3 Robert Street,
Ellerslie
Auckland,


(09) 579 5592

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On a wet and windy January afternoon, Auckland is doing a very good impression of the middle of winter, so it's only right that we retreat to the cosy confines of an English pub.

The Ellerslie pub was one of the first to open in the Cock & Bull chain, and it's the cosiest and most authentic of the five Cock & Bull pubs across Auckland and Hamilton.

Low ceilings and lots of nooks and crannies combine with a healthy dose of English memorabilia such as London street signs to create an atmosphere that will bring back hazy memories of drunken nights out during your OE.

Wedding photos of Charles and Di and Princess Anne and Mark Phillips are displayed without an ounce of irony, and the relaxed ambience is pleasantly nostalgic, and somehow comforting.

Also comforting is the range of Cock & Bull beers available on tap.

Sure, there are the usual international trendy tipples like Sol, Amstel and Budvar available by the bottle, but in this place you really need to tuck into one of the Cock & Bull's own brews.

I've tried the Buxom Blonde wheat beer and the Blue Goose lager on previous visits, so settle instead for a pint of the new Epic pale ale.

The brewer's notes advise it's crammed full of fifteen hops, so it's definitely not for the faint-hearted.

As the rain tips down outside, it's making perfect sense in what purports to be an Auckland summer.

The Cock & Bull has a strong local following, and knocking back the pints is a summer (yeah, right) league soccer team, while a few regulars are seated at the bar catching up on the Weekend Herald.

With the Eagles and the Rolling Stones there's nothing challenging about the music, and that suits the regulars just fine. It's surprisingly busy for a Saturday afternoon, but with lots of alcoves and different areas it's easy to create your space.

Most of the patrons are drinking one of the Cock & Bull's microbrews, but other drinkers are also well catered to. A request for a gin and tonic is smartly answered with 'What sort of gin would you like?' and the concise wine list covers all the usual bases. Also on tap is Boddingtons, Guinness, and Bulmers cider. (Remember that in London?)

Now if we can just find our way back to the tube station...