Lewisham Awards 2023: guide to Auckland food & drink scene

Updated: 21 Aug 2024
Maria Kakani

New Zealand is renowned for its picture-perfect landscapes and views, but every committed foodie knows that Auckland’s food scene is the true hidden gem. With an array of dynamic chefs and innovative restaurateurs, there is a delicious surprise down every street and around every corner.

Dubbed Auckland’s hospitality Oscars, the Lewisham Awards are a means to showcase the diversity of New Zealand’s food tourism industry. It’s also convenient that the winners form a perfect list for eating and drinking your way through Auckland. Here are some winners that made us want to go to New Zealand for the beaches but stay for the food.


The Beer Spot


Outstanding Beer Experience


New Zealand’s beer scene is booming with innovation and creativity, making a visit to The Beer Spot a top priority for all beer fans. Open seven days a week, with five locations in Auckland and one in Huapai, this award-winning beer experience is both a tavern and an off-license, letting the drinks follow you home.

The Beer Spot offers 40 taps of rotating beer at all locations. If you find yourself spoilt for choice, experiment with a tasting paddle to find your perfect beer. And if you fall in love with a brew, no need to part with it. Grab a litre in their reusable “Roadie” and get the Beer Spot experience at home.

Not only featuring a wide range of New Zealand beer, The Beer Spot offers ciders, wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic options. With a rotating food truck calendar, expect great food with your drinks at each location.  Food trucks are located outside the bar for a quick bite to accompany the large selection of beverages. Visit the Beer Spot website to find out which food trucks are at each location to plan ahead.


Apero


Outstanding Wine Experience


If you’re searching for good food and great wine, look no further than Apero. Serving New Zealand cuisine with a tapas-style twist, it has quickly cemented itself as one of the most frequented wine bars in the city. When you’re spending the night out in town, make sure to wine and dine with your friends in this cozy, intimate atmosphere.

Run by an impressive pair, Leslie and Mo, Apero is in good hands. Leslie, recently recognised as one of the Pacific region’s top young chefs, sources ingredients from sustainable suppliers, and invests in free-range and organic wherever possible.

All food is handmade, with great care and attention to detail. Leslie, from Toulouse in France, follows her family’s generational method of making great food: local produce cooked to perfection and served simply. With meals to dine in and produce, such as fresh meats and cheeses to take home, Apero is doing it all.

Mo works closely with New Zealand winemakers to ensure an interesting and varied wine list. As Apero likes to support small producers, the wine list is full of gems and frequently changing. If you’re unsure what drinks to order, Mo will expertly guide you and present you with your best wine fit. The space sits alongside some of Auckland’s most popular nightclubs, making it the perfect place to visit before a night out in the city.


Caretaker


Outstanding Cocktail Experience


Inspired by the golden era of bartending, this cocktail lounge is not your average bar. Their philosophy focuses on the simplicity of the cocktail, where the only thing that matters is that your tastebuds have the night of their lives.

 In place of a traditional menu, Caretaker puts trust in the bartender to match you with your perfect drink. After chatting with you about your preferences, they’ll create your own, custom-made cocktail.

Every element of the drinks at Caretaker has been carefully curated, from hand-carved ice to seasonal fresh-pressed juice. The featured menu rotates weekly, but the classics aren’t going anywhere. Come down for a sip and try the 1864 beer cocktail that they are renowned for, cleverly named ‘Blow My Skull’.

Modelled on classic New York cocktail lounges, Caretaker takes a step back in time with its dim-lit bar, leather seats, dark woods, and smoky mirrors. If you’re in the mood for a ‘prohibition’ style night out, Caretaker is the place to go. With live jazz on Sunday to Tuesday nights, head over for expertly made cocktails and a good time at this award-winning bar.


Odettes


Outstanding Cafe


Looking for a dining experience that’s both classy and cozy? Odettes has you covered. They have proved to be steady supporters of the local community with their work with New Zealand’s artisans and food producers. This locality and seasonality manifests itself through an unbelievable selection of food options that head chef Jonah Huang has curated.

After honing his culinary skills in Japan and across Auckland, Jonah infuses Odette’s plates with his rich cultural experience. The menu, seasonal and ever-changing, draws on flavours from all over the globe. From the Mediterranean and Levantine to Africa, each flavour profile is deliberate and delicious. At Odette’s, diners can indulge at any time—morning, noon, or night—with menus for brunch, drinks, and feasts with an extra, new full-course menu every month. With great service and well-portioned meals, why not come down and taste the innovation on Odettes’ plate?


Gilt


Outstanding New Establishment


Gilt is an all-day brasserie in the heart of Auckland, in the historic Chancery Chambers building, serving European food with a modern twist and local charm. It is the third and newest business venture from well-loved restaurateurs Josh and Helen Emett. Combining Josh’s decades of global culinary experience and Helen’s love of Europe, Gilt pays homage to the classics while introducing you to soon-to-be favourites.

Gilt boasts an impressive lineup of vintage wines and crowd-pleasing cocktails, perfectly paired with a menu that reimagines European comfort food for the modern palate. Whether you’re dropping in for a leisurely lunch or settling in as day turns to night, Gilt is where you’ll find those timeless flavours you crave, with just the right amount of surprise.


Panacea


Outstanding Innovation


Tucked away in the CBD, Panacea is a hidden gem for cocktail lovers—a place where the art of mixology meets culinary creativity. This new spot shakes things up with its unique, small-batch cocktails and an ever-evolving menu that keeps you coming back for more. Everything at Panacea is made with locally sourced ingredients, gathered fresh each morning to ensure top-notch quality in every sip and bite.

Here’s the twist—there’s no traditional bar in sight. Instead, your drinks are crafted behind the scenes in the cocktail kitchen. The owner Dany, and bartenders Theo and Sheena, use careful distillation methods to experiment with flavour combinations and handmake every drink recipe. This process not only makes Panacea a standout in the cocktail industry but also sustainable.

This isn’t your typical bar experience, either. You’ll be seated and guided through the menu, with the staff dedicated to finding your perfect drink match. All you have to do is decide which snacks and sharing plates tickle your fancy Open daily till late, Panacea is a top pick for late-night citygoers and cocktail connoisseurs looking for something a little different.


Cazador


Outstanding Sustainability


Established in 1987, Cazador Restaurant serves sustainable and locally sourced food. Adjacent to the restaurant, the charming delicatessen is a treasure trove of coffee, baked goods, cheeses, condiments, and more—a delightful one-stop shop for all your dining and pantry needs.

All produce and ingredients are wild and free-range, sourced from New Zealand hunters and producers. These organic ingredients are used to create the popular house-made charcuterie range and seasonal menus. Cazador Restaurant specialises in premium quality free-farmed meat alongside a wide array of drinks, including local and international wines, craft beers, and cocktails.

Pop into Cazador Delicatessen for a cozy coffee break and stock up on essentials for your pantry and fridge. If you’re looking for a gift—or just want to treat yourself—their specialty hampers, available online, are filled with a curated selection of deliciousness. So, why not drop by and discover this local deli alongside a multi-award-winning restaurant serving New Zealand’s best ingredients with a friendly smile.


Lewisham Awards 2023: guide to Auckland food & drink scene - Localista

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