Norma Taps

Sustainability and creativity combine at Norma Taps, an innovative space making its home in Auckland’s City Works Depot. The concept at Norma Taps is simple: a reimagined classic bar experience but without the waste. The lack of bottling is not just good for our environment, but it enables customer service to be expedited and ensures consistency across the board - right down to each of the swiftly served handcrafted cocktails. 

First friends and second colleagues, Luke Jones and Dave Lincoln, originally partnered to establish Honest Rum. They then ventured overseas, where they soon got a taste for kegged cocktails - a concept quickly taking the rest of the world by storm. Luke and Dave wanted to embrace this idea and take it one step further by eliminating all bottles on-site and running all their drinks through taps. 

Norma Taps’ offering includes carefully chosen beer and wines, premium spirits (including Honest Rum), masterfully crafted non-alcoholic options and, of course, handcrafted cocktails. Whether you’re after the refined taste of a negroni or the gingery tang of a Moscow Mule, it’s always hard to go past the classic margarita - a best seller at Norma Taps, for good reason. 

Intended to be an inclusive and welcoming place for social gatherings, Norma Taps is somewhere people can feel comfortable and relaxed. For food, Dan Pinto (the mastermind behind Passa Passa) has created a humble array of Italian snacks, perfect for sharing with friends. The cacio e pepe bites are a must order, the crunchy fried goodness is only elevated by the drizzle of honey, and Dan’s signature pizzettas are perfect for any occasion. 

Norma Taps is industrially housed, spacious with elevated ceilings, and adorned by plush green velvet, natural lighting and mahogany tones. The look is inspired by Japanese listening rooms, with the addition of a vinyl player and accompanying records an obvious touch. The space is perfect for events and live music, and whether it’s art exhibitions or live jazz bands, Norma Taps expects to host such experiences for its patrons in the future.

If you like what you see, you can take your favourite bevvies home - there is a takeaway and refillery option for all beverages, including the hand-crafted cocktails, Honest Rum and a delightful array of wine and beer.