Client Lunches to Corporate Dinners: The Best Restaurants in Auckland

Known for its charming French flair and warm hospitality, Atelier captures the very essence of French cuisine, right in the heart of Auckland’s vibrant Karangahape Road. This central location makes for a perfect midday feast or an after-work dining experience with the team. Think French tapas, wine, and cocktails, with its menu evolving season-to-season. Indulge in a range of cheeses, butters, and main dishes such as Angus beef tartare with pickled onions and marrow aioli. They also offer a delightful set menu, perfect for large groups.

Just a stone’s throw from the beach, Milford Motel offers a chic seaside escape in the heart of a busy suburb. Offering plenty of alfresco dining, it’s a great spot for a sunset dinner with the team. Try booking a table on a Friday to enjoy $3 oysters and $10 bubbles. The menu features plenty of sharing plates, with dietary needs catered to, so everyone can indulge while tapping their feet to the DJ’s music and snapping photos against the trendy pink wall backdrop.

Hoisted above Auckland’s downtown hustle and bustle, Parasol & Swing offers a stylish twist to your next corporate dinner or client lunch with an abundance of sunshine. As a premier cocktail-and-bites bar, it’s the perfect spot to take in the harbour views and sip an innovative craft beverage while the sun goes down. There are plenty of outdoor tables and a menu designed for comfort with gourmet burgers, light bites and tacos. 

Ongi serves a colourful Asian fusion dining experience in Auckland’s CBD, making it a great choice for your next corporate dinner in the city. With plenty of bold flavours and sharing plates, it’s perfectly poised for group dinners, offering a mix of Korean dishes with a contemporary twist that everyone will love. Their sashimi platters are bold, fresh and full of flavour, while their fried chicken, noodle and rice dishes deliver comfort and warmth.

 The Nightcar offers a moody ambience in downtown Auckland, inspired by the French Concession in China. It’s a great option for a group corporate dinner after a hard day’s work in the office, thanks to its flavour-packed menu. Its dishes are inspired by traditional cuisine north of the Yangtze River, where bold and sweet seamlessly come together to warm you from the inside out. Try their lightly seared lamb spare ribs with cumin and chilli, while sipping on their iconic espresso martinis.

Take a journey to the vibrant and colourful streets of Vietnam, where cuisine is all about freshness, flavour, and good vibes. Viet Flames, open for lunch and dinner, is a great choice for your next team dining experience in Auckland. It’s also a great spot for offices locatedsouth of the city centre. Tuck into authentic Vietnamese dishes, where the menu is constantly changing, and the service is quick and warm. The dishes are steeped in ancient tradition, while the restaurant itself offers laid-back indoor and outdoor ambience.

Right in the heart of Takapuna, Tok Tok is a popular Asian fusion in a casual, yet charming seaside setting. With fun island-inspired decor, greenery, bamboo chairs, and an upbeat energy, it’s a fun spot for your next client lunch or corporate dinner on Auckland’s North Shore. The bold, colourful menu captures a delicious blend of aromatics and spices, from Wagyu Pad See Ew and kaffir lime chicken prawns, to green papaya salad. Not to mention, Tok Tok shakes up an array of bright cocktails.

Al Forno is another popular Takapuna spot that works great for a hearty team dinner in Auckland. Its humble dining suite captures the warmth of traditional Italian and Mediterranean dishes, with rustic and earthy flavours. Celebrating handcrafted cooking, the menu serves woodfire pizzas, pastas, and other comforting Italian classics, crafted with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Al Forno’s extensive selection of Italian wines pairs perfectly with each bite.

Consider an island escape for your next corporate dinner. The Heke is a restaurant, craft brewery and distillery nestled on Waiheke Island, just a 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland’s downtown. With views of sweeping hills and local forests, The Heke celebrates locally sourced ingredients from the paddock, sea, and garden. Tuck into woodfired dishes, heart-warming plates, and sip on house-brewed beers and spirits. The Heke captures the essence of laid-back island ambience.  

If your office is in Ponsonby, take the team to Azabu for a unique Japanese dining experience, with an interesting Peruvian flair. Step into a restaurant of moody ambience, low lighting, and enjoy delicious flavours with each bite. The menu features local favourites such as the tuna tostada, robata-grilled meats and wagyu. Pass their delicious sharing plates around the table, too, such as the popcorn prawn tempura, beef and shiitake gyoza, and chicken karaage. Don’t forget to pair your meal with a sake or fun cocktail.