When looking at the month ahead, it seems our local hospitality industry knows no limits. As such, our July Dining Guide is stacked with enticing offerings, including a new wine bar, a special Matariki menu, and a seriously sweet degustation cake. Enjoy!
Roses Regular
This intimate little K’Road destination leans into its next culinary iteration this month with Roses Regular — a series hosted by beloved chef Katie Riley that will see the dining room open with a regular menu and burgeoning wine list in a more traditional wine bar format for the foreseeable future. With the owners away in Europe, Roses has been left in Riley’s very capable hands. Open Thursdays and Fridays (for now), get in soon, we say. A full menu and details can be found here.
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The Stars Align Matariki Dinner at SkyCity
To celebrate this celestial holiday, SkyCity’s most esteemed venues are hosting a collaborative kind of affair at both Masu by Nic Watt and Cassia. With bespoke menus featuring ingredients inspired by the Matariki stars, guests will indulge in a six-course meal with perfectly matched beverages included. And to add an exciting new element, Sid Sahrawat will welcome Al Brown from Depot into the Cassia kitchen while Nic Watt hosts special guest Michael Meredith from Mr Morris at the robata — it really is the best of the best at this one-night-only experience. Bookings are essential and can be made here.
New Sid at The French Cafe Menu
One of those truly special restaurants that never fails to impress, Sid At The French Cafe is releasing its new winter menu this month. Small snacks include Hot Smoked Aoraki Salmon Croustade with XO, rouille and sesame, and Parmesan Churro with whipped feta, smoked maple and puffed pork crackling, with the menu’s tour de force being a super-gamey Venison with romesco, black pudding, medjool date and smoked cashews. Alongside the new menu comes the announcement that the restaurant will now facilitate a more casual, drinks and snacks experience in the famous courtyard. Perfect for a last-minute dinner. More details can be found here.
A Seat at the Table with Chatham Island Food Co at Kingi
To celebrate this shift into the Māori New Year, The Hotel Britomart’s Kingi is hosting one of the most discerning dining experiences that draws inspiration from Kai Māori, and the bounty of produce that our waters offer. Hosted with Chatham Island Food Co, the menu is filled with delicacies like crayfish, black foot paua, kina, blue cod and even wild boar from the furthermost limits of our country. Having worked closely with Delwyn and Gigi Tuanui since the early days of Kingi, the restaurant has invited the duo behind the kaimoana over to speak candidly about their life on the island. Reservations are essential for this set menu and can be made here.
The Food Show
One of the most impressive events on the annual culinary calendar, the Auckland Food Show, this month returns for a four-day extravaganza. Held at Auckland’s showgrounds, it hosts a weighty programme of masterclasses, live cooking shows and talks, alongside the famous Street Food Alley — the perfect spot to refuel. You can discover the full programme and buy tickets, here.
Paella & Pinchos
If you’re looking for a taste of Spain this weekend, paradise is found at MoVida. The Paella & Pincho Saturdays series officially kicked off last weekend, highlighting much of the culinary culture from which MoVida was born. From midday until 4pm, this stunning restaurant is the perfect place in which friends and family can gather to graze on pinchos and hearty paella. Spanish wine will be flowing as the perfect accompaniment to the deliciously flavoursome fare. Find out more about the menu and what’s on offer here.
The Gilded Chaos Gin at QT Hotels
In a collaboration that began back in 2021, Four Pillars and QT Hotels and Resorts have once again come together to create a limited-edition gin that will entice you out of your house. The 2023 release is Gilded Chaos Gin, an innovative mix of flavours, including wild fennel, sage and vetiver. Now exclusively available at QT Hotels’ bars, this is an exquisite drop that any gin lover should try. If you’re looking to enhance your gin collection, a bottle of Gilded Chaos Gin can be yours for $110, but act fast as stocks are limited.
The Caker Degustation Cake
If you’re someone who finds it harder to make those bigger decisions in life, this is the cake for you. Comprising 10 slices of The Caker’s most delicious and emblematic flavours, the Degustation Cake returns this month for one day only. Orders for this delicious cake are essential, and pick up is Saturday the 8th of July only. More information on flavours and ordering is available here.
Celebrating Matariki with Peter Gordon
Unpacking the essence of Matariki is acclaimed chef Peter Gordon, with one of his famously brilliant Homeland cooking classes. Intended to celebrate our nation’s rich culinary heritage (which spans 800 years), the class guides guests through the creation of a lunch dish that beautifully represents the evolution of our cuisine — a one-pot creation featuring green-shell mussels, hāngi pork, kūmara, kārengo seaweed, Pacific coconut cream, and a touch of Sauvignon Blanc. Of course, mastering the art of fry bread (a true local delicacy) is also a given, so we’d suggest booking your space with haste (all the details are here).
