Take advantage of these amazing Restaurant Month menus that will make your next date night extra special. Whether it's a first date, a special anniversary or simply a mid-week meal, these are our top picks for what's on offer this August.
Le Chef | $40 for a 3 course dinner
Le Chef brings the charm of a traditional French cafe, bar and bistro to the city centre with a delectable offering of fine French fare created around fresh seasonal produce. Tucked away on Vulcan Lane, Le Chef is a touch of France to the city centre and makes for the perfect date night spot.
Le Chef's Restaurant Month offering features the best of traditional French cuisine with les famous French escargots (snails) in garlic butter, bavette sauce au bleu & frites (a beautiful medium rare beef flank with blue cheese sauce & fries), and a delicious creme brulee to finish.
Pilkingtons | $55 for a two course meal and a glass of wine
Within a Mediterranean style courtyard you will find a unique garden oasis in Pilkingtons – a utopia of calm, elegance and sophistication in the midst of Auckland’s urban jungle. The botanical theme gives off that summer holiday feeling and the large golden lamps illuminate the interior of the restaurant adding a whimsical flair.
This August, treat yourself to their special Restaurant Month offering. Included in your two course meal is a cauliflower caesar salad with mandarin crisps, brazil nut cream and a sesame tofu dressing for your entree, and market fish with coconut, parsnip, shiitake mushrooms, green pea, mint & smoked maple butter as your main, matched with a glass of Huia Gewurztraminer 2017.
O'Connell St Bistro | $60 for a 4 course meal
Sit back in the “modern European bistro” that is O'Connell St Bistro with your special someone for an unforgettable date night. At O'Connell St Bistro, a high level of importance is placed on the provenance of the quality produce sourced by the Bistro, so you can be sure you'll be treated to some of the finest dishes in the city centre.
Their outstanding menu offering features O'Connell's sourdough with Lewis Road Creamery salted butter, roasted Hapuka with potato gnocchi, pancetta, mushrooms & celeriac puree and a dark chocolate fondant with mandarin, praline & hazelnut ice cream... and that's only half of the menu!
Giraffe | $55 for a 2 course lunch; $65 for a 3 course dinner
Giraffe is a celebration of everything that makes New Zealand great. The spirit of innovation is captured in the preparation and presentation of deliciousness, and their desire to surprise and delight every time is uncompromising.
Grab a seat that looks out to Viaduct Harbour and treat yourselves to Giraffe's exquisite Restaurant Month menu. Their menu offers dishes where home grown ingredients are front and centre with options including Trevally Crudo with citrus dressing and pickled radish, confit duck leg with pork belly, savoy cabbage, sarladaise potatoes and bordelaise sauce, finished off with tiramisu for dessert.
Cooke's Restaurant & Bar | $40 for a 3 course dinner
Cooke's Restaurant and Bar with it's gorgeous art deco interior design and strong focus on sustainability is made for a special date night. This award-winning restaurant has created a menu in which wholefood dishes are the star attractions, so diners can enjoy the very best cuisine made with ingredients from local and sustainable sources wherever possible.
Their Restaurant Month menu offering is not to be missed, where herb gnocchi with thyme & pulled lamb, cured salmon with truffled savoy cabbage, pork belly & calvados jus, and yoghurt & rose with sorbet, lemon curd & dried milk are just some of the options to chose from.
16 Tun | $25 for a 2 small course meal; $40 for a 2 course meal (with entrée & main)
Take a seat in the stunning welcoming surroundings of 16 Tun with warm wood finish on every surface and beautiful soft glow lighting. If it's warm enough, sit outside and dine while being treated to views of the harbour. If you're beer enthusiasts, you'll be delighted by the 19 taps that feature around 10 different styles of New Zealand craft beer. The beers on tap rotate, so there's always a chance to try something new. 16 Tun's beer selection extends to bottles with an even wider variety of styles including some international options too.
Their menu offers the best of the sea and land. If you're opting for the $25 two course meal, seared tuna with sesame on bruschetta with mango chilli salsa and beer braised beef cheeks with baby beets, broccolini & parsnip puree is one of the options to choose from. Or, if you go for the $40 option, look forward to grilled tiger prawns with chilli mayonnaise and seared eye fillet with mushroom essence orzo.
The Parasol & Swing Company | $25 for a 2 course meal
Over two levels, with a rooftop bar overlooking Viaduct basin, there's no better place to have a date night than at Parasol & Swing. Featuring a host of Auckland's best hospitality experts coming together to create something special - so special it's award-winning.
As you dine by the water, enjoy their Restaurant Month menu offering where your choices include gorditas (corn battered dumpling) with beef mince cooked in molasses, beet leaves, brie with a peanut and tomato salsa, and crumbed paprika chicken with salsa negra con miso, maple dressed slaw and couscous & cauliflower garlic fried rice, plus a few more choices too!