A visual feast for the eyes; if you’re looking for more than just food to indulge in these five Auckland restaurants with stunning interiors are just the ticket
5 Auckland restaurants you should visit for their stunning interiors
We’ve rounded up five of our favourite dining establishment fit-outs from around Auckland. From crisp industrial to old-school chic, here are some of the most beautiful food destinations the city has to offer.
1. Clooney – CBD
Clooney is located in an inner-city 1960’s warehouse building. What started as an empty shell of concrete floors and reinforced concrete frames has been transformed by Fearon Hay architects into a moody and seductive space. The lights – custom designed and hand blown by artist Katie Brown create orbs of subtle light which are suspended in clusters around the restaurant.
The industrial fit-out has remained largely intact but has been reinvented – exposed brick remains but the addition of luxurious fabrics such as the rich leather booths add a sleek, contemporary feel. The room remains mostly open, but the low hanging drapes provide a sense of intimacy for diners.
2. Ortolana – Britomart
This contemporary bistro, which is set within an elegant conservatory in Britomart has the ultimate restaurant interior. Despite it being in one of Auckland’s busiest restaurant hubs, as soon as you step foot inside you feel a world away. One of our favourite features of this stunning interior is the cluster of Monmouth Glass hand blown lights.
Designed by the celebrated Cheshire Architects, the restaurant – which was to be the cornerstone of the Britomart pavilions development was a special project for the practice. Almost everything included in the restaurants interior is bespoke, only the chairs are purchased. Every other detail was commissioned by the architects who worked closely alongside craftspeople who they believed understood the vision.
Known for its seasonal menu offerings, the name ‘Ortolana’ is Italian for ‘market gardener’ – and the fit-out works with the nomenclature perfectly. From the conservatory-style building amongst Britomart’s pavilions to the bountiful greenery – this is a space that makes you want to stay a while.
3. Gerome – Parnell
For the ultimate Auckland fine dining experience – look no further than Parnell’s semi-newcomer Gerome. There would be few people who grew up in Auckland that don’t feel a sense of nostalgic revere for its former tenure Iguacu, but the two could not be more different.
For starters – Gerome is greek, and the bathrooms are nicer than most restaurants I’ve been to. The polished tiles, shiny brass fittings, and velvet booths complete the luxurious fit-out, but it doesn’t feel pretentious.
The comfortable stools are a great place to enjoy an evening drink – and the dangerously comfortable booths are an even better place to enjoy a leisurely long lunch. They have also designed a sleek and intimate private dining room (pictured below).
4. Amano – Britomart
Hip Group’s newest restaurant is also its grandest, with an open kitchen spanning almost 20 metres, a bakery, multiple sumptuous seating areas and a bar. Dried flowers hang from exposed timber beams and mother-of-pearl, limestone and marble surfaces glitter on the periphery, a rustic yet sophisticated backdrop for food that’s all that.
With an interior rumoured to have cost well into the millions, it is no wonder it took out the coveted Supreme hospitality title at the 2017 Interior Awards. The space, designed by McKinney + Windeatt Architects is a true work of art – and every aspect has been carefully and thoughtfully designed. One of the judges labelled it “a daring yet sensitive response to a large and somewhat impersonal and cavernous locale, resulting in a charming, beguiling interior that is well suited to its client and users.”
5. New opening Xoong -Mount Eden
Mount Eden’s new opening Xoong is delivering Chinese – Japanese fusion in a beautiful setting. The space has undergone an extensive renovation and it is barely recognisable from its tenure as Molten. The area is large, but architects Cntl Space have configured it in a way that feels intimate. Split into various nooks and rooms both upstairs and down, it has been converted into a bunker-style restaurant that draws inspiration from both of its cuisine’s homage. Paper lanterns and neon signs create a luminous glow in the otherwise mainly-concrete room.
Having enlisted the same interior designers as Skycity’s Huami there are clear similarities between Xoong and the opulent inner-city Chinese restaurant. If you’re nearby, this can act as a relaxed and welcoming local – if you’re not, it is well worth making a trip for.
Words by: Kate Milliken. Photography via: Instagram.
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