STRAWBERRY TREE

Ask a local where they'll be kicking off the weekend and chances are it will be at the Strawberry Tree. The cosy Irishthemed pub, located in the heart of Kaikōura, welcomes the same faces time and time again — for a good reason. On colder nights the fire is roaring; on warmer nights, friends and neighbours are cheers-ing jugs of on-tap Guinness in the outdoor beer garden. And every Friday, regardless of the season, live music jingles through the hall and into the courtyard. Tried-and-true favourites flow in this waterhole, including Kilkenny, Panhead, locally brewed Emporium beers and a range of red and white wines from Marlborough and beyond. Although the pub is at its core, Strawberry Tree's menu has a surprising number of fresh seafood options alongside the standard steak-and-burger fare. Owner Mark Baxter, a fifth-generation fisherman, often pulls up the crayfish or catch of the day himself. It's the kind of place where minutes turn to hours and hours turn into visiting the pub the next day. And time and time again. 21 West End, Kaikōura. (03) 319 6451, strawberrytreekaikoura.co.nz