CBK Craft Bar & Kitchen Kaiapoi

**What makes your venue the Best Gastropub in New Zealand?**

Since our opening on May 13, 2016, CBK Kaiapoi has become an integral part of the Kaiapoi community. Our commitment transcends beyond mere hospitality; we actively engage in community upliftment. Our initiatives include hosting meat raffles, loyalty clubs for charitable donations, CBK fundraising vouchers, food can drives for local banks, 'Player of the Day' awards, and supporting the local Rotary Club. Our involvement with the Kaiapoi Promotions Association, notably the Shaun Wallace Quiz Night, has seen us contribute significantly back into the community.

Our People

The essence of CBK Kaiapoi lies in our people – a team that's more like family. Many of our staff have been with us for over three years, with some celebrating up to five years. This longevity speaks to the strong bonds we’ve formed, not only among ourselves but with our patrons, too. We take pride in knowing our customers personally, whether it's aiding a young local with their homework or discussing community needs in our weekly social working groups. Our staff's engagement with customers goes beyond service; it’s about creating meaningful experiences and lasting relationships.

Our Menu

At CBK Kaiapoi, our menu is a testament to our passion for quality and variety. Catering to diverse tastes and dietary requirements, we offer everything from light meals to hearty gastropub fares, including vegan and coeliac-friendly options. Our standout feature is Stonegrill dining – a unique presentation where patrons enjoy their steaks cooked on a 400-degree volcanic stone, ensuring a healthy, flavourful experience. Our kitchen team excels in preparing these dishes, emphasizing the natural, rich taste of our hand-trimmed, rolled, and aged meats.

Beyond the food, our venue itself is a sanctuary for all seasons, boasting a beautiful beer garden where guests and their pets can bask in the sun. We keep the spirit of community alive with weekly quiz and game nights and fundraising events, making CBK Kaiapoi a hub of activity and warmth.

In essence, CBK Kaiapoi isn’t just a gastropub; it's a cornerstone of the Kaiapoi community – a place of hearty meals, strong community ties, and exceptional experiences. This combination of commitment, people, and culinary expertise is what makes us the best gastropub in New Zealand.

At CBK, the heartwarming experience we offer keeps our customers returning. It's not just our exceptional food and diverse beverage selection but the memorable interactions that make us stand out.
Our philosophy revolves around the 'Cheers Theory' - a friendly greeting as guests enter and a sincere thank you as they leave, ensuring each visit is bookended with warmth. Our team plays a pivotal role in enriching our guests' experience. We're not just serving meals; we're part of our customers' lives, sharing their weekly updates and special occasions and even exchanging birthday and Christmas gifts with our regulars.
We believe in showing gratitude to our patrons. Our bounce-back cards are a small token of appreciation that delights our customers, adding a personal touch to their experience.
Our culinary and beverage offerings are extensive and carefully curated. As the hub for craft beer enthusiasts, we boast a selection of 60 Craft Beers and Ciders, including 15 on tap and a special range reserved for those who've sampled everything on the menu. We actively involve our customers in shaping our drinks menu, valuing their feedback and suggestions to ensure a constantly evolving and exciting range.
Our food menu, crafted by our CBK Brand Team, reflects a blend of local preferences, national trends, and international flavours, ensuring each dish is fresh and appealing. Specials on our blackboard and daily rituals add variety and local flair to our offerings.
A highlight of our menu is the Stonegrill experience – an engaging and healthful way to savour steaks with their natural flavours fully intact. This method is also used to create our Hot Chocolate Fondue Dessert, a family favourite for its interactive and delightful presentation.
Our Cocktail and Mocktail menu, particularly popular during summer, is an integral part of our dining experience. The creative presentation of these drinks often brings smiles and expressions of wonder, enhancing the overall dining atmosphere.
CBK is more than just a place to dine. It's a community where customers are valued, involved, and immersed in an enjoyable journey of flavours and interactions. Our commitment to exceptional service, coupled with our extensive food and beverage offerings, makes every visit to CBK a memorable one.
Our focus is on providing the majority of our produce from either local or regional providers. Artisanal cheese makers from Christchurch, locally produced wines, herbs, Stone fruits, fish and small goods are all sourced from Central Otago. Our menu of table-side discussions will highlight local producers - We are fortunate enough to have a large number of local winemakers as regular clients who will often chat with customers, explaining their wine-making processes and guiding customers through wine tastings.
Our menu is very seasonal, offering Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer variations along with weekly specials to provide a wealth of choice. We cater to Pescatarian, Vegetarian, Vegan and Carnivores. Furthermore, we operate a specific menu highlighting dishes with no onion, no garlic or that are Dairy free or Gluten free. Dishes are often created with substitutions in mind that allow us to make modifications to dishes to accommodate intolerances or allergies whilst allowing those guests to partake in the same menu as their fellow diners.
CBK stands out with several unique features. Our Stonegrill dining offers an interactive experience where meals are cooked on a 400-degree stone at the table. To ensure guests appreciate this unique offering, we emphasize staff training and daily briefings.
Being part of the national CBK brand, we adhere to brand guidelines for consistent performance. Ongoing staff training and open communication with the CBK Brand team help us stay flexible and responsive to customer needs and market trends.
Our music and advertisement system, Orange Door, combines music videos and digital signage for customer engagement. Regular updates to our system with current messages, offers, and a well-curated music playlist are essential for maximizing this marketing tool.
Our famous Skillet Cookie Dessert is another highlight. Maintaining its availability and consistently high quality involves rigorous taste testing and stock management.
Our beverage selection is extensive, featuring over 60 craft beers and ciders and a wide array of spirits. Managing stock levels and aligning them with bookings, events, and promotions is crucial.
The heart of our establishment is our people and service style. We conduct regular team meetings, shift briefings, and quarterly one-on-one sessions to understand and cater to our staff's needs while also maintaining high service standards. Regular interactions with suppliers ensure we're well-informed about available deals and any service changes.
Our diverse and flexible menu, including daily deals, lunch specials, and loyalty club offers, requires thorough communication with our team. We use various channels like office notice boards, staff meetings, and social media chats to keep our team informed.
Our commitment to the community is a key aspect of our identity. We actively engage with local schools, sports clubs, and social groups, understanding their needs and finding ways to support them. Regular emails, site visits, and monitoring of their online presence help us stay connected and responsive.
Effectively managing these diverse aspects of our business requires a strong, adaptable plan. Regularly reviewing and being open to feedback ensures that our strategies remain effective and rewarding.

Our commitment to Host Responsibility and Customer Service is integral to our ethos. We actively participate in safer community campaigns like "You Can Be the Difference" from Aviva, emphasizing our social responsibility for positive community impact.
Our Host Responsibility Plan, a key aspect of our liquor licensing, guides us in maintaining a safe and responsible environment. We believe in going beyond the basic requirements, instilling a culture where every team member is dedicated to doing what's right.
Customer Service begins before guests enter our establishment. Our website, social media and staff presentation set the tone for the welcoming experience. Our online booking system and phone interactions are designed to be helpful and informative, ensuring a positive first impression.
Embracing "The Cheers Theory," we greet each customer warmly, mindful that our interactions contribute to the overall atmosphere. From seating to menu presentation, meal check-ins, and final farewells, every step is an opportunity to create a memorable experience. We value personal connections, engaging in open conversations and celebrating special moments with our guests.
Our commitment to Host Responsibility and Customer Service isn't just a policy; it's the heart of our business, creating a welcoming, safe, and memorable experience for every guest.
At CBK, sustainability is not just an aspect of our business; it is a core value that shapes our operations and interactions with the environment. Our journey towards sustainability began in 2016 with the introduction of eco-friendly straws, and since then, we have continually sought ways to minimize our environmental footprint.
Our commitment to sustainability is evident in our use of recycled materials. All our takeaway boxes and bags are made from eco-friendly, recycled substances. We extend this practice to the recycling of all cardboard received from our suppliers, ensuring that we contribute to the reduction of waste.
Understanding that our impact extends beyond our immediate operations, we engage in meaningful dialogues with our suppliers about their carbon footprint. We are keen to learn about their sustainability plans and explore collaborative efforts to further our mutual commitment to the environment.
Our choice of a rubbish disposal company was deliberate. We opted for a New Zealand-owned and operated company and personally visited their recycling plant to ensure their practices aligned with our sustainability goals.
Energy conservation is another key focus. We use energy-saving light bulbs throughout our premises, and our bathrooms are equipped with timed sensor lights to reduce energy usage. This ethos of energy efficiency is also applied when selecting equipment like fridges, freezers, and televisions. We are actively researching solar power options to decrease our reliance on non-renewable energy further.
Our community involvement includes maintaining cleanliness in our local area. We dedicate time to tidy up the community car park, reflecting our commitment to the environment extends beyond our immediate business premises.
In a creative twist, we repurpose spirit bottles into water bottles and retain all wine and spirit bottle caps. These caps are donated to the local Lions Club, aiding in fundraising efforts for children's medical care. Corks from sparkling wines are collected and given to local craftspeople for repurposing.
We constantly seek new opportunities to enhance our sustainability practices. For instance, our gift cards are now electronic, reducing paper waste, and we encourage the use of canned drinks over glass bottles due to their higher recyclability.
Sustainability at CBK is an evolving and vital part of our business. We are committed to making responsible choices that benefit our environment and community, reflecting our dedication to being a sustainable and conscientious business.
CBK Kaiapoi has been a Finalist of the 2018 Artisan Spa Tourism & Hospitality Awards from the north Canterbury Business Awards We were also the Best Quiz Night in Town, (This was self-appraised)
Creating a captivating ambience at our venue involves several thoughtfully orchestrated elements:
Music sets the tone for the entire experience. We have curated playlists for different times of the day, meticulously scheduled to match the mood from morning to night. These playlists transition seamlessly, enhancing the atmosphere as the day progresses.
Lighting plays a crucial role. We adjust the brightness to harmonize with the natural light, dimming our lights at sunset to maintain a cozy and balanced ambience.
Our use of indoor and outdoor plants adds a natural, welcoming touch. They not only beautify the space but also help to create distinct areas within the venue, offering variety and a sense of intimacy.
Strategic placement of shelving units further defines these areas, some offering more privacy, and contributing to a varied and inviting environment.
The fireplace becomes a focal point in winter, with our table layout optimized to allow more guests to enjoy the warmth and visual appeal of the flames, enhancing the feeling of coziness.
Our décor, including colours and branded artwork, is carefully selected by the CBK Brand team to accentuate the best features of our venue and engage customers visually.
Lastly, our staff is key in creating ambience. Their uniforms, worn with pride, and their positive, engaging attitudes contribute significantly to the welcoming atmosphere. Every greeting and farewell is a performance in hospitality, ensuring everyone feels valued and welcomed.

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