Soul Bar and Bistro restaurant review: Metro Top 50 2019

By Metro date May 2, 2019

Soul Bar and Bistro is a finalist in the Metro Peugeot Restaurant of the Year 2019 awards for Best Smart Restaurant. To see a full rundown of all our winners, click here.

Judith Tabron finally sold her Soul (sorry) to Nourish Group in the middle of last year, but you’d never know it: the Viaduct’s longest standing restaurant still runs like a well-oiled machine. The service is efficient and welcoming, the staff know the menu and they also know their wine; water glasses are never empty, orders are taken swiftly. All of which might make you think it’s Soul-less (that’s enough – ed). It’s not. Sitting outside on the terrace for lunch, under the immaculate hanging baskets, there’s sun and people watching, sunglasses and throngs below. The food is really good – there’s a focus on seafood, with a line-up of bistro classics, and it comes out fast. The salt and pepper squid is a “Soul classic”, and with good reason; not so long ago, we had a delicious pasta made with nduja, clams and sourdough crumbs, the spicy salami melting in to the deeply flavoured broth.

What it offers: Shared-plate options / À la carte / Good for vegetarians / Outdoor dining / Takes large groups / Bar / Good for kids

A favourite dish: Beer-battered tarakihi with salt and vinegar red rascals

Hours: Lunch, Dinner 7 days
Bookings: Yes
Price: $$
Chef: Gavin Doyle, executive chef; Josh Hazel, head chef