Here at Urban List New Zealand, we spend a lot of time thinking about the next meal. Whether it’s a bar, bakery, restaurant or pop-up event, we’re all ears (and appetite). From restaurant collabs (check out The Feed for food news across Aotearoa every week), special events, or new openings from seasoned hospitality legends—Tāmaki Makaurau hospitality is a thing of resilience, flavour-forward creations and all about sharing culture and ideas, one tasty plate at a time.

Here are the best openings in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland right now. 

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Gui

49 Nuffield Street

Image credit: Gui | Supplied

Gui is not, as co-owners Kevin Choi and Vannesa Jesica of Milford's Olle make it clear, just another Korean BBQ. They have opened Gui, in part, to show the other side of what Korean BBQ can be. Here, the grills are charcoal—not electric—and the service and drink offering is a considered part of the experience. You’ll want to start your meal with zingy, spicy market fish crudo, which arrives piled high with slices of cucumber and glistening strips of seaweed, or perhaps a crispy plate of popcorn shrimp with chilli mayo. Then, the charcoal grill will arrive, burning red hot, alongside a plate of meat of your choice; the menu will change regularly depending on availability, but may include thin slices of shortrib, chunks of marbled scotch fillet, or pork belly. Where Olle takes classic Korean flavours and works them into European-style dishes, Gui feels wholeheartedly and unabashedly Korean. There’s a funk from ferments and pastes, a serious line of spice throughout the menu, and a sense of genuine flavour balance. 

Bria

480 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn

Image credit: Bria | Supplied

Relaunched in the old Honey Bones space, Bria, opened by the same Honey Bones team, takes all the things that made Honey Bones such a cult-classic and expands upon them, with a liquor license, all-day service and, for the first time, dinner. The breakfast menu will feel familiar; it still features all of the classic favourites, alongside additions like Istanbul scramble with curried cauliflower, feta and sage on Turkish pide, but it’s over lunch and dinner that things really ramp up. Expect gnocchi with beef cheek ragu, nicoise salad with seared tuna loin, and house-made charcuterie from The Butcher Baker, beef tartare, and more. 

Matchbox

45 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby

Image credit: Matchbox | Supplied

Walking into Matchbox, you might think the space looks eerily familiar. And that’s because it is. When Kamal Haggerty and Alejandro Vasquez took over the former Deadshot space they kept the bones exactly as they were. But that is where any similarities between Deadshot and Matchbox end. This is not Deadshot 2.0. This is a singular concept from an immensely talented team who are bringing something genuinely invigorating to Auckland’s bar scene. There are boundary-pushing cocktails and some of the city's best tacos that are served until last orders. 

La Buvette by Bare Wine

104 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn

Bare Wine has expanded above ground, operating as a cafe by day, with eighthirty coffee and local pastries from Copain, and their much-loved a cave à manger by night. Meaning 'refreshment stand', or casual bar in French, this new life for Bare brings the same great food, great wine and inherent sense of community that made the Brown Street basement such a busy spot. Kane from Elsewhere has stayed in the kitchen too, with a slightly pared back menu for now that will expand as they settle into the space. 

Aka Rooftop

Level 15 Radisson Red, 33 Lorne Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Views of the city from Aka Rooftop | Vicki Young

Aka is the largest outdoor rooftop bar in Australasia, perched above Tāmaki Makaurau right in the city centre on Lorne Street. With panoramic views and a modern Asian menu (Aka means ‘red’ in Japanese), expect Southeast Asian-influenced bites led by seasoned Head Chef Edberg Loh (Marina Bay Sands, Cafe Hanoi, Xuxu Dumpling Bar). From juicy karaage with ginger marinade, crunchy san choy bau, and wontons loaded with crab, the menu is loaded with goodies. Make your way (up 15 levels in fact), stat. 

Agnès

98 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead

Image credit: Agnès | Supplied 

Agnès is all about bringing back old school hospitality of classic bistro food done well. The menu will fed you well from dawn to dusk, with breakfast matcha yoghurt soft-serve, and house-made Cumberland sausage with beef fat chips during the day, to chef’s ideal burger (we’re talking dry-aged beef, raclette and onions) with wine over golden hour. Plus, we hear their toffee pud is worth saving room for. Read about our visit ahead of their opening day here. 

Aarth

1/333 Parnell Road, Parnell

Image credit: Aarth | Supplied 

Aarth is the debut restaurant from chef Vicky Shah (Cassia, Sidart, Ki Māha) reimagining modern Indian dining in Tāmaki Makaurau. Translating to “deeper meaning,” Aarth is about exploring the history, emotion and symbolism in Indian cuisine. 

From a playful pink-hued kokum oyster dotted with vibrant green curry leaf oil, to whitebait bhaji with lime leaf chaat masala, their take on a Kiwi Butter Chicken in snack form, or the choose-your-own chutney adventure with 'lamb and too many chutneys', each dish is a powerhouse. Finish with a nostalgic nod to mango lassi, complete with charred pineapple, mango custard and pops of sweet lychee. 

Aarth’s menu is a love letter to flavour and texture inspired by heritage, a delicate balance of spices and pleasantly unexpected combinations of ingredients. 

Bravo at Cracker Bay

9 Westhaven Drive, Auckland CBD

Along the Auckland Harbour is the latest marina addition Cracker Bay at Westhaven. Bravo at Cracker Bay is giving dreamy dining by the water, from breakfast through to night. Start the day with tiramisu French toast, or savoury options like nduja flatbread (do add a fried egg) for breakfast. Snack on prawn toast for lunch and dinner, or push the boat out (pun-intended) with The Bravo Seafood Platter—complete with prawn toast, market oysters, sashimi, tuna tacos, plus the option to add half a crayfish. A sister to Ayrburn in Arrowtown, finish the night with one of their Ayrburn wines while admiring one of the best sunset views in Tāmaki Makaurau. 

CURIO

Corner of Wyndham &, 151 Queen Street, Auckland CBD

Formerly Little Culprit (across the road from Culprit), is Culprit’s new bar chapter Curio, a newly transformed cocktail and wine lounge, for “the unique and uncanny.” Decked out with old-school film treasures along the bar walls, Curio bar is a nod to Kyle Street’s fave films from the 80s and 90s, particularly the 1984 film The Gremlins. The menu covers refined cocktails layered with flavours that will throw you back to nostalgic memories of breakfast crumpets (cue beverage director Liam McLennan’s crumpet-infused bourbon with maple syrup and marmite ‘Old Fashioned,’ a.k.a. ‘Krump’) alongside non-alcoholic offerings of all their signature cocktails, thanks to the talents of their friends Project Hydrosol. Pair your sip with snacks from Culprit across the road (we’re looking at you, garam masala fried chicken).

Den Ramen Bar 

22A Cross Street, Newton

Image credit: Den Ramen Bar | Supplied

Tokyo street ramen food truck Miso-Ra and the Pici crew have opened their joint venture Den Ramen Bar just off K’Rd (on Cross Street). For those who have been following Miso Ra’s food truck locations across Tāmaki Makaurau for that miso ramen fix, you can now check out this new brick and mortar chapter tucked just off Karangahape Road. Open for walk-ins only—we’ll see you there for comforting bowls of shio, shoyu and miso ramen, as well as an excellent snacks and drinks list. 

Goldie's Bar & Yard

138 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna

Image credit: Goldie's Bar & Yard | Supplied

Goldie’s Bar and Yard opened in Takapuna in May, bringing a slice of Wild-West-meets-Palm-Springs to the North Shore with this venue from Star Group. Expect long lunches featuring Southern-inspired bites and cocktails through day to night, and get ready for big line-dancing energy in the golden-hour glow (along with live country music and a mechanical bull if you dare). With bites like Goldie’s fried chicken (don't forget the bourbon BBQ sauce), a fluffy slab of "Texan toast" with a big quenelle of jalapeño honey butter on top, and their show-stopping Honky Tonk Hammer of slow-roasted beef shin to share (pre-order only), you'll be well-fed all night long. Bring your dancing shoes (or should we say cowboy boots) and head to Goldie’s, stat. 

Hapunan

2 Anzac Avenue, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Hapunan (CBD store) | Facebook

For those who have been to Hapunan in Huapai or been lucky enough to get a plate of their sell-out Lechon Kawali meets Bicol Express at the night markets, you’ll be stoked to know they’ve opened up their second store in Tāmaki Makaurau city centre earlier in March. Don’t forget to get their award-winning Adobo del Diablo, and a scoop of house-made ube ice cream to finish, too.

蒸味轩 Little ShunDe

414 Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket

Little ShunDe is a slice of Cantonese comfort food, specialising in a dry-steaming technique from the Shunde region of Guangdong—locking in all the natural juices and flavours in ingredients. Known for their specialty dry-steamed ribs (and cauliflower for the vegetarians), as well as comforting claypots and congee, it’s no wonder this restaurant has been humming since day one—expect to wait for your table, often with queues out the door during peak lunch and dinner time.  

Mulleti - Nonna’s Kitchen & Spritz

Located in Ponsonby Central, 136/146 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby

The newest addition to Ponsonby Central is Mulleti, a Roman-style forno (bakery) from Enis Baçvoa (the award-winning pizzaiolo behind Tāmaki Makaurau institution Dante’s). Choose from Roman tray pizza by the slice (paying by weight and choosing from different pizzas and toppings in the same order), long Roman pizza sandwiches, Roman street food (with fried faves like pizza fritta), and comforting baked pasta straight from nonna’s kitchen. Speaking of nonna, every slice, pasta al forno, fritto and snack at Mulleti, is their way of sharing a piece of Enis’ mother’s kitchen with Ponsonby too (look out for her beautiful photography by the entrance).  

Mussel and Chip

2 Anzac Street, Takapuna Beach

Image credit: Mussel and Chip | Instagram

Kaimoana (especially kutai a.k.a. mussels) lovers rejoice, Takapuna has a new chippery in town—Mussel and Chip—and they’re serving mussels by the dozen, with all the tallow-fried chips and fluffy focaccia sides (for that essential sauce mop). Owned by Jake Bartrom, a second generation mussel farmer, these are as fresh from farm to chippery as it gets. Choose from chorizo vodka tomato, a Vietnamese broth-inspired dozen, classic Paris Butter and wine, Thai-infused coconut with crispy shallots, buffalo-style blue cheese sauce or natural (with lemon and parsley). We’ll take all six dozen with a crisp local beer on tap (they also have cider, wine by the glass, non-alc options and free soda water too). 

RETURN

165 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby

Image credit: RETURN | Supplied (Photography by Amber Soljan)

Return is a nod to husband and wife duo, Chef Matt and Barbara Lambert’s Aotearoa homecoming—a return to independent hospitality and the internationally-recognised culinary innovation they’re bringing to their next chapter in Tāmaki Makaurau.

With signature snacks like chef’s take on ‘fish & chips,’ featuring a beer-battered cracker with cured white fish, pickled onions, fresh herbs and house-made tartare, to a decadent deep-fried bone marrow topped with kina (yes, you heard that correctly), you'll start your meal well head of the rest of the menu showcasing Aotearoa kaimoana and wild game, alongside fresh, seasonal produce. Read more about our visit here.

Roe

279 Parnell Road, Parnell

Image credit: Roe | Instagram

Head into the golden sandy oasis that is 269 Parnell, and make a beeline for Roe. Opened in May from the team behind Rhu, they have a knack for doing classics right—elevated and dialled in to make the ultimate fish sando of dreams. From a shatteringly crisp tempura batter encasing freshly filleted fish, to the refreshing crunch of finely chopped lettuce and creamy, tangy, house tartare sauce between freshly-baked milk bread, it’s everything you’d ever want in a fish sando. Don’t leave without a soft serve with fish sauce caramel for dessert.

Coming Soon

Yola

Ponsonby Central

The team behind the Lebanese Grocer are opening a fully fledged restaurant in Ponsonby Central in the coming months. Details are fairly limited for now but, given the quality of food at their Pitt Street spot, you can expect it to be delicious. 

Whatever The Alma Team Decide To Do With The Daphnes Space 

71 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby

Daphnes has sadly closed, but the space will continue—the Alma team have taken over the space and, according to our sources, are opening an Italian concept. Watch this space.

Cassia (v3)

58 Albert Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Cassia | Supplied

Following three years at SkyCity and their extremely successful residency at Ozone, award-winning modern Indian restaurant Cassia is on the move. Set to open in early September, the new home will be spread across two floors next to voco Auckland City Centre. It marks the restaurant's first permanent home since their Fort St premises were flooded back in 2023, and follows the restaurant's three years at SkyCity. Expect all the signature faves from Cassia on the menu and many more exciting new bites to come.

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