Handpicked by a Auckland Local Expert, we bring you our guide to 'Best Auckland Waterfront Restaurants'.
Auckland enjoys a beautiful harbour setting and what better way to enjoy a meal on the waterfront during a night out. We've put a list together of our favourite restaurants that offer fantastic water views.
The Riverhead
The Riverhead is believed to be New Zealand's oldest riverside tavern and, while the venue has been modernised it retains much of the charm it has held for the past 150 years. Connected to an airy outside deck surrounded by 100-year old oak trees, The Landing Restaurant provides a fantastic relaxed dining setting. This is premium pub fare with a sophisticated edge, served with the down-to...
Soul Bar & Bistro
Award-winning bar/ bistro in the heart of Viaduct Harbour, overlooking the water. Variety of menus to cater for all tastes, including vegetarian. Cuisine is modern Australian, seafood a speciality. It's always humming here, and it's a place people like to stay for hours, so it's worth booking in advance to make sure you get in. There are set menus, a la carte and vegetarian menus, a...
Saint Alice
Overlooking Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, this spacious bar and sun-soaked eatery is the perfect blend of sea views, beer, wine and of course, cocktails. The bar also offers live entertainment and a mouthwatering locally inspired menu. The food menu is made for sharing and focused around seasonal produce and the freshest kaimoana (seafood), alongside a delicious woodfired p...
Harbourside
Located in Quay Street in central Auckland, Harbourside Ocean bar and grill boasts an outside dining deck with retractable roof allowing diners to eat alfresco whatever the weather. Situated in the historic Ferry Building, the restaurant offers upmarket dining on Auckland's stunning waterfront. The deck area has two bars, one serving vodka and then other Moet and Chandon champagne, where ...
Bivacco
Bivacco, Bar & Griglia. This bold restaurant serves simple, unfussy, Italian food created from locally sourced ingredients. It's a place for slow lunches, memorable dinners, after work drinks and weekend feasts, located in the jewel of Auckland’s Harbour. Eat well, drink well live well....
Headquarters
Located in the Viaduct in central Auckland the bar offers great food from local sources including Bluff oysters backed by a wine list that includes local and international varieties and beers that include international and craft selections. A great selection of pizzas, steak and fish dishes are also served. DJs play on several nights (typically Wednesday to Sunday) during the week and the ba...
The Good Luck Coconut
Come down to the Wynyard Quarter and relax at The Good Luck Coconut, where the tiki bar will make you some of the best cocktails this side of the Blue Lagoon. And if the drinks aren’t enough to get you back on island time, then they’ve got a damn tasty sharing menu packed full of dishes influenced by the Pacific and Asian ingredients. So whether its for a function or a night out wi...
White and Wongs
At Whites and Wongs East meets West with the best of Chinese, Thai and Malaysian street food being served in the beautiful surroundings of Auckland’s harbour. The kitchen serves up fresh and fragrant Asian food, sometimes in classic style and sometimes with a twist, complemented by a drinks list featuring local and international varieties, local and imported beer and an extensive selection of...
Botswana Butchery
With a number of locations right across the Central Otago region of South Island, the Botswana Butchery has become a well-respected name on the country's gastronomic line up. Situated in the magnificent and elaborately adorned, early 20th century Ferry Building on historic Quay Street, the restaurant boasts a large, harbour-side terrace and modern interior space that can seat around 120 people ...
Wildfire Restaurant
Wildfire Restaurant offers an all you can eat Brazilian Churrasco menu, serving quality cuts of meat from attentive staff in the heart of downtown Auckland. Overlooking the harbour waters, Wildfire Restaurant is situated in Princess Wharf, close to the Viaduct Harbour. Diners can choose from an a la carte menu, vegetarian and a bar snacks menu. However, the restaurant is renowned for its ...
Dr Rudi's Rooftop Brewing Co
Dr Rudi's Rooftop Brewing Co enjoys one of the best locations in the city. Situated on the third floor, the rooftop restaurant and bar offers glorious views of Viaduct Harbour. The bar comes equipped with their own 1000L on-site brewery to pump fresh beer directly from tank to tap. For something a bit different, there's even two free bowling lanes! The menu includes a great selection of...
Fish
Fish as the name suggests, delivers creative fish dishes served to a backdrop of eye catching harbour views. Situated in the luxury Hilton Hotel, the restaurant is a Hilton partnership with Simon Gault, New Zealand's very own Masterchef presenter and restauranteur. The creative menu features a range of sumptuous dishes with freshly caught snapper, crayfish, lobster, hapuka and Bluff Oyste...
Giraffe
Giraffe by Simon Gault celebrates everything that makes New Zealand great. The food is homegrown and front and centre, showcasing the finest growers and local producers New Zealand has to offer. However, occasionally the very best ingredients are used from further afield to further enhance the food. The innovative dishes are captured in the preparation and presentation of deliciousn...
The Lula Inn
The Lula Inn is located in the restored Launchmans' Building in the Viaduct Harbour. By day the venue is popular with families and lunchers and in the evening it features live music. The menu features pizza, pasta, burgers, fish and chips, salads and a wide range of sharing plates. The food is backed by a drinks menu that features cocktails, gin and an extensive beer and wine selection. F...