Images courtesy of Ima Cuisine
About the restaurant
Ima means mother in Hebrew, and Chef Yael's Auckland CBD kitchen earns the name honestly, all warmth, community and homestyle cooking that makes strangers feel like regulars. Everything is made from scratch: house-made lamb merguez sausage, shakshuka, berbere omelettes and fresh-baked pita, alongside shawarma pulled straight from the rotisserie. The space flexes easily between an intimate dinner for two and a long table full of people passing plates around, which makes sense given how naturally Ima leans into family-style set menus for bigger groups. Cozy without trying too hard.