A Huge Lineup Has Been Announced for Auckland Restaurant Month 2018

The time is nigh to put your diet on hold and dust off those stretchy pants. The eighth outing of Restaurant Month returns to the heart of the city next month with over 100 special menus, 25 intriguing dining events, a host of visiting international chefs, and a whole lot more reasons to simply go out and eat.

Peter Gordon's The Sugar Club will kick off the month-long food celebration by bringing together five chefs who have helped shape the restaurant over the years. In line with the restaurant's fifth birthday, diners will indulge in five courses, each inspired by the chef's time at The Sugar Club.

The Chef Dining Series is a staple feature of Restaurant Month and every week international chefs spanning Singapore, San Francisco and Sydney will team up with local talent to deliver collaborative dining experiences.

Flying in from across the ditch will be chefs from Aria and Automata to prove why they're regularly considered the best fine dining restaurants in Australia. From Singapore comes Kirk Westaway to showcase simple yet complex cuisine of fine dining restaurant Jaan; Saint Lucian chef Nina Compton will bring a taste of New Orleans to Soul Bar; and Roman Petry of Roka Akor San Francisco will bring his take on Japanese robata with A Taste of Waygu, focusing on the Rolls Royce of beef.

Further highlights include a three-course degustation by bike, sake matching dinners, a vegan feast to celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day, an aprés ski-themed street party, a sustainable Mexican feast featuring cactus and crickets, and a progressive dining tour around Princess Wharf. New to this year is The Curious Food Festival which will be dedicated to adventurous and one-off dishes.

The special menus feature of Restaurant Month has something for all persuasions and wallet sizes. Available everywhere from new Queens Rise opening Lowbrow to Middle Eastern eatery Ima Cuisine and contemporary Indian restaurant Cassia, the 100 menus on offer will be set at three special price points: $25, $40 and $55+.

Auckland Restaurant Month takes place from August 1-31. Find out more at Heart of the City.

Image: Lemongrass Productions, Auckland Restaurant Month.