Pub spy: Custom St pub has the right mix

Beer is clearly the focus at The Crown. Photo / Chris Loufte

The Crown
Address:69 Customs St East, Britomart
thecrown.co.nz

The Crown in Customs St used to be a slightly odd mix of micro-brewbar and fine dining spot, where starched linen sat incongruously beside fermenting tanks.

But it has changed hands since then, so I thought I'd give it a try it in its new incarnation.

To be honest there isn't that much of a change. The table settings aren't so finicky as they were, so you don't feel quite as uncomfortable just rambling in for a pint and the feeling is a little more relaxed.

The Crown is now a Lion-owned bar, so you've got Steinlager and Lion Red sharing tap space with Crafty Beggars beers and others brewed just for the bar. The Pilsner is nice - it's a wheat pils, so a little sweeter than you'd expect - and the American Brown ale is as hoppy as you could wish for.

The service is good, too. Friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic and the guy I struck was more than happy to offer samples of unfamiliar brews, something that costs so little and yet means so much. The wine and spirit selections were fine, too, but I get the feeling it's the beer they want you to focus on.

The food is appetising, and although it isn't the cheapest place in town to eat, it does a nice express lunch at a keen price, so it's not a bad option if you're in town during the week.

It's clean, cool and welcoming, so it's automatically getting a bonus point for that and, while it might not be the ultimate beer bar, it's a pleasantly diverting spot to try a few different beers.

Scores

Service: 4
Food: 3.5
Drink: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Overall: 4