The Stoaker Room by Wild Earth

Funky bar and bistro in Cromwell at Freeway Orchard. No bookings needed and the all-day menu is affordable and delicious with bar snacks, hearty meals, sharing boards, kid's meals, wine and food matches.

During the particularly sunny Central Otago summer of 2008, whilst entertaining guests and friends on the banks of the beautiful Kawerau River, two men faced with a fire ban were in search of a way to cook without an open fire.

They needed something self-contained and all they had was an old wine barrel. They chopped the barrel, used a makeshift heat source, added some wood chips, and threw some water in the bottom to protect the barrel from burning. They smoked and steamed fillets of salmon and freshly caught seafood, tasting a unique oaky flavour.

Right away they knew they had discovered a cooking method like no other, and since then, many wine barrels have been transformed into patented, unique stoakers which now serve their many guests from their busy outdoor kitchen. These Oak wine barrels are fully mobile for weddings, catering and special events and are the engine room and uniqueness behind their brand, The Stoaker Room.