As our beloved city emotionally and physically picks itself up, more stories emerge reminding us that persistence is omnipotent and that there are people out there who refuse to fall to matter how hard the knock. A vibrant inner city space now stands as testament to one man’s refusal to fall and, the owner of Sugarhorse Bar and Eatery | Function Venue is certainly no one trick pony.
The offering from Pete Rathod, formerly of beloved beachside bar Sumner’s The Thirsty Marriner, bears not even the slightest resemblance to the venerable seaside institution, but is instead a tapas bar with a bit of style and spunk, that nonetheless still manages to retain a welcoming, easy-going vibe.
“We were aiming for a clean, stylish, inner city bar, with a really good vibe, somewhere which just feels like a great place to be and we feel that’s exactly what we have created.”
And, although the stylish suburban bar at 100 Moorhouse Avenue is a commercial newcomer, its name is classic Christchurch to the core.
William Sefton Moorhouse was behind the naming of Moorhouse Avenue and yes, he is also unwittingly behind the cleverly crafted Sugarhorse name. About 1881 William left Lyttelton with his brig ‘Gratitude’ and was known to have sailed from Sydney on his return voyage with a cargo of horses and sugar. But for months Gratitude was unheard of and when at last she came into port, William found his family in mourning for him.
He subsequently moved into the political sphere, becoming superintendent and playing a significant role in the city’s history, including notably playing a key role in the development of the Lyttelton Tunnel through the Port Hills. The Sugarhorse name honours this voyage of sugar and horses, paying tribute to the city’s heritage and the story as it ran after his death in 1881 is printed on the back wall of the bar.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Functions are all on offer at the Sugarhorse Bar and Eatery, all cleverly linked to the story of sugar and horses through names like ‘Kick start’ for the breakfast menu, ‘Grazing’ for the shared plates, ‘Back straight’ for the mains and ‘Finish line’ for the dessert menu. It’s a great place to dine or simply to down a drink or two while you relax with friends.
We’re open from 9am weekdays and weekends from 10am, offering, breakfast, lunch and dinner (Wed-Fri). But our specialty is our Grazing menu of shared plates & Build-you-own Pizzas. The Sugarhorse offers a great selection of wine available by the glass, including the Allan Scott range on Tap. Backed by Heineken, the bar has the Dutch brew on top tap as well as the Wellington range of Black Dog craft beers which have become a massive nationwide hit, and of course there are the old favourites like Monteiths, with cider on tap during the summer months.
Sugarhorse is also the only Christchurch stockist of boutique hand roasted Emporio Coffee from Wellington and the bar and eatery is a great, easily accessible place to stop by for your morning coffee with a handy car park out front and a striking open courtyard area for those beautiful summer days coming up, let’s be honest, the Sugarhorse Bar and Eatery is a great place to catch up with friends, where you can even choose your own music via our CrowdDj® app.
Much like William Sefton Moorhouse played a strong role in Christchurch’s past, the Sugarhorse will continue to play a strong role in the city’s future.