There are about 180 pubs scattered throughout New Zealand serving up the Irish dry stout that is Guinness.

But if you are looking for one of the finest pints of dark, creamy Guinness – and in a traditional pommy setting – then you need look no further than Tauranga's waterfront precinct, The Strand.

Crown and Badger publicans Mark and Carolyn Thodey.

The Crown and Badger on the corner of Wharf St and The Strand has just been named one of New Zealand's top 10 Guinness Bars.

'That's after they looked at how we marketed our business, how our staff deals with customers, the food; and of course the presentation of our Guinness,” says co-owner Mark Thodey.

'This result is good for us and great for Tauranga. It's done hospitality in Tauranga a favour.”

There's a month left to run on the promotion to find the outright winner, and the spies will be out. 'There will be ‘mystery shoppers' dropping into the Crown and Badger to test how well we are doing. But that's okay – nothing changes. We're always on the ball.”

And they have to be on the ball because Guinness aficionados are apparently a finicky bunch.

'It has to be poured just right,” says Mark. And it's a ritual.

Tilt the 20-ounce tulip-shaped glass away from you at a 45 degree angle, partially fill and let settle, then fill the glass on the level, leaving a 19mm head. The double pour, which creates the extra-effervescent nitrogen head, should take 119.5 seconds.

But at the Crown and Badger, Guinness doesn't just come in a glass. It's a workhorse in the kitchen.

It's used in their beef and Guinness stew, in their steak and Guinness pies, in their Guinness chocolate cake, and the pub dessert: Mark's Guinness ice cream. 'The ice cream is a guy thing,” says Mark. 'Although a lot of women are drinking Guinness.”

And the Guinness and wagyu sausages take bangers and mash to a whole new culinary level.

'And to get into the top 10 category for anything in New Zealand is pretty cool – pretty good for The Strand, and for Tauranga.”

There are about 70 million glasses of Guinness sold globally each week. Mark and the Crown and Badger contribute about 600 to that total. 'And as many as 2000 on Saint Patrick's Day.”

Mark says the success of the 14-year-old Crown and Badger is that it remains focused. 'From the moment someone walks through the door we make it a pleasant experience. 'Great staff, lots of smiles, a genuine hullo, nice small cosy pub, great food, and a great pint.”

The Crown and Badger has made the news before. A customer caused a big stink over his fries being served up in a metal bucket rather than the traditional bowl. He dragged the pub through the national media after being evicted from the premises for his protests.

It's ironic the pub's fries are a feature of the Guinness promotion. And those fries still come in a bucket.

Mark says it's not about winning the promotion. 'It's about getting something right. We work in the industry and we work on it.”

Slainte!