The Victoria Tavern — known locally as 'The Vic' — sits on the corner of Victoria Street and Jackson Street at the start of Petone's historic Jackson Street. A version of the tavern has served the Hutt Valley since 1888, evolving from an early settlers' watering hole through decades as a factory workers' local in the 1940s and '50s and a meeting place for freezing workers and sports people through the 1970s and '80s. The original Victoria Hotel was built circa 1875, with the current building erected in 1971.
In February 2020, The Vic underwent a major renovation that restored elements of the building removed over the years, restrengthened it for earthquake safety, and opened it up to let in natural light — creating a dedicated dining area, outdoor courtyards, and a comfortable bar area. Today the tavern focuses on tap beer and cocktails in the bar, complemented by a menu built around the best New Zealand produce, from oysters and small plates to pastas, salads and pub classics like fish and chips and burgers.
The Vic also runs a special Christmas Set Menu each festive season, available for group bookings, alongside its regular food and drinks offering.
The Victoria Tavern — universally known around Petone as 'The Vic' — has been serving the people of Petone and the wider Hutt Valley in one form or another since 1888, standing on the corner of Victoria Street and Jackson Street at the start of Petone's historic main street. The original Victoria Hotel was built circa 1875, back when Victoria Street, not Jackson Street, was Petone's main thoroughfare — its north/south orientation and exposure to prevailing winds eventually made that impractical, and Jackson Street took over as the principal street instead. The current building dates to 1971.
Over its long history, The Vic has worn many hats. It served as a watering hole for Petone's earliest settlers, closed its doors at 6pm to suit factory workers through the 1940s and '50s, and became a meeting place for freezing workers and local sports people through the 1970s and '80s. Through all of it, the tavern has kept doing what a good local pub does — feeding, watering, and keeping the secrets of everyone who's walked through its doors.
In February 2020, The Vic underwent a major renovation — its latest incarnation. The project restored elements of the building that had been removed over the years, restrengthened the structure for earthquake safety, and opened the space up to let natural light flood in. The result is a light, open venue with a dedicated dining area, outdoor courtyards for socialising, and a comfortable bar — everything you'd expect from a great local pub, brought firmly into the 21st century.
Food at The Vic makes the most of New Zealand produce, spanning fresh and beer-battered oysters, a substantial small plates list, and heartier salads and pastas. Small plates lean into a mix of pub comfort and more distinctive dishes — Moroccan spiced lamb koftas, wagyu meatballs in tomato ragu, and a pair of Samoan-inspired dishes in Samoan Oka (a raw fish salad with coconut cream and taro wafers) and Faiai Ia (Samoan style braised fish). For something more substantial, the pasta list includes a slow-cooked beef cheek ragu pappardelle and house-made potato gnocchi with charred red pepper pesto, alongside classic pub fare like fish and chips and burgers.
The bar is a genuine focal point, with a rotating line-up of tap beer covering Kiwi favourites and local craft brewers like Panhead and Emerson's, alongside international names like Guinness and Stella Artois. The wine list runs deep into New Zealand's best regions — Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, Central Otago Pinot Noirs from producers like Mt Difficulty, Felton Road and Peregrine — plus a selection of Australian, Argentinian and European reds and whites. Cocktail lovers have a dedicated list of house creations like the Pornstar Martini, Lavender Haze and Bloody Floradora, alongside a full spirits back bar spanning gin, vodka, tequila, rum, bourbon and whisky, and a genuinely thoughtful non-alcoholic list including mocktails and low-calorie sodas.
Each festive season, The Vic runs a special Christmas Set Menu, available for a set window running from late November through to just before Christmas. Bookings need at least three working days' notice, and if a group chooses the set menu, the whole table sticks with it — no mixing and matching with the regular menu — so everyone shares the same festive spread. Larger groups are encouraged to phone or email ahead to lock in a booking.
The Vic is open Tuesdays from 3pm and Wednesday through Sunday from midday, closed Mondays. It's easy to find on the corner of Victoria Street and Jackson Street in Petone, with parking nearby that needs validating during a visit. Card and PayWave payments carry a small surcharge, so cash remains an easy option if preferred.
What makes The Vic stand out is the genuine weight of its history — nearly a century and a half on the same corner — paired with a menu and drinks list that feels thoroughly current rather than stuck in the past. Between the tap beer, the serious wine list, the house cocktails, and a food menu that ranges from pub classics to Samoan-inspired dishes, The Victoria Tavern earns its billing as Petone's friendly local.