ABOUT LOUIE’S.

While it’s curiosity that first draws you into the softly lit heritage building, it’s the people you’ll stay for at Louie’s. Marce and Mana Davis specialise in an open, authentic brand of Southern hospitality that’s impossible to ignore. They’re alternative, artistic, and champions of local produce. In a conservative town like Invercargill, Louie’s is a sanctuary of culture. The eclectic personality of the bar tells a story of time and place and has been built over twenty years of collecting, testing and tweaking.

A notorious troublemaker, with evenings full of stories, Mana Davis has always pushed beyond the norm and surrounded himself with folk willing to try new things. “The way we are appeals to a certain type of people.”

Mana’s early adopters have become long-time regulars and his favourite evenings at Louie’s are when he sees three generations come in for dinner. It’s a truly family business.

Mana’s son Marce now manages the restaurant, and a new voice of Louie’s is emerging. Lead singer of an aggressively hard-core metal band, Marce brings a distinctive edge to this welcoming space. A sophistication and new cocktail menu in tow, he’s creating his own flavour – one of an uncompromisingly strong espresso martini.

“Dad’s the backbone of this institution. He’s seen it all, so I’m learning from the best,” he says. But ideas and innovation are clearly in the family, and the two are collaborating on reimagining the heritage building they occupy into a new cocktail bar for the alley.   

Louie’s short and snappy menu with regionally hunted ingredients nods to the family’s Maori roots, and is dynamic with chefs adding their flair and spin over the years. Chef Cliffy carefully curates with locally foraged garnishes, and his flavours and plating are a welcome departure away from the traditional pub-grub of the South. The delightfully delicate blue cod with capers and Pinot Gris is a classic harking back to the days Mana first opened the doors but everything else is ever changing - from hearty cuisine to easy plates to share at the bar.

Like February sunsets at Oreti, wide streets and unlocked backdoors, Louie’s is as Southland as you get – and yet it feels like you’re anywhere but here.