Nocturnalists are spirited members of Auckland’s nighttime scene, and in this series they take us on a tour of their favourite spots in the city after 5pm. Today: Alastair Walker talks us through some of the city’s best bars.
Photos by Sophie Miya-Smith shot on location at Kemuri Hi-Fi and Caretaker.
Alastair Walker is a professional night owl and the driving force behind some of the city’s most celebrated bars: Caretaker, Rocketman and Deadshot. He was born in Hull, first started working in bars in Manchester, eventually making his way to Auckland via a stint in Melbourne. His reputation must have preceded him, because just before arriving here, he received a serendipitous offer to open a bar. Together with his wife and business partners, Alastair opened Caretaker – a subterranean New-York-style cocktail bar tucked away in a Britomart alley. Ten years on, Caretaker has become renowned for its high-end cocktails and atmospheric setting. When he isn’t there, Alastair is usually a short bus ride away, at home in Arch Hill. “It’s convenient,” he says. “For our style of life, you can’t be too far away.”
You grew up in Hull, worked in Manchester and then spent seven years working in Melbourne. At what point did you decide to move to New Zealand?
We wanted to start a family. It just seemed like the right choice… It’s safe, it’s clean, it’s wonderful. And I like the little pockets of communities that you can quite easily walk into. As spread out as Auckland is, it does feel to me like a village… there’s not a dog-eat-dog kind of mentality. There is more of a community.
What was your vision for Caretaker?
We knew what style we wanted. We were very well trained by these New York guys to do something in a very particular way, so we definitely wanted to keep to that… but what we wanted was our own story. [The idea behind Caretaker] was having something that was more of a working-class version of the high-end, 1920s hotel bar. While that golden era of cocktail bars was wonderful, it’s not who we are. We wanted “the caretaker of the building”, that kind of thing, not the rooftop. I come from one of the largest council states in England and my wife comes from Gisborne. So I think it worked out quite well.
You were trained in the New York style of cocktail making, what does that entail exactly?
So it all started with Sasha Petraske, who owned a bar called Milk & Honey [in New York]. He was one of the few people that kind of brought back the classic cocktails. He was very meticulous about his method. He flew over to Australia and taught me while we opened up a bar there. [The style is] very much a methodology about how the drink is made and keeping things simple; fresh juice, a large block of ice, controlling temperature and dilution, making sure that drink is as good as it can be.
And what makes for a really good bar, what are those ingredients?
People. People behind the bar and people serving that understand the nature of hospitality. You can have amazing products, but if you have a bad time, you’re not going back.
How do you deliver good hospitality?
You just have to listen. It’s listening to what people are actually saying… I think that comes with experience.
You must pick up on a lot too, listening as well as watching. Have you noticed Aucklanders’ drinking tastes change over the past 10 years?
The margarita taking hold has been quite a big thing, and the swing back around to cocktail competitions for many of the bar brands after Covid.
A lot has evolved in the CBD too, not just our drinking habits. What’s it been like being part of the Britomart area this past decade? There’s been so much development.
It’s changed a fair bit… They’ve done a lot of hard work in keeping it clean, in all regards, and just nice. There’s the shops and the bars and restaurants, which do tend to stick around because it’s such a great location.
And you’re quite well placed; people can pop down to Caretaker for a drink before or after going to one of the restaurants.
Our peak time is just after dinner. We get flooded in that respect… the number of solid restaurants around us is great. We’ve always been known for being the “late-night bar”. We’ve got people in until 3am every night. There might not be many people at 3am, but there’s always someone there having a drink while we’re closing down.
Not many places stay open that late. Why 3am?
The idea is that when I used to finish work [in Melbourne], we would zip down to a bar that was open until three, no matter what, and we knew we could get a drink; that made a big difference to me. [So with Caretaker] if everyone’s closed, we’re always open.
Do you get hospo people coming in?
More so with Rocketman [our other bar upstairs], which is great. And it’s great being part of a little cocktail scene, because we’re not far away from Panacea, Truth or Dare and Kemuri Hi-Fi… Kemuri has a wonderful whisky collection, as does Panacea. I’m a big whisky nut. If I’m not drinking a cocktail, I’ll be drinking whisky.
What’s your cocktail of choice?
My cocktail is a sazerac. It’s rye whiskey, a sugar cube, Peychaud’s Bitters and an absinthe rinse for the glass. It’s not for everybody. It’s made in a way that it looks tiny, but it’s cutting back the dilution, so it’s real punchy.
Where do you go at night in Auckland?
For a date spot, we often end up at Apero. I personally love the sausage, it’s amazing. Usually we just get them to bring us a whole bunch [of dishes] because you know you’re going to get something good.
Everyone I’ve spoken to who works in the hospitality industry raves about Apero.
It’s amazing. The service, the food, the wine, everything.
And if you were going for a drink after dinner, where would you go?
Once again, those three cocktail bars [Panacea, Truth or Dare and Kemuri Hi-Fi]. I also do love a pint of Guinness… a new Irish bar has just opened up [in Britomart].
Yes, Slattery & Sons.
Yeah! Oh, another Britomart dining spot would be Alma. That place used to be Oaken, which was where me and my wife worked while we were waiting for Caretaker to be built. So I feel quite comfortable there.
What do you like on Alma’s menu?
The little anchovy skewers… that and some sherry.
What’s your favourite place for a special dinner in Auckland city?
Pici. The rigatoni dish is amazing.
Do you have any favourite spots for a cheap and cheerful dinner?
For staff meals, we eat a lot at the [Commercial Bay] food court; it’s so convenient. We also like Tanpopo, the ramen place, which is near Caretaker.
What about somewhere to take the family? Where’s a good kid-friendly spot?
Parasol & Swing in the Viaduct. Great to watch the boats and the staff are fantastic.
Have you had any unforgettable nights out in Auckland City?
A very memorable night out was going to see Idles playing at Auckland Town Hall. We started in Parasol & Swing, then headed to the gig. Afterwards we popped into GG X Flamingo (next to Satya Chai Lounge, recently changed to The Pink Elephant!). One of the team ran across the road and bought T-shirts from Achos as we were a bit sweaty. We then jogged onto Acho’s for a cheeky drink and ended the night back at Caretaker. It was a hoot! The hospitality was incredible.
Buying fresh T-shirts for a mid-session outfit change is genius. You’re clearly experienced when it comes to enjoying the city’s nightlife. If someone came to you asking for a perfect night out in central Auckland, where would you send them?
It would start with a pre-cocktail at Truth or Dare. Then going for dinner at Mr Morris, maybe sitting at the bar to see the food get cooked. And then rolling from there to a fancy cocktail bar like Panacea.
I also like a night of snacks, music and cocktails. Snacks and local beer at Satya Chai Lounge, a sneaky cocktail and more substantial snacks at Bar Magda. Then head to Whammy Bar or Town Hall for a live band. After which I’d roll down to Panacea, Truth or Dare, or Kemuri Hi-Fi depending on the group size – also possibly popping into Rocketman for a sing along [there’s a secret karaoke booth]. And finally, grabbing a burger at The White Lady!
Why is Kemuri Hi-Fi such a good place to end the night?
It’s darker, underground. I always like to be underground… There are no clocks, you don’t know what time it is, and you’re just submerged in that atmosphere.
OK, one last question. What do you love about Auckland at night?
It’s a wonderful combination of calm and party. You can walk down a street and there’s an atmosphere; there’s enough bars and restaurants, you can pop around between places. But you can also just go stare at the ocean if you like. Being anywhere near the sea is immediately calming, especially at night.
