A Good Pub Guide to the Otago Central Rail Trail

As well as being the gateway city to the wider Otago region, with easy access for cyclists to the Rail Trail via a train journey through the spectacular Taieri Gorge, there’s another very good reason to start this good pub guide in Dunedin.

Breweries. And plenty of them!

Dunedin is a hub for some of New Zealand’s best craft beers and most creative brewers.

Akin to choosing your favourite child, picking a favourite Dunedin brew is an impossible task! So, we’ll leave you to check out this essential guide to Dunedin breweries and bars and to undertake your own rigorous field research…

As well as Dunedin Railways’ train service between Dunedin and Pukerangi, most bike tour companies offer shuttle services from Dunedin to / from the Rail Trail in Middlemarch (approx. 1hour drive).

Middlemarch – Strath Taieri Hotel

At the foot of the dramatic Rock and Pillar Range of hills in the broad Strath-Taieri valley, lies Middlemarch. It serves as a crucial service town for the local farming community, and the start of the Otago Central Rail Trail.

Dating back to the 1890s the Strath Taieri Hotel is at the heart of the Middlemarch community. It offers classic pub grub including a broad menu of burgers, pizza, steaks plus fish and chips. It also offers affordable accommodation with 8 guest rooms.

Distance to the next pub - Hyde Hotel 27km

Hyde - The Hyde Hotel

Reopened in spring 2025, the new owners of the old Hyde Hotel are lovingly restoring this historic landmark of the Rail Trail into a vibrant café with boutique accommodation. The café offers homely, nutritious fare, paired with freshly roasted coffee, and will soon extend to a fully licensed beverage selection.

Distance to Waipiata Country Hotel - 25km

Waipiata - Waipiata Country Hotel

Located right alongside the trail, this pub has forged a reputation as one of the most iconic country hotels of the Rail Trail.

The hotel began life in 1898 as a simple mudbrick tavern when the building could house 42 guests across 17 rooms, with private dining rooms for the gentry, a public bar for the working men, and a snug for the ladies.

It was rebuilt after a fire in 1933, and more recently refurbished and today provides accommodation (7 rooms), along with a public bar, restaurant, private dining room, large sunny deck and garden.

And a word to the wise... check out their pies!

Distance to Ranfurly Hotel - 8km

Ranfurly - Ranfurly Hotel

With the construction of the Central Otago railway line in 1898, Ranfurly became the focal point of the Māniatoto area.

Following a major fire in the 1930s there was a need for new buildings. Art deco was fashionable at the time, and it so happened that Ranfurly was revamped in that style. Today the Ranfurly Hotel is one of the town’s most photographed art deco buildings.

The hotel itself offers affordable accommodation, secure bike storage for Rail Trail riders, and traditional pub fare in the restaurant and bar.

Distance to Wedderburn Tavern - 13km
Distance to Royal Hotel, Naseby - 14km

Naseby - Royal Hotel (optional detour)

A detour for a night in the historic town of Naseby is a popular inclusion in many Rail Trail itineraries with shuttle services available through most tour operators.

The first Royal Hotel was built in October 1863 to service the Otago Goldrush but was destroyed in a storm just 2-years later and then rebuilt and reopened in 1865, and it has operated ever since.

Today, the Royal’s menu features award-winning dishes made with fresh local ingredients with a variety of Emerson beers on tap plus one of the most extensive whisky collections you’ll find in NZ!

Wedderburn - Wedderburn Tavern

Built in 1885, the historic Wedderburn Tavern was once an essential stop-over for coaches and wagons. Today it’s a favourite stop-over for Rail Trail cyclists.

The tavern offers seasonal fare with an all-day menu plus lunch and dinner. Check out their picnics & platters option which is offered in summer between 12-6pm. A great way to relax on the lawn after a ride.

Distance to Oturehua Railway Hotel - 12km

Oturehua - Railway Tavern

Built in the late 1800's the Oturehua Railway Tavern is located close to the high point and halfway point of the Otago Central Rail Trail, so a great place to stop and recharge your batteries (metaphorically speaking and literally if you have an eBike)!

The family friendly this hotel has two large beer gardens, children's playground, pétanque court and a giant chequers board to keep you entertained.

Distance to Lauder Hotel - 23km

Lauder - Lauder Hotel

In true Kiwi tradition, after building the railway station, the next priority for the Lauder community was to build the pub! Accordingly, the Lauder Railway Hotel opened in May 1904.

Following the closure of the railway line, in 1961 the hotel was moved from its original site facing the now deserted railway station to its current position facing the main road. The hotel was cut in half, spun around 180 degrees and moved towards the road before being put back together.

​Local rumour has it, that the builders placed a drink on the bar and said they would shout the whole town drinks if the glass spilt during the move. Needless to say; not a drop was spilt…

Distance to Blacks Hotel (Ophir) - 8km

Ophir – Black’s Hotel

Built in 1937 in the popular Art Deco style, Blacks Hotel today offers a classic New Zealand pub experience but with warm hospitality, great local food, accommodation and bar serving local beer and wine.

The pub is bike friendly with off-street "parking" for cyclists, and there’s a free courtesy bus available for small groups staying in Omakau or Lauder.

We cannot leave Ophir without an honourable mention to Pitches Store. Pitches Store dates back to 1874, which by NZ standards is really old!

Whilst not technically a pub, the café / restaurant is right up there with the very best along the Rail Trail, and of course, they do serve an excellent selection of local beer and wines.

Distance to Chatto Creek Tavern - 12km

Chatto Creek - Chatto Creek Tavern

Located right alongside the trail, this iconic stone and mud brick tavern has been serving thirsty travellers since 1886.

Initially serving as a hub for the local community, including rabbiters and railway construction workers, the Chatto Creek Tavern provided food and refreshment for a township of 800 people and was also an important coach stop on the route between Dunedin and Alexandra.

Today, it remains a popular rest stop, especially for cyclists on the Rail Trail, and offers hearty pub fare with a great beer garden, in an historic setting.

Distance to Alexandra - 17km

Alexandra

Alexandra offers a good selection of watering holes for Rail Trail riders. Here are the top picks.

In the craft beer stakes, then look no further than Station Brewing. As well as superb ales, the brewery also makes sure that your pint is in good company with a solid menu of bar snacks, including loaded fries, Korean ribs and beef brisket burgers. There are also regular lunch specials.

In their own words, the Ida Garden Bar “is all about proper pub food made with top local stuff, cold drinks that hit the spot”! The sunny beer garden makes a superb place to rehydrate at the end of a ride.

In central Alexandra you’ll find The Finery. This family-owned restaurant, bar, and function venue has revitalised a neglected building and has created a new, warm and welcoming venue. It offers an outdoor area with a playground, a great bar, a spacious restaurant, and best of all, a cosy whisky room.

Sam’s Bar is named after an Alexandra beer-brewing pioneer - Sam Forsyth. Sam had a vision for a friendly, casual bar where locals could enjoy pizza while enjoying his own range of beers made under the label - Ferris Road Brewery. When Ferris Road closed its doors, Sam's Bar was founded by a group of like-minded, beer-loving locals, with a fresh look, new menu, a commitment to support local wines and a great range of tap beers.

Distance to Clyde - 8km

Clyde

Clyde is another Central Otago settlement that owes its existence to the gold rush of the 1860s. But based on the town’s quiet, laidback vibe today, you wouldn’t realise that Clyde was once the most populous town in New Zealand during the height of gold fever.

Back then, the town was sure to have had numerous raucous pubs but today its more suited to serving the needs of hungry and thirsty cyclists rather than goldminers.

In the centre of Clyde, located in an historic complex of stone buildings built in the 1860's is Olivers. Comprised of accommodation, a café and restaurant Olivers is also home to the Victoria Store Brewery. The Victoria Store was originally a vital supply post for prospectors seeking their fortune in the goldfields, today it serves as a compact craft brewery producing fine ales that include pilsner, ESB, golden ale, IPA and porter, as well as the odd seasonal brew.

The Post Office Café and Bar is located in an iconic Otago schist stone building. It served as the town’s post office until the 1990s, but is now a hugely popular café and bar, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. As you’d expect the drinks menu includes a good selection of local beer and wine. A gorgeous garden is ideal for summer dining, but the Post Office comes into its own in winter with a roaring fireplace and cosy booths inviting you to slide in and hunker down.

Paulinas Bar is the local’s pub in Clyde. The bar and eatery serve a tantalising array of cocktails, craft beers, and local wine with a great tapas and pizza menu. There’s live music on the weekends, quiz nights and a large television to catch rugby games and sport on the big screen.