The Winners of the Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards Have Been Revealed

The top restaurants for the past year were crowned this week as part of the Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards. Now in their 13th year, the awards recognise excellence in Auckland dining with a judging panel made up of restaurant critics, food writers and people from the hospitality biz.

Despite having recently been crippled by a fire, Al Brown’s Federal St eatery Depot took out the top accolade of Restaurant of the Year. It’s not the first time the boisterous shared dining restaurant has received the award; it came in first place in 2012 and also won Best Casual Bistro in 2013. Depot also took out the Best City Bistro.

Metro magazine editor Simon Wilson said of Depot's win, “In a town where the quality of fine dining and smart dining are both getting better every year, it’s remarkable that a busy city bistro manages to match them every step of the way. The food is terrific, the service is outstanding and the atmosphere so exciting. Testament to that? Four years after it opened, Depot is still the busiest place in town.”

Five-time previous supreme award winners The French Café came in second place for Restaurant of the Year and also managed to scoop awards for Best Service, Best Chef (co-owner Simon Wright) and Best Fine Dining Restaurant.

The coveted Restaurateur of the Year Award went to duo Mark Wallbank and chef Che Barrington who operate four restaurants, The Blue Breeze Inn, Chop Chop Noodle Bar, MooChowChow and Woodpecker Hill, the latter of which picked Best New Restaurant and was a runner up in the Best Room Category, won by the City Works Depot located Odettes.

Japanese restaurant Cocoro takes out the Best Drinks Service and Best Smart Dining Restaurant awards.

See the full list of winners below.

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Depot

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR AUCKLAND’S FAVOURITE DISH
Pork buns - The Blue Breeze Inn

BEST FINE-DINING
The French Café

BEST SMART-DINING
Cocoro

BEST CITY BISTRO
Depot

BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD RESTAURANT
The Engine Room

BEST DESTINATION RESTAURANT
Poderi Crisci

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR
Che Barrington & Mark Wallbank, (MooChowChow, The Blue Breeze Inn, Woodpecker Hill)

BEST CHEF
Simon Wright, The French Café

BEST SERVICE
The French Café

BEST DRINKS SERVICE
Cocoro

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Woodpecker Hill

BEST SHARED TABLE
Ima

BEST ALL DAY RESTAURANT
Ortolana

BEST ROOM
Odettes

BEST RENEWAL
Prego

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
Molten