Overview
After more than 90 years presenting the city's freshest seafood experience, the iconic Auckland Fish Market has been given a facelift. Longtime owners Sanford spent the past few months gutting, rebuilding and refurbishing the space on Jellicoe Street in Wynyard Quarter to bring kai moana directly from the wharf to your plate.
Brought to life by Izzard Design, the new-look marketplace hopes to capture the model of a combined market, cooking school and dining precinct that can be found in countries like Japan, Australia and Spain. Sanford also hopes the new space will encourage Kiwis to get more adventurous when it comes to consuming fish. "More than 100 different types of fish are caught in New Zealand waters, yet we tend to eat the same five. Our aim for the new eatery is to show that there is literally oceans of choice beyond the usual snapper, hoki or terakihi."
In addition to the Sanford & Sons Fishmonger and Auckland Seafood School in the heart of the precinct, the newly developed space is now home to eight diverse eateries and a courtyard bar, with room for up to 400 seafood lovers.
The lineup stars some Auckland favourites and some new kids on the block. Chef Yukio Ozeki has opened the second outpost of Azabu, serving a blend of Peruvian-Japanese cuisine. The Jefferson's Ofir Yudelivich brings Billypot which will take fresh mussels direct from the boat to the steamer. Tiki Thai from chef Cameron Knox, of Xoong and Tok Tok, will serve up reimagined cuisine from Southeast Asia. Outside in the refurbished courtyard will be Market Galley, a new venture from the Savor Group and Ostro chef Cobus Klopper. Mar & Tierra will serve Latin-inspired surf 'n' turf with a custom-made wood-burning grill.
Elsewhere, Super Pizza will dish up Italian street food, Ika Bowl will offer one of the freshest poke experiences in the city, Good Karma will be the spot for coffee, gelato, cake and espresso, and The Wreck will serve craft beer, local wine and cocktails.
The refurbished Auckland Fish Market and dining precinct is now open for business at 22 Jellicoe St, Freemans Bay.