In the heart of Britomart, Kingi has built a reputation around one simple idea: letting the best of New Zealand’s land and sea do the talking.
Part of The Hotel Britomart, the all-day restaurant has become one of Auckland’s standout destinations for seafood, earning two hats in the Cuisine Good Food Guide as well as recognition as a MICHELIN Selected restaurant.
Led by Head Chef Stefania Palermo and Executive Chef Andrew Lautenbach, Kingi has a strong focus on sustainably caught kaimoana, working closely with independent local fishers alongside farmers, hunters and growers who share the restaurant’s approach to thoughtful sourcing.
Short for kingfish, Kingi celebrates ingredients that have a genuine connection to where they come from. New Zealand’s oceans, rivers, forests and landscapes provide the inspiration, with fresh, seasonal produce treated in ways that feel considered without becoming overly complicated.
Some menu items to try are the crowd favourite crayfish taco with kiwifruit, avocado and habanero (above right); snapper with almond sauce, smoked eel gribiche and grapes (above left); market fish with brown butter, capers and citrus; and the venison with quince, butternut, toasted yeast beurre blanc and onion.
That connection to place extends beyond the plate. Kingi’s warm, contemporary setting makes it equally suited to lunch with friends, dinner in the city or a glass of wine and something from the raw bar, while its location within The Hotel Britomart puts it right in the middle of one of Auckland’s liveliest dining precincts.
The restaurant itself is absolutely stunning, and for something a little more intimate, Kingi Private offers a brick-lined dining and event space centred around an expansive raw-edge swamp kauri table. Overhead, a shimmering fish-scale chandelier nods back to the restaurant’s ocean focus, while a glass-fronted larder kitchen gives guests a glimpse of the chefs at work.
Here, the restaurant’s sustainable and seasonal philosophy continues through private dining menus, wine matching and dishes with a slightly more fine-dining edge. Kingi also offers a tasting menu designed around some of the team’s most cherished producers, bringing the people and ingredients behind the restaurant firmly into focus.
For seafood lovers, Kingi is a celebration of what’s being caught, grown and gathered close to home, served right in the heart of Auckland.