I had the opportunity to eat dinner here twice while staying at the Hilton, and both were…read morephenomenal experiences. First of all, the ambiance is spectacular, with gorgeous views of the harbor. My first night, dozens of sailboats were out, singly and in groups. The staff was welcoming - a sense of formality, but not pretentiously so. The first night, I had the Signature West Coast Whitebait Fritter, Kūmara Fries, and Mango and Mānuka Honey Cheesecake. The second night, I had the Signature Mediterranean Crab Cakes and the Herb Crusted Mt Cook Alpine Salmon. All were wonderful. The small plates were the Whitebait Fritter and the Crab Cakes. New Zealand Whitebait is a real delicacy, and they were perfectly cooked in what would better be described as a thin omelette rather than a fritter, topped with a deliciously rich buerre blanc and fried capers. Stunning! The Crab Cakes were served with a crayfish lemon mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar. Quite tasty with a nice crunch - use the lemon, it really helps bring out the flavor. Of the two, I would recommend the Whitebait Fritter hands down. It's something I will remember. I got the Kūmara Fries (New Zealand's sweet potato) as a side, and they are delicious. Coated with some parmesan cheese and served with black garlic mayo! So good. And it's a large serving - from looking around, all of their sides are designed for more than one person. That said, I did a pretty good job with the fries by myself. The Herb Crusted Mt Cook Alpine Salmon is another New Zealand-centric dish. The dish is exquisite and overwhelming. The salmon itself was perfection - perfectly cooked and rich in flavor. Then add the delicious pickled fennel, the red capsicum marmalade, the horseradish cream, herb oil, and the saltiness of fish roe? Explosions in your mouth. The Mango and Manuka Honey Cheesecake was rich and delicious with a nice crust. They also had a nice selection of New Zealand beers, wines, and liquors.

We were staying in the Hilton so we ate breakfast here during our stay. I ordered off the menu…read morehaving pancakes one day and French toast another. Both were beautifully presented with fresh fruit and flowers to adorn the main dish. The food was excellent. I also had a hot latte which was creamy, hot, and came with latte art. So good. We were seated at tables on the windows to enjoy the beautiful harbor views. Service was excellent.

My wife and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary by…read morecatching the Sea Link car ferry from Half Moon Bay Marina to Waiheke. I had never thought of Waiheke as a weekend break let alone holiday destination. We stayed at the Cross Trees Chalet, conveniently located in the property adjacent to the Te Whau Estate. After two weeks of windy, rainy and cold weather, we were blessed to have clear, still weather on this jaunt. Arriving at Te Whau, we were stunned at the view. The restaurant is located atop a hill, and looks down at its vineyard. Across the small inlet, one can see the Kennedy Point Ferry terminal. And what a marvellous view made all the more spectacular by the fading azure blue skies and the sun painting the skyline above Auckland City a burnished gold. Just spectacular. We started with the entree of Seared Kingfish and my wife had scallops. I can't really say much other than superb. For my main, I had Gnocchi wrapped in aubergine while my wife had the lamb. Again, both dishes were just superb. For dessert, I had a cheddar cheese with a glass of Semillon. My wife had the sticky date pudding. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to get the cheese platter because I just wanted more. The sticky date pudding was the best I have ever eaten in the world. The flat white (coffee) she had with it was the best flat white she'd ever had. And she can drink coffee! ;-) This has been the best dining experience I have had in a long time. The service was great. Tony and Moira have really set the bar high with their care and attention to detail. It's easy to see why they have done very well with awards over the years. But don't take my word for it, try it yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Absolutely stunning view of Auckland and Waiheke Island, with a fantastic restaurant and tasting…read moreroom. The quality of the food and wine is easily matched with amazing service. I arrived at 2.50pm for lunch, which ends at 3pm. They were more than willing to accommodate my needs, and served me a fantastic lunch of pork and pistachio terrine (see photo). I will be back next time I'm in Auckland!

What an incredible winery. We did a tasting in the Cellar Door. And then had a super lunch at the…read moreArchive Bistro. Would definitely visit again when we're in the area.

Beautiful scenery, nice wines, contrarian wine guide…read more Came here as part of a wine tour and I was immediately captivated by the stunning scenery. It was picture-perfect. My tour group was seated outside so we could drink in the views as much as the wine. I was so looking forward to this. Easily the worst wine guide I have ever had the privilege to meet. He really ruined the whole experience. This older gentleman insisted on being right. He had to be right and he wanted to argue everything. It didn't matter on what topic, he opposed everything anyone said. He lectured us on how to enjoy wine, not to be obsessed with the grapes, and hid every label demanding for us to tell him what our first impressions were. It felt less like a wine tasting and more like a judgy class where we were being quizzed. He argued about water, weather, pronunciation of words. Listen, I go wine tasting for escapism. Not to be judged by a Brit my father's age. It was a sour note to end on.

Absolutely wonderful. First dinner in Auckland and it was a winner. Our server was Valentine...she…read morewas excellent. We ordered way too much food...it just looked so good. We ordered: Wood Fired King Prawn. The King Prawn arrived and it was beautiful and very large. It was served with a black peppered pancetta and a gremolata sauce of which both enhanced the grilled prawn. Not a drop was left. Mamma D's East Coast Beef Meatballs. They were big and filling. Some of the best meatballs served in restaurant. I thought they were packed a little tight. I loosely form mine when tends to ensure tenderness. The sauce was perfect and they went well the side dishes. Cacio & Pepe was served and it was the prettiest we had ever seen and probably the best we have ever had. Put it right up there with those served in Roma. Polenta - another winner and beautiful. It also went well with the meatballs. Creamy and delicious just wish we could have eaten the whole dish or had a kitchen where we were staying...that good. Baduzzi was hopping the night we were there. So glad that we had reservations...highly recommend booking.

Balduzzi is a spot I've been to twice. It's in Wynard Quarter in a cozy spot near the ASC building…read more It's even got an Italian three wheeled truck outside. The owner is from Italy and the care shows. The pastas are great and the highlight are the meatballs. They are huge so beware but delicious. We were yearly too full after the great bread to even think about the pasta but they were both great. There are two parts to the restaurant but we liked the patio area outside. Overall a nice spot for both lunch and dinner.

Amazing service! Our server was from France. What a wonderful person! Please let him know his…read morerecommendations and knowledge of the menu was flawless! We look forward to returning! Derek

Awesome experience. The staff were super awesome and so was the food. The portion sizes were…read moredeceptively good. The service exceptional.

Cable Bay exceeded our expectations! We loved the gorgeous view and had a wonderful tasting with…read moreMJ. Afterwards, we enjoyed pizza at the restaurant. I was able to get mine vegan and gluten free, and they have celiac safe preparations which was so nice. Whatever vegan cheese they used was the best Ive had on pizza!

We came to waiheke island to check out the vineyards but couldn't make it to any more. Cable bay…read morevineyard was a beautiful experience. we did a wine tasting and after grabbed a bite from the restaurant as we soaked in the calm and relaxing scenery. our servers were great with recommendation . Definitely a must try amongst all of the vineyards.

We happened upon The Occidental on our way and say food being served on their outside dining area…read morewhich looked amazing. After seeing our original destination we decided to return and have dinner there. The Occidental did not disappoint,we ordered their mussels and have to say they were the best I have ever had. Although the restaurant was very busy our service was excellent and the atmosphere was contagious. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. We were visiting New Zealand for only 3 days but made an effort to return the next day and have lunch, again we received great service and good vibes. I highly recommend this thriving pub like atmosphere for the food and ambiance.

My wife and I ate here during a recent visit to Auckland. The food was excellent--we ordered the…read moremixed grill mussels platter and ribs, and everything was delicious. We were really enjoying the food, atmosphere, and service from our waitress. The reason for the lower rating was an interaction we witnessed involving a tall, bald staff member. An older Asian group was seated near our table. A few moments after they sat down, several additional members of their group sat at a nearby table without first checking with the hostess. The staff member approached them and explained that the table was reserved and that other guests might be arriving. While the request itself seemed reasonable, the way it was handled was not. He spoke very loudly and aggressively, to the point that the entire restaurant turned to see what was happening. The group appeared embarrassed, stood up, and left the restaurant. As Asian visitors ourselves, the incident left us feeling uncomfortable. We understand that restaurants need to manage reservations and seating arrangements, but customers should be treated with courtesy and respect, especially when a simple explanation would likely have resolved the situation. It's unfortunate because the food and the rest of the service were excellent. This would have been a 5-star experience otherwise. I hope management addresses situations like this more professionally in the future.

My husband and I chose Auckland for our milestone anniversary celebration trip coupled with a…read moredinner degustation meal at The Grove. We opted for the 8 course (no drink pairing) and were absolutely wowed. Coming from the US, we didn't know what it meant to start a meal with "snacks" - this included venison roasted on natural charcoal with pine dusting, pacific coast oysters, large clam shells with a mouthwatering soup, and another whose name escapes me shaped like star anise. This was just how the meal began, the it was a journey through the flavors, textures, smell, and tastes of New Zealand, my favorite being the horse mussel. We ended the meal (after 2.5 hours) with dessert snacks of various textures and flavors. I was beyond stuffed and impressed. I was also surprised that we had to pay for our meal where we checked in and weren't given a bill or check. In the US, one rarely leaves the table without paying, but the trust and care shown to customers is unparalleled. As my husband and I were heading out, the owner, Michael who knew we were Americans, wished us a Happy Thanksgiving and shared that his wife had prepared pumpkin pie at his other restaurant in honor of the holiday, if we were interested. So kind. So full - both stomachs and hearts. Please visit if you're in the area.

We chose the 8 course experience and thoroughly enjoyed it…read more We snagged a last minute reservation based on online reviews and an in person confirmation from a couple that I met on a tour. I will warn you, the experience isn't cheap, but if you're a foodie and you enjoy food experiences go ahead and take the plunge. The total experience takes about 3 hours as you are being presented with individual courses and a palate cleanse. We didn't opt for the wine pairing but I'm told it's a great choice. I thoroughly enjoy food but rarely venture outside of my comfort zone when it comes to consuming certain animals but I did and was quite surprised. I'd definitely say add this experience on your list if visiting New Zealand.