The Ballarat is Queenstown's original gastro pub, sitting right on The Mall in the centre of town. It's a relaxed, fun spot built around Kiwi favourites — think burgers, schnitzels, parmigianas and beer battered fish and chips — matched with an extensive wine selection, a huge choice of tap beers and an expertly crafted cocktail menu.
Live music runs seven nights a week, and the large outdoor seating area takes in views of the lake. There's a dedicated kids menu too, so the room works for everything from family dinners to big nights out, with weekday burger specials, venue hire and a steady calendar of events keeping things busy.
The pub is part of Republic Hospitality, a Queenstown group of 15 bars and restaurants. Joining the Social Club lets regulars earn rewards here and across the group's other local venues. The Ballarat is open daily from midday until late.
Right on The Mall in the heart of Queenstown, The Ballarat calls itself the town's original gastro pub — and it wears the title comfortably. This is a place built on a simple formula: generous Kiwi pub food, a serious drinks list, and entertainment every night of the week. The house motto, "good booze, better banter", tells you most of what you need to know before you're through the door. In the pub's own words, it's where good nights end and the best stories begin.
The kitchen leans hard into Kiwi favourites, with burgers leading the charge. The Classic American Cheese stacks a smashed beef patty with bacon, onion, pickle and American mustard, while the signature Ballarat Burger goes further — double beef patties, bacon, American cheese, burger sauce and crispy onion rings on a milk bun. The Hot Honey Fried Chicken brings sweet heat with slaw and pickles, the Meatball Sub comes toasted on ciabatta with Swiss cheese and basil pesto, and the Black Bean Burger holds down the vegetarian end of the table.
Beyond the buns, the grill offers a 250g rump and a 300g rib eye, each served with chips, salad and a choice of gravy, mushroom or pepper sauce. The pub classics section is where regulars settle in: panko-crumbed chicken schnitzel, chicken parmigiana under a blanket of mozzarella and double smoked ham, a chilli beef parmigiana for the ambitious, beer battered fish and chips, and a Caesar salad you can top with crispy chicken. There's even a grilled eggplant and lentil moussaka with vegan bechamel — a genuinely considered plant-based main for a pub menu.
Come hungry and start with the snacks: chicken salt chips with aioli, southern fried chicken tenders, crispy squid, cauliflower cheese croquettes, pork belly croquettes or a big plate of chilli beef nachos. Save room for the sticky date pudding with whiskey butterscotch and vanilla ice cream. Families are genuinely catered for here too — the kids menu covers nuggets, fish and chips, mac 'n' cheese and sundaes.
The bar carries its half of the promise. There's a huge choice of tap beers, an extensive wine selection and a cocktail menu the pub describes as expertly crafted. What really sets the room apart, though, is that the music never takes a night off: live music runs seven nights a week, which goes a long way toward explaining why dinner here so often turns into a full night out. The vibe is unapologetically lively — this is a pub that tells you to dance like nobody's watching, while happily admitting it is watching and is totally into it.
Weekday visitors get their own perk in the form of the weekday burger special, one of the pub's advertised drawcards. Location does the rest of the work: The Ballarat sits in Queenstown Central, and its large outdoor seating area takes in views of the lake. On a fine day, a table outside with a burger and a cold one is about as Queenstown as it gets.
Planning a party, event or function? The Ballarat offers venue hire and invites groups to make it a night their friends will never forget. It's also part of Republic Hospitality, a network of 15 Queenstown bars and restaurants — join the Social Club and you can earn rewards here and at the group's other local venues.
The practical details are simple. The pub opens every day from midday until late, bookings can be made through the website, and takeaway is available via its online ordering site if you'd rather eat at home. Whether you come for a schnitty and a pint, a parmigiana with the crew, or a night of live music that runs long, The Ballarat delivers exactly what the sign promises — good booze, better banter, and a story to take home.