Après by Cardrona & Treble Cone is a relaxed bar and restaurant at 50 Cardrona Valley Road in Wānaka, looked after by the Cardrona and Treble Cone team. Set in a unique indoor/outdoor space, it is built around the idea of a place to share — whether that's a leisurely meal near the fire, drinks with friends at an outside table on a sunny day, or a celebration in one of its flexible event rooms.
The kitchen keeps things classic and generous, centring on wood-fired pizza alongside sharing plates and a variety of snacks. Guest favourites include the cheese fondue — 'cheese fondue and pizzas were amazing!!' is typical of the feedback — and fries praised as crunchy and well seasoned. Drinks lean local, with craft beer and Central Otago wines, and gluten-free and dairy-free options mean the menu caters to everyone, from mountain-goers fresh off the slopes to locals settling in for the evening.
Après is also a genuine one-stop shop for all things mountains: you can pick up rentals, buy lift passes and chat to the team about seasonal activities, all under the same roof as your dinner. For gatherings, the Matukituki Room and Mezzanine Bar offer flexible function spaces with PA gear and group catering sorted, and the whole venue can be hired for bigger occasions.
Open daily from 3pm until late through the winter season, Après has earned warm word of mouth for its friendly, accommodating service — 'the service was 10/10' — making it an easy recommendation for any kind of group.
At 50 Cardrona Valley Road in Wānaka, Après by Cardrona & Treble Cone occupies a spot that's hard to categorise — and that's exactly the point. It's a bar and restaurant, sure, but it's also a mountain base, an events venue and a convenient one-stop shop, all wrapped into a relaxed indoor/outdoor setting that the team describes simply as 'a place to share.'
Whether you're winding down after a day on the slopes, catching up with friends over a pint at an outside table on a sunny afternoon, or settling in near the fire for a slow dinner, Après is designed to flex with your plans. And because it's run by the same team behind the Cardrona and Treble Cone ski areas, it comes with a deep understanding of what mountain-goers actually need.
Rolling dining and mountain services into a single location is Après's quiet superpower. On any given visit you can pick up rentals, buy lift passes and chat to the team about what's happening on the mountain each season — no separate errands required. For visitors staying in Wānaka, that turns a simple dinner into a head start on tomorrow's adventure; for locals, it makes Après a practical first stop whenever mountain plans are on the horizon.
It also shapes the character of the place. This is a venue that knows mountains — the gear, the passes, the rhythms of a snow season — and it uses that knowledge to make things easy, whether you're a first-timer wondering where to start or a seasoned regular comparing notes. Day or night, the space shifts between practical mountain hub and fire-lit lounge without missing a beat.
The food menu keeps things classic and generous. Wood-fired pizza is the heart of it — the sight of a margherita being pulled slice by slice in front of a glowing fire has become something of a signature image for the venue. Sharing plates and a variety of snacks round out the offering, suited to everything from a quick bite between plans to a long, leisurely meal.
Guests have their favourites. 'Cheese fondue and pizzas were amazing!!' wrote one reviewer, who also called out fries that were 'very crunchy and well seasoned' — and rated the service a '10/10', describing the staff as accommodating and friendly. It's the kind of feedback that explains why Après comes so highly recommended for groups of every kind.
The drinks list leans proudly local: craft beer and a range of Central Otago wines, enjoyed at tables inside or out. Gluten-free and dairy-free options are available across the menu, so dietary needs don't have to complicate a group dinner.
Beyond day-to-day dining, Après has built itself into a flexible events space. Christmas parties, corporate bashes and special celebrations can be hosted in the Matukituki Room or the Mezzanine Bar, each set up the way you want it. PA gear and group catering are sorted as part of the package, and there's a dedicated events menu to build from. If the occasion calls for something bigger, the entire venue can be hired outright — the team takes bookings through a simple enquiry form.
Après Bar and Restaurant is open daily from 3pm until late throughout the winter season, making it a natural landing spot once the mountain day winds down. You'll find it at 50 Cardrona Valley Road, Wānaka. Come for a quick pizza and a pint, stay for fondue and a glass of Central Otago red, or bring the whole crew — the space, the menu and the team are all set up to share.