The Grove Restaurant

The food and wine journey were once again truly spectacular. The service is the best in the country and we are so sad The Grove will be closing soon. Thank you team for another unforgettable night of true fine dining.

My husband and I had a dinner at the Grove to celebrate our birthday. As a new mum, I need to breast feeding my baby and only have 3hours to travel from north shore and get back. I asked the grove if they can serve the food as fast as they can to help me. They had a very sufficient pace and I enjoyed 8 dishes and got back home in time! They do care their customers. Appreciate it. The food is full of imagination and is of high quality. I like the ice cream and sorbet especially. Sadly hear the news that they are closing in a month. Hopefully the grove will be back one day.

We were sitting in the restaurant trying to remember a similar dining experience. We went through all the Sydney fine dining you would expect, extended out to NSW, across Australia and there ended up being only 2 experiences we felt were equivalent. L'en-clume a 3 Michelin star pop up in Sydney in 2023, from the UK that we were lucky enough to experience when they were in Sydney. L'en-clume are coming back to Sydney! we are hoping to get tickets and go again! - we actually still have the Kale plant they gave us as a gift when we left the restaurant, growing in our garden! The second equivalent experience would be Hentley Farm Restaurant The food ate The Grove is superb, truly experimental, truly interesting, but with a keen eye for flavor and the experience of dining. The Horse Mussel and Wasabi, Wasabi were both stand outs, but anything on the menu would stand up in any kitchen in the world. The wine pairing was superb with the palate of @andreamartinisi intertwining and layering the experience of the wine with the food. Service, impeccable. Get in quick, the owners are calling it a day after 20 years and close in late March 2025.

**I went to The Grove in February and left the review straight, but somehow it was not visible. Thus writing this again** One of favourite fine dining restaurant for sure, and happily visited here again on my birthday. The menu has been changed but still had amazing tastes for each dishes, really enjoyed every single course. The crayfish Banh Mi, was somewhat interesting, added extra catchy flavour when it was wrapped with wasabi leaves. Duck was another very lovely dish, the meat was very soft but chewy at the same time, marinated well with its deep flavoures sauce. 55 days aged beef was definite highlight of the course. The quality of calve was really outstanding, it literally melted on the tongue. Rest of course were really great too, they all had unique but full of characters, kept my tastebuds busy. Happy to visit here again on another special occasion to celebrate! Huge thanks to The Grove for outstanding meal:)

4.6 | delicious food and drink, with some rather innovative experiences such as a absinthe waterfall, the salt cured venison, and the dry ice herb bowl. Service was incredibly friendly and fun. They were also very accommodating as we asked to switch our reservation date last minute to a Friday and they made it work! Definitely a visit if looking for fine dining in Auckland.

Very fancy restaurant in Auckland. The menu is small in portions and you can enjoy many items. The view from the windows is not great, but you will be satisfied with the atmosphere and food in the restaurant. Also, the desserts are very unique. Regrettably, the menu options for course meals are poor, but if you have any requests you should discuss them with the restaurant in advance.

We had the Valentine's Day set manu, it had a huge variety of foods. The snacks and entrees were exceptional, I really saw your growth as a restaurant compared to last year. The ingredients and presentation have become more creative and the taste and texture have become more delicate and layered. The cider sorbet was definitely the most fun one. The seafood dishes tasted especially good. In my humble opinion, the aged beef and deserts could have been improved. The aged beef was a little too salty and the deserts were a little too sweet, you could add more touches of other flavors to balance them out. I think dishes like the duck egg mushrooms and cider sorbet had more balanced flavors. This doesn't mean anything was bad, I just hold them to a high standard as most dishes were so good. Overall we loved the dinning experience! You did a great job!

From start to finish it was an adventure and a delight to our palettes. We were impressed with the service and atmosphere. Absolute high class and professional. We did the 7 course degustation menu. Stunning looking plates!! Couldn’t rave about this place more. Last picture is the full menu.

We chose the 8 course experience and thoroughly enjoyed it. We snagged a last minute reservation based on online reviews and an in person confirmation from a couple that I met on a tour. I will warn you, the experience isn't cheap, but if you're a foodie and you enjoy food experiences go ahead and take the plunge. The total experience takes about 3 hours as you are being presented with individual courses and a palate cleanse. We didn't opt for the wine pairing but I'm told it's a great choice. I thoroughly enjoy food but rarely venture outside of my comfort zone when it comes to consuming certain animals but I did and was quite surprised. I'd definitely say add this experience on your list if visiting New Zealand.

Top-notch service and wonderfully creative food are the highlights here, surely one of the best restaurants New Zealand has to offer. I've had many wine-pairing dinners, but the matches here were absolutely stellar, perhaps the best I've ever encountered. Great hospitality by the owner and the entire staff.

The staff is very attentive and from my experience, genuinely care. The pace of dining is perfect. This is obviously a fine or among finest dining experiences. I found some of the reviews amusing when they complain about portion size and time between courses. I would recommend them to go to Panda Express or Subway for size and speed.

French staff, great wine list and a desire to emulate great European cuisine. The pre-set menu is tailored to NZ pallets, namely everything is very salty. Very sexy in Aukland but some work ahead before Michelin drops a star.

The environment is very inviting. The food and wine list was epic. It was all a tasting experience. From snacks, to an 8 coarse meal and then dessert. The diversity of the flavors and presentation blew my mind. I am from the states and the style of food I received tonight I have never come across. The staff was so pleasant and answered all of my questions. And the wine list was so extensive. The gentleman knew exactly how to help me and we had a wonderful conversation about what was best for the courses. A must for visit.

Perfect place to celebrate an occasion with your loved one. The grove is more of an experience rather than a restaurant. We sat at this place for around 3.5 hours mainly due to the way they serve food here and the type of degustation we chose. We went for the the full degustation was which was 7 courses. The courses were small so we didn't feel fed up by the end of it which was good. Between each course you should expect to spend between 5-10 min for the next course which is why I'm saying it's more of an experience here rather than a restaurant. Our favorite dishes were the fish (6th course) and the steak (7th course) plus the soufflé which was one of the three desserts we got. A bit pricey but worth it if you have a special occasion

This place is amazing! My husband and I did the tasting menu here, and it was our favorite meal over our two-week honeymoon! Everything was so fresh, and there was more than enough food. Given the quality and quantity, we were both shocked at how affordable the meal was. The lamb was the highlight - best lamb of my life! Service was impeccable as well, without being stuffy. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling to Auckland!

Good material makes delicious courses. We have tried 4-courses and enough for us. Nice environment with hospitality service.

Excellent restaurant choice! One of the best tasting menu experiences ive encountered. Every dish was delightful on the plate and well thought out. The pork was a standout for me. The wine pairings were a lovely addition and I highly recommend adding them. I did the premium and my husband did the local. We very much enjoyed both! The service was excellent. Everyone was warm welcoming and helpful. They handled my food allergies with the highest level of professionalism. A must while in Auckland! I suspect this will be our best meal in Auckland

THEIR BEEF FILLET IS THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD! Extremely tender and fresh. The service here is just excellent. We felt the pork belly is of too much fat and they quickly replace it with another off menu dish. Food here makes you feel the nature. They present you with the fundamental taste of each ingredient. Overall a very good experience. Will definitely come again.

The first thing you should do after booking a flight to Auckland, New Zealand is make reservations at The Grove, 2014 Winner Metro Restaurant of the year! The Grove is famous for their Mini Degustation Mondays. For $55 your table can customize the perfect 5 course menu from the dishes they offer. My favorite dish was the tuna and salad. While these dishes stood out every dish was exceptional.

AMAZING! Super friendly staff and the food was so good from start to finish! I still keep thinking about my dinner weeks later. I highly recommend this place if they want excellent food and wine! Thank you!

This restaurant was phenomenal - Went for the 8 course price fixe and each course was one better than the next - I can't pick a favorite because everything was spot on. If you want a dining experience you won't forget, head here.

Metro's Restaurant of the Year in 2010 and 2011, three chef's stars, and one of Auckland's best fine dining establishments. Needless to say, I had high expectations for The Grove... and left with my expectations exceeded! As part of the Auckland Restaurant Month special offered during August, we created our own five-course dining experience from an ever-changing and eclectic selection of seven savoury and three sweet dishes all for $55. August and Auckland Restaurant Month may be over, but apparently The Grove offers this same $55 five-course option every 'mini degustation' Monday... it is possible to dine fine on the cheap! With recommendations from our waiter, we chose: - Terrine of duck, poussin and hare, haricot vert and shallot chutney - New Zealand yellowfin tuna with coconut, cucumber and avocado - Confit salmon, yogurt, beetroot, pancetta and rye - Glazed wagyu beef cheek with wakame, agria mousseline and savoy cabbage - Soufflé a la moment with home-made ice-cream Chef Ben Bayly has crafted dishes that are both a feast for the eyes as well as an experience for the senses. There were some individual components of the dishes that weren't too my fancy (I found the shallot chutney too sweet, and the beef on the salty side) but really, that's just me nit-picking. The salmon dish was crazy good for its harmonious blend of textures and flavours: crispy bits of pancetta and rye against melt-in-your-mouth salmon and a playful pop of salmon roe. The fresh tuna was equally as tender. Crispy potato slices plus creamy agria mousseline and succulent beef cheek made for a delightful combination. The dish that blew us all away was the highly recommended raspberry and white chocolate soufflé, which towered high above its ramekin - a sign of a successful soufflé! It was light and airy in texture, and the combination of raspberries and specks of white chocolate was just delightful. Seriously, I cannot rave about it enough! Despite its fine dining appeal, The Grove is intimate with its dim lighting, and upholds a cosy, warm ambience... even though it was cold and raining outside. The five courses were all served with ample time between each. We began our dinner at around 9pm and finished at 11pm (late but it was the only time available when we made reservations two weeks in advance). Even at this time, the restaurant was still completely packed but service remained excellent: attentive yet unobtrusive. The Grove has definitely been one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life! Book early and go... it is totally worth it.

It's no surprise The Grove won restaurant of the year by Metro magazine two years in a row. Michael Dearth's restaurant has become a local institution of fine dining. The interior is tastefully appointed with a New York loft-style feel to it with exposed brick and natural timber flooring. However, where The Grove truly excels is in their creative menu and wine pairings. In particular, their degustation and wine pairing menus are among the best I have ever had. Creative, unconventional and downright delicious every time. The service is impeccable and their cocktails are always excellent. This is an upscale restaurant so expect the prices to match, but the food, service and wines always deliver.

Huge kudos to the Grove's groovy team for going above & beyond, especially the kitchen team working hard behind the scenes & Megan(?) the sommelier. They have a great passion in each of respective fields, are knowledgeable & observant without being overbearing or pretentious, particularly when it came to explaining the dishes coming out of the kitchen. A warm ambiance, well balanced & presented dishes & a wine list that will make you feel like a child in a candy store- everything you want. My partner who doesn't like meringue, feijoa or licorice loved her absinthe flamed dessert, assembled at the table. The chef's choice petite degustation was flavoursome, exciting, filling & accompanied by delightful amuse-bouches. Thank you for making us feel extra special on our anniversary weekend, we will definitely return.

Michael Dearth is such a fantastic host! Had to start with that because he is such a roost. I went for after work wines and platters and it was beautiful! Was a bit chilly so we were given lovely wee blankets to put over our knees... Great touch Cheese platter was delicious with lovely touches like wild goat bits and artichoke bobs. Wine was divine too! Not normally into such a ponsy place but The Grove place is delightful and welcoming, I'm into it! Can't wait to try Baduzzi now and see what he has done there

I have to give 5 stars for everything, food, service, environment. Came to try the tasting menu on Monday for $65( food only) you get 5 courses chef's menu, everything was wonderful, color, smell and taste. All the staff are well trained gives you advice on food and drinks, explains what's in the food when every dish comes. It's just so cheap price for I would say a Michelin 2 star quality. It was a wonderful experience will definitely come back myself and recommend to others.

Pack your plastic, but an awesome experience. Controlled courses artfully presented by an attentive staff.

Possibly my favorite restaurant. I've eaten amazing dishes at a lot of restaurants around the world, but the Grove has been consistently good every time we've visited where others may be amazing on first visit but less stellar on a subsequent visit. The one note I would have is that the last couple of times we've been, the whole table is required to have the same dishes, which means that if you're with people that have food allergies/are pregnant etc... there may be parts of the menu that are off limits to you.

Found on yelp , and also recommendations from local IBM sales guy. Both Annette ( owner) and subsequent Hostess were both very accommodating and warm. Entrance on side of church was a bit interesting. Sea salt on tables is a nice touch. Ambiance is nice , went with the 9 course: Bread was hot and fresh ; nice local organic butter Tuna was very fresh and delicious. 1st meat was equally good. Risotto was nice. Young chicken was quite flavorful and plated vey well Both salad and lamb were quite delicious as well as displayed wonderfully with excellent flavors abound. Duck was quite good w excellent flavors , accompanied by truffle fries. (Alas -fries were just warm temp, unlike all other entries which have been extremely hot/fresh from oven ) 2nd meat- wagyu- w broccoli dish was even better than prior meat entree. Chocolate parfait was quite nice w caramel and mandarin flavors I really enjoyed the lemon soufflé - great flavor and textures. Fresh honey and raisins were a wonderful end note. Truly a great experience.

I very much loved this place. Staff: Service we received was excellent, the waiting staff knew all about each dish and were very professional. The waitress even threw in an extra glass of wine for our desert because she really wanted us to taste it. Food: The food was some of the best I've had, I liked that you could pick any 5 parts of the menu rather than one of of three for each course. We picked 4 meats and one dessert, needless to say we were surprised about the size of the dishes for a degustation and we were left quite full when the time came for dish 5! But hey thats a good thing right. Paring of wines: Excellent, each matched perfectly, and if your unsure if you want to have wine with every dish don't worry. You can ask for it every one or two. Ambiance: Lovely atmosphere, perfect for that anniversary or date. Value: Given the food quality and portions the value is excellent.

If you're ever in Auckland, I highly recommend that you visit this restaurant and also book in advance. I missed the opportunity the first time I was in Auckland but I made reservations about a month ahead this time to avoid any surprises. We opted for one of the tasting menus minus the wine pairing as we had a non-drinker with us. Personally, I think the wine pairing would leave an average drinker somewhat intoxicated. But I'm sure it's worth it if you can handle it. For fine dining, it is reasonably priced. Also keep in mind that there's currently some construction in the area, and your cab may drop you off at the back of the building. There were no visible signs indicating where the the entrance was but you'll find it if you go around to the back (or maybe it's the front of the building - it's impossible to call it because some shops have their entrances in the front and others have theirs on where I assume is the back of the building)

The food was good, but could have been much better. The tasting concept is great, and the staff are attentive and professional. But there seemed to be more of a focus on form and presentation over taste.

This was the best meal I have had in a very long time. The cocktail to start which the bartender created for me, and then another for my friend hit the spot perfectly. The superb welcome by the maître de, the ongoing service by the multiple wait staff there when needed, quietly and efficiently, and then having two meals delivered by the chef was extraordinary. We ordered the four course degustation for $99. We must have had 7 or 8 plates. An amuse bouche, two starters, four courses, a pre dessert, it was all phenomenal!! Go! You won't regret it!!

Devoured the 5 course prefix menu! There is a nice option to choose your own 5 dishes but your entire party needs to agree on the same dishes. Odd rule but every dish was REALLY DELICIOUS: Queen Charlotte Salmon, Terrine of Moreton Bay Bugs, Butternut Agnolotti, Kaikoura Crayfish (lobster), and Milk Fed Spring Lamb. Other places provide only a few good dishes while the remaining dishes are mediocre at best. This place hit a homerun on all the dishes selected.

The best tasting menu / degustation menu I have ever tried!!! Wow! You just cant fault the presentation, the cooking and the taste! Will definitely come back again!!!

As an American that has been traveling for 30 days in Australia and New Zealand I have been hugely disappointed in the food. That is until I ate at the Grove this evening. Without question the best meal I have had in 30 days. Selected the 4 course tasting menu. Every course had a lovely flavor and was very well presented. If you are ever in Auckland and don't visit the Grove you are flat out missing out on something special.

O tried the 7 courses menu and was excellent! I could try different combinations of food and flavors, it was a great experience! The service was really good too, they are fast and attentive.

The Grove can do no wrong, I swear to God. Year after year after year this place tops the best restaurants lists all over town, people talk about it and recommend it to visitors, and top chefs who live out of Auckland flock to The Grove when they're doing a fly-by-night visit to the city. Yes, it's in the city and yes you might panic about parking, but make sure you take up their offer of the valet service; you'll feel swish as all hell. I ate at the grove recently and ordered an entree and a main. The entree was crayfish with tomatoes and baby basil - in the past I've shied away from eating crayfish but I thought, when in Rome! I'm glad I took the plunge because the cray was divine. For the main I branched out again, lifting my no-mussel rule for the fish and mussel fritters with courgettes and fennel. I was surprisingly not put off by the mussels, probably because the texture of the fritters was amazing and the dish flavourful. Would love to try these again!

I have had one meal at The Grove and it was pretty spectacular. I was there for an event, so my review may be a bit skewed seeing as I didn't have to pay for my meal and it was a set menu. We started with some amazing canapés. Canapés are my shit, I love those things. I will judge an event based on how good its canapés are. The actual meal was bloody delicious. I want to give them 4.5 stars. The other .5 of a star is missing because I have a weird thing about giving something 5/5, and also because I don't think I've been enough times to properly say it's that good. Anyway, I had some crayfish thing with tomatoes and even though I fricken hate tomatoes, I pushed through and it was still one of the better dishes I've ever had. They gave us sous vide salmon which was tender and rich and melt in your mouth. The wines were excellent. The actual environment was pretty nice, I think I'd go again. I still like The French Café more though.

My wife and I "dined" (dozed might be more accurate) at your restaurant the evening of 5/4/2016. To say that the service was terrible would be an understatement! We arrived at 7:45 (we got lost walking from the Sofitel) and ended up walking out after eating only 4 of the promised 5 course meal at 10:15. The service was so poorly paced, I thought we would fall asleep between course 3 and 4. Before course 3 and 4, I no longer cared about the long-winded and pretentious description of the food, I just wanted the waiter to drop the plate on the table so we could "get on with it". We asked the maitre' d for our dessert (5th course) and check before we even finished the 4th course but he apparently did not get the idea. We waited 15 minutes for the check and as we were leaving we were asked if we wanted to take dessert to go (what)!! Another 5 minutes after I paid the dessert came, we took two bites and left. The maitre' was nowhere to be found. The couple behind us asked 3 times for their cheese course before it finally came. I cannot imagine how long we would have had to endure had we ordered the 9 course menu! Where we sat was like a runway of waitstaff, one of which was so heavy footed that the ground literally shook as she stomped by repeatedly. At first it was funny but then just irritating. Under these circumstances it was very hard to judge the food. I can say the wine selection was quite good and the 2010 Stags Leap was a bargain. Otherwise you should be ashamed. Robert Schwartz, MD Goodstein Professor of Medicine University of Colorado School of Medicine Sent from my iPhone

The Grove has street-cred on the fine dining scene. It's one of those places that's always been on my list to visit. So, with a booking made and friends gathered, it was finally time. Nicely positioned off an open courtyard next to St Patrick's Cathedral. I liked the interior styling, elegant and welcoming on a rainy night. I thought the service during the evening was attentive and accommodating to our requests. There's a simple system here, order three courses for $79 or you can have five for the same price, albeit a bit smaller (however, the whole table has to agree and that's far too hard for us). My first course was the hapuka with pickled purple carrot, ginger, garlic and date. It was the standout dish for me. I had the lamb rack with white anchovy and ricotta beignets for a main, and a prettily constructed poached fig dessert to finish. Overall, it was the hapuka dish I will remember, perhaps not the other two courses.

The Grove has won multiple awards, from everyone from Metro through to your Great Aunt Martha's walking group, and it's not hard to see why: exemplary service, very special food and a stylish dining room. Seemingly everything on the menu is very, very good; the sort of place where people are liable to groan with pleasure after they've put something in their mouth. It is a fine dining place, with the prices you'd expect to go along with that, but they obviously care about their ingredients, cooking them well, and creating a fine environment for a night out, and seriously, if you're OK with paying $25 for a big breakfast & coffee cooked with little skill and cheap ingredients, you should be OK to pay only a few dollars more for a much better meal here. Don't think this is a stuffy place where you'll feel out of place if you don't know the rules; the staff make everyone feel at home. We once went here when one of our party was very "under the weather" (boozed) and the staff coped well with it, discretely just not topping up that person's glass, and making sure a taxi was waiting when we left.

The food is absolutely superb. We went for the $55 5-course offered Mondays for much of the year, which also made it good value. Every course was intriguing, artistic and flavorful, clearly a highly talented and creative team in the kitchen. But cannot give it 5th star because, contrary to some other reviews, we found host/owner to be pompous and irritating. Example 1: when explaining the various degustation options, he quoted the 5-course at the normal price and did not mention the special Monday offering (fortunately we knew in advance, and he acknowledged it when we queried him). Example 2: an ingredient for one of the dishes was "faux fois gras), and when we asked him what exactly that entailed he said snippily "fake fois gras" ..... well duhhh, we know the translation of "faux" but that doesn't tell us what it's made of (turned out after further questioning it was primarily chicken liver). Other interactions also gave us cold feeling (though must clarify that the waiters were very efficient and professional, problem was only with the host). I don't know, maybe because he's American and we're American we just didn't hit it off. Too bad, it left a bad taste in an otherwise delicious evening.