The Best New Auckland Restaurants Worth Trying in 2026
Image: Bistro Saine
Auckland’s multicultural roots have long had the city hitting above its weight. The post-lockdown years slowed the onslaught of openings and delivered the loss of a few favourites. In 2023, The Grove was ranked #11 in the world for fine dining, then swiftly closed its doors after two decades. It was a reminder that in this city, even the best aren’t guaranteed longevity.
What’s emerged since feels deliberate. Less noise. More conviction. Restaurants and bars with a clear point of view. In a city where every restaurant has to fight to survive, these newcomers are first round knock outs.
From scene-driven Spanish tapas bars serving Ortiz anchovies over crusty bread, to modern Indian cooking confident enough to draw comparisons to Gymkhana, Aucklanders are eating with intent.
The Best New Restaurants in Auckland, New Zealand
Images: Aarth Restaurant
Aarth
Location: Parnell
Address: 1/333 Parnell Road Parnell, Auckland 1052
Opening just in time for Valentine’s Day, Aarth arrived with impeccable timing, and an atmosphere that understands romance without cliché. Tucked down a quiet brick lane, the moody lighting, intimate dining room and cosy courtyard already feel like part of the neighbourhood’s Friday ritual.
Chef Vinayak “Vicky” Shah cut his teeth at Auckland heavyweights like Cassia, Kol and Sidart before stepping out on his own. At Aarth, the menu nods to that lineage while carving out a clear identity. Modern Indian cooking, built on layered spice, clean acidity and plates that pack a flavour punch without excess.
The dog-friendly courtyard will draw locals for late-afternoon cocktails and early bites, but this is very much a serious dining room. The vegetarian menu stands out, with an Indian take on heirloom tomato salad, buffalo milk paneer handled with restraint. Then there’s the richer dishes like the Beef Laal Maas (sirloin and oxtail).
The real reason to book, though, is The Aarth Experience, the chef’s tasting menu. A curated degustation tailored to the table, paired with cocktails designed to complement heat and texture.
It’s early days, but we’re calling it now, Aarth might be one of Auckland’s best restaurants.
When to go: when you want to impress someone who genuinely cares about food.
Perfect for: romantic dinners, cosy date nights, or a long, indulgent Friday evening.
Image: Bistro Saine
Bistro Saine
Location: Auckland CBD
Address: (Level 1) 51 Albert Street, Auckland CBD
The European bistro revival has well and truly arrived in Auckland, and Bistro Saine may be its most convincing expression. Housed within the new Hotel Indigo on Albert Street, the heritage building and interiors do much of the heavy lifting, delivering atmosphere in spades before you’ve even opened the menu.
Executive Chef Yutak Son brings a global perspective to the kitchen. Korean-born and New Zealand-raised, he trained in some of the country’s most respected dining rooms, including Sidart and Orphans Kitchen, before taking on the role at Hotel Indigo.
At Bistro Saine, that background translates into confident French technique underpinned by a contemporary, ingredient-led approach. Steak frites arrives with crisp edges and a properly seasoned jus. The lamb, consistently perfectly cooked, is one the strongest renditions in the CBD. Market fish is treated gently, glossed in beurre blanc, allowing the freshness to speak for itself.
There’s evident technical skill, but the focus stays firmly on flavour over fussy dishes. No overworked plates or gratuitous amuse-bouches required.
Book a Sunday table and bring something special from your cellar. Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo. The corkage sits at $15 per person, making it a smart play for wine lovers.
When to go: Sunday BYO of course, with a serious bottle, and a good group of friends for a pre-theatre dinner in the CBD.
Perfect for: Group dinners, birthday celebrations, or any occasion that calls for a seriously stacked wine menu.
Image: Kureta
Kureta
Location: Auckland CBD
Address: 22/26 Albert Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Kureta is nothing like early 2000’s Daikoku teppanyaki, if you’re waiting for the egg toss, you’ve booked the wrong place. Sitting within the JW Marriott, Kureta’s 30-seat dining room is built around four marble teppan counters, where the focus is less on flames for applause, instead an omakase style experience ensues. Burnt timber, bronze accents and ambient lighting create a setting that feels intimate, but social.
Chef de Cuisine Akihiro “Aki” Nakamura began cooking in Tokyo at 18 and brings more than two decades of Japanese culinary discipline to Auckland. At Kureta, he leads an unconventional teppan house where omakase sits at the core, a dialogue between chef and guest guided by a charcoal grill, and first-grade dashi.
From classically prepared premium wagyu dishes, to kombu-cured sashimi. Market fish is finished with crisp skin and carefully timed.
Executive Chef Wallace Mua (of Trivet) works in close collaboration with the team, supporting an orchestrated progression of the menu. Dishes aren’t rushed from kitchen to counter in the way of a casual shared-plate spot, instead, each course arrives to plan. It’s this level of detail that gives Kureta its near-ceremonial quality, an experience that leaves you with a deeper appreciation for the discipline of Japanese dining.
When to go: When the stakes are higher and you need a dining room that impresses.
Perfect for: Corporate hosting, milestone celebrations, or out-of-town guests who expect the best.
Image: Estelle’s
Estelle’s
Location: Auckland CBD
Address: 71 Mayoral Drive, Auckland Central, 1010
Estelle’s signals a shift for the Grand Millennium. No longer just a hotel address that’s on the wrong side of Queen street, but a destination in its own right. The room leans Iberian in spirit, with bright pops of red, a wide open bar and a menu designed for socialising, small plates first, then something larger to share, then another glass.
Executive Chef James Kenny leads the kitchen, drawing on Spanish influence without leaning into cliché. There’s jamón sliced at the bar, gildas skewered and glossy, but our must-order is the Ortiz anchovies on toast (if you know, you know). Pan con tomate is bright and clean. Croquettes arrive crispy.
Cocktails follow the same Spanish influence. Vermouth and sherry sit comfortably alongside Negronis and house signatures that lean savoury rather than syrupy. No fluorescent hotel margaritas here.
The energy builds as the evening progresses. It’s animated without tipping into chaos, delivering the kind of night where you order “just a few tapas” and find yourself three hours deep in a conversation about Bossa Nova.
Estelle’s is just what Auckland needed. An uptown bar with some decent atmosphere, and not another average Irish pub with one too many pokies.
When to go: The weekend, of course. Friday and Saturday nights.
Perfect for: Post art exhibition drinks or a pre-theatre stop that feels sharper than the usual city options. It’s just 5 mins walk to the Civic Theatre and the Aotea Center.
Image: SuMi
SuMI
Location: City Works Depot
Address: 90 Wellesley Street West Auckland Central Auckland, 1010
Casual, a little gritty in the right way, and reminiscent of a back-alley Tokyo izakaya, SuMI has turned up the heat at City Works Depot. Walk in and you’ll immediately catch the scent of binchōtan, the white oak charcoal that fuels the grill and gives the restaurant it’s signature sweet smoky smell.
Toro fat-belly hokke is a standout, rich, oily and beautifully blistered over charcoal. The irori yaki unagi arrives lacquered in tare, smoky and soft through the centre. King prawns are grilled shell-on, kissed with flame to lock in sweetness. Charcoal-grilled beef spare ribs lean either shio, clean and salty, or tare, with sweet soy, while lamb chops and chicken thigh fillets pick up smoke and caramelisation without losing tenderness.
There’s generosity in the servings too. Refillable rice, plates built for sharing, chicken karaage that lands crisp outside and juicy within. Even the sashimi selection feels substantial rather than fussy, three seasonal cuts, cleanly sliced, no unnecessary garnish crowding the plate.
The structure is simple, snacks, fryers, charcoal, but the execution is consistently sharp. SuMI isn’t chasing fine-dining theatrics; the focus is flavour.
It’s the kind of place where one Sapporo turns into five, and you’re still yapping over rice bowls, soaking up one too many rounds with crispy karaage as the staff start stacking chairs.
When to go: happy hour, Tuesday to Thursday from 5–6pm, when the robata is already working at full tilt.
Perfect for: group dinners, casual celebrations, or anyone craving classic Japanese cooking with a good balance of acid, fat and smoke.
Images: Flush, Bar Ziti, Savor Group
Bar Ziti
Location: Britomart Precinct
Address: 48 Customs Street East, Britomart, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Bar Ziti is less date-night trattoria, more of a casual clubhouse.
Sitting inside Flush, Britomart’s slick indoor golf concept, this is Savor Group’s most relaxed play. You’re here for Peroni on tap, half-price golf bays on Sunday ($30 an hour), and a long catch-up that might involve a few competitive drives.
The food is built around the mood. Garlic pizza bread. Ziti beef genovese with pangritata. Prawn mafaldine rich with lobster bisque and nduja butter. Well executed wood-fired pizzas, spicy salami, fungi with truffle cream, prosciutto crudo with pesto. It’s unfussy, and designed to share between swings.
There’s a wagyu cheeseburger for the non-pasta crowd, chicken cotoletta done right, and after working up a sweat, treat yourself with a classic ice cream sundae.
Peroni and Asahi are on tap. Espresso martinis and margaritas arrive quickly. The “19th Hole Negroni” is not to be missed. The wine list is broad enough to please a group too, Cloudy Bay, Craggy Range, Minuty, even Dom Pérignon to celebrate your win.
Bar Ziti isn’t the type of place you’d book to analyse acidity levels in your natural wine. It’s where you book a bay, order a round, and have great banter with friends.
When to go: Sunday for the half-price bays, or Friday after work when you ready for somewhere less serious and more social.
Perfect for: Group hangs and family catch-ups.
The Best Noteworthy Auckland Restaurants Still Worth Booking
Images: Kingi
Kingi
Location: Britomart Precinct
Address: Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway Street, Britomart, Auckland 1010
Kingi is one of the strongest seafood restaurants in the country.
Set inside a lane at the back of the heritage Hotel Britomart building (enter via Tuawhiti Lane), the space has some of the cities best interior design, exposed brickwork, marble tables, with beautiful glass chandeliers overhead.
The menu centres on sustainably sourced New Zealand seafood, and it shows. The hot-smoked kahawai with horseradish cream is a signature for a reason, smoky, sharp, balanced. The kingfish wing, when it’s available, is a must-order. The mussels and flatbread are also consistently excellent.
Service can have the occasional wobble, but the warmth in the room carries it. Staff are proud to work here. They know the wine list. They’ll happily pour you a taste before you commit to a bottle.
If you’re staying at The Hotel Britomart, book a pre-dinner drink in The Library upstairs, guest access only, an intimate and cozy setting, then head down to Kingi.
When to go: A mid-week long lunch for a seafood spread, before Britomart fills up.
Perfect for: Out-of-town guests, seafood obsessives, and anyone who values provenance without the lecture.
Ahi
Location: Commercial Bay
Address: Commercial Bay Level 2/7 Queen Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Ahi is Ben Bayly’s statement on modern New Zealand cooking, and one of the clearest expressions of it in the country.
Much of what lands on the plate begins in Patumāhoe, where Ahi runs its own organic kitchen garden in red volcanic soil. Produce is harvested with minimal lag time between earth and service. It shows.
There’s a genuine commitment to regenerative agriculture behind the scenes composting, seasonal planting, a tight feedback loop between kitchen and soil, but it never feels preachy. The vegetables just tastes better.
The scampi corn dog has become its signature for good reason, crisp exterior, sweet scampi inside. Pāua crumpet with fermented peanut butter delivers depth and salinity in one hit. Seafood is handled with confidence.
Ahi understands manaaki (hospitality) without overplaying it. Service is good but grounded, staff wait attentively from afar, ready to make recommendations when you need it.
The room, overlooking the Waitematā, delivers views without the stiff fine dining atmosphere you’d usually expect at a restaurant at this level.
When to go: Thursday nights for sunset dinner, when there’s enough city atmosphere but you’re avoiding the weekend crowds. \
Perfect for: Visitors wanting a distilled taste of Aotearoa, or locals reminding themselves why this city can cook
Image: Origine
Origine
Location: Commercial Bay
Address: Commercial Bay Level 2/172 Quay Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Origine serves up classic French fare on Auckland’s waterfront. Sitting in Commercial Bay’s prime position, with double-height windows stretching the length of the dining room, framing the downtown Ferry Building and nearby islands.
The menu offers either a structured tasting format or à la carte, the latter is where it excels. Faux foie gras arrives smooth and buttery. The beef cheek remains the restaurant's standout dish, a slow-braised beef layered with mushroom and red wine jus.
Desserts stay traditional. A well-executed crème brûlée sits alongside restrained petit fours and freshly baked macarons.
Service is consistently good, with waitstaff informed enough to guide you in the right direction rather than oversell. The wine list is full of French Burgundy and Bordeaux, alongside a strong New Zealand line up.
When to go: mid-week for lunch, when you can settle in and watch the harbour traffic drift past.
Perfect for: a mid-winter dinner or a long-overdue catch-up that calls for plenty of food and a serious bottle of red.
Image: Alma
Alma
Location: Britomart Precinct
Address: Corner of Gore & Tyler Street, Britomart
Alma is another Auckland restaurant built around fire. The open hearth anchors the room, giving both the menu and the atmosphere a clear centre of gravity. The cooking Andalusian inspired, produce-focused, with smoke, salt and acid doing the heavy lifting.
Te Matuku oysters arrive clean and bright, lightly dressed, and are among the strongest in the city. Tuna crudo with piquillo pepper and anchovy delivers punchy flavour without tipping into heaviness. The sweet potato with chilli and aioli remains one of the smartest vegetable dishes in the region, layered in texture and flavour.
Cocktails are taken seriously. The espresso martini holds its own as dessert, and the sherry options suit the menu far better than default wine pairings.
When to go: midday, for a long Saturday lunch when sunlight hits the tiles, or early evening as the hearth comes into its own.
Perfect for: long lunches, Britomart catch-ups, or a group dinner where you want smoke, salt and conversation in equal measure.
Lilian
Location: Grey Lynn
Address: 472 Richmond Road
Lillian is one of Auckland’s most dependable reservations. It’s busy for a reason.
The room catches the evening light, tables packed close, dark timber and green tiling create a cozy European cafe atmosphere. Sit tight, order way too much.
The wood-fired bread is mandatory, and trust us on this, but so are the vegetables. Pasta menu items rotate regularly and rarely miss. The pizzas are just how you want them blistered but light and cripsy bases, confident combinations, nothing gimmicky.
Dessert includes dark chocolate mousse with plum almond and merlot, creme brulee with persimmon sorbet, and pecan, banana and whiskey sabayon.
When to go: Early evening or book ahead for the weekend rush.
Perfect for: Effortless group dinners and dates that need zero explaining.
Image: Masu
Masu
Location: Auckland CBD
Address: Level 3/90 Federal Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Masu isn’t new. It doesn’t need to be, more than a decade on, it still books out.
A robata restaurant with standout sashimi and service that keeps loyal fans returning. Myself included.
Reserve early and nab a seat at the robata counter if you can.
Coals burn steadily. Skewers rotate at precisely the right moment, catching that edge of char without tipping bitter. The kitchen moves with focus. The Toyoko platter is a non-negotiatable, super fresh crayfish, bluefin tuna, kingfish, oysters and salmon roe, pristine and meticulously presented.
The grill holds its own too. Wagyu, evenly cooked and correctly rested. Seafood carries smoke without being overdone. Sauces land sweet-savoury, never sickly. The Cloudy Bay clams served in a buttery broth with a faint smokiness, remain one of the best dishes they've ever done. Now off the menu, but those in the know can still ask.
Cocktails are works of art. With hand-carved ice and delicate flowers. The sake list is deep enough to warrant guidance.
Even at full capacity, service doesn’t slip.
Dessert mirrors the savoury menu. Concise, well executed, Japanese in influence. Order the dessert platter, it’s the only way to try everything and avoid regret.
When to go: pre-show at The Civic, or any night you want an atmosphere with standards intact.
Perfect for: Group dinners, visiting friends, or when you’re trying to impress that hard to please person.
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