Save this list for when you need a break… and a beer. Read on for our favourite bars with play areas for kids.
Sipping a glass of crisp white wine is almost a right of passage when you’ve made it through the week with kids. Enjoy a well-deserved break while the little ones are kept entertained in our list of beer gardens, pubs and bars with play areas for kids in Christchurch.
Read more: Christchurch Cafés and Restaurants With Bouncy Castles for Kids
Bars with play areas for kids:
The Good Home, Pegasus
With plenty of outdoor seating by the water for those warmer ways, The Good Home Pegasus is worth the journey north for its family-friendly vibes, relaxed atmosphere and little kids’ play area featuring a giant scrabble board and playground just over the road. Kids eat free from 5pm on Mondays, too!
The Good Home Pegasus, 62 Pegasus Main Street, Pegasus, www.thegoodhomepegasus.co.nz
The Bridge, Prebbleton
For those local to Prebbleton, The Bridge is a reliable go-to eatery with great food, drinks and plenty of entertainment for the kids. The big Lego bouncy castle is its main draw for parents, meaning you can sit outside in the gardens, enjoy the sunshine with a tipple, and easily keep an eye on the littles.
Note: as of April 2024, The Bridge is sadly closed until further notice due to fire damage. Keep an eye on their socials for when they re-open!
The Bridge, 587 Springs Road, Prebbleton, www.thebridgeprebbleton.co.nz
Tai Tapu Hotel Restaurant & Bar, Tai Tapu
Open 11.30am until late every Tuesday through to Sunday, Tai Tapu Hotel’s, The Tap’, is boasts the perfect beer garden for long, lazy afternoons and relaxed drinks with friends. With two bouncy castles and an outdoor playground to keep kiddos happy, stay for its live music sessions every weekend from 1-5pm.
Tai Tapu Hotel Restaurant & Bar, 780 Old Tai Tapu Road, Tai Tapu, www.taitapuhotel.com
The Laboratory, Lincoln
Family-friendly gardens and a cosy pub are just two draws to this cool venue in Lincoln. The Laboratory not only has its micro-brewery, but also a boutique cinema on-site, and plenty of baskets of toys and books for kids. It’s also a stone’s throw away from Lincoln Library which also has plenty for little ones to tinker with.
The Laboratory, 17 West Belt, Lincoln, www.thelaboratory.co.nz
West Melton Tavern & Restaurant, West Melton
Enjoy typical pub grub at this traditional watering hole while kids enjoy a free meal on Sundays as well as its dedicated kid’s corner featuring toys, a ball pit and claw machines
West Melton Tavern & Restaurant, 1147 West Coast Road, West Melton, www.stonegrill.co.nz/venues/south-island/west-melton-tavern-and-stonegrill-restaurant
The Bower, New Brighton
Featuring a large outdoor area with swings, slides and monkey bars, New Brighton’s The Bower has a great outdoor area for a couple of beers, live music and delicious smoked meat and American BBQ-style food.
The Bower, 487 New Brighton Road, New Brighton, Christchurch, www.facebook.com/thebowerandurbancafe
Richmond Club — The Borough, Richmond
For $30 a year, you can join the Richmond Club and take advantage of its multiple bars and restaurants that cater to adults and kids alike. The Tap Room has a great outdoor area to enjoy and a playground that rivals the likes of Mcdonald’s and Mitre10. It’s also fenced for peace of mind!
Richmond Club, 75 London Street, Richmond, Christchurch, www.theborough.nz
Brighton Beach House, New Brighton
Another gem that has that all-important fenced kids’ play area, Brighton Beach House is a top spot for brunch (with a few glasses of bubbles), boutique wines, beers and kiwi-made gin.
Brighton Beach House, 16A Beach Road, North New Brighton, Christchurch, www.brightonbeachhouse.co.nz
One Good Horse, Parklands
This Parklands bar and restaurant is popular for good reason. Featuring a soft play zone for under 12s with swings, slides and TV, you’re almost guaranteed to catch up with friends and finish a glass or two of wine in peace.
One Good Horse, 6 Inwoods Road, Parklands, Christchurch, www.onegoodhorse.co.nz
The Plough, Rangiora
From play structures to slides, ride-on toys, tunnels and more, The Plough has it sussed when it comes to keeping the kids busy. Grown-ups can easily enjoy a drink in the sunshine at this historic and iconic country hotel.
The Plough, 398 High Street, Rangiora, www.theploughhotel.co.nz
Morrell & Co., Addington
Whether you’re there to take advantage of the “Bottomless Long Lunch” or stopping by for a quick pint and bite to eat, Morrell & Co. have a box of toys and dress-up on hand to buy you a few quiet mouthfuls and sips of your favourite brew.
Morrell & Co., 280 Lincoln Road, Addington, Christchurch, www.morrellandco.co.nz
The Good Home, Ferrymead
If you’re after a drink to wind down before the start of a new week, kids not only eat free on Sundays from 3pm, but they can also keep themselves busy in the kids’ play area.
The Good Home Ferrymead, 2a Waterman Place, Ferrymead, Christchurch, www.thegoodhomeferrymead.co.nz
The Cashmere Club
Another Christchurch club worth the annual membership fee, The Cashmere Club is potentially worth the $35 fee just for access to its outdoor garden complete with a kids’ playground that features a decently sized play structure and slide.
The Cashmere Club, 50 Colombo Street, Cashmere, Christchurch, www.cashmereclub.org.nz
The Hornby Club, Hornby
The Hornby Club features an outdoor playground (open and available for non-members) and an indoor play area at The Chalmers Restaurant and Bar for littles while adults enjoy fresh beers on tap. Every Sunday there’s an all-you-can-eat buffet where children under 12 pay $2 per their year of age and eat free on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Yearly memberships cost $34.
The Hornby Club, 17 Carmen Road, Hornby, Christchurch, www.hornbywmc.co.nz
The Beach, Sumner
What could be better than beers by the beach? The only beachfront bar and restaurant on Sumner, great food, wine and cocktails are the order of the day here while kids sift through the giant basket of toys and dig a few sandcastles while you catch up with friends and family.
The Beach, 25 Esplanade, Sumner, Christchurch, www.beachsumner.co.nz
