Amelia WilliamsI don’t know about you, but whenever I stay at a hotel, the last thing I want to do is order crappy room service food. But the desire not to wander far always wins (at least, it does for me).
That’s why I got familiar quickly with staying at hotels that have restaurants that make my mouth water at the sight of their dishes.
So, if you find yourself staying in our city and need some hotel restaurants that are actually worth eating at, take a look at my list. Here are my top picks for the best hotel restaurants in Auckland.
1. Living Room
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Website
Address: Park Hyatt Auckland 99 Halsey Street
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 11 AM to 9 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 8 AM to 9 PM
Phone: +64 9 366 2503
Price: $$
At The Living Room at Park Hyatt Auckland, you can linger over a latte at noon or clink Champagne flutes at sunset. That’s the perk of their All-Day Dining menu.
But most people come here for dinner. Their ½ roast chicken has skin crackling with rosemary salt, and meat so tender it nearly falls off the bone. That silky mash and broccolini kissed by the grill only raise the luxurious taste of the meal.
I personally enjoy their Braised Lamb Shank. I love how it’s slow-cooked in a pool of kumara purée.
Pro Tip: Go all-in on the Wine & Champagne Experience. The sommelier’s picks—three curated glasses paired with your meal—are stellar, but the Louis Roederer Champagne flight is my fav.
2. Eight Restaurant at Cordis, Auckland
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Website
Address: 83 Symonds Street, Grafton
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6 AM to 11 AM, 5:30 PM to 10 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 6 AM to 11 AM, 12 noon to 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM to 10 PM
Phone: +64 9 300 2924
Price: $$$
For an interactive dinner, Eight at Cordis Auckland is the place to be. Dinner runs from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. There are eight interactive kitchens, each with a chef cooking to order in front of you.
Feel free to roam: grab a stool at the sushi counter and order freshly rolled tuna nigiri, huddle around the teppanyaki grill, or just queue at the Indian station for butter chicken that’ll ruin every takeout you’ve ever had.
The vibe? Global street market meets luxury dining hall—electric, immersive, and unapologetically gluttonous.
Pro Tip: Whenever I’m craving a splurge, I like to go for their Crayfish Nights on Sundays for $129. Those sweet, briny, plump New Zealand crayfish served fresh off the grill always fill the plate high.
3. Kingi
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Website
Address: Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway Street
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 7 AM to 9 PM
Phone: +64 9 300 9596
Price: $$$
Kingi at Hotel Britomar is in a moody, brick-lined space that feels equal parts urban loft and coastal hideaway.
Every dish here whispers the terroir of the sea. They have everything from line-caught snapper from Leigh, Te Matuku oysters from Waiheke, and mussels hauled by hand from the Chatham Islands.
The August Set Menu ($55) is a steal. They have Wild Wapiti nigiri, and green-lipped mussels swimming in nduja-spiked beurre blanc.
For mains, the Snapper is pearly flesh bathed in a tomato-crayfish bisque that’s so deep and aromatic.
Pro Tip: Skip the predictable and dive into the “Tasti of Kingi” raw bar course. It’s a curated plunge into the best of their seafood, best enjoyed at the counter with a view of the open kitchen.
4. DeBretts Kitchen
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Website
Address: 3B O’Connell Street, Auckland Central
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 7 AM to 9 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 7:30 AM to 9 PM
Phone: +64 9 925 9000
Price: $$
Debretts Kitchen at Hotel Debrett blends pared-back elegance with a laid-back vibe.
They’ve got exposed brick, soft leather booths, and a soundtrack of clinking wine glasses.
Dinner here is from 5:30 pm and is all about hearty flavors with a refined edge.
I personally enjoy their Beef Cheek Bolognese. The pillowy, handmade gnocchi is smothered in a sauce so rich and meaty. I love how they top it with a cloud of whipped ricotta and a drizzle of peppery olive oil.
But the lamb ribs are what keep me coming back. They’re fall-apart tender, glazed in a sticky jus, and paired with tahini coconut yoghurt that adds a nutty contrast.
Pro Tip: Don’t sleep on their High Tea (weekends, 12:30 pm-4 pm). They serve smoked salmon croissants, delicate lemon curd tarts, and scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam.
5. Visaya Restaurant
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Website
Address: 18 Airpark Drive, Māngere
Hours: Open 24 hours
Phone: +6495518888
Price: $$$
Visaya Restaurant at Sudima Hotel is where farm-to-table isn’t a trend—it’s a way of life. They have an herb garden right outside their restaurant!
The Chickpea & Black Bean Burger is what I like to get. It’s got a smoky patty, tangy habanero sauce, and tomato chutney piled on a pillowy bun.
The Warm Tofu Thai Salad is a crowd favorite. It’s a fresh mix of vermicelli, crunchy slaw, and mango, all tossed in tamarind ponzu dressing with a chili oil kick.
Pro Tip: If you’re staying at Sudima, you can order via room service.
6. Bistro Saine
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Website
Address: 51 Albert Street, Auckland Central
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 6:30 AM to 11 PM
Phone: +64 9 610 8404
Price: $$$
Bistro Saine at Hotel Indigo carries on European culinary traditions. The restaurant itself exudes elegance, but the real draw is the kitchen’s precision.
Many people enjoy the Market Fish Fillet (market price). It’s basically the freshest local catch of the day.
You may end up with snapper or tarakihi, seared until the skin crackles. It’s then draped over a saffron-kissed bouillabaisse sauce studded with plump mussels and silky poached fennel.
The roast Bostock chicken, though, is one of my favs. It’s juicy, herb-rubbed, and served alongside barley-studded roasted butternut.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip the bar. Their Bee’s Knees Cocktail—gin shaken with wild thyme honey and salvaged mandarin—is citrusy, floral, and just sweet enough to maybe persuade you to like botanical drinks.
7. BODA
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Website
Address: Top Floor/8 Customs Street East, Auckland Central
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6 AM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Phone: +64 9 302 9424
Price: $$$
Perched atop the Mövenpick Hotel, Boda is giving Korean food a fine dining edge. The vibe is sleek and intimate, but their $59 three-course dinner is a steal.
For mains, the Gochujang Chicken Roulade is great. It’s got tender chicken with daikon, glazed in sticky-sweet black garlic sauce.
You can also go bold with the Grilled Scotch Fillet. I like how its richness is cut by the earthy Jerusalem artichoke and galbi sauce.
Dessert? The Baesuk—poached pear in saffron-cinnamon syrup—goes well with their espresso martini.
Pro Tip: Gather six friends and do the shared menu (for 6) to save money.
8. Esther Restaurant
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Website
Address: 4 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland Central
Hours:
- Monday & Tuesday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 5:30 PM to 10 PM
- Wednesday to Friday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12 Noon to 3 PM, 5:30 PM to 10 PM
- Saturday – 7 AM to 11 AM, 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
- Sunday – 7 AM to 11 AM, 5:30 PM to 10PM
Phone: +64 9 379 9123
Price: $$$
Esther’s open country-style kitchen, with its copper pots and hanging herbs, sets the stage for a Mediterranean meal you won’t forget.
But I like to come here on Tuesdays. Why? Well, Tuesdays are for steak night. They cook up Speckle Park, Savannah, and Lake Ohau Wagyu cuts, seared over flames until you’re mouth is watering.
They serve it with duck fat potatoes and a salad. They also serve up lamb souvlaki. It’s charred, garlicky, and wrapped in pillowy pita.
Pro Tip: Book the semi-private dining space for groups of 10+.
9. Harbour Society
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Website
Address: Crn. Customs East Street and, Gore Street
Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12 Noon to 2 PM, 6 PM to 9 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 7 AM to 11 AM, 12 Noon to 2 PM
- 6 PM to 9 PM
Phone: +64 9 379 1860
Price: $$$
Harbour Society at S/O Auckland Hotel is where the Waitematā Harbour paints itself in twilight hues beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. The ever-evolving menu has dishes that are both familiar and quietly daring.
Many people like to start off with the Mt Cook Salmon. It’s buttery slices draped over a delicate agadashi broth, dotted with ikura pops like oceanic confetti.
I like their Chestnut & Ricotta Ravioli. The burnt butter and sage always linger after every bite.
For their mains, try The Market Fish. It’s grilled over coal until the skin blisters and cooked with turmeric-kissed cashew cream and a chimichurri that you’ll love as much as I did.
Pro Tip: If you like dessert, get the All About Chocolate. It’s dark chocolate with hazelnut praline and a mandarin crumble.
10. Beast & Butterflies Auckland
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Website
Address: 196/200 Quay Street, Auckland Central
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 6:30 AM to 9 PM
Phone: +64 9 377 0349
Price: $$
Beast & Butterflies at M Social Hotel fuses Thai and European dishes.
Their take on Hawke’s Bay Lamb Rump is delicious. I like their harissa-rubbed lamb with the Cumin yoghurt, sweet peppers, and that hazelnut crunch.
Their Butcher’s Premium Beef Cut leans more luxe. It’s got truffle mayo smeared over the potato terrine, shiitake umami, and a port jus so deep you could swim in it.
Or if you like fish, their Yellow Belly Flounder is brown butter pooled around lemon confit and capers.
Pro Tip: Save room for the Chefs’ Cheese Selection. It’s local and imported cheeses, served with lavash, honeycomb, and chutney.
11. Onemata
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Website
Address: Park Hyatt Auckland 99 Halsey Street, Auckland Central
Hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM
- Thursday & Friday – 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12 Noon to 2 PM, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday – 7 AM to 11 AM, 12 Noon to 2 PM, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM
- Sunday – 7 AM to 11 AM, 12 Noon to 2 PM
Phone: +64 9 366 2500
Price: $$$
Onemata at Park Hyatt has an open kitchen and a menu crafted from hyper-local, organic ingredients.
They prepare dishes that blend New Zealand favorites with Asian flavors. Of course, they also have a wonderful selection of New Zealand wines and local craft beers.
Foodwise, I like to get the Bostock Organic Chicken Breast. I love how in every bite past the crackling skin, you can taste the velvety buttermilk saucy marinade, and a hint of sage.
But for others, the Mapo Tofu is where it’s at. Although it doesn’t have that same strong stench you’d find in the streets of China, it comes quite close. The silken tofu cubes swim in pork-laced chili oil, and it’s topped with green onions.
Pro Tip: For the full experience, opt for the Taste of Onemata ($98). It starts with a Duck Liver Pâté, smoothed over horopito-spiked mustard and focaccia. Then, you’ll enjoy a fish crudo brightened by citrus and sesame.
Dessert? Chocolate Crémeux under a veil of honeycomb ice cream and potato chip crunch.
12. East Restaurant
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Website
Address: 63-67 Nelson Street, Auckland Central
Hours: Monday to Sunday – 12 Noon to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM
Phone: +64 9 399 2361
Price: $$
East Restaurant at Sudima Hotel proves plant-powered dining doesn’t mean sacrificing soul. This is modern Asian cuisine reimagined.
The Malaysian Nyonya Vegetable Curry is what I like to get. It’s got delicious coconut flavours, and tofu puffs soaking up that turmeric and lemongrass broth.
Their Water Chestnut Wontons float in a chili-infused broth, with a hint of peanut crumb and coriander.
The Spicy Garlic Eggplant is also great. I love how they caramelize it and drench it in garlic-chili and then pile it high with spring onions.
Pro Tip: Sundays belong to Yum Cha here. You’ll find dumplings steamed to perfection, stuffed with mushrooms and edamame, or crispy tofu “pork buns” that defy logic.
