Ponsonby Road Bistro

Great food. Great service. Great drinks list. Enough said.
You are better off coming in on a quieter night (mon-​thurs) when it is less busy.
The lighting in this restaurant is really intimate and they have great xmas decorations!

great experience. we threw ourselves in the hands of the waitress/​sommelier/​hostess (she performed all those duties, including taking the reservation … in fact, she also acted as a concierge, directing us on things to do with the remaining time in Auckland as well as bars and other restaurants to visit). food was top-​notch. a couple of terrific and unexpected wine recommendations. and we dug the neighborhood — a welcome respite from the Queen St scene of downtown Auckland. a great choice. six thumbs up.

Another fabulous dinner experience! The place was heaving full.
I ordered THE most sinfully delicious main course: pork belly schnitzel with mustard mash and an apple & fennel slaw. Highly recommend it.

An extensive wine list. The pork scallopini is amazing. My wife had a lovely Market fish and our friend’s tuna was to die for. The wait staff was attentive and helpful. The above average price is well warranted. My only complaint is the noise level, but overall it was a wonderful late-​night dining experience.

I was actually a bit underwhelmed with Ponsonby Road Bistro because I always heard such good things and it was my first visit.
They don’t have any vegetarian options on their main menu which was a big disappointment, and even their starters have things like chorizo in the dressings.
They can however substitute halloumi for any of their meat options — which i did instead of the duck — but I kinda feel like its not the sixties any more and meat doesn’t need to be the feature of every dish! Plus, they still initially wanted to charge $ 36 for the meal (a few strips of halloumi on a thin layer of parsnip mash) although dropped it to $ 29 at the till.
Also, the parsnip chips my friend ordered were soggy and the broccoli side bland.
Griping…
On a brighter note, sampled a great bottle of red from a decent wine list, and the puddings were our highlight, including a huge rich chocolate pudding and a nicely presented affogato with frangelico.
Overall had a nice evening with lovely friends, and would give the place another chance should someone really want to go, but not blown away.

This is the kind of place I imagine would be an «everything restaurant». From dinner with the parents, to a romantic dinner or a gossipy night of cocktails with the girls, I can see this being a place that would work in every instance.
The menu changes regularly and dishes are influenced from all corners of the globe. In some restaurants this multi-​cuisine approach doesn’t work and alludes to a confused chef who’s just trying stuff out to see what «sticks». Here, the chef relies on winning flavour combinations, age old techniques and great produce to make dishes that really impress. The chicken liver pâté and the roasted duck risotto were incredible, and perfect to share amongst two.
The wine list would impress most wine nerds. The options by the glass are diverse and really allow you to jump around and try multiple styles within the one evening. We settled on glasses of Chablis and then shared a glass of Pinot, which the staff happily poured between two glasses.
The staff here are bold and friendly; seemingly anticipating our every move before we even made them. It’s just one of the reasons I’d happily return again and again to PRB.

PRB is consistently amazing not only for their food but also their service and atmosphere. There is a wide range of beautiful wines to match your plate and don’t forget to start or finish with a few of their delicious cocktails! A great place to come with friends for dinner, afternoon drinks or a cute date spot. Give it a try — it won’t disappoint!

Another great meal at the PRB — I just love a place where the food and service are entirely predictably great.
This visit was red meat time and the scotch fillet with parsley butter and chunky chips fitted the bill. The meat was cooked a perfect medium rare, juicy and flavoursome — the sign that it had been aged properly. The parsley butter was a good condiment but I didnt think that the green in the butter was enough veges so I finished the meal off with a plate of green beans to pretend I was being somewhat healthy.
The meal was complemented by a glass of Pinot from the clever wine list — that has some wines off the beaten track that provides the opportunity to try something different.
There were clean plates on the table so everyone obviously enjoyed their meals as much as I did.

Last Friday of work for many, my friend and I decided to head to PRB for a cheeky drink and some dinner. We were well overdue for a girls night out, and this was the perfect spot. Drenched in the evening sunlight we shared a bottle of Central Otago rosé, as well as indulging in their pâté (a must if you head to PRB), the beautiful haloumi salad with pita bread and hummus (stunning), then tucking into pizza, chips and a tomato salad.
We arrived around 6.30 hoping they’d be able to squeeze us in as it was still very early. One table was available until 8pm. We decided to lock it in, even though it might mean a bit of a rush. But because of the great service and the speed at which the meals were brought out, it was fantastic. And we were ready to head somewhere else for a drink at 8pm anyway. We would’ve stayed for another bottle had they been able to accommodate us though, it’s such a great spot. It’s always drenched in sun, it’s a perfect spot to people watch in Ponsonby, and they always have perfect bistro style food, frequently changing up their menu, but keeping the staples. And you can stay for hours there turning a quick dinner into a big night.
Parking is… Difficult, but the side streets are always good. Sometimes you can get one right outside, just the luck of the draw.
I was going to give a 4/​5, but then I realised I’ve never had a bad meal or bad service there, I really enjoy going for casual dining… What’s not to like?

If you visit the website for Ponsonby Road Bistro, you’ll be overwhelmed by their accolades: Top 20 Cuisine Good Food Awards 2013, Metro Top 50 etc etc etc. Does it live up to the hype?
Clearly a lot of people are finding out for themselves — this place was rammed when we visited. The dark wood, dim lighting & buzz of conversation made for a cosy dining environment.
Referring to my previous mention of the website, although it is rather extensive, do not take the online menu as set in stone.
The menu changes often and you can’t be sure of getting the current one online. They do mention this online though, and I believe one of the signs of a good restaurant is one that changes its’ menu often depending on the fresh produce available.
The Crispy-​Fried Calamari entrée was as good as I’ve tasted with a tender & light crispy coating. That’s saying a lot in a city where calamari seems to be the entrée de rigeur. If I was pulling hairs, I’d say the chef was a little heavy-​handed with the salt, but overall it didn’t distract from the taste of the dish. The Salad of Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder was accompanied with kimchi, brown rice and pineapple. These are more unusual flavours of showcasing slow cooked pork than the ubiquitous apples and kumara, and produced interesting, almost unexpected flavours. The Chicken Liver Pâté was presented beautifully with salads greens and toast, and was very tasty. And our final entrée choice of the Grilled Halloumi & Marinated Aubergine was again well received. This was a substantial portion too; vegetarians don’t miss out here!
The main courses were more standard, with the exception of the Scotch Fillet, which was perfectly cooked to order and a decent size. The accompanying crunchy roasted potatoes were so popular that they kept disappearing off the plate! With regards to our other mains, they were unremarkable; the Stewart Island Salmon was well-​cooked, and the Chargrilled Lamb Kebabs were nice enough. Nothing to complain about, but no WOW factor either.
Unfortunately things went downhill from here. After a 45 minute wait for our desserts and coffee, we finally ambushed the very busy waiter to find out what the problem was. Apparently it was some kind of «coffee hiccup»??? Cue still more waiting… However, when the desserts FINALLY did arrive, they were amazing. The Valrhona Chocolate Pudding was rich & indulgent, as any self-​respecting chocolate pudding should be. The Summer Berry Roulade was light with divine berry and passionfruit flavours. Yum.
To give them their due, the female maitre’d miraculously appeared at our table after the dessert debacle and was very attentive for the short remainder of our stay. She also discounted some coffees because of our wait.
In summing up, Ponsonby Road Bistro is a bistro done good. Elevating them to Top 20 status is slightly ridiculous. For what it is, the food is done well, but very pricey. Wine is also expensive, and the service is definitely bistro-​worthy rather than 5 star silver service. Auckland, and especially Ponsonby, is brimming with wonderful restaurants that offer you the trilogy of great food, great service & a great experience at the right price; in my opinion, PRB has no real point of difference, and probably no reason for me to visit again.

Visited here for a Unilocal elite event where we were treated to a Sake masterclass. The evening began with a delicious sparkling Sake before we were served a Lychee Saketini that was as delicious as it was unique. A few canapes were provided to match including a salmon and cucumber morsel and some fried squid that had superb spiced flavours. The final pre-​masterclass drink was a Japanese Sgroppino which was a combination of Sake, lime juice and cucumber and lychee sorbet served in a martini glass. Truly a unique and delicious cocktail. I can say that the mixology at Ponsonby Road Bistro was execeptional!
Once the masterclass began we were served a fried wonton that was absolutely stunning.
I did not stay through for a full meal, but the menu looks fantastic and rotates each month. From what I saw the other patrons eating for dinner, I’d say the food looks top-​notch and I can’t wait to come back for a full meal here.
To top it off, Melissa did a great job of looking after us and the service was excellent. I look forward to returning soon.

Got a table for two without a reservation on a Thursday night during Fashion Week so was feeling lucky already. The meal & service were excellent. Fresh oysters in the half shell, Stewart island salmon & a rich chocolate concoction for dessert. I will be back!

I’ve been here for a quiet work lunch and a night of rather raging work drinks. Both were completely different events but the restaurant was perfect for both of them. Situated in the middle of Ponsonby it was an easy and convenient location to our work in the Auckland CBD.
The lunch we had was amazing. The food was prepared without fault and I was actually really surprised when I saw the prices. I love it when I find a place that’s luxurious but costs the same as it would to have a greasy meal at the pub down the road.
At night the place transforms into a dimly lit abode that can be enjoying both inside and outside. When you’re outside you don’t feel like you’re sitting on the road because they have partitions up that make it like you’re still inside the restaurant.
We were treated with the best service and their toilets are seriously awesome. That’s a bit of a random last note, but there’s nothing better than beautiful bathrooms hah.

When you’re dining out in Ponsonby you expect elegance and luxury (especially after looking at the bill at the end of the night). To have this coupled with the seldom seen polite and respectful attitude of Ponsonby Road Bistro is a treat.
The interior is a lavish mix of brown leather and black velvet. An ever changing menu with prime kitchen creations of fresh local produce. Even just relaxing for an afternoon wine is a delight when your chilled chablis accompanied with a carafe of water, spiced nuts and trumpeting lounge funk.
There is no denying the multiple awards bestowed upon this exceptional bistro.

I really rate Ponsonby Road BIstro. My dad wasn’t that keen on it but I have visited on several occasions and been pretty happy every time. I know a group of guys who go very regularly and all get the steak and swear by it. The menu changes on the regular, I usually go for the ‘fish’ option — they always have a pizza but the flavours change. One time I had these prawn and scallop fritters with avocado and salad which was off the chain good. Desserts are always nice, and I think they have one of the best cheese boards in Auckland.
It’s kind of dark in the restaurant but that’s their deal, I guess. The tables outside are nice to sit at because they’ve got heaters. The service is very good — they’re friendly and professional and quite knowledgable and helpful. They also are accommodating to people who want to make alternations to their meals (ie. People like me) so that’s a big plus in my book.

Ponsonby Road Bistro is known as one of the city’s top spots — in 2012 it was one of the finalists in the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year awards. It’s easy to see why — there’s plenty of delicious, fresh and seasonal produce on offer, served up by head chef Sarah Conway and team.
I love going to Ponsonby Road Bistro and sampling the current market fish dish, which is always cooked to perfection and served with a delicious bit of salad. Another favourite for my dining partners is the chicken saltimbocca, with baked polenta, cherry tomato sauce, basil and parmesan. The meals aren’t cheap, but if you’re looking for a nice sunny spot in the evenings to eat a decent meal and drink a cheap-​ish glass of wine, PRB is for you.