Smiths Craft Beer House

About Smiths Craft Beer House

Smiths Craft Beer House sits at 53 Shotover Street in the heart of Queenstown, pouring independent craft beer alongside a hearty, bold food menu built to match. The taps rotate through local brews and rare finds, from crisp lagers to hoppy IPAs, with a beer tasting set available for guests who want to sample a few styles in smaller glasses.

The kitchen backs up the beer list with Cajun-seasoned fries, loaded share plates, wood-fired pizza and a serious burger menu, including the Beef Short Rib Burger, described as the winner of best burger in Queenstown. There's also a house-made soft pretzel, wings, salads and a venison pot pie for something heartier, with vegan and gluten-free options built into several dishes.

Open seven days a week from midday until late, Smiths positions itself as a warm, unpretentious spot for locals and visitors alike — whether fresh off the slopes or exploring town — with friendly service and views over Shotover Street toward the surrounding mountains.

Smiths Craft Beer House: Queenstown's Home of Independent Craft Beer

On Shotover Street in the centre of Queenstown, Smiths Craft Beer House describes itself as a place 'crafted for those who forge their own path' — serving independent craft beer and hearty food for locals and travellers who'd rather find their own spot than follow the crowd.

Rotating Taps and Rare Finds

Smiths pours what it calls the best craft beer in Queenstown, with taps rotating through local brews and harder-to-find beers alongside crisp lagers and bold IPAs. For anyone wanting to sample a few styles without committing to a full pint, the venue offers a beer tasting set — a flight of six beers served in smaller glasses, giving drinkers a chance to work through several options in one sitting.

A Menu Built to Match the Beer

The kitchen leans into bold, hearty flavours designed to sit well alongside a pint. Share plates include hand cut Cajun fries, a real poutine topped with cheese curds and gravy (with optional add-ons like jalapenos, bacon or a protein), loaded fries with BBQ pulled pork or jackfruit, popcorn chicken, chicken wings in a choice of sauces, and a house-made soft pretzel served with beer cheese and mustard — baked fresh to order, so it's worth the short wait.

Burgers are a clear strength here. The Classic Smiths Burger and Double Bacon Cheeseburger cover the traditional end of the menu, while the Beef Short Rib Burger — slow cooked, shredded, and topped with crispy onion strings and chipotle aioli — has been recognised as the winner of best burger in Queenstown. For something more distinctive, the Southern Stag Burger uses locally sourced venison with brie, wild berry compote and a red wine reduction, and there's a proper vegan burger built on a lentil, carrot and cornmeal patty for those steering clear of meat.

Pizza, Salads and Local Venison

Beyond burgers, Smiths runs a compact pizza menu covering pepperoni, margarita, vegetarian and a chicken bacon ranch option, plus salads including a halloumi and beetroot salad and a Caesar salad built around house-made popcorn chicken. For something warming, the venison pot pie braises local venison in stout and red wine before sealing it under a golden puff pastry crust — a dish well suited to Queenstown's cooler months.

A Welcoming, No-Fuss Atmosphere

Smiths prides itself on a friendly, unpretentious vibe, with guests describing the owner as a warm and knowledgeable host happy to talk through the beer selection. Several tables look out over Shotover Street toward the surrounding mountains, making it a comfortable spot to settle in for a while, whether that's a quick pint and a pretzel or a full meal with the whole table sharing plates.

Visiting Smiths

Smiths Craft Beer House is open seven days a week from midday until late. It's an easy stop for anyone in central Queenstown after good beer and solid pub food, with enough variety on both the drinks and food side — including vegan and gluten-free options — to suit most groups walking through the door.

Signature items

• Beef Short Rib Burger
• Real Poutine
• Smith's Soft Pretzel
• Southern Stag Burger
• Venison Pot Pie
• Beer Tasting Set

Menu

Pizza

• Pepperoni — Pepperoni, cheese, tomato sauce, garlic butter and oregano
• Margarita — Cheese, sundried tomatoes, oregano, tomato sauce, basil pesto and garlic butter
• Vegetarian — Tomato sauce, mixed lettuce, olive oil, cheese, sundried tomatoes, basil pesto, oregano and garlic butter
• Chicken Bacon Ranch — Tomato sauce, popcorn chicken, bacon, red onion, mozzarella cheese, oregano and a light ranch drizzle

Salads

• Halloumi & Beet Salad — Bed of greens with halloumi, red onion, pickled beetroot, candied cashews and red onion vinaigrette
• Caesar Salad — Romaine lettuce, bacon, parmesan, crispy popcorn chicken and a classic Caesar dressing without anchovies

Other Mains

• Venison Pot Pie — Locally sourced venison slow braised in stout and red wine, folded into a cream sauce with carrots and onions under a golden puff pastry crust

Mostly Burgers

• Classic Smiths Burger — House made beef patty, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, BBQ sauce and chipotle aioli
• Beef Short Rib Burger — Winner of best burger in Queenstown; slow cooked shredded beef short rib, cheese, crispy onion strings, tomato, coleslaw and chipotle aioli
• Double Bacon Cheeseburger — Two beef patties, cheese, bacon, American mustard, ketchup, chipotle aioli, dill pickles, red onion, lettuce and tomato
• Chicken Burger — Battered chicken goujons tossed in sweet Korean-inspired BBQ sauce with coleslaw, tomato, red onion, pickles and chipotle aioli
• BBQ Pulled Pork/Jackfruit Burger — Slow cooked pork shoulder or pulled jackfruit coated in BBQ sauce with coleslaw, tomato, red onion and chipotle aioli
• Vegan Burger — Lentil, carrot, onion and cornmeal patty with vegan cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, red onion, lettuce, tomato and vegan aioli on a vegan bun, GF
• Lamb Burger — House made lamb patty with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tzatziki and chipotle aioli
• Southern Stag Burger — Locally sourced venison with homemade aioli, Dijon mustard, mesclun, brie cheese, wild berry compote, sauteed onions and portobello mushrooms in a red wine reduction
• Beef Dip — Slow cooked roast beef in an artisan torpedo roll with sauteed onions, homemade horseradish aioli and beef jus for dipping

Snacks & Share Plates

• Hand Cut Fries — Famous Cajun fries served with ketchup and chipotle aioli
• Real Poutine — Cajun fries topped with real cheese curds and a rich brown gravy; add jalapenos, bacon or a protein
• BBQ Pulled Pork or Jackfruit Loaded Fries — Cajun fries topped with cheese and a choice of BBQ pulled pork or BBQ pulled jackfruit
• Popcorn Chicken 'n Chips — Southern style chicken bites with Cajun fries, BBQ and ranch dipping sauces
• Smith's Soft Pretzel — House made baked soft pretzel with beer cheese and whole grain mustard dip; baked fresh to order
• Wahoo Chicken — Bite sized chicken breast fried in crispy batter, tossed in Korean-inspired sweet BBQ sauce, served on a hot skillet
• Chicken Wings — Fried wings tossed in a choice of Franks Red Hot, lemon pepper, BBQ or honey garlic sauce
• Cauliflower & Broccoli Bites — Fried bites tossed in a choice of Franks Red Hot, BBQ or honey garlic sauce
• Mozza Sticks — House made mozzarella sticks served with marinara
• Frickles or Jalapeno Chips — Deep fried dill pickle chips or jalapeno chips with home-made ranch sauce

Frequently asked questions

What are Smiths' opening hours?

Open Monday to Sunday from 12pm until late (12-11pm).

What is Smiths known for?

Independent craft beer and its Beef Short Rib Burger, recognised as the winner of best burger in Queenstown.

Can I try a few different beers?

Yes, a beer tasting set is available, letting you choose six beers served in smaller glasses.

Does Smiths have vegan or gluten-free options?

Yes, there is a vegan burger option and a gluten-free note on the vegan burger, plus BBQ pulled jackfruit as a meat-free protein choice.

How long does the soft pretzel take?

It's baked fresh to order, so allow around 20 minutes or more depending on kitchen volume.

Can I customise my burger?

Yes, you can ask to leave off ingredients you don't want, such as the bun, tomato or pickles.

Is Smiths family friendly?

Yes, and the kitchen is happy to swap sauces for kids who don't like the Cajun seasoning.

Tips

• {"body":"Recognised as the winner of best burger in Queenstown.","title":"Try the Beef Short Rib Burger"}
• {"body":"Choose six beers served in smaller glasses to sample the rotating taps.","title":"Order the beer tasting set"}
• {"body":"It's baked fresh to order, so it can take 20 minutes or more.","title":"Allow time for the pretzel"}
• {"body":"Burgers can be customised — just let the kitchen know what to leave off.","title":"Ask for substitutions"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Kids' sauce swaps available on request for Cajun-seasoned dishes","dietary":"Vegan burger available (GF), and BBQ pulled jackfruit as a meat-free protein option"}