Overview
Back by popular demand for the third year in a row is Restaurant Month – a celebration of the central city's best chefs and bustling culinary scene.
Bigger and better than ever before, Restaurant Month includes an official launch party, a street food market and a tantalising array of dining events and special menus from over 120 central city restaurants, at prices to suit everyone's budgets. There are even a handful of international chef's in town getting ready to wow you with their continental cuisine.
With so many options you could be forgiven for a getting a little overwhelmed. To help we've put a list together of our ten best things to do this Restaurant Month. So whether you're the fine dining type or just someone who enjoys a darn good feed, it's time to discard your apron, put on a nice shirt and get stuck into Restaurant Month.
Furthermore, to wet your whistle, Concrete Playground is giving away three double passes to The Winter Warm Up, a boutique wine tasting event with talks by wine makers and more. To go in the draw, enter below.
1. A Taste of Porteño
Vivace, Wednesday 7th August, 6:30pm
Restaurant Month isn't all starched tablecloths and crystal glasses. This unique event includes an open fit pit, two trendy, tattooed chefs from Sydney and whole lambs which will be slow cooked to perfection. A Taste of Porteño brings Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz's award winning 'Argentinean BBQ and rockabilly styles' from Surry Hills to Auckland for one special evening.
Held at Vivace, this will be a night to remember with mouth-watering BBQ fare by the chefs awarded the prestigious title of 'Chef of the Year' (2013) by the Sydney Morning Herald.
2. Street Eats
Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Saturday 10th August, 10:30am – 7:00pm
For one day only, chefs from all over town will be leaving the confines of their kitchens and bringing their creations to the street. Shed 10 will be transformed into a busy street food market with all sorts of delights on offer. Expect South East Asian by Monsoon Poon, Pizza from Toto, authentic Latin American from Besos Latinos, seafood from Soul Bar and plenty more. This family friendly event also includes live music, children's entertainment and street theatre. Entry is free and with such an array of sensory delights on offer you may just find yourself foraging around the market for quite some time.
3. A Taste of the Test Kitchen
Clooney, Wednesday 14h August, 6:30pm
The Test Kitchen is one of Cape Town's best fine dinning restaurants with a host of accolades to prove it including the prestigious 2013 'One to Watch' San Pellegrino Award for restaurants worldwide. Test Kitchen Head Chef Luke Dale-Roberts is here to bring a taste of South Africa to Auckland. He will team up with Clooney's Head Chef Des Harris, who recently won NZ Chef of the Year, to deliver an extraordinary meal with matching wines in the award-winning Clooney dining room. This exclusive dining experience might set you back a bit but it's definitely an investment in your culinary education... plus it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a flight to Cape Town.
4. Winter Warm Up
Victoria Park Market, Saturday 17th – Sunday 18th August
Here's a special treat for those noble folk who are just about to finish a long dry July. Restaurant Month is set to take over the newly renovated Victoria Park Markets for the weekend of the 17th/18th of August offering boutique wine tastings, talks by wine makers, themed lunches and entertainment. Entry to the venue is free and $20 will get you a Boutique Wine Showcase ticket, which includes a glass and your first six wine tastings – probably all you'll need after that month off.
5. A Taste of Pok Pok
Everybody's Izakaya, Wednesday 28th August, 6:30pm
American Chef Andy Ricker has been referred to as a "game changer" by the New York Times and his Pok Pok restaurants are currently listed as number eight in Bon Appétit 20 Most Important Restaurants in America list. Revered for his fiery Northern Thai cuisine Ricker has been flying to and from Thailand for over 20 years to ensure Pok Pok serves the newest and most sought after Thai cuisine. Luckily for us he's giving the JFK – Bangkok flight and miss and heading to Auckland instead.
Ricker will team up with Everybody's chef Nick Honeyman who also share's his passion for creative Asian fare and the two will be putting on a Thai banquet to remember.
6. High Tea in High Places
Hotel DeBrett, every Saturday and Sunday, 3 - 5pm
All the fuss in the media about the new baby prince has probably got you thirsty for a jolly good cup of English Breakfast. Instead of putting the kettle on, why not take partake in a much more high-end affair by heading down to Hotel DeBrett for a special high tea. The Caker, Jordan Rondel's glorious cakes will be served along with the classic DeBrett's high tea treats. Add a glass of bubbles in there for good measure and you've got yourself a right royal afternoon.
7. Opera Night at Toto
Toto, every Saturday night in August
Italians are passionate about their food and Head Chef Sergio Maglione pledges to deliver not just a meal, but an "emotional experience" when you dine at this iconic Italian restaurant, which draws inspiration from Southern Italy and the Amalfi Coast. This is certainly the case over Restaurant Month – each Saturday in August Toto' is is staging an opulent evening of opera boasting some of New Zealand's finest opera singers as well as emerging artists and visiting international performers. The combination of Toto's delicious dishes, plenty of vino rosso and an emotionally charged aria will make for quite the passionate affair. Entry is free if you mention Restaurant Month.
8. Buttermilk Café
Warwick Brown has picked up a reputation for producing delightful café fare. Previously at Mikano, Cin Cin on Quay and more recently, the La Cigale bistro evenings, Brown is now head chef at the Buttermilk Café, which opened late 2012 after 12 months of design work in the re-vamped Victoria Park market space. Set in a modern warehouse space, the Buttermilk Cafe offers beautiful food using only the freshest seasonal produce along with top quality espresso. If the Buttermilk Café has been on you list to check out, now is the time – their Restaurant Month menu is small but perfectly formed and you'll get a complimentary espresso or fresh juice too, all with change from a $20 note.
9. Giapo Ice-cream and Research Kitchen
Master Glacier Gianpaolo Grazioli is responsible the inspired frozen creations at Giapos, which is arguably the best place to get an ice-cream in the central city. With such an array of artisan flavors Giapos is permanently busy and is a firm favorite with film-goers who want the step up from the tired old choc dip cone. Alleviate that moment of scanning the various tubs, hands pressed against the glass with no idea what is going in that waffle cone by selecting from the special Restaurant Month menu which includes flavors such as chocolate rum with macarons or pumpkin, orange and Campari.
10. Soul Bar
One of the best things about Restaurant Month is getting to dine some where swanky without feeling like it might have to be baked beans for the rest of the week. There are plenty of restaurants tempting us with these types of deals but one well worth checking out is Soul Bar. Take in the sights of the Viaduct as you dine on roast duck soup, lamb tagine and rhubarb pavlova all for a casual $45. You can add on wine pairing for $15 and there's a three-course lunch menu too for just $35.