Palmer
This rooftop cocktail bar and restaurant is the jewel in the crown of the revamped Albert Street precinct.
Overview
The final jewel in the crown of the revamped 1 Albert Street precinct in downtown Auckland is Palmer. The former West Plaza building has been undergoing a transformation at the hands of architect Neville Price over the last couple of years — and the grand finale is the opening of this cocktail bar and restaurant.
Ex-Gerome chef James Kenny is at the kitchen's helm, and renowned cocktail master Mikey Ball is behind the drinks list. Australian design studio Acme were behind the fit-out, taking it on as their first New Zealand project.
Sustainability has been at the core of the entire Albert street renovation and that extends to Palmer's menu — the drinks list incorporates local suppliers and waste reduction by using juice, husks and peels from the kitchen's fruit and veg. You might opt for a Tropicana, a mix of gin, grilled watermelon, golden kiwi and citrus. For those who can't go past a spicy marg, the Habanero Margarita blends tequila, dry curaçao, pineapple, lime, habanero and salt. There's also an extensive list of local wines and beers — as well as French sparkling.
The menu is a mix of shared plates heroing local ingredients. There's polenta fries with pecorino and black garlic mayo, fried halloumi with green tomato and jalapeno jam, and duck croquettes with purple carrot and orange marmalade. Bigger share plates include tempura chicken with lotus root and honey mustard sauce, tuna ceviche with pickled pineapple, and pork belly with miso baba ganoush and pomegranate. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diners can all be catered to.
A go-to for the post-work business crowds and the downtown shoppers, head to Palmer for a cocktail and to watch the world go by.
Information
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