Ponsonby's New Addition Hideaway Is the Perfect Place for an After-Work Drink or Three

Nestled amongst an emerging laneway of restaurants and drinking holes is Hideaway, a microbrewery taking its name literally. The newest kid on the Ponsonby block slowly but surely opened its doors in mid-August, with a crowd-pleasing menu and a few of its own brews on tap.

Despite not shouting about its opening from the Ponsonby rooftops, the hidden microbrewery immediately became an after-work hot spot for many Ponsonby young professionals looking to kick back on a Friday, a feeling that Hideaway's co-owners Ben Taylor and Steve Ryder want to cement in their brand-new establishment.

Helping curate this vibe is the fit-out of Hideaway itself, with a courtyard making up the main seating area. The semi-al fresco area is filled with bar tables, heaters, fairy lights and a makeshift roof that will open up to reveal the sun as Auckland draws closer to summer.

Taylor and Ryder have been friends for 20 years and are experts in the business of hospitality, with Taylor already owning local bar Revelry, just a few minutes down the road from his new digs.

To give Hideaway a bit of an edge, the pair have launched their own beer label, Saint Leonards. This is where the term microbrewery comes in, with Saint Leonards produced in-house and served in-house, creating a hint of exclusivity around the drinks.

Hideaway had a soft opening on Friday, August 18, ahead of its official grand opening party on Saturday, August 26. However, you wouldn't have known they hadn't officially opened by how packed the joint was in the lead-up to the launch — with every table full of merry drinkers celebrating the end of the week.

Taylor says he's "70-percent there" in terms of what he wants on the Hideaway menu, but eager diners are none the wiser. The menu, albeit on the smaller side, has a decent offering, with small plates of prawn twisters, beef tartare and an ever-changing mezze board.

If you're on the hungrier side, Hideaway has an extensive range of pizzas, from tried and true standards like garlic pizza bread to the inventive combination of beef cheek, sauerkraut and applewood smoked cheddar. Hideaway's menu appears to be a Ponsonby take on pub grub — the basics, but elevated and with a twist.

The cocktail list is already extensive, with 12 fruity, bitter, sweet and strong drinks to choose from. In keeping with the classic but elevated theme, Hideaway adds a point of difference to old classics through unconventional ingredients like adding stout to an espresso martini, or sesame oil to a vodka martini. A warning from Taylor: don't opt for the vodka martini if you're planning on driving.

Just over a month after its soft launch, Hideaway is already a firm favourite of Ponsonby locals, with the promise of long summer afternoons sipping one of its exclusive craft beers on the horizon. If this is what Hideaway looks like at 70-percent, 100-percent is sure to blow craft-loving, food-loving after-work revellers away.

Hideaway is located at 130 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby and is open 3pm–12am Wednesday–Thursday, 3pm–2am Friday–Saturday and 12–8pm Sunday. Head to Hideaway's website to book a table.