From an exceptional autumn feast to an elevated BYO, exciting new openings, delicious new menus and more, here, we round up everything worth adding to your dining agenda this weekend.
Savour Bivacco’s Autumn Feast
Every Sunday from 11am-4pm, Bivacco are inviting discerning diners to join them for a buffet experience like no other. For $85 per person, dozens of dishes with all the trimmings await, from a seafood station with a selection of prawns, seared tuna and green-lipped mussels with tomato & cucumber salsa to a stunning selection of lovingly sourced meats including porchetta and flame grilled rib eye steak, to plates of locally sourced roast vegetables and roast potatoes (which are worth making the trip for alone). Make your feast stretch on into the afternoon with an exclusive Bivacco Bloody Mary station, cocktail specials, margaritas, loads of Italian wines, large format rosé and plenty of champagne.
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Start the Day Well with Breakfast at Daphnes
Daphnes, the elevated gastronomic destination nestled on Ponsonby Road, has just unveiled its latest offering: Daphnes Morning Menu. Now offering delectable, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine from dawn till dusk, this new offering highlights the very best of Med cuisine and brings something entirely new (and decidedly chic) to Auckland’s morning dining scene. The likes of Taramasalata on Toast are sure to delight, pairing smooth and rich roe with anchovies, capers, a velvety soft-boiled egg, or if you’re more of a start-the-day-sweet type, the Preserved Peach Toast with chamomile and whipped ricotta is not to be missed.
Bring Your Own to Bar Magda
We’ve said it once but we’ll say it again, if you haven’t paid Bar Magda a visit yet, you’re seriously missing out. Giving us yet another reason to add this new wave Filipino spot to our weekend dining plans, Bar Magda is now offering BYO on Sunday and Monday nights, with a corkage fee of $15 per person. Or, for diners opting to enjoy the four-course Magda Feast (which is hard to pass up), you can bring your own wine to enjoy in the eatery’s cosy dining room free of charge.
Head to Newly-Opened Modern Asian Eatery & Bar, Nuuna
Nuuna is a new fusion eatery in the heart of Wynyard Quarter, bringing a delicious new culinary experience to city-siders. Drawing on the vibrant tastes of various regions, from Japan and China to Thailand and Korea, with a particular emphasis on Vietnamese cuisine, Nuuna’s expertly-crafted dishes, such as DIY Salmon Rolls, flavourful Shanghai Duck Egg Noodles, or aromatic Market Fish Maeuntang showcase the complexity and depth of Asian fare.
Enjoy a Convivial Long Lunch at Non Solo Pizza
The team at Non Solo Pizza are masters in the art of the long lunch, and their Italian Long Lunch only furthers their standing in this area. Running on Saturdays and Sundays, you’ll find an entirely delicious three course menu plus drinks, featuring the very best of NSP’s exceptional, fresh and always tasty Italian fare, with both classic dishes and inspired takes to choose from.
Heading to The Effect? Stop Off at Baduzzi
The Effect is showing at the ASB theatre until mid-May and, given the name on the writer’s credits (Succession’s Lucy Prebble) and stellar cast, its a show not to be missed. If, like us, you have plans to head along, why not stop off at Baduzzi pre-show for a tasty feast and tipple? Here, Italian-inspired food and wines fill the menu, and the likes of Beef Short Ribs with silky fennel, marinated shiitake, and Dijon mustard, Karitane Crayfish Meatballs with goats curd, brown butter, almonds & fig confit (there’s a whole section in the menu dedicated to the eatery’s hand-crafted meatballs), and Saffron & Potato Tortellini are amongst the must-try dishes. Washed down with a glass of Italian Bianchi, of course.
Get Your Yum Cha Fix at Huami
If you’re not already aware (where have you been?) SkyCity-based Huami is home to what is arguably the best Yum Cha in Auckland. With a menu influenced by cooking styles from regional provinces across China, including Canton, Sichuan, Huaiyang, and Bejing, the clever team in the kitchen fuse traditional techniques with the freshest seasonal New Zealand produce to craft modern Chinese dishes that deliver on all fronts. Round up the family and secure a spot for this coming weekend.
Enjoy a Pre-Show Bite at Bar Non Solo
When it comes to Auckland’s cultural happenings, there’s a bit on across the month of April. Those venturing out and looking to make a night of it should make for Britomart’s Bar Non Solo, the ultimate convivial pre-event venue who have a delectable new pre-show menu featuring a selection of antipasto snacks and pizza (plus drinks, of course) on offer from 4pm-7pm on all Spark Arena event dates.
Pay Farina’s New Space a Visit
Since Farina decided to temporarily close its Ponsonby Road restaurant at the end of last year, we have suffered from a Farina-shaped hole in our dining agenda that nothing else has quite been able to fill. Luckily, after many months and much anticipation, the delicious Italian stalwart has reopened with aplomb after an extensive renovation, showcasing a significantly revamped space and an exciting menu upgrade, and we suggest adding a lunch or dinner here to your weekend plans, stat.
Plus, if you’re looking to get a jump on the week ahead…
Lock in Lunch at Ebisu & Try The Enticing New Bento Boxes & Noodle Sets
Make a weekday lunch date at Britomart Institution Ebisu, who have brought two new enticing additions to the table: Shokado Bento Boxes and Soba Noodle Sets. Inspired by traditional kaiseiki seasonal cuisine, the Shokado Bento Boxes feature eight delicious dishes — with four rotating monthly to showcase fresh seasonable flavours. From Tuna Sashimi, Karaage Chicken Nanbanzuke, Beef Tartar Gunkan and Temari Sushi, there is something for everyone, with guests able to choose from seafood, meat or vegetarian options. The Soba Noodle Sets feature Japanese buckwheat noodles in kombu dashi broth with spring onion, daikon oroshi and nori, with one of three sides to accompany, including a pork, tempura or vegetarian set.
