Fresh from winning Best Bartender at the 2025 Lewisham Awards, Theo Tjandra has opened Truth or Dare with chef Yovin Sius – a daring new bar in Auckland’s Snickel Lane blending sustainability, inventive cocktails and nostalgic flavours.
Maybe you sipped his tropical riff on an old-fashioned at Parasol & Swing,
They’re all signature pours from award-winning bartender Theo Tjandra, whose stellar hospitality background spans Miann, Orleans, Parasol & Swing, Panacea and Goblin.
Now, Aucklanders can sample his playful yet polished drinks at his very own bar, Truth or Dare, which he opened with chef Yovin Sius in June.
Born in Pontianak, a small city in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Theo moved to New Zealand at 18 to study hospitality management and has since risen through the local bar scene. In June, he won Best Bartender at the 2025 Lewisham Awards, after three consecutive nominations.
He’s worked as a barista, bartender, and bar manager – most recently helping launch the excellent Panacea (which was recognised alongside Theo at the Lewishams, winning Best Cocktail Experience and a sustainability award), before hosting a series of Truth or Dare launch pop-ups across Auckland, Singapore and Indonesia.
He’s also collaborated with restaurants and bars across the city on inventive drinks, including bespoke cocktails for Tokki’s Canteen, developing the cocktails at Goblin bar, and designing Normanby’s batch cocktail offering. In 2024, he became The Macallan Brand Ambassador for New Zealand, a role that has deepened his appreciation for craft and storytelling in drinks.
Now, with the opening of Truth or Dare in downtown’s Snickel Lane (in the space formerly occupied by La Fuente), Theo is realising a long-held dream.
“Opening Truth or Dare has always been a dream – it’s the first step towards building a hospitality group,” he says.
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Advertise with NZME.“The concept blends inspiration from the bars I’ve worked at and visited overseas, with a focus on sustainability, thoughtful design, and a menu that’s both playful and refined.”
Theo has teamed up with business partner and head chef Yovin Sius to bring that vision to life.
“Theo and I connected through the industry,” says Yovin, who was working at Gilt at the time.
“We had one of those conversations that just clicked – I was deep into the food side, and Theo had this sharp vision for drinks and hospitality. We realised we shared a lot of the same values about what food and drink could be.”
Yovin, with junior chef Danny, leads the food programme, while bartender Dolby (who holds a Master’s in Gastronomy), assistant manager Dewi, and marketing co-ordinator May round out the small but passionate team. Another familiar face at the bar is Oma Swan, who Theo says is the team’s “mentor in F&B” and owns a popular restaurant chain in Indonesia called DapurSolo by Ny Swan.
“We only hire people who deserve opportunities to showcase their talent and grow with us,” says Theo. “It’s a tight-knit crew, and everyone plays a role in making this place what it is.”
Designed in collaboration with Space Bar Design, the fit-out reflects Theo’s deep commitment to sustainability and simplicity.
“Sustainability was key from day one,” he says. “Amanda and the team at Space Bar helped us create a space that’s minimalist, elegant, and built with eco-conscious materials.”
The result is an atmospheric bar built around a central open layout that puts the action – both behind and in front of the bar - on full display. This transparency is intentional.
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Advertise with NZME.“The name reflects our philosophy: Truth represents transparency – from the open bar layout to honest hospitality. Dare encourages guests to try something unexpected and adventurous.”
That adventurous spirit flows through to the drinks offering, which ditches default classics in favour of a bespoke list structured around four themes.
“Left & Right” pairs cocktails with canapes (like the Matcha Fizz cocktail twinned with a red bean and matcha cream-filled brandy snap); “Signature” features drinks Theo has developed over the years and taken overseas for guest shifts (including Singapore’s 28 HongKong Street and The Store); “Not Classic” delivers playful twists using unexpected ingredients like kiwano (a spiky orange tropical fruit that tastes like passionfruit and lime); while “Old Friends” showcases drinks created by international bartenders Theo admires. One standout is the Ferrero Rocher, a clever dessert-like blend of The Macallan whisky with vermouth, and clarified hazelnut and Milo malt chocolate, topped with a gold foil-wrapped Ferrero.
The wine list champions sustainable producers, and the beers are all 100% brewed in New Zealand.
“We want every element – drinks, food, fit-out – to reflect our values,” says Theo. “It’s about quality, but also intention.”
Yovin’s food menu is equally thoughtful, drawing on nostalgic flavours and reinterpreting them in unexpected ways.
“Our food is rooted in childhood flavours reimagined in elegant, unexpected ways – fun, comforting, and a little bit daring,” says Theo.
That’s evident in Truth or Dare’s savoury take on rice crispie treats, Rice Pop Chicken, which coats chicken in puffed rice and makrut lime salt and fries it until golden, served with sambal mayo. Or the sticky lamb skewers glazed in soy caramel and served with pickled onion, hummus and mint for a hint of freshness. It’s “comfort with a thrill”.
Truth or Dare adds to Auckland’s growing downtown bar scene, with the likes of Kemuri Hi-Fi, The Nightcar and Queens Rooftop creating a destination for drinks lovers and delivering vibrancy to Tāmaki Makaurau’s nightlife. What does Truth or Dare bring to the mix?
“We’re offering a fresh take – both in flavour and layout – where guests are encouraged to explore and take risks,” says Theo. “Our vision is to elevate Auckland’s bar scene and eventually be recognised across the Asia-Pacific and beyond.”
If the response to their first months of trade is anything to go by, the team is well on their way.
“We’ve exceeded expectations and we’re excited to keep pushing boundaries and inspiring others to be bold and different,” says Theo.
Truth or Dare may be small in size, but its ambitions are big – aiming to offer not just a great night out, but to shift how people think about what a bar can be. In Theo’s words: “This is just the beginning.”
Find Truth or Dare bar at Snickel Lane, 9/23 Commerce St, Auckland City
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