Abandoned Taproom Petone

The upcycled furniture, the bike frame fence, and of course, the walls covered floor-to-ceiling in graffiti (literally, there’s writing on the ceiling). These are all familiar sights to fans of Abandoned Brewery’s Porirua taproom, and punters can now get more of the same in Petone.

Like the popular Porirua watering hole, the focus at Abandoned Brewery Petone is on keeping the vibes as relaxed and as unpretentious as possible: a real community hub where anyone can bring their dogs and kids, chill out, and have a yarn without feeling like they have to be a craft beer nerd. And when every inch of the walls inside is plastered in spray paint—the handiwork of Wellington graffiti artist Porksta—it’s hard not to be casual. The intent is to get you feeling like you’re drinking under a bridge or in an abandoned factory, and the walls in the bathrooms have even been left blank for you to scribble on (but hurry, space is running out!).

As expected, there’s a mix of beers to keep everyone, craft beer nerd or otherwise, happy. These include popular, modern staples like hazy and hoppy IPAs to super-tart sours and pitch-black stouts, as well as no-nonsense lagers and pilsners for those “who just want something cold and fast.” The food menu is centred around a revolving cast of big, messy sandwiches, the highlight no doubt being the Reuben. It certainly helps that the site of the Petone taproom was formerly the legendary On Trays Scheckter’s Deli, with deli owner Steven Scheckter kindly donating his iconic Reuben recipes.

Laid-back, yet with a “super high-quality” approach to craft beer is a balance only few can strike well, and Abandoned Brewery certainly fits the bill. The Petone taproom means locals in this integral Lower Hutt suburb can enjoy the full Abandoned experience, in which great beer, big filthy sandwiches, and good times all melded into one.