510 Great South Road,
Greenlane
Auckland,
(09) 524 6190
The ViewAuckland Review
3 out of 5
Arriving at this bar, I am reminded of a David Gray lyric … “Friday night and we’re going nowhere.”
Okay, so maybe it’s not that bad. In fact, I think The Abbey—the latest edition to Greenlane’s bar and restaurant scene—has many redeeming features.
But it’s the location that kicks off these misgivings about the place: it’s set smack-bang in the middle of Great South Road between car yards and, well, car yards. Not quite the relaxing locale I was looking for after work on a Friday.
Aside from the male dominated clientele—probably car dealers and office workers—The Abbey can count these as pluses:
A good wine list, strong on New Zealand and Australian wines (and some great French Champagne); a solid range of beer—Crown Lager, Heineken and Blonde as examples.
Add to this its contemporary interior: warm and inviting, its pièce de résistance is an amazing wooden wine rack which virtually covers one whole wall. This rack holds around 16 different wines—each accompanied with quotes and information. It’s quite something.
The Abbey has a good bar snacks menu, though mainly deep fried, and a European style cabinet with tapas and sweet treats. There is also an extensive à la carte menu for those wishing to dine in.
While the food and beverages are good, I imagine The Abbey will remain a destination bar for most. For those that live or work in the vicinity, you can count this bar as the best thing since Renault opened.
The Abbey has been reviewed by 4 users