Auckland’s Tala Makes Time Magazine’s 100 World’s Greatest Places List

Viva Top 50 Supreme Winner Tala has been named as one of the world’s 100 greatest places to visit by Time magazine.

The award-winning Auckland restaurant, which has been lauded for its impressive modern Samoan cuisine, received the international accolade on Thursday.

Executive chef and owner Henry Onesemo, who runs Tala with his wife, Debby, said the team were “happy and really humbled” at the nod.

“My goal with Tala is to share the beauty of Samoa’s food and culture as widely as I can, and being on Time’s World’s Greatest Places list puts us in front of so many people around the world.”

Writing for Time, United States writer Jill K. Robinson said the restaurant “helped pave the way for more culturally specific dining in New Zealand, earning praise across Oceania for its singular focus”.

She also highlighted experiential elements like the restaurant’s traditional apa fafano (hand washing) ceremony at the end of the meal, as well as its guiding values of “respect, service, and gratitude”.

Tala has garnered critical acclaim since it opened in 2023.

Besides the Viva Top 50 win, Onesemo was also awarded a “knife” at The Best Chef Awards in Milan last year. To date, he is the only Samoan chef to receive that honour.

“It was very humbling ... meeting the Mt Rushmores of cooking ... it was such an amazing experience.”

Reviewing for Viva, Dining Out editor Jesse Mulligan said although choosing a Supreme Winner for the Top 50 usually takes hours of discussion and negotiation, deciding on Tala in 2025 took seconds.

WATCH: Jesse Mulligan surprises Viva Top 50 Supreme Winner Tala’s Henry Onesemo

“The evening feels special from the moment you walk down their cobbled lane, and somebody opens the door to welcome you in,” he said.

“From the non-alcoholic welcome drink that is handed to you upon arrival, to the first few courses that are eaten without cutlery, you very much feel that you are in Henry’s home,” co-Judge Kelly Gibney added.

Talking to Viva in 2023, while preparing to launch Tala, Debby said she and Henry wanted to create “a unique experience” for guests.

“I want people to be able to shut the world off for a few hours and to let us take care of [them].”

Tala will also feature in a special World’s Greatest Places 2026 print edition of Time, available from July 31.

Read more about our Viva Top 50 Supreme Winner

Inside Tala, The New Auckland Restaurant That’s A Samoan Sophisticate. At contemporary “fun dining” restaurant Tala, Henry and Debby Onesemo’s long-held vision of bringing refined Samoan food to the table is finally being realised.

Jesse Mulligan Restaurant Review: Tala, Parnell’s Beautiful New Samoan Spot, Is Unlike Anything Else In This City. The food is exceptional, without exception.

Tala Has A New Head Chef. What Will Tommy Hope Bring To The Samoan Table? He’s never been to Samoa, but he can’t wait to put its sea worms on the menu in Parnell.

Why Are You Called That? The Stories Behind The Names Of Your Favourite Restaurants. Auckland is a city rich in restaurant names that are anything but generic.