Over the past decade, Apéro has firmly established itself as a mainstay of the Tāmaki Makaurau dining scene, and it’s easy to see why. While it might have all the trappings of a typical wine bar, Apéro is so much more — a perfectly formed little restaurant that feels like a perpetual dinner party; the type of place where customers and staff know each other by name and regulars, united by their shared love, catch up at the bar. Whether you’re calling in on your way home from work for a glass of vermouth or settling in for the evening to watch the comings and goings of Karangahape Rd, visiting this cosy nook feels like joining a family gathering.

While the standing menu includes some of the city’s best French cooking — satisfying, earthy, unapologetic — we look to Apéro’s blackboard for constantly changing specials. There you’ll find properly original interpretations of the ubiquitous raw fish starter, rustic meaty terrines or perhaps a thick, juicy slab of grilled heritage pork with an aromatic dollop of kasundi. Their seasonal puddings alone are worth a visit — for example, the fleeting feijoa has no higher expression than in the perfumed steam that pours out from the first spoon driven through one of co-owner and chef Leslie Hottiaux’s pillowy soufflés. As for wine, there may be an excellent list available but you’re best advised to describe your mood and let co-owner Mo (Ismo Koski) show you the way. You’re in very safe hands. 

We never leave without finishing the night with a plate of petites madeleines, served hot from the oven. Heavenly.