Karori Taphouse is a friendly neighbourhood pub on Karori Road in the heart of Karori, Wellington, pouring local brews and keeping the kitchen going from late-morning brunch right through to hearty evening mains. The vibe is deliberately casual and welcoming — whether you're a beer enthusiast or just after a relaxed night out, there's something on for everyone, from live sport on the screens to a game of pool and the weekly Quiz Night.
The menu runs further than most pubs bother with. Brunch is served 9am to 3pm Friday through Sunday, with a proper Big Breakfast, Eggs Benedict on potato rosti and an Avocado Smash with feta and dukkah. Snacks and pizza are available all day — think slow-cooked Pork Belly Burnt Ends in house smoky BBQ sauce and the cheekily named Karori Fried Chicken (KFC) — while the Taphouse Fave's Mains, from Lamb Shank to a 250g sirloin and beer-battered Fish & Chips, are served 4pm to 9pm. Burgers, salads, a dedicated kids menu with a drink and kids sundae included, and desserts like a pistachio-topped Dubai Cannoli round things out, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options marked throughout.
It's the kind of local where you can settle in for the match, bring the family for weekend brunch, or rally a team for quiz night. Karori Taphouse is closed Mondays, opens from midday Tuesday to Thursday, and from 9am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Karori Taphouse sits at 162 Karori Road in the heart of Karori, and bills itself simply as your neighbourhood pub — a place to unwind, enjoy great company and work through the best of local brews and entertainment. Whether you're a dedicated beer enthusiast or just after a casual night out, the promise is the same: good times and great brews, with a kitchen that goes well beyond the usual pub pie.
What makes it stand out in the suburb is how much of the day it covers. This is not a bar that wakes up at five; the doors open at 9am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for brunch, and the screens, pool table and quiz sheets keep things lively well into the evening the rest of the week.
Brunch is served 9am to 3pm, Friday through Sunday, and it's a proper spread. The Big Breakfast stacks ciabatta, two eggs, spicy beef sausage, bacon, hash brown, mushrooms and tomato halves under hollandaise, while the vegetarian version swaps in halloumi, roasted onions and peppers with wilted spinach. Eggs Benedict lands on a gluten-free potato rosti — with your choice of bacon or spinach, or upgraded with salmon, cream cheese and capers — and lighter plates include Avocado Smash with feta and dukkah, a Greek Yoghurt Bowl, and an open Steak Sandwich with fries on the side.
Outside brunch hours the kitchen keeps moving. Snacks and pizza are available all day, and the snack list is where the kitchen shows its personality: slow-cooked Pork Belly Burnt Ends tossed in the house smoky BBQ sauce, and the tongue-in-cheek Karori Fried Chicken (KFC) with Korean BBQ sauce. For groups, the Sharing Platter serves four with chicken, pork belly, beef sausage, squid and fish bites, plus fries, salad, pickles, beer bread and dipping sauce. Pizza runs from a four-cheese classic to the Diablo — chorizo, pepperoni, BBQ pork, red chilli, roasted peppers and a drizzle of spiced honey.
From 4pm to 9pm the Taphouse Fave's Mains take over: Bangers and Mash with pea puree, Chicken Parma on a creamy pasta base, a Lamb Shank with rich gravy, a 250g Sirloin cooked to your taste with your choice of sauce, beer-battered Fish & Chips, pan-seared fish with mash, Pork Belly with homemade apple sauce and Southern Fried Chicken. Burgers — double beef, fried chicken, fish and a veggie patty — come with fries and aioli or a side salad, and every burger can be made gluten-free. Salads cover lighter appetites, and the dessert list is worth saving room for: a pistachio-topped Dubai Cannoli, cream-filled Porfiteroles, Eton Mess, a Chocolate Sundae and a cheesecake whose flavour changes weekly.
Karori Taphouse is as much about what's happening around the food as the food itself. Live sport is a fixture, there's pool for a casual game, and a weekly Quiz Night gives locals a standing reason to gather a team. Add a dedicated kids menu — cheeseburger, macaroni cheese, fish and chips, pizza or crumbed chicken, each with a drink and a kids sundae included — and it works just as well for a family table as for a big group in front of the screen.
Dietary needs are flagged clearly on the menu, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options marked throughout, from baked beans and wedges to the halloumi salad and the pan-seared fish.
You'll find the taphouse at 162 Karori Road, Karori, Wellington. It's closed on Mondays; Tuesday to Thursday it runs from midday to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 11pm, and Sunday from 9am to 10pm. Ring 04 920 0320 or email [email protected], and follow Karori Taphouse on Facebook or Instagram to keep up with what's pouring, what's playing and when the next quiz night lands.