Geraldine gastropub: House of Hop
by Metropol | August 19, 2026 8:33 am
Old-fashioned hospitality, a petting zoo, craft beer, and real food made from scratch make this rural restaurant and brewery near Geraldine the perfect country escape.
Located 10 kilometres from Geraldine, the House of Hop gastropub and brewery is so much more than a beautiful spot to get a great bite to eat.
Set amongst 19 hectares of a working farm, the dining destination, which opened in 2022, is the perfect day out.
“Good old-fashioned hospitality and taking our time to make real food from scratch using local and regional produce – that’s what I’m proud of,” says Dion Witham, the new operator at House of Hop.
No stranger to the restaurant and brewery, Dion worked for two years as head chef before stepping up to an operator role after leasing the business from the owners. Dion is bringing in a new spring menu with exciting additions as well as popular bestsellers such as beef short rib, pork belly burger, and plant-based burgers with patties made in-house.
“As well as the food, the vibe of the place is what brings people back, time and again. We make it a point of training our staff to think of our customers as people who are coming to our house for dinner.”
Another big attraction is the animal petting zoo. “This is a working farm, so we’ve opened a petting zoo with alpacas, deer, Highland cows, and the rare breed Arapawa sheep,” Dion says.
“We recently welcomed two new Highland calves to the family, so, in the tradition of naming our Highlands after the beer we make, their names are Mexi and Lemmy. Come and hand-feed them, get some good country air and a delicious meal. We can’t wait to welcome you.” To book a table, call 03 697 4959, email info@houseofhop.co.nz or go through the website.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/geraldine-gastropub-house-of-hop/