I come from the very bottom of New Zealand, a small city called Invercargill. Invercargill itself isn't that interesting, but it is close to lots of scenic towns. 

One of these towns in Riverton, which sits around Jacob's River Estuary. As a kid, my parents would often take us out here to swim at the beach and play on the famous Riverton rocks. The beach is safer than the Invercargill alternative, Oreti beach, as the sea is a bit calmer around this side of Southland. You can also swim with dolphins if you're lucky! It is about a 20 minute drive from Invercargill. 

Riverton is fishing town, and is also one of New Zealand's oldest settlements. You can check out the local muesum, Te Hikoi Southern Journey, which has some interesting artefacts, and quite a bit about Southland Maori history. You can also drive 10 minutes to the stunning Colac Bay, which is a great surfing and swimming spot. 

The best thing to do in Riverton is chill out with a book and a coffee, and admire the view. Or go swimming in summer! It's pretty damn cold in Winter. We're pretty close to Antartica don't you know...

The pub, the Aparima Tavern, has been done up and now makes the most of a stunning location overlooking the estuary.  The menu is full of local seafood, so head down there for a beer and some bluecod. Or, head to the Beachhouse Cafe Bar for a coffee and some lunch.

​If you want to experience the real 'wild South', Riverton is definitely worth a day trip.

#5 Dragonfly

Dragonfly calls itself an 'Asian dining lounge', and that is a rather apt description. The beer garden out the back is beautifully decorated with bamboo and other trees, which creates a tranquil evening setting. The garden has a retractable roof too, so even if its pouring you can still sit outside, and be completely free of the wind and rain. A novelty for Wellington!

Dragonfly is known for its asian-influenced cocktails with names such as 'The Lotus', 'Mr Miyagi's Bonsai' and 'Kung Fu Panda'. They include some pretty interesting ingredients. Don't miss Tuesdays - it's two-for-one cocktail day. Wednesday is mystery wine night. Let your waiter know whether you want a white or red, and he'll return with a mystery one for $6! The beer is quite expensive, so try to visit on the days that have special deals.

The food is contemporary Asian, with lots of small plates to choose from. My favourite is the chicken and coriander dumplings! The pork and chive dumplings are good too.

Dragonfly is a pretty cool place to chill out with friends in the evening and have a few glasses of wine. Also worth checking out is the restaurant  which is on the right as you walk through to the bar.


Runners up

• Juniper - best for comfy seats and cheap, elegant cocktails - and gin of course!
• Ancestral - another secret asian-influenced beer garden out back, with heated concrete seats
• Basque - rooftop bar, great pizzas, and awesome craft beer
• Fork and Brewer - the most craft beers on tap in town, and serves Southland cheese rolls!
• Rogue and Vagabond - great outdoor area with bean bags, delicious food, and cool dogs hanging around
• Goldings - at the forefront of the craft beer scene, delicious pizza from Pomodoro and down a secret alley
• Hashigo Zake - underground craft beer bar, usually has a funky band playing 
• Sprig and Fern - a cute little pub in a small cottage in Thorndon - brews its own beer and has loads of boardgames to play.