ADDRESS: Cnr Albert & Quay Sts, CBD, Auckland
CONTACT: 09 884 4200
WEBSITE: commercialbay.co.nz/dine/lodge-bar
Check website for opening hours
MAINS: $36 – $190
SCORE: 18/20
Executive chef Matt Lambert packed his Michelin-star status into his suitcase when he returned home from New York City’s Musket Room and those kitchen credentials still cut a dash. That doesn’t mean it’s all earnest and serious: Lambert’s light, playful approach to food sees dishes that taste as sublime as they look. This is more than a bar – the kitchen serves well-conceived dishes that range from some spectacular snacks through to an impressive offering of dry-aged steaks, accompanied by a drinks list that includes original cocktails and some seriously good wines. Whatever your leanings, start at the raw bar, do. And if you can’t decide between the rich à la carte pickings, you could always take Lambert’s steer and settle in for his five-course ‘Here and Now’ set menu. A slick team of experienced staff bolster the experience.
IN BRIEF: A place that touches all bases
EXPLORE MORE HERE
Cuisine Good Food Guide Hatted Restaurants
Resilience, innovation and exceptional dining experiences are the hallmarks of this past year’s Cuisine Good Food Awards, with a commitment to excellence within the New Zealand hospitality industry.
Cuisine Good Food Guide Category Winners
Discover the best restaurants, chefs and innovators of the year across New Zealand’s culinary scene. From Restaurant of the Year to Regional, Metropolitan and Rising Talent, meet the award-winners shaping the future of dining out.
Cuisine Good Food Guide Destinations
Start planning your best-ever culinary adventures with Cuisine’s Good Food Guide Destinations. From casual to high-end global tastes to wineries that deliver a great menu or favourites we return to again and again, you are guaranteed a deliciously good time.