Mystery bar number 17

File under: drink, nightlife Wellington

An anonymous commenter was the first to get last week's mystery bar: it was indeed Cobar at Days Bay. It has quite a good reputation for food, and the outside decks are always popular. The décor is surprisingly bland, but there's very little competition there, and in any case, a good proportion of the target demographic probably thinks that "early 90's hotel lobby" counts as cutting edge interior design.

This week's mystery bar is a bit more central. Unlike Cobar, it's had to choose between views and evening sun, and has chosen the latter. The interior is nothing special, with the same combination of dark wood, brown leather and cream walls that's become the safe choice these days. But it's the exterior, or more precisely the ease with which the interior and exterior blend together, that's the selling point. There aren't many places in Wellington where you can take a comfy leather sofa into the sun and enjoy a decent Pinot Gris.

The one unique thing about this bar's décor is this piece of machinery outside the doors. I suppose it gives a sense of history to the place, but it looks a little odd, and I'm pretty sure that this is the only thing in the bar that comes from Birmingham.

Despite bearing copious amounts of beer-related branding, this is not exactly a beer barn. It's much more intimate and upmarket than most of its neighbours, and it boasts a long list of cocktails and wines. There's even an impressive cellar list, though I have one small piece of advice for them: if you aspire to be the sort of bar that sells first-growth Bordeaux, it's a good idea to ensure that your wine list spells "Chateau La Fluer-Petrus" and "Chateau Mouton Rotheschild" correctly.