local: build-your-own platters pair Gibbston Valley cheeses with Zamora handcrafted meats, served with Otago honeycomb, house-marinated olives, water crackers and apple and fig compote. From 4pm, pizzas and Atlas share plates join in, matched with handpicked wines, Gibbston Valley drops and kiwi craft beer.

The space doubles as an events venue for functions, conferences and weddings — fully customisable and just steps from the lake.

Little Blackwood: Award-Winning Cocktail Bar on Queenstown's Steamer Wharf

Say 'meet me here' in Queenstown and odds are good the destination is Little Blackwood. The bar perches on Steamer Wharf — the closest venue to the waterfront, as the team will happily tell you — right on the water's edge of Lake Wakatipu, with the Remarkables stacked up across the lake. Through the golden hours the heated decking is the place to watch the sun drop behind the mountains, drink in hand and an artisan meat and cheese board within reach. When the weather turns, everything moves inside to a roaring fire, modern hand-crafted blackwood furniture and, more often than not, some of New Zealand's best live musicians.

A cocktail list with a plot

Little Blackwood takes its cocktails seriously without taking itself too seriously — its own tagline is 'Queenstown's best cocktails. Apparently.' The modesty is partly an act: the bar was voted Best Bar in New Zealand at the Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence 2026, and the list backs it up.

Rather than a static menu, the cocktails rotate through themed chapters. The current one, The Heist, tells the story of a job across twelve serves — from The Spark, The Recruitment and The Blue Print through The Safecracker and The Vault to The Exit and The Fallout. Every drink carries a flavour tag from zesty to umami, and two of the crew are zero-alcohol.

Alongside the chapter menu sit The Usual Suspects: long-time favourites like The London Cut (gin, mint, cucumber, chilli), the Japanese Garden (Zenkuro sake, Pimm's, lychee, cucumber) and Dance With the Devil, Little Blackwood's spin on a Long Island. Espresso martini devotees get an entire family — Meet Me Here, Salty Nuts, Tiramisu, Pistach Me If You Can, PB + J and Chunky Monkey. The classics are covered too, from Negronis and Old Fashioneds to the Naked + Famous, while the Bartender's Reserve pours premium builds on Monkey 47, Michter's and Fortaleza.

Can't decide? Order the Trust Your Bartender: pick a spirit, a glass, a flavour and a style — shaken or stirred — and let the team do the rest. There's a non-alcoholic version of the same game.

Boards, pizzas and share plates

The food is built on local provenance. The cheese and meat platters are a choose-your-own ritual: pick your combination, then select from Gibbston Valley cheeses — garlic and chive gouda, Glenroy cheddar, chilli havarti and the double-cream Wakatipu white brie — and Zamora handcrafted meats like Coppa Serrana, Fiordland wild venison Milano and fennel-crusted Lomo Embuchado. Every platter lands with Otago honeycomb, freshly picked grapes, house-marinated olives, water crackers, apple and fig compote and a seasonal jam. Vegetarians need only ask.

From 4pm the kitchen adds the Queenstown Wharf Bar pizzas — a yuzu-oiled margherita, the fiery Hot Bells with 'nduja and hot honey, mushroom and truffle, and a capricciosa — plus Atlas share plates like karaage chicken with homemade tonkatsu sauce and slow-roasted crispy pork belly in a spicy Korean sauce. Gluten-friendly and vegan pizza bases are available, and the share plates include gluten-friendly, dairy-friendly and vegan options.

To drink alongside, the wine list leans into Central Otago — Kinross, Mt Rosa, Rockburn and Gibbston Valley pours sit beside skin-contact orange wine, classic champagne and a fridge of kiwi craft beer, with guest taps rotating behind the bar.

The room, the view and the party

The fit-out is a drawcard in itself: modern hand-crafted blackwood furniture and a contemporary space the team describes as a canvas for your creativity, whether that's a corporate function, a milestone or a full wedding. Being the closest venue to the waterfront doesn't hurt either — events here come with the lake and the mountains thrown in.

Practicalities worth knowing: group bookings and event enquiries go through the website form — state your preferred date, times, event type and numbers — or email events@future.co.nz; the events office answers Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. A 15% surcharge applies on public holidays, and while there are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-friendly choices throughout, the kitchen can't guarantee any dish is completely allergen-free.

Whether you come for a sunset drink on the decking, a heist-themed nightcap by the fire or a platter the size of the view, Little Blackwood makes a strong case for its 'meet me here' tagline.

Signature items

• Artisan Cheese + Meat Board
• The Heist Cocktail Menu
• Trust Your Bartender
• Dance With the Devil
• Meet Me Here
• Hot Bells

Menu

Pizzas

• Margherita — San Marzano pomodoro, fior di latte, yuzu oil, Thai basil — from 4pm.
• Hot Bells — Pomodoro, fior di latte, spicy salami, 'nduja, hot honey, chilli flakes — from 4pm.
• Mushroom & Truffle — Truffle cream, portobello, fior di latte, herbed mascarpone — from 4pm.
• Capricciosa — Pomodoro, fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, artichokes, capers, olives — from 4pm.

Red Wine

• Kinross Storm Cloud Pinot Noir 2025 — Light and juicy Gibbston pinot, Central Otago.
• Mount Edward Gamay 2025 — Juicy gamay from Bannockburn, Central Otago.
• Rockburn Seven Barrels Pinot Noir 2023 — Gibbston pinot noir from Central Otago.
• Dicey Syrah 2024 — Dark and textural syrah from Bannockburn.
• The Boneline Iridium 2024 — Bordeaux blend from Waipara, North Canterbury.
• Chateau Garage Cornerstone 2024 — Cabernet sauvignon from the Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay.
• Gibbston Valley Diamond Pisa Pinot Noir 2024 — Central Otago pinot from the famed local winery.

White Wine

• Kinross Gibbston Fumé Sauvignon Blanc 2025 — Lean and lively white from Central Otago.
• Albariño Brothers Albariño 2025 — Albariño from Bell Vineyard, Ormond, Gisborne.
• Mt Rosa Blanc de Noir 2025 — Pinot noir made white, from Gibbston, Central Otago.
• Luta Cirrus Chardonnay 2023 — Chardonnay from Upper Moutere, Nelson.
• Atípico Sundial 2025 — Pinot blanc and pinot gris from the Wairau River, Marlborough.

Beer & Cider

• Guest Taps — Rotating taps — ask the bartender what's pouring.
• Speight's Gold Medal Ale — Classic NZ ale, 4%.
• Panhead Supercharger — American pale ale, 5.7%.
• Corona — Mexican lager, 4.5%.
• Kirin Ichiban — Japanese lager, 5%.
• Michelob Ultra — Light lager, 4.2%.
• Modelo — Mexican lager, 4.5%.
• Canyon Brewing Vacation — Hazy pale ale, 5.2%.
• Canyon Brewing Tussock Basher — Tiny pale ale, 2.5%.
• Canyon Brewing Bright Eyed — Zero-alcohol hazy IPA.
• Crimson Badger Ginger Bear — Ginger beer, 4%.
• Canyon Brewing Point Pressed — Cider, 4.5%.
• Peach Bomb — Hawke's Bay Brewing cider, 4%.

Sparkling Wine

• Le Dive Prosecco — Glera NV from Treviso, Italy.
• 15 Minute Bottles Pet Nat — Pét-nat pinot noir 2024 from Waipara, North Canterbury.
• G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge — NV champagne from Reims, France.
• Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut — NV brut champagne from Reims, France.

Classic Cocktails

• Amaretto Sour — Disaronno, Woodford Reserve bourbon, dry curaçao, lemon, whites, bitters.
• Cosmopolitan — Absolut Citron, Cointreau, lime, cranberry, flamed orange.
• Daiquiri — Planteray 3 Star rum and lime — simple and sharp.
• Last Word — Roots Marlborough gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino, lime.
• Long Island Iced Tea — Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, Cointreau, lemon and cola.
• Manhattan — Woodford Reserve bourbon, Cocchi vermouth, Angostura bitters.
• Dirty Martini — Four Pillars olive leaf gin or Blue Duck vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine.
• Dry Martini — Roots Marlborough gin or Blue Duck vodka, dry vermouth, lemon twist.
• Margarita — Altos Blanco tequila, Ferrand dry curaçao, lime.
• Mojito — Planteray 3 Star rum, lime and mint.
• Negroni — Four Pillars spiced negroni gin, Cocchi vermouth, Campari.
• Old Fashioned — Buffalo Trace bourbon and bitters, stirred down.
• Naked + Famous — Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, lime.
• Pisco Sour — Barsol pisco, lemon, lime and whites.
• Pornstar Martini — Absolut Vanilia, Chinola passionfruit, lime, prosecco.
• Whiskey Sour — Maker's Mark bourbon, lemon, whites, Angostura bitters.

The Usual Suspects

• The London Cut — Crisp with a kick — Beefeater gin, mint, cucumber, chilli, ginger, lime.
• Dance With the Devil — LB's Long Island — vodka, sloe gin, lychee, Aperol, Cointreau, lemon, lemonade.
• Japanese Garden — Cool and refreshing — Zenkuro sake, Pimm's, lychee, cucumber, mint, ginger beer.
• Meet Me Here — Espresso martini with vanilla vodka, Kahlúa, cinnamon and espresso.
• Salty Nuts — Espresso martini with Havana rum, Frangelico, Kahlúa and salted caramel.
• Tiramisu — Espresso martini with crème de cacao, Baileys and Kahlúa.
• Pistach Me If You Can — Baileys, Disaronno, Frangelico, pistachio orgeat and espresso.
• PB + J — Cognac, peanut butter whiskey, raspberry, cinnamon and espresso.
• Chunky Monkey — Crème de cacao, banana liqueur, Kahlúa and banana oleo with espresso.

Bartender'S Reserve

• Espresso Martini — Grey Goose vodka, Mr Black and espresso — the premium build.
• Dry Martini — Monkey 47 gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters.
• Margarita — Fortaleza still strength tequila, Ferrand dry curaçao, lime.
• Old Fashioned — Michter's US*1 bourbon, demerara, Angostura bitters.
• Naked & Famous — Lost Explorer Salmiana mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon.

The Heist Cocktails

• The Spark — Zesty — salted plum gin, Roku gin, Cocchi vermouth, mandarin, apricot brandy, lemon, yuzu.
• The Recon — Sour — vanilla vodka, dry vermouth, fig, rhubarb, lemon, Greek yoghurt.
• The Recruitment — Sweet — strawberry vermouth, bitter aperitivo, Kinross sauvignon blanc, peach jasmine tea.
• The Blue Print — Herbal — apple soju, Bénédictine, green Chartreuse, blueberry.
• The Inside Man — Boozy — Jameson Black Barrel, oloroso sherry, Fernet-Branca, pinot noir, vanilla.
• The Distraction — No alcohol — dark rum alternative, orange, pineapple, pomegranate, cinnamon.
• The Safecracker — Creamy — rye whiskey, Frangelico, cognac, banana, sesame, miso, egg.
• The Vault — Spicy — wasabi-infused reposado tequila, Cynar, mezcal, carrot, ginger, lime.
• The Switch — Tropical — cognac, Mr Black coffee liqueur, passionfruit, Tim Tam milk.
• The Exit — No alcohol — gin alternative, apple, beetroot, black walnut, blackberry, balsamic.
• The Celebration — Rich — butter-washed rum, Licor 43, white cacao, grapefruit.
• The Fallout — Umami — avocado-washed gin, umeshu sake, Drambuie, grapefruit, pistachio, coffee.

Atlas Sharing Plates

• Shoestring Fries — With aioli and house tomato sauce — available from 4pm.
• Karaage Chicken — Japanese fried chicken with homemade tonkatsu sauce — available from 4pm.
• Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly — With spicy Korean sauce and Asian slaw — available from 4pm.

Rosé & Skin Contact

• Bryterlater Tangerine (Orange) 2025 — Skin-contact pinot gris and pinot blanc from Waipara.
• Mt Rosa Rosé 2025 — Gibbston pinot noir rosé from Central Otago.
• Two Rivers Isle of Beauty Rosé 2024 — Marlborough rosé of pinot noir, syrah and viognier.

Trust Your Bartender

• Trust Your Bartender — Pick your spirit, glass, flavour and style — the team does the rest.
• Trust Your Bartender (Zero) — Non-alcoholic version — choose your glass and flavour and let them create.

Cheese & Meat Platters

• Two Cheese + Two Meat Platter — Any two Gibbston Valley cheeses and two Zamora meats, served with Otago honeycomb, grapes, olives, crackers and compote.
• Three Cheese + Three Meat Platter — The full board — three local cheeses, three artisan meats and all the trimmings.
• Garlic + Chive Gouda — Gibbston Valley gouda evenly blended with subtle garlic hints and fresh chives.
• Glenroy Cheddar — Aged 6–10 months for a semi-sharp flavour and smooth texture.
• Chilli Havarti — Chilli-laced havarti with a mildly spicy aftertaste.
• Wakatipu White Brie — Double-cream, rich and decadent brie made from jersey cow's milk.
• Coppa Serrana — Dry-cured, cold-smoked pork ribeye coated in Spanish paprika.
• Milano Venison — 100% Fiordland wild venison salami on a traditional Italian recipe.
• Lomo Embuchado — Dry-cured, air-dried pork loin crusted with toasted fennel seeds.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Little Blackwood?

On Steamer Wharf at 88 Beach St in Queenstown Central — right on the water's edge of Lake Wakatipu, with views of the Remarkables and surrounding mountains.

What is Little Blackwood known for?

Cocktails, chiefly — the bar was voted Best Bar in New Zealand at the Hospitality NZ Awards for Excellence 2026. It's also loved for its artisan cheese and meat boards, heated lakefront decking and live music.

Do you take bookings for groups, events or weddings?

Yes — fill in the contact form with your preferred date, times, event type and pax numbers, email events@future.co.nz or call 021 193 3517. The events office runs Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, and the space is fully customisable.

Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Vegetarian platters are available on request, gluten-friendly and vegan pizza bases can be swapped in, and the share plates carry gluten-friendly, dairy-friendly and vegan choices. Note the kitchen can't guarantee any dish is completely allergen-free due to cross-contamination.

Is there anything for non-drinkers?

Yes — The Distraction and The Exit on The Heist menu are zero-alcohol, and there's a non-alcoholic Trust Your Bartender where you pick the glass and flavour.

When is food available?

Queenstown Wharf Bar pizzas and Atlas share plates are available from 4pm; the cheese and meat platters are served alongside the drinks menu for grazing.

Is there a surcharge?

A 15% surcharge is applied on all public holidays.

Tips

• {"body":"The heated decking looks out at the Remarkables — arrive before golden hour for the view, then move inside to the roaring fire when it cools.","title":"Chase the sunset"}
• {"body":"Pizzas and Atlas share plates are available from 4pm — plan a late-afternoon session if you want to eat alongside your drinks.","title":"Food kicks in at 4pm"}
• {"body":"Overwhelmed by the list? Pick a spirit, glass, flavour and style and let the team build your drink — there's a zero-alcohol version too.","title":"Let the bartender decide"}
• {"body":"A 15% surcharge applies to everything on public holidays.","title":"Public holiday heads-up"}
• {"body":"Use the website contact form with your date, times, event type and pax numbers, or email events@future.co.nz — the events office replies Monday to Friday, 9–5.","title":"Planning a group visit"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Vegetarian boards on request; gluten-friendly and vegan pizza options; allergen-free can't be guaranteed."}