Queenstown Ice Bar

Part cocktail lounge, part entertainment space, the Queenstown Ice Bar is owned by Little Mez’s James Ace and Bert Haines.

Cleverly playing with the rules of what a bar can be, the underground, refrigerated ice bar is built from 25 tonnes of handcarved ice and thrives on the unexpected. Don one of the fur-lined, hooded coats that hang upstairs, plus woollen gloves and fleecy boots, and escape downstairs to a frozen world of ice sculptures lit up by neon lights. Ice carver Victor Cagayat pops down regularly to adjust the set-up, so there’s often something new to see.

You’ll sit on frozen, fur-draped bar stools in temperatures ranging between -7 and -14 degrees Celsius. Cocktails (and mocktails) are served in glasses made from ice – try one of six kinds of espresso martini (reputedly the coldest ones you’ll ever drink), each of which starts with cold brew and coffee liqueur from Dunedin-based companies Harpoon and Quick Brown Fox respectively.

A novel stop-off seven days a week, the bar runs guided sessions on the hour from midday until late.