Metro Top 50 Restaurants
2022 Winners

Food used to be an add-on to the mall experience — the food court was there primarily to fuel customers so they could continue to shop — but in the past few years, the food offerings of new malls (and some renovated older malls) have put the food front and centre. Get people there to eat and hopefully they’ll see a pair of shoes they like on the way in or out. And there’s no better example of this new retail philosophy than Commercial Bay and its best restaurant, Gochu, serving modern Korean food that combines big flavours, subtle techniques and good vibes, all in a setting that proves distinctive, even on a floor full of eateries. While the pork milk buns with beurre blanc poured at the table have already become something of a contemporary classic, and the gochujang chicken is (predictably) on point, Gochu’s menu is just as good when you move away from the popularist bangers, especially into the seafood (like the clams in chilli pork broth) and the vegetables (like the crispy glazed eggplant with tofu cream). But if you really want to push the boat out, we recommended booking for one of the chef’s test kitchens. You won’t regret it.

Alma was conceived on a food tour of Andalusia in southern Spain with Pearson, Parkinson and Hip Group founder and CEO Jackie Grant, and its food reflects the region’s diverse influences, from northern Africa and western Asia. It is full flavoured and bold, combining seasonal produce cooked over the ever-present open flame that is the heart of the kitchen. Think delicate seafood, big hunks of meat, bright citrus and smoky char. The menu is designed to allow for both a whole table sharing many plates, big and small, and a more-individual à la carte ordering, but we suggest the former, loading up your table with as many tastes as the size of your group can handle. On a recent visit we especially enjoyed the deliciously vinegary mussel escabeche with picada (a kind of Catalan pesto) and kohlrabi, and the oh-so-tender beef tongue (served whole) topped with olives and preserved lemon. But, really, every single thing we’ve eaten there has been outstanding, so take one of the seats looking out the window to Takutai Square, or facing the fire if you’re on the other side, and rest assured you’ll have a great time. 

We’re having a harder and harder time every year sorting restaurants into strict categories. (Wait — do we say this every year? Maybe.) Is this casual, because they take mostly walk-ins, or is it smart, because the servers wear fitted jackets and refold your napkin when you go to the bathroom? Is it fine dining, because you can’t eat there à la carte and the tablecloths are white, or is it smart because you can probably get away with wearing jeans and sandals? What we’re saying is that the lines are blurry. Lillius, this year’s Best Fine-dining Restaurant, is a good example of that, with a softening of the overly formal script and manners you may find elsewhere. But the food is very fine. Better than fine, actually. Fraser McCarthy, Lillius’s head chef and co-owner, is a fine-tuner of flavour, with particular attention paid to the layering of textures, both taste-wise and visually. (It's here we had one of the best dishes of our judging, the wapiti tartare, elevated with black garlic, and so delicious.) The food, which comes in either a three-course meal or a six-course tasting menu, is served well by the lower-key, relaxed service — attentive and friendly but not rehearsed — and the lack of real separation between the diners and the kitchen, which lends it an intimate feeling, like dining at someone’s house. We think more people should eat here.

The Estrella Damm Supreme Winner in last year’s Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards, Cazador is somewhere we tell everyone to book a table at immediately. Always rising above the hype of newness, it’s a well-worn-in pair of shoes, an old friend, and a place that ticks along, quietly refreshing and reinventing itself every so often in a way you don’t really notice — it stays extremely good all the time. At the heart of it all are partners Dariush Lolaiy and Rebecca Smidt, who met while they were both working at Cazador (Lolaiy’s family owned the restaurant). The personality of the place is anchored by their passion, which has produced a neighbourhood local that serves locally focused produce, with a specialisation in game meat and charcuterie. We like how the food manages to be both cosy — thimbles of hot broth, charred celeriac, boar braised in red wine and herbs — yet also technically interesting and inventive, and never heavy. The friendly neighbourhood vibe extends to the service, which is smart but not formal, with an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what you want (or knowing exactly what’s good for you). So give in, get the Feast, and finish the night off with some sherry.

It goes without saying that the room at Tantalus is beautiful: dark, earthy and dramatic, with a level of sophistication that perfectly suits the luxurious vineyard setting. And, now, the food’s very good, too. Head chef Gideon Landman has been at Tantalus since late 2020 (previously, he was at The French Café) and the food has shifted in that time, with the menu celebrating seasonal, local produce and dishes that are representative of modern Aotearoa cooking. Your options are straightforward, with a short, to-the-point offering: snacks for the table, then a two-, three-, or four-course menu that features well-executed classics such as the pasture-raised lamb main, beautifully cooked, with kūmara, pistachio and black garlic. It’s emblematic of the food here: balanced on the plate and a delight to eat. We were also partial to the “for the table” section, particularly the olives, which come from the estate, crumbed and skewered on a picked-that-day olive stem, and a fun chicken-liver parfait number served in a cone. It’s an added bonus that tables have a view of the vines, with wine tastings available at the Cellar Door. Beer is provided by the brewery downstairs, Alibi Brewing Co, which is coincidentally a Metro Top 50 bar and worth a visit on its own. 

There are fewer new restaurants on the list this year than there may have been previously, but that makes the ones that have emerged even more special — and, arguably, better. The best of the newbies, Japanese restaurant Waku Waku, is from executive chef Makoto Tokuyama (Cocoro), chef Lucas Lee and restaurateur Jason Lee. It’s in a tucked-away location in Remuera, a little hard to find (hint: you’ll run into one restaurant first, with outside tables… Waku Waku is the one after that). It’s a lovely snug with only a small collection of tables, dark and sleek, and a bustling semi-open kitchen. Here, the refined, intricately plated food showcases balance and restraint, with expertly executed technique (see: the sashimi and nearly everything else) and little flourishes of the chefs’ takes on traditional Japanese dishes. We recommend getting the chef’s selection of entrées, which is a compelling introduction to what the restaurant is about. 

Beef tongue, olive, preserved lemon

The best dish in Auckland is from the best restaurant in Auckland (naturally), and it’s a curvy beef tongue, covered in a blanket of olives. If you’re feeling in any way put off by “beef tongue”, don’t be – it’s certainly not pretending not to be anything else, but it’s exceedingly tender and delicious in a way that makes it easy to love, grilled on the open fire and accompanied beautifully with the acid of preserved lemon and a green verde. Please order this.

The first thing you see in the restaurant is the grill section, a lovely way to be pre-greeted before being actually greeted by a lovely waiter who shows you to a table. And though the food is a highlight, it’s the service that really makes this place sing, with friendly and approachable servers who understand the thin line between being attentive and being overly so. (Our judge wrote one thing in their notes about the service: flawless. That’s all, just flawless.) That’s the thing that keeps people coming back, after all, and it’s obvious that they do, with the spot beloved by Northcote Point locals who are happy that it’s possible to eat somewhere so good so close to home.

“A sherry by-the-glass list of that length is already worthy of a shortlist,” our wine judge, Oliver Styles, says, “but a solid, all-round rundown of interesting wines of that reach is hard to beat.” Showcasing both New Zealand and international wines, the list was curated both by past sommelier (and past Personality of the Year winner) Hiro Kawahara, as well as the now-beverage director Alex Schepetkin, with input by restaurant manager Matty Keegs. A great value-for-money wine pairing is also available with the tasting menus.

Mangesh Shah — Sidart 

At Sidart, the rattle of a cocktail shaker often signals that a treat is on its way; something innovative and tasty, maybe something indicative of the food you’re about to receive. That was the case at one of our visits, in which we were served a kava gin cocktail that made us excited for the rest of the meal, served by Shah himself, who explained exactly why and how it was so special. The clear love and attention Shah gave to his craft was obvious throughout the night, and the drinks programme is an obvious drawcard for Sidart (you can even pop up to the bar for just a drink or two, if you desire it). He was a clear winner. Congrats!

Simon Benoit — Cazador

Simon is a familiar face in Auckland’s hospitality industry, coming to Cazador after a stint as The French Cafe’s sommelier, and working his magic here at our Supreme Winner Runner-Up as its restaurant manager. With a breadth of knowledge, passion and experience in wine, Benoit backs this up with a warmth and effortless knack for connecting with diners, knowing exactly what and how much to give. It’s always a pleasure to be looked after by Benoit – make sure you say hi to him for us next time you pop in.

Jo Pearson — Alma 

In the front kitchen, an open flame burns — a central hearth for things to be charred on, lending that unmistakable smoky character to so much of the food. It’s where the market fish — on one visit a beautiful, substantial blue warehou — finds itself before landing on the table, dressed with a viciously bright fennel ensalada that makes the dish pop with acid, yet mellow enough not to overpower the juciness of the fish. It’s where a whole beef tongue is grilled to just the right tenderness, presented simply on the plate with a layer of precisely cut sage-green olives. The menu is slight, with just the right amount of variation and choice, and no duds among the offerings: a testiment to the vision of Pearson, who is also the winner of The Produce Company Best Chef title. Everything is delicious, flavourful; food you scoop up, put in your mouth and then look at the person dining opposite you, eyes widened, eyebrows raised, both of you saying, silently, Can you believe this?

Vallensia Cavella Wijaya — Alma

We’ve partnered with Sanpellegrino for the second year in a row for the Young Chef Scholarship, with the goal of finding a chef working in Auckland who shows the promise, the passion and the drive to arrive somewhere great. With plenty of talent in the industry, there’s no shortage of chefs who fit that particular bill. See: the winner of the 2022 scholarship, Vallensia Cavella Wijaya. Wijaya, also a finalist in 2021, submitted a dish of charred octopus with a sambal dabu dabu in a bowl of spiced gazpacho. It’s the kind of dish that appeals to your base senses: the octopus, marinated in aromatics and kecap-manis sweetness (“one of my grandma’s secret marination recipes,” Wijaya says), is then charred on an open fire and served with its tentacles curved around the dabu dabu with its heart of fresh chillies and shallots. The underlying gazpacho adds a baseline of heat and flavour.

 David Lee — Pōni, Gochu

David Lee first got his start in Auckland hospitality in 2008 when he opened his cafe Ben Gusto in Browns Bay. In the following years, he became known as a key figure in the world of cafes, opening place after place: Little King, Dear Jervois, Major Sprout. All had Korean influences in one way or another, but his first foray into serving Korean fare came with the opening of Simon & Lee in Parnell, which had traditional Korean meals like bibimbap on the menu. From there, Lee opened The Candy Shop, and then, with Oliver Simon, Nathan Lord and Jason Kim, Gochu (this year’s Best Casual Dining – Inner City winner). This year, Lee also took over the ill-fated Poni Room to turn it around into Poni, giving it a whole new fit-out and new menu, spearheaded by ex-Ebisu chef Fred Wong. The CV is clearly impressive, but it’s the visible impact Lee has made on the dining scene, especially in the Korean cuisine space, that has made him the obvious choice for this year’s Estrella Damm Restaurateur of the Year.