The Best Romantic Restaurants For A Date Night In Auckland

Just in time for you to book Valentine’s Day dinner.

What makes a romantic restaurant? There are a few requirements I’m looking for, from soft lighting to an adventurous drinks list, well-spaced tables, and a cosy corner to retreat to. The food at the best date night restaurants is often designed to share, and veers towards luxury: freshly shucked oysters (Celeste), seafood towers (Origine); silky risotto (Bossi), rewana and duck fat (Ada) and chocolate marquise (Bar Magda). They also nail the special touches that are often overlooked: vases of fresh flowers, flickering lamps, elegant tableware and a sexy playlist. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, consider making a booking at one of these sweet spots now.

Bossi

There’s something about Italian food that just says romance and downtown restaurant Bossi does authentic Italian with a touch of glamour very well. Located on the ground floor of the Pacifica building on Commerce St, Bossi dazzles with plush green velvet booths, dark wood-panelled walls, floor-to-ceiling glass-fronted wine cabinet and busy open kitchen. Upstairs in the mezzanine seating area, more velvet banquettes are at eye level with a hand-painted mural of part of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam. Bossi’s knowledgeable staff are on hand to steer you through the excellent menu of antipasti and insalata, housemade pasta and secondi crafted by executive chef Shaun Dowling, featuring everything from gnocchi alfredo (made with a trifecta of luxurious beige: parmesan, butter and cream) to costoletta di manzo (short rib with parmesan risotto). Book in for aperitivo hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6pm for happy hour specials on Aperol spritz and prosecco, plus free canapes and don’t leave without trying the tiramisu. 10 Commerce St, Auckland central.

Origine

There aren’t many Auckland restaurants as unapologetically glamorous as Origine. The fit-out of this Commercial Bay restaurant, designed by Jack McKinney, will take your breath away with its huge glass louvre windows that open to the harbourside views just outside; stunning during the day but also incredibly chic at night when the restaurant’s collection of chandeliers are lit, and its French-bistro style tables and chairs filled with happy diners. The food is French, inspired by chef Ben Bayly’s extensive travels and experience working in kitchens in Haute-Savoie, Jura and Paris. Pitched as a modern French brasserie, the menu fuses New Zealand produce with classic French dishes like les moules (green-lipped mussels in a saffron broth) and boeuf bourguignon made from pinot noir-braised wagyu beef cheek. C’est magnifique for a special dinner for two. Level 2, Commercial Bay, 172 Quay St, Auckland CBD.

Poderi Crisci

Azabu

The main restaurant area of Azabu is excellent for a date night but even better is Roji bar, which is hidden away at the back of this always buzzy restaurant on Ponsonby Rd. Find your way there through the restaurant’s main entrance, or come in through the back via the outdoor terrace. Like the main restaurant, Roji’s walls are black, the lighting dim and the decor sleek, making it feel like the ideal starting point for a great night out. Far from being just a waiting area, Roji is the spot to sample the sake menu, which includes Daiginjo (served cold), Jumai Hojozo and more premium drops, umeshu (plum wine), Asahi on tap and a great cocktail list of Japanese-leaning concoctions like a Nippon Negroni (gin, Lillet Blanc, umeshu) or a Wasabi Mule (gin, fresh wasabi, lime, ginger and ginger beer). At Roji you can order Nikkei-Peruvian snacks from the main menu too. 26 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

Amano

Amano is a reliable restaurant any time of day, serving a strong menu of Italian-centric plates heroing fresh produce, clean flavours and expertly made pasta. A date here could take on many forms, depending on what you’re in the mood for. Stop in for breakfast bellinis and smashed potato with chilli-laced poached eggs and prosciutto at the bar, stay for a long pasta-filled lunch with views of the harbour across the road, or opt for an intimate dinner table for two and share locally sourced venison carpaccio and espresso trifle for dessert. 66-68 Tyler St, Britomart.

Settebello

Settebello has big Lady and the Tramp energy with its chequered tablecloths, pizza and pasta menu and sweet, kitschy decor. The kind of place you can lovingly nudge meatballs in each other’s direction (okay, there are no meatballs, but there is gnocchi) and get lost in the energy of this buzzy neighbourhood pizza joint. Bringing a taste of Napoli to New Lynn, Settebello specialises in Neopolitan-style pizzas as well as homemade pasta and calzoni and I can’t think of a better date than a huge slice of pizza and a carafe of house red. 9 Totara Ave, New Lynn.

Bar Magda

Romance does well for Bar Magda, with Valentine’s Day reportedly one of its busiest nights of the year. The subterranean restaurant makes the most of its cave-like setting with sultry red lighting and floor-length velvet curtains partitioning off intimate slices of the space. It’s the perfect spot for a date night, especially if you’re looking to hide away in a corner (maybe it’s a first date?). Bar Magda serves a unique menu of seasonal plates with a Filipino twist, crafted by chef Carlo Buenaventura, and this year the kitchen is offering two special Valentine’s Day feasts, one celebrating seafood and the other meat. The $135pp six-course sharing menu also includes dessert, two cocktails each or a bottle of wine and seats are limited to ensure the restaurant feels cosy and everyone has the attention they deserve (from the staff, but also their chosen date, hopefully). 25b Cross St, central city.

Bar Celeste

French neo-bistro Bar Celeste does atmosphere very well, which is an essential element for a seamless date, one that you can relax into, knowing that you’ll be taken care of by the staff, and that the surrounding conversations will fill any awkward silences. Celeste’s rotating wine and food menu changes with the seasons and keeps things interesting, so even if you’ve visited before, you can expect to find a new dish to try. The vibes at this Karangahape Rd wine bar and restaurant are warm and rowdy, and Friday nights see the space switch to a party atmosphere with DJs, smash burgers, oysters and drinks specials flowing into the early hours. The wine list highlights organic and natural wines from New Zealand and further afield, with a short edit available by the glass and many by the bottle. 146b Karangahape Rd, Auckland central.

Daphnes

You can’t go wrong with a table for two in the bar area of Ponsonby Rd’s Daphnes. Owners Clare and Joost van den Berg are experts at putting a beautiful restaurant interior together and Daphnes nails the brief with its exposed brick, peach, navy and blood-red colour palette and low-hanging lamps. The intimate bar area, partitioned by floor-length curtains, is a lovely spot for a date night, or a cocktail and a snack from the menu of small plates like kingfish tartare with preserved lemon, cucumber, coriander and green chilli, and sourdough flatbreads served with lamb kofta, or tarragon and lemon-infused mussels. Since chef Hayden Phiskie departed to set up Bianca in Ellerslie, Daphnes has welcomed chef Alfie Ingham with whom Clare and Joost previously worked at Hugo’s Bistro. 71 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

Bar Martin

Technically not a restaurant but a wine bar with excellent small plates, Bar Martin makes the list for its well-documented ambience and good vibes. Located between Mt Albert and Western Springs on Martin Ave, there are tables to suit your mood, whether that’s seated at one of the beer garden-style tables in the courtyard, or perched at the window seat or at a table for two inside. There are more than 20 wines available by the glass, and double that amount available by the bottle, canvassing well-loved wineries like Craggy Range, Milton and Dog Point and natural styles from the likes of Delinquente Wine. To eat, find sardines with sourdough and seaweed butter; coppa with roast hazelnuts; burrata with herbs, capers and chilli, and duck parfait — nothing much is cooked here, and that’s just fine. Bar Martin has the kind of ambient lighting and stylish fit-out perfect for impressing a new lover. Open from 3pm Tuesday-Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-8pm. 43 Martin Ave, Mount Albert.

Tala

Parnell’s new contemporary Samoan restaurant Tala (it opened at the end of last year) is chef Henry Onesemo’s love letter to his childhood in Samoa. From the set tasting menu to the beautiful and bold fit-out which has seen the ex-Pasture space transformed into a sleek and elegant 28-seater restaurant; Tala has been conceptualised with utmost care. While the seats at the counter are ideal for watching the theatre of the open-fire kitchen, the banquette seating along the far wall is the ideal spot for a date night. The full Chef’s Journey experience at Tala is priced at $215 which is a generous menu canvassing everything from umu chicken to koko Samoa but throughout February diners can sample the “Love Story” menu for $140pp, which includes a glass of bubbles on arrival. Inspired by the Samoan tale of ‘Loimata O Apa’ula’ and translated as ‘The tears of Apa’ula’, the story tells of a Fijian princess and a Samoan giant who fall in love. The menu incorporates dishes from the premium Chef’s Journey menu, with some special additions. Sounds romantic. 235 Parnell Rd, Parnell.

Ada

Ada has one of the most gorgeous dining rooms in Auckland, inside the historic Convent Hotel in Grey Lynn, complete with arched concrete pillars, a white-tiled open kitchen, wrought-iron chandeliers and daily sunsets that stream through the windows. The menu has recently pivoted from Italian to kai Māori under the direction of head chef Kia Kanuta and sous chef Patric Markus and the food is a beautiful expression of New Zealand produce and ingredients. Standouts are the horopito and harakeke-rubbed beef short rib with witloof and a creamy quenelle of Kahurangi blue cheese; the ika mata with salted cucumber, chervil and coconut and the rewana fry bread with a ramekin of duck fat for dipping. 454 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.

1947

Potentially a left-of-field addition to a romantic restaurant roundup but one of the dimly lit booth seats partitioned off from 1947′s main dining room would make a great spot for two during off-peak hours at this busy inner-city eatery — and who doesn’t love a booth seat? Plus, 1947 is known for its inventive cocktails that add an element of glamour and fun to a night out, complete with foams, smoke and creative glassware. The menu at 1947 is contemporary yet authentic Indian cuisine and ‘The Journey’ set menu is a great way to sample some of the best dishes, from pani puri to pav bhajo; Malai chicken from the tandoor oven and paneer lagan. 1947 has since opened a sister restaurant on Graham St called Times of India, which is also worthy of your attention. 60 Federal St, Auckland city.

Onslow

Josh Emett’s Onslow may have fallen slightly off the radar since the opening of the newer, flashier Gilt Brasserie on O’Connell St, but it’s well worth considering for your next date night if you’re after a sophisticated restaurant with a touch of old-world elegance. Dinner here feels like an event, from the moment you walk through the posh lobby of The International building on Princes St and into the 100-seat space designed in collaboration with interior darlings Rufus Knight and Sonja Hawkins, who have opted for marble and travertine surfaces, rich oak panelling, brass accents and floor-to-ceiling linen drapes. What better place to sit back with a Ruby Martini (flavoured with grapefruit, thyme and kawakawa) and a Chatham Island crayfish eclair as you wait to flag down the salmon trolley? Tableside presentations like Onslow’s trolley, which plates Big Glory Bay Salmon Gravalax with toasted rye, sour cream and pickled cucumber, are back, and we’re here for it. 9 Princes St, Auckland CBD.

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