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The Tahi Bar owners, Rachel Cooney and Gareth Hedges, had an early birthday present this month when their bar was named Best Gastro Pub in the Upper North Island & Taranaki.
Hosted by Hospitality New Zealand, and sponsored by Estrella Damm, the awards showcase the best of premium food-led pubs in the country. Their win came on the eve of their first five years at bar.
Cooney said she felt the win was also a big win for Warkworth.
“It shows we’re punching above our weight, but so is Warkworth,” she says. “We’ve always really pushed the ‘support local’ philosophy – our beers and wines are 95 percent local, and we use local produce in the kitchen. Plus, it’s the locals who make the bar the friendly place that it is.”
Cooney said chef Kahui Cassidy’s creativity in the kitchen had also played a big part in The Tahi Bar’s win.
The awards are decided by public vote.
