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Metro is excited to announce the top 50 Auckland restaurants that have been chosen to be a part of Metro Restaurant of the Year 2022, in partnership with Estrella Damm.

These restaurants represent the best of Auckland's dining scene, from the casual neighbourhood joints that you can pop into on a weekday and be greeted like locals, to the special occasion fine diners that deliver technically excellent food with equally excellent service.

This year, the top 50 restaurants reflect an industry that has weathered a pandemic over the last two years. With few changes from the list of 2021, it also signals something positive for the industry - most notably, the resilience of our operators, with only two restaurants from 2021's top 50 having closed in the last year. This is a celebration of the restaurants that have made it; a long-overdue party and acknowledgement of the people who contribute so much to making Auckland a great city to live in. It's the first year Metro Restaurant of the Year will be able to have an awards night since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s awards are made possible by Estrella Damm as well as Campari, Sanpellegrino, Esk Valley, Pernod Ricard, The Produce Company, Pacific Linen, The Great Catering Co and Ninety Nine Reasons.

As always, Metro has put together a panel of experienced food writers, critics, and hospitality experts to navigate our way around the city, dining at restaurants anonymously and paying for our own meals.

Category winners

Best Casual Restaurant – City Fringe

Category Winners

  • Best Casual Restaurant – City Fringe
  • Best Casual Restaurant – Central city
  • Best Smart Dining
  • Trinity Hill Best Fine Dining
  • Best Neighbourhood Restaurant
  • Trinity Hill Best Destination Restaurant
  • AF Drinks Best New Restaurant
  • Best Dish
  • Best Service
  • Esk Valley Best Wine List
  • Campari Bartender of the Year
  • Personality of the Year
  • The Produce Company Best Chef Award
  • Sanpellegrino Young Chef Scholarship
  • Estrella Damm Restaurateur of the Year
Best Casual Restaurant – City Fringe - Winner

Apéro

Everything feels easy at Apéro — something we know is actually pretty hard to achieve. Come here for Friday lunch for an end-of-the-week treat, basking in the dining room and grazing on a platter, or come here at night for a special occasion and linger over many wines and a large steak. Both work. The restaurant itself oozes warmth. It’s muted and lovely, with thoughtful consideration — like the long communal table and window seats — that speaks to its intimate charm. Walking into it from the outside is like stepping into a bubble, which is exactly what we love about dining out: a little life away from the demands of normality.

More about Apéro
Best Casual Restaurant – Central city - Winner

Gochu

Food used to be an add-on to the mall experience — the food court was there primarily to fuel customers so they could continue to shop — but in the past few years, the food offerings of new malls (and some renovated older malls) have put the food front and centre. Get people there to eat and hopefully they’ll see a pair of shoes they like on the way in or out. And there’s no better example of this new retail philosophy than Commercial Bay and its best restaurant, Gochu, serving modern Korean food that combines big flavours, subtle techniques and good vibes, all in a setting that proves distinctive, even on a floor full of eateries. While the pork milk buns with beurre blanc poured at the table have already become something of a contemporary classic, and the gochujang chicken is (predictably) on point, Gochu’s menu is just as good when you move away from the popularist bangers, especially into the seafood (like the clams in chilli pork broth) and the vegetables (like the crispy glazed eggplant with tofu cream). But if you really want to push the boat out, we recommended booking for one of the chef’s test kitchens. You won’t regret it.

More about Gochu
Best Smart Dining - Winner

Alma

Alma was conceived on a food tour of Andalusia in southern Spain with Pearson, Parkinson and Hip Group founder and CEO Jackie Grant, and its food reflects the region’s diverse influences, from northern Africa and western Asia. It is full flavoured and bold, combining seasonal produce cooked over the ever-present open flame that is the heart of the kitchen. Think delicate seafood, big hunks of meat, bright citrus and smoky char. The menu is designed to allow for both a whole table sharing many plates, big and small, and a more-individual à la carte ordering, but we suggest the former, loading up your table with as many tastes as the size of your group can handle. On a recent visit we especially enjoyed the deliciously vinegary mussel escabeche with picada (a kind of Catalan pesto) and kohlrabi, and the oh-so-tender beef tongue (served whole) topped with olives and preserved lemon. But, really, every single thing we’ve eaten there has been outstanding, so take one of the seats looking out the window to Takutai Square, or facing the fire if you’re on the other side, and rest assured you’ll have a great time. 

More about Alma
Trinity Hill Best Fine Dining - Winner

Lillius

We’re having a harder and harder time every year sorting restaurants into strict categories. (Wait — do we say this every year? Maybe.) Is this casual, because they take mostly walk-ins, or is it smart, because the servers wear fitted jackets and refold your napkin when you go to the bathroom? Is it fine dining, because you can’t eat there à la carte and the tablecloths are white, or is it smart because you can probably get away with wearing jeans and sandals? What we’re saying is that the lines are blurry. Lillius, this year’s Best Fine-dining Restaurant, is a good example of that, with a softening of the overly formal script and manners you may find elsewhere. But the food is very fine. Better than fine, actually. Fraser McCarthy, Lillius’s head chef and co-owner, is a fine-tuner of flavour, with particular attention paid to the layering of textures, both taste-wise and visually. (It's here we had one of the best dishes of our judging, the wapiti tartare, elevated with black garlic, and so delicious.) The food, which comes in either a three-course meal or a six-course tasting menu, is served well by the lower-key, relaxed service — attentive and friendly but not rehearsed — and the lack of real separation between the diners and the kitchen, which lends it an intimate feeling, like dining at someone’s house. We think more people should eat here.

More about Lillius
Best Neighbourhood Restaurant - Winner

Cazador

The Estrella Damm Supreme Winner in last year’s Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards, Cazador is somewhere we tell everyone to book a table at immediately. Always rising above the hype of newness, it’s a well-worn-in pair of shoes, an old friend, and a place that ticks along, quietly refreshing and reinventing itself every so often in a way you don’t really notice — it stays extremely good all the time. At the heart of it all are partners Dariush Lolaiy and Rebecca Smidt, who met while they were both working at Cazador (Lolaiy’s family owned the restaurant). The personality of the place is anchored by their passion, which has produced a neighbourhood local that serves locally focused produce, with a specialisation in game meat and charcuterie. We like how the food manages to be both cosy — thimbles of hot broth, charred celeriac, boar braised in red wine and herbs — yet also technically interesting and inventive, and never heavy. The friendly neighbourhood vibe extends to the service, which is smart but not formal, with an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what you want (or knowing exactly what’s good for you). So give in, get the Feast, and finish the night off with some sherry.

More about Cazador
Trinity Hill Best Destination Restaurant - Winner

Tantalus Estate

It goes without saying that the room at Tantalus is beautiful: dark, earthy and dramatic, with a level of sophistication that perfectly suits the luxurious vineyard setting. And, now, the food’s very good, too. Head chef Gideon Landman has been at Tantalus since late 2020 (previously, he was at The French Café) and the food has shifted in that time, with the menu celebrating seasonal, local produce and dishes that are representative of modern Aotearoa cooking. Your options are straightforward, with a short, to-the-point offering: snacks for the table, then a two-, three-, or four-course menu that features well-executed classics such as the pasture-raised lamb main, beautifully cooked, with kūmara, pistachio and black garlic. It’s emblematic of the food here: balanced on the plate and a delight to eat. We were also partial to the “for the table” section, particularly the olives, which come from the estate, crumbed and skewered on a picked-that-day olive stem, and a fun chicken-liver parfait number served in a cone. It’s an added bonus that tables have a view of the vines, with wine tastings available at the Cellar Door. Beer is provided by the brewery downstairs, Alibi Brewing Co, which is coincidentally a Metro Top 50 bar and worth a visit on its own. 

More about Tantalus Estate
AF Drinks Best New Restaurant - Winner

Waku Waku

There are fewer new restaurants on the list this year than there may have been previously, but that makes the ones that have emerged even more special — and, arguably, better. The best of the newbies, Japanese restaurant Waku Waku, is from executive chef Makoto Tokuyama (Cocoro), chef Lucas Lee and restaurateur Jason Lee. It’s in a tucked-away location in Remuera, a little hard to find (hint: you’ll run into one restaurant first, with outside tables… Waku Waku is the one after that). It’s a lovely snug with only a small collection of tables, dark and sleek, and a bustling semi-open kitchen. Here, the refined, intricately plated food showcases balance and restraint, with expertly executed technique (see: the sashimi and nearly everything else) and little flourishes of the chefs’ takes on traditional Japanese dishes. We recommend getting the chef’s selection of entrées, which is a compelling introduction to what the restaurant is about. 

More about Waku Waku
Best Dish - Winner

Alma

Beef tongue, olive, preserved lemon

The best dish in Auckland is from the best restaurant in Auckland (naturally), and it’s a curvy beef tongue, covered in a blanket of olives. If you’re feeling in any way put off by “beef tongue”, don’t be – it’s certainly not pretending not to be anything else, but it’s exceedingly tender and delicious in a way that makes it easy to love, grilled on the open fire and accompanied beautifully with the acid of preserved lemon and a green verde. Please order this.

More about Alma
Best Service - Winner

The Engine Room

The first thing you see in the restaurant is the grill section, a lovely way to be pre-greeted before being actually greeted by a lovely waiter who shows you to a table. And though the food is a highlight, it’s the service that really makes this place sing, with friendly and approachable servers who understand the thin line between being attentive and being overly so. (Our judge wrote one thing in their notes about the service: flawless. That’s all, just flawless.) That’s the thing that keeps people coming back, after all, and it’s obvious that they do, with the spot beloved by Northcote Point locals who are happy that it’s possible to eat somewhere so good so close to home.

More about The Engine Room
Esk Valley Best Wine List - Winner

The French Café

“A sherry by-the-glass list of that length is already worthy of a shortlist,” our wine judge, Oliver Styles, says, “but a solid, all-round rundown of interesting wines of that reach is hard to beat.” Showcasing both New Zealand and international wines, the list was curated both by past sommelier (and past Personality of the Year winner) Hiro Kawahara, as well as the now-beverage director Alex Schepetkin, with input by restaurant manager Matty Keegs. A great value-for-money wine pairing is also available with the tasting menus.

More about The French Café
Campari Bartender of the Year - Winner

Sidart

Mangesh Shah — Sidart 

At Sidart, the rattle of a cocktail shaker often signals that a treat is on its way; something innovative and tasty, maybe something indicative of the food you’re about to receive. That was the case at one of our visits, in which we were served a kava gin cocktail that made us excited for the rest of the meal, served by Shah himself, who explained exactly why and how it was so special. The clear love and attention Shah gave to his craft was obvious throughout the night, and the drinks programme is an obvious drawcard for Sidart (you can even pop up to the bar for just a drink or two, if you desire it). He was a clear winner. Congrats!

More about Sidart
Personality of the Year - Winner

Cazador

Simon Benoit — Cazador

Simon is a familiar face in Auckland’s hospitality industry, coming to Cazador after a stint as The French Cafe’s sommelier, and working his magic here at our Supreme Winner Runner-Up as its restaurant manager. With a breadth of knowledge, passion and experience in wine, Benoit backs this up with a warmth and effortless knack for connecting with diners, knowing exactly what and how much to give. It’s always a pleasure to be looked after by Benoit – make sure you say hi to him for us next time you pop in.

More about Cazador
The Produce Company Best Chef Award - Winner

Alma

Jo Pearson — Alma 

In the front kitchen, an open flame burns — a central hearth for things to be charred on, lending that unmistakable smoky character to so much of the food. It’s where the market fish — on one visit a beautiful, substantial blue warehou — finds itself before landing on the table, dressed with a viciously bright fennel ensalada that makes the dish pop with acid, yet mellow enough not to overpower the juciness of the fish. It’s where a whole beef tongue is grilled to just the right tenderness, presented simply on the plate with a layer of precisely cut sage-green olives. The menu is slight, with just the right amount of variation and choice, and no duds among the offerings: a testiment to the vision of Pearson, who is also the winner of The Produce Company Best Chef title. Everything is delicious, flavourful; food you scoop up, put in your mouth and then look at the person dining opposite you, eyes widened, eyebrows raised, both of you saying, silently, Can you believe this?

More about Alma
Sanpellegrino Young Chef Scholarship - Winner

Alma

Vallensia Cavella Wijaya — Alma

We’ve partnered with Sanpellegrino for the second year in a row for the Young Chef Scholarship, with the goal of finding a chef working in Auckland who shows the promise, the passion and the drive to arrive somewhere great. With plenty of talent in the industry, there’s no shortage of chefs who fit that particular bill. See: the winner of the 2022 scholarship, Vallensia Cavella Wijaya. Wijaya, also a finalist in 2021, submitted a dish of charred octopus with a sambal dabu dabu in a bowl of spiced gazpacho. It’s the kind of dish that appeals to your base senses: the octopus, marinated in aromatics and kecap-manis sweetness (“one of my grandma’s secret marination recipes,” Wijaya says), is then charred on an open fire and served with its tentacles curved around the dabu dabu with its heart of fresh chillies and shallots. The underlying gazpacho adds a baseline of heat and flavour.

More about Alma
Runner-Up

Pici

Pici (pronounced “peachy”) is everything we love about restaurants. In a world saturated with decision-making, we appreciate Pici’s small and concise menu, which is usually complemented by one or two specials that somehow become the most interesting options, no matter what they are. If you’re not enamoured of those, this is our go-to order here: a plate of so , dimpled focaccia; a side of citrussy bitter leaves, to cut through the indulgence; saucy and cheesy pici cacio e pepe; the spaghettini vongole; and either the ’nduja option or the ragù, depending on whether it’s raining. Then, the cheesecake, of course. (Note: This is almost the entire menu.) 

More about Pici
Runner-Up

Mr Morris

Arguably last year’s biggest and splashiest opening, Mr Morris has now settled into its Britomart home and found a place in the hearts of Aucklanders, who are very fond of the whole thing. Michael Meredith, the executive chef who’s well known in Auckland’s hospitality scene, has brought his fine-dining touch to Mr Morris, with food you can tell is deeply serious, though the looser proceedings and environment bring a sense of play to it. Mr Morris is open during the day if you want to settle in for a long corporate lunch, though go for dinner to get the full “trust the chef” experience.

More about Mr Morris
Runner-Up

Sidart

Chef Lesley Chandra took over ownership of Sidart late last year from Sid and Chand Sahrawat, its founders, continuing the work they had done to establish the restaurant — found down the back of an unassuming arcade — as one of the finest in the city. There is a discovery menu that can be tailored according to your preferences with either five or seven courses (a vegetarian/vegan menu is available as well). Expect refined, beautifully plated food with careful attention to flavour and an understanding of complementary textures. Of course, it’s also hard to overlook the appeal of Sidart’s dining room, which is always a nice place to escape to from the outside world below and to be treated to a wonderful view of Tāmaki Makaurau if you visit while the sun is still out. 

More about Sidart
Runner-Up

The Engine Room

The Engine Room is the quintessential neighbourhood bistro. Handwritten chalkboard menu, thick white dinner plates, the lights dimmed to a perfect medium, salt and pepper shakers on the tables. They know who they are, and we love them for that. Everything at The Engine Room is tasty, with a classic timelessness that has you wondering why you don’t see much pork schnitzel on menus any more. Our other go-to here are the steak frites, which the kitchen nails just like you’d expect, and the fish of the day (on one visit, a well-executed snapper) that is served with a delicate crayfish bisque. It’s food that evokes a sense of being at home while still feeling special.

More about The Engine Room
Runner-Up

The Shed

The food at The Shed at Te Motu is exactly the type of fare you want to be eating while on Waiheke: bowls of marinated olives grown on the island, oysters from the local Te Matuku Bay, raw fish in soy cream, fried bread spread with sambal and sauerkraut. It’s sun-soaked flavours (well, aspirationally sun-soaked during the cloudy winter months) with a focus on provenance, and an elegant simplicity that’s especially appealing when accompanied by excellent wine. 

More about The Shed
Finalists: Alta Bar Magda Milenta
Runner-Up

Apéro

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605

605 New North Rd, Morningside

Bar Magda

25B Cross St, Newton

The Engine Room

115 Queen St, Northcote Point

The Grove

St Patrick’s Square, Wyndham St, Central city

The Lodge Bar

Commercial Bay,7 Queen St , Central city

The Oyster Inn

124 Ocean View Rd, Oneroa, Waiheke

The Shed

76 Onetangi Rd, Waiheke

Three Seven Two

21 The Strand, Onetangi, Waiheke

Santhiya - CLOSED

1270 Dominion Rd, Mt Roskill

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