Tony Astle's 47-year-old Parnell restaurant Antoine's shuts up shop

Chef Tony Astle. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Veteran chef Tony Astle has closed his popular Parnell restaurant Antoine's.

The award-winning, 47-year-old establishment - which specialised in fine dining using old-fashion-style silver service - shut its doors two weeks ago.

The celebrated chef made the announcement on Antoine's website.

"We want to thank you all for the loyal support over the past 47 years, but the time has come for us to say goodbye. You will all [be] sincerely be missed, and the memories will live on from all the great times we had which we thank you for," Astle said.

"Although this is me signing off for now, there might be something new in the pipeline a bit later so keep your eyes peeled.

"Once again, thank you to all," the statement read.

Astle, who has been a mentor to some of the country's highest-profile chefs, including Michael Meredith and Simon Gault, told the Herald the closure was not related to Covid.

The decision to close Antoine's came following a personal matter, he said, but he would not reveal what that matter was.

Astle said he had not yet decided what was next for him professionally.

Parnell Business Association general manager Cheryl Adamson said the closure was an end of an era for Parnell.

"Antoine's was certainly one of the longest-standing businesses in the area, it was so quintessentially Parnell, it was housed in one of the converted villas and was a true representation of everything Parnell," Adamson said.

"It was the old-school fine dining, white tablecloths, silver service, all that attention to detail in terms of the food and the plating. You can easily say it set the trend for the entire restaurant scene in Parnell, if not most of Auckland."

Adamson said the closure of "the institution" was sad news.

"With it goes the end of an era."

Antoine's opened in Parnell in the 1970s and has survived a number of changes in the industry, but remained true to its style of cooking and hospitality.