Most Luxurious Restaurants In Auckland New Zealand

Although Wellington is known as New Zealand’s ‘Culinary Capital’, Auckland punches well above its weight, with both home-grown and international chefs bringing a cosmopolitan vibe to the city’s foodie scene. Here are the top dining places in Auckland we placed on our list.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Sidart Restaurant

Sidart boasts an expanding trophy cabinet of accolades. The best in Kiwi fine-dining cuisine, Sidart combines fresh and unusual ingredients with a constantly changing menu. The tasting menus are available in five- or nine-course options with wine pairings. Throughout the year, the chefs tirelessly craft and tweak the restaurant’s dynamic new menu which features dishes such as the simply described quail, swede, cashew and raspberry. Imagination gets the better of the adventurous diners, who have total faith in the chef to create the beautifully presented and delicious meals. Diners can also become a guinea pig for the day, sampling the new menu on the ‘Tuesday Test Kitchen’. For the more inquisitive diners, the chef’s table allows an immersive experience, allowing customers to interact and observe the creation of their meal.

For a very casual and enjoyable restaurant experience in Auckland Depot comes highly recommended, having won ‘Metro Magazine Restaurant of the Year 2015’ and ‘Restaurant Personality of the Year 2013’. Something of an institution, it offers considered and tasty dishes. Run by chef Al Brown, the restaurant’s ethos is ‘in season, beautifully cooked, and to be enjoyed with friends’. A popular dish is the indulgent NZ meat board with; ‘Akaroa’ pork coppa, ‘Otellos’ beef bresaola & wild venison salami, wild rabbit rillettes with cherry relish and ‘Olaf’s’ fig crostini. There’s a raw bar, where oysters and fresh shellfish are shucked to order, and the kitchen features a large charcoal grill and a hard wood oven.

Food Truck Garage

Following the TVNZ Food Truck series, the Food Truck Garage was set up in Auckland to serve the locals tasty and healthy fast food. The venue’s ethos is all about putting a healthy spin on traditional American fast food cooked in an open kitchen. As well as serving classic Angus burgers on organic buns, the vegetarian burgers are an exciting and tasty alternative. The Veetroot burger consists of a kale, beetroot and carrot patty topped with cos, tomato, gherkin and ‘awesome’ sauce. The menu’s tasty alternatives don’t stop there, baked potato fries can be washed down with the healthy trim milk and frozen yoghurt milkshakes.

Jervois Steakhouse

Self-described as ‘the steakhouse to end all arguments’, Jervois Steakhouse is a great place to visit if you like a tasty steak dinner. It also has a great selection of wines and a comfortable atmosphere.

The Grove

Located in the heart of Auckland, The Grove is known for its elegant ambiance and contemporary New Zealand cuisine. The menu features a combination of local and international flavors, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.