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.

Pleasant atmosphere. The bread was excellent…read more The service was quite slow. The food was very expensive but very tasty and good.

Loved the family-owned aspect of this place. We tasted some wine with Tyler and he was nice to talk…read moreto and informative. The Two Daughters Rosé was absolutely delicious and I don't typically love rosé. We ate at the bistro as well. The food was okay but it wasn't that great in my opinion. Overall, it was a nice time but we didn't stay longer than just a quick tasting and a lunch.

I loved coming to Aria! I was invited by the restaurant to come along and experience Aria's new…read morewinter menu and take a look around the restaurant. I'll be honest, I would never have thought to go to a hotel restaurant for a dinner out, but I'll definitely keep them on my radar from now on! Aria is located in the Crowne Plaza lobby. Tucked away to the side you wouldn't know it was there but it's actually very inviting and perfect for a date night. We were in a big group of people trying out the winter menu which has 12 items on the menu. To start, we all tried:- Hot Smoked Akaroa Salmon with cauliflower and roasted beetroot - This was delicious, light and would be the perfect starter for a salmon lover. The salmon was perfect and cauliflower was a big highlight. Pan Seared Scallops with braised lentils and cherry tomatoes - I'm not a fan of much seafood, but these scallops were cooked to perfection and the lentils full of flavour. This would be my pick when coming back to Aria. Shiitake, Button and Portobello Mushroom Salad - I personally didn't try this dish as I don't eat mushrooms. Sweet Potato Tortellini with spinach, burnt butter and shaved parmesan - This was the entree I was looking forward to the most, the burnt butter sauce had great flavour and the tortellini filling was sweet and light, the pasta itself was perhaps a little too Al Dente for my liking but regardless, this would be my second pick to have again. Pork and Beetroot Risotto with French goats cheese - This dish looked SO good when it was placed on the table. The beetroot risotto was that perfect fuchsia colour. The pork medallions were a vey interesting texture and the flavour was overpowering for me. This was my least liked dish of the entrees. We then moved on to four main dishes:- Confit Duck with roasted pineapple, red curry and basmati rice - This was my favourite main. Incredible flavour in the thick curry, the roasted pineapple was a great addition to the curry, the duck was juicy, crispy and plentiful. This would be my pick to have again. Lamb Shanks with cannellini bean puree and silver beet - The lamb meat fell of the bone the instant you touched it with the knife, it was soft, really moist and the cannelloni be a puree with the gravy from the lamb worked so well. This would be my second pick to have again. Pork Cutlets with mushrooms and potato gnocchi - I was very surprised by this dish as the pork had a stuffed skin of mushroom and other flavour. I did ry this dish, and enjoyed it as the mushroom flavour wasn't overpowering. The gnocchi were big and soft but there was only a handful of them. Pumpkin and Buckwheat Salad with onions, Brazil nuts and cherry tomatoes - This dish looked the part! It is huge. I didn't try every element of the salad but what I did taste was great. It would be the perfect main to share. On to dessert! We tried three desserts and all were amazing:- Chocolate Melting Pot - This was I think the favourite of the table. Made with Belgian chocolate, out comes a small bowl with a pudding in it, once you open the pudding there is an amazing thick chocolate sauce to devour. This dessert is very rich and sweet. Black Doris Plum Tart - This dessert was delicious! Everything about it worked together perfectly. The plums melted in your mouth and the creme anglaise with the pistachios were so delicious. The casing or basket that the plums are baked in is a brioche which made the dessert for me. This would be my pick to have again - a hundred times over! ...and I'm not a sweet tooth person! Hazelnut Dacquoise - I was really intrigued by this dish as it just looks fun to eat. It is, it's delicious. All elements are very sweet so I didn't have too much of it but I did enjoy it. Each set of meals were wine paired and we also enjoyed a port with dessert. As you can probably tell the food was amazing, it was all presented wonderfully too. The Service was great - consistent, attentive and friendly - a great combination, they always had us smiling and topped up our drinks without us event noticing. I loved this experience and would love to come back to Aria for dinner with just my husband as it really is the perfect setting for date night. As I said before, I would never think to come to a hotel restaurant and Aria has definitely changed that for me, I went in expecting a lovely meal and night, and was blown away. My favourite meal of the night was the Confit Duck, followed by the Scallops and that Plum Tart - definitely try them!

I enjoyed dinner here. It was Friday night and I hadn't booked, but I was early enough to get a…read moretable. Service is lovely. I enjoyed Calamari Salad for entree - that was delicious. Beautiful flavours, good balance, nicely presented and delicious. The pistachios give a really nice texture. My main course was grilled Hapuka fish. That was good too, with broccolini - very nice, I swapped the kumara for a side salad. It came super quickly which was a little irritating, but better than waiting ages for it. To be fair, I had told the service staff that I was starving, so fair enough. Overall, it was all good - I would definitely come back, thank you.

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.

Wow, went last weekend on a magic day Went to the casual…read morerestaurant and had half the menu it was so good Service was great really good vibe Bread starter is a must Loved it

We walked into the bistro ready to have a terrific dinner experience based on their website photos…read moreand the warm, inviting appearance as we walked up. The ambiance was nice and felt like a cozy ski lodge. However, the hostess wasn't exactly warm or charming. She seemed to have a bit of a control issue. When we moved one of the 2 chairs at the 4-top to another side of the table, she expressed her displeasure and stated that we had to make sure that we gave the table next to us enough space, but there was definitely enough room for a small pony to walk through. The server was pretentious. The vibe we got was that he was busy with something else and could barely be bothered to share the specials and take our order. Because we weren't getting a great vibe, we decided just to order overpriced drinks instead of drinks and overpriced food. Do NOT order the old fashioned unless you like them super sweet. My husband is a fan of old fashioneds and had never had a ridiculously sugary drink as this before. The espresso martini was okay. Definitely not worth $26 though. This place is definitely overrated.

Very busy at 6.30 on a Wednesday, we tried to book but they told us they only had one table free…read moreand they kept that for walk-ins - so we moved out asses pronto and got over there to claim it! Really good choice of seafood dishes; we had the market fish (red snapper) in a ginger and garlic sauce, just delicious, melt in the mouth stuff. They were a bit short on dairy-free desserts, but we had the sticky toffee and date without the ice cream, which managed to fill in those few small holes that remained. We're booking again for the weekend! Three times we've eaten here. Definitely our favourite place in Auckland.

On our second-to-last day of roaming around Auckland and discussing the costs of owning a home in…read morehistorical or modern redeveloped areas with our New Zealand friends, Geoffrey and Margaret, they brought us to stroll around Wynyard Quarter, a waterfront area located on Auckland's Waitematā Harbor. They showed us the modern architecture, focused on sustainability, public spaces, restaurants and bars, and vibrant marina living in this redeveloped harbor area, which had quickly become a destination for tourists and locals. From the Jellicoe Harbor Breakwater built in 2020 to calm the waters for race boats and supporting yachts since Auckland's Waitematā Harbor hosted the 36th America's Cup, we could clearly see the cruise port from where we disembarked and the city center. Geoffrey and Margaret insisted on showing us the waterfront and promised to take us to a seafood restaurant. We mentioned that we love eating seafood, but were "preserving" our stomachs for casual, comfort, or unfussy food because we had been eating gourmet cuisines over the past 17 days while in Australia and during our cruise. We were thankful that they understood our request and dropped us off at our hotel to freshen up for dinner while Margaret made the reservation for an early dinner. We returned to the Wynyard Quarter's waterfront to Swashbucklers seafood restaurant, where we immediately felt comfortable with the vivaciousness of the hostess and server. We started our meal with icy-cold Peroni beers while sharing the tasty steamed mussels and garlic bread. Our server mentioned their fresh catch of the day was a snapper, which I adore, so I ordered it while my husband, Geoff, and Marg ordered the Fish & Chips, which we were told was a signature dish to Swashbucklers. All the food was flavorful and well-prepared. We were mostly impressed with the quality, quantity, and flavor of the steamed mussels. My husband gushed about the crispy, light-battered fish and the excellently textured chips. I enjoyed the tender pan-fried snapper with garlic butter, and complemented the fish with a slice of garlic bread. We'd love to return for the camaraderie, flavors, and flavors at Swashbucklers. 4.4 stars

Orphan's Kitchen was really good and a great way to see Ponsonby during our time in Auckland…read more Thanks to our friend, Mark, that recommended that place to us. There were interesting options on the menu that I've never tried before. I ordered fried eggs with kumara tortilla, sauerkraut and chili. My husband ordered soft boiled eggs with meyer lemon, anchovies and a side of hash browns. He was equally pleased. The service was prompt. I highly recommend making an advanced booking if you can. Even though we booked in advance, the restaurant was already full with a Saturday 8:30am resy. The ambiance was also very cozy. There was a back patio and upstairs that were closed off, I believe due to the rain but I could only imagine how much more enjoyable it would be on a sunny day. Thankful for our friend's recommendation. Must stop in for brekkie or lunch when in Ponsenby.

A tiny little spot for breakfast or coffee, serving delightful toasts topped with everything from…read moresautéed mixed greens (my fav) to bolognese to peanut butters and jams. The coffees are top notch, but note there is whole milk or non-dairy options (but no trim milk). Ambiance is casual and mostly high top seating.

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.