There’s a new name on Parnell Road, and it’s one that comes with real intent. Aarth has just opened this February, offering a modern Indian dining experience that feels deeply personal, confident and refreshingly unexpected.
The name Aarth translates to “deeper meaning”, and that idea runs through everything here. From the menu to the interiors, this is a restaurant designed to move beyond surface level dining. It’s about heritage, symbolism and memory, reinterpreted for Auckland right now.
At the helm is chef and owner Vicky Shah, whose CV includes some of the city’s most respected kitchens including Cassia, Sidart, The French Café, KOL, The Sugar Club, The Grill and Ki Māha – that’s quite the list! Aarth marks his most personal chapter yet, shaped by his Indian heritage and his life in New Zealand.
Rather than leaning into the familiar line up more than a few of us know as butter chicken and naan, the menu explores lesser seen regional Indian flavours, reworked through contemporary technique and a playful edge. You might find whitebait bhaji, heirloom tomatoes infused with a pav bhaji palate, oyster sol kadhi or palak patta chaat. Larger plates include duck nihari, beef laal maas, lamb layered with chutneys and buffalo milk paneer, alongside carefully sourced local produce such as Tara Hills Wagyu. Desserts nod to nostalgia, from a reimagined mango lassi to a refined take on Black Forest.
Dishes are designed to be shared and talked about. They move between comfort and surprise, nudging familiar flavours into new territory while staying grounded in tradition.
The space mirrors that same layered thinking. Subtle updates create warmth and intimacy rather than spectacle. A custom botanical artwork by Auckland studio The Plant Parlour NZ interprets the Ganges River, a powerful symbol of life and continuity in Indian culture, anchoring the room with quiet meaning. Here, nothing feels decorative without purpose.
“Aarth is my way of welcoming people into my home,” says Vicky. “It’s a love letter to the Indian diaspora and the communities that have shaped me. The food draws from my heritage, expressed through where I am now in New Zealand – created as a third space for locals, travellers and first- and second-generation Indians alike. It’s personal, intentional and unapologetically me.”
Located at 1/333 Parnell Road and open for dinner, Aarth feels both grounded and forward looking. It honours Indian culinary tradition without treating it as fixed, while aiming high, with ambitions of delivering a Michelin worthy experience and helping position Auckland firmly on the global dining map.
In a suburb that knows good food, Aarth offers something a little different. Less noise, more nuance. A place to slow down, look closer and taste between the lines.