The Hop House is a boutique, family-owned craft beer bar at 12 Wharf Street, in the heart of Tauranga's Wharf Street Precinct. Housed in a beautifully restored building dating from 1917, complete with original ornate ceilings and native timber floors, it pairs twelve rotating taps of New Zealand craft beer and cider with a can and bottle range the team calls the best sours selection in town, alongside boutique wine, high-end gins, whiskies and rums, and an exciting non-alcoholic list. The kitchen keeps things simple and delicious: fresh, affordable food made with quality ingredients and house-made sauces, with burgers the proud headline act.
Husband-and-wife team David Stanway and Christine Hamilton opened the first Hop House in a historic ex-ice cream parlour in Mt Maunganui in 2015, earning a Lonely Planet Best Spot 2017 nod before their original building was demolished. Undeterred, they found another historic home on Wharf Street, where David, a former top chef, selects the beer and runs the kitchen while Christine brings years of hospitality warmth to front of house.
Expect a warm, relaxed welcome, two outdoor areas with all-day sun and sea views, an open fire in the evenings, and a calendar of live gigs, Quiz Night Thursdays, beer and wine tastings, board games and daily deals — plus a function room for up to 50 guests.
The Hop House sits at 12 Wharf Street in the heart of Tauranga's Wharf Street Precinct, pouring some of New Zealand's best craft beer from a beautifully restored 102-year-old building. It's a boutique, family-owned beer bar built around a simple promise: awesome beer, great food and good music, every time, in a warm and relaxing setting.
The Hop House began in 2015, when husband-and-wife team David Stanway and Christine Hamilton started serving New Zealand's best craft beers alongside tasty hamburgers from a historic ex-ice cream parlour in Mt Maunganui. Word travelled fast. The little bar built a reputation for excellent service, exciting beers and quirky events, and Lonely Planet named it Best Spot 2017 for bars in the Mount.
Then, right at the peak of its momentum, the building was sold to developers and demolished in late 2017. David and Christine were determined not to give up, and their search for the next great location led them to another historic building — this one on Wharf Street, built in 1917. Inside, the original ornate ceilings and native timber floors remain. Outside, a pedestrianised street frontage soaks up all-day sun with sea views, colourful lights glow above the street at night, and a rear private courtyard with an opening roof and greenspace adds yet another place to settle in.
Beer is the whole point here. Twelve rotating taps pour craft beer and cider from some of the country's best brewers, backed by a can and bottle selection that includes, by the team's proud claim, the best range of sours in town. The lineup changes often — pours have included Epic Armageddon IPA, New Zealand's most awarded IPA; Cassels Milk Stout on nitro; Garage Project's D.F.A, a 7.2% Indochine-inspired IPA with mango, lemongrass, mint and chilli; and a locally made feijoa cider from Cider Factorie. Boutique wine, high-end gins, whiskies and rums, and a genuine non-alcoholic range make sure nobody leaves thirsty.
There's a reason the tap list stays this good. David, a former top chef, runs the kitchen and selects every beer, and he's been part of the craft beer scene since the get-go — top brewers tip him off when something rare or remarkable lands. Christine brings hospitality experience from New Zealand and the UK to front of house, and the well-trained team can talk you through tasting notes and make solid recommendations.
In the kitchen, things stay simple and delicious: fresh, affordable food made with quality ingredients and house-made sauces. Burgers are the headline act — The Hop House took out the People's Choice award for Best Burger in Tauranga at the 2019 Taste Tauranga Burger Competition — with pizza, snacks like calamari, and desserts rounding out the boards.
The recognition runs well beyond the kitchen: SOBA named it Best Craft Beer Bar in the Bay of Plenty in 2019, and a Trip Advisor award placed the venue in the top 10% in the world based on guest ratings.
The feel is relaxed and genuinely family-run. Two outdoor areas catch all-day sun, an open fire burns in the evenings, and board games, live gigs, tastings and quiz nights keep things lively. Orders go in at the bar, which keeps the atmosphere easygoing.
A fully equipped function room hosts up to 50 guests for parties big or small, and reservations are welcome — call 07 579 4810 and the team will confirm. The Hop House is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm to 10pm, Thursday through Saturday from midday until late, and Sunday from midday to 6pm, closing Mondays. Daily deals run through the week, Quiz Night lands on Thursdays, and beer and wine tastings pop up regularly. Whether you're chasing a rare hazy IPA, the award-winning burger, or a sunny seat with sea views, this corner of Wharf Street delivers a proper craft beer experience.