Everywhere to eat this Christmas Day in Auckland

Sit back and let FISH by Hilton do all the cooking this Christmas. Accompanied by a stunning view of Auckland’s harbour, FISH is serving up four courses of local delicious offerings. House-made focaccia with truffle mascarpone, crayfish arancini, scampi tail, Mt Cook salmon, lamb rack, turkey legs, and bombe with Christmas-inspired sweet treats. Culinary Director Des Harris is at the helm, ensuring a seamless four-course meal for a memorable Christmas Day. You can book in for $245pp with three sittings available from 12:30pm through to 6:30pm.

Enjoy a full day of dining options at Cooke’s Restaurant this Christmas Day. The Auckland Central restaurant sits inside the Fable Hotel, renowned for their elegant dining experiences. Opt for a breakfast meal with your loved ones, with a tasting stand of Wagyu croquettes, scallops, croissant waffles, polenta, and all the classic breakfast dishes, as well as a Champagne ad-on available , all for $90pp.

Otherwise, head to a traditional lunch or dinner at Cooke’s with sittings at 1pm or 6:30pm. At $220pp, you’ll be treated to a seven-course meal involving burrata, yellow fish tuna tartar, lamb rib, cray fish, and decadent desserts. Set in Cooke’s intimate dining room, you’ll feel right at home on Christmas Day.

Hotel restaurants get a bad rep, but Esther (located on the ground floor of the QT Hotel) really holds her own in terms of both drinks and dishes. Luckily on Christmas day, guests and overnight visitors will be able to enjoy what Esther has to offer, depending on what;s on their seasonal menu at the time. In terms of cuisine, the menu consists of Mediterranean fusion that showcases classic New Zealand ingredients- with head chef Sean Connolly at the forefront.

Esther’s Christmas Day menu has three seatings: 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 6pm. The feasting menu is $185pp, including a cocktail to start and five courses including dishes such as Puff Bread and Te Matuku Waiheke Oysters, plus seasonal specials like Kataifi wild caught prawns, Flight of hams, and Harmony Farms roast Porchetta. Enjoy Christmas crackers inbetween courses and spread the cheer.

Onemata is a love letter to Aotearoa, and celebrating a Kiwi Christmas can’t get more kiwi than this. Drawing out the flavours of New Zealand agriculture to their fullest potential, Onemata is definitely a place to put on your list. On Christmas Day they offer two time slots at lunch and dinner respectively. On Christmas Day, you can expect a delightful set menu with a mix of seafood, fresh local produce, and hearty snacks to start.

The lunch package includes a 4-course set menu at $280 per head, while the dinner consists of a 3-course set menu which costs $210 per head. Both of these come with a complimentary glass of Billecart-Salmon Champagne. With the stellar location, guests will be able to gaze out onto the waterfront as they eat – so fingers crossed for a sunny December 25th. 

Orbit’s famous for being Auckland’s highest rotating restaurant, giving patrons a spectacular panoramic view over the city centre. It almost seems too good to be true that such a staple venue could be open on Christmas Day. To acknowledge the big day, Orbit has released a special four-course set menu for the occasion, priced at $175 per person. Items on the menu include house-made artisan bread, pan seared scallops, and vanilla cremeux. Christmas is the perfect excuse to indulge in delicious food, and the view is definitely an added bonus for a memorable celebration. 

Yet another restaurant located in SkyCity, The Sugar Club is a fine dining restaurant that takes its inspiration from the 1930s – this being reflected from the sleek interior to the venue’s name. The food here is top notch without a doubt, highlighting local sustainably sourced produce with a focus on texture and flavour. Over Christmas Day, guests will get to experience the taste of haute cuisine at $230 a head, with children able to dine for $79.