Amara Bar & Snackery

City-calibre cocktails aren't what most people expect in the foothills, but Amara Bar & Snackery on Methven's Main Street makes a convincing case. Owners Ellen Pryor and Dean McKay set out to give the town something a little more elevated: a comfy and warm spot to settle in with a cracking drink in hand.

The lace-trimmed veranda and gorgeous window panes immediately announce tones of the Jazz Age. Inside, plum walls give way to a slate-blue backdrop where backlit shelves of spirits glow beneath a brass-lettered sign. Lamps and dried florals dot the tables, a pair of vintage wooden skis nods to the big white hill up the road, and much of the furniture comes with a story, Dean's grandmother's couch among it.

The drinks are where Amara earns its turns. Expect the likes of the Lemon Delight, which blends house-made lemon curd with vanilla vodka, crème de cacao and cream, or a Margarita built on blanco tequila, Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao, fresh lime and agave. Every syrup is made in-house and limes are juiced each day, while the drinks list keeps things close to home: Humdinger Gin from Geraldine on the house pour, beer by Methven’s very own Southface Brewing, and New Zealand wine alongside. The pick-your-own cheeseboard starts with a base sized for your group, then lets you choose the cheeses and add cured meats or pâté. Private functions and catering are covered too.

Built with locals in mind, particularly the mums and friends after a proper catch-up spot, Amara has gathered a loyal crew of weekly regulars, joined each winter by visitors fresh off the slopes. Whether you're after a quiet nightcap or you've come up from the city doubting the high country's cocktail credentials, this is a bar that obliges on both counts. It is a ski town, after all.