“More food, more value, and less fuss around it. Just your new local food company, setting out to make a positive impact on what people eat,” is, in co-founder Charles Williams’ words, what you’ll find at Bowler — an epic, nutritious new takeout spot serving delicious salad bowls that you’ll actually want to eat.
Growing up around good food, “in a busy household with a mum who could cook up a storm,” brothers Patrick and Charles Williams were naturally pulled towards hospitality, and have both been running cafes for nine plus years, slinging (in their words) “coffee, pasta, eggs, and negronis.” Charles tells me that the pair also have wonderfully talented partners who are on hand to help with the things that might not come so naturally to them, “like marketing, brand, and spelling!”
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Housed within the foyer of Les Mills Victoria Park, Bowler’s space takes cues from 70s and 80s interiors, typography, and photography, harnessing earthy tones to represent the natural offering, sitting in contrast to the modernism of the stainless-steel and concrete surrounds. The Bowler app, website ordering platform, and soon-to-launch Kiosk are all nods to fast-food service. Yet for Bowler — while food is made fast, it’s grown slow, and that’s their key point of difference.
Zac Suvalko from Studio 024 was integral in helping the pair to bring the Bowler brand to life. “We had to be a lot more patient this time round, as we really wanted to nail down the details,” Charles tells me, “Blink Boys brought the brand into physical form, with vintage-inspired brown acrylic signage used throughout.”
The idea for Bowler came about super organically, with Patrick whipping up bowls similar to what’s on the menu for dinner most nights. Inspired by salad/bowl-leaning, fast-casual brands around the world (such as Australia’s infamous Fishbowl), the pair saw an opportunity to bring their own version to New Zealand. Since Patrick had been making 80% of the menu already, the foundation was already there, and the more they talked about it, the more it sunk in that they might be onto something great.
“We agreed that fast food sucks,” Charles tells me, “There is far too much of it in New Zealand, and we want Bowler to be another choice — a more nutritious choice — for a wider audience.” The duo quickly realised that, to meet their mark, they needed to make the offering fast and affordable. As such, for under $17, you can get a jam-packed salad bowl with quality, local ingredients and proteins, made fresh and from scratch, everyday.
Running with the theme of less fuss, the menu is small — but intentionally that way. “It allows us to focus on doing a few things really, really well,” says Charles, “It also takes away the choice paralysis so many bigger menus induce.” By only having seven (utterly delicious) salad bowls on the menu, it allows room for plenty of personalised additions or customisations to get your fill — including options to up protein intake or control macros (Bowler is, after all, located within a gym). While I already have my own go-to order, Charles tells me that the most popular bowl so far is the #2 Beef Brisket, which comes brimming with juicy, slow-cooked, grass-fed brisket and harissa, pickles, dukkah, hummus, beets, kale, and a flavourful herb dressing, with the #3 Mt Cook Salmon bowl with edamame, crunchy furikake, avo, ginger, and a ponzu dressing coming in a close second. But, speaking from experience, they’re all delectable, and the perfect wholesome lunch or dinner, not to mention great for feeding a crowd (catering is up and running, and a great option for meetings or events).
There’s also a concise breakfast menu of acai and protein oat bowls. Much to my delight, you’ll also find the tahini choc chip cookies that fly out the door at Williams (which are, in our humble opinion, the best cookie in town), and the already-infamous protein cookies that are a perfect pick-me-up when the afternoon slump hits.
On the drinks front, coffee comes first, “Coffee is a big part of who we are, so is naturally the platform of our drinks offering,” says Charles, adding that being in a humming environment with a wide range of people coming through, the drinks menu has been created cater to everyone and anyone, offering a bit of everything. From mushroom lattes to iced matcha, acai smoothies, and even a bone broth hot chocolate, as well as damn good Supreme coffee, at Bowler, there’s something for any time of day, and taste or proclivity. There’s also a grab-and-go fridge stacked full of functional beverages from local suppliers.
When I ask Charles what kind of experience he and Patrick want people to have at Bowler, he tells me a fulfilling one. “Too long have we have suffered with mediocre salads that leave you wanting more. We want our customers to grab life by the bowl!”
Ultimately, what Charles and Patrick have created is not only an epic, nutritious, quick and fuss-free offering that is both nourishing and wholly satisfying, but an energetic, fun, fast-paced dining experience for everyone. “We’re here for any and all of it, taking on life one salad bowl at a time.”
Opening hours:
Monday — Saturday, 6.30am until 2pm
You can also find Bowler on Uber Eats
Bowler
186 Victoria St West
Auckland
