There are very few dining formats which feel as celebratory and perfectly orchestrated for sharing as tapas. And inarguably, Candela’s tapas are the best you’ll find in Tāmaki Makaurau. Since it was opened in 2020 by Matt Ross and Leola King, Candela has had a presence on this list. Why? It’s uber-stylish, the service is attentive but never overbearing, the food is just plain yum, and, most importantly, it’s the kind of restaurant you want to return to again and again. 

Inside, you’ll find geometric tiles, racy red walls, distressed surfaces and a few dripping candles punctuating an impressively long room. The lighting is moody, creating an almost den-like effect, with shadowy nooks and dimly lit pockets. When it gets busy at Candela, the whole restaurant lights up with a wonderfully lively, party-like ambience. A couple of years ago, the team doubled down on this festive potential by opening Barcita, a private dining room, bar and balcony at the back of the restaurant where guests can have an even more raucous time. 

In a city which seems to be in an era of static menus, Candela stands out by regularly updating their offering. Whatever the menu holds, we especially like the dishes suited to eating with your hands — like the shishito peppers, which come blistered to perfection and ready to swipe through the accompanying herb-heavy aioli between sips of a guindilla-brine-laced martini. Or the even messier garlic tiger prawns, with ’nduja and saffron aioli, which you can peel (or not) with your fingers before eating — a most satisfying task.

What you get at Candela is quite literally a moveable feast: small plates of sparky, salty, savoury morsels appearing at your table in swift succession. Though individually small, when consumed together they well and truly make a meal. And a delightful one at that.