Porridge Watson is a craft beer bar in Aramoho with a courtyard and a quirky, lived-in look, and it stands out for its live music and DJs as much as for its drinks. The beer list is the main draw, with a good range of craft beers and fine ales, and mulled wine is on the menu for the cooler months. Visitors also come for the courtyard, where DJs have been known to play on a warm evening, which gives the place a looser, more social feel than a typical local bar.
Customers who have been there say the decor is the first thing they notice, and that the service is friendly and easy going. One visitor mentioned the food and called the dipping sauce the reason they wanted to go back. Others come for a relaxed evening with an interesting crowd and a few beers on the courtyard. The pattern across the reviews is a bar that people return to because it is pleasant to be in.
On Drews Avenue, the venue sits in Aramoho, a short distance from the river and the city centre. For a craft beer night that goes on a little, Porridge Watson gives you music, a courtyard and a crowd that makes the evening last.
Our pick in Aramoho for a craft beer and a live set in the courtyard.