Ada Restaurant — Restaurant in Waitematā

Ada is one of the best restaurants in Auckland for anyone that has true passion for fusion cuisine, appreciation for impeccable service and craves a unique atmosphere that marries up a dinner plan into an incredible experience of Aotearoa! My partner and I came to celebrate our anniversary anticipating a nice dinner but the staff, chefs and the venue itself blew us away. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to introduce my partner to this beautiful country that had been my home until 4 years ago when I moved to Canada.

Our evening started at a semi-private bar within the restaurant where you can comfortably enjoy a drink whilst you wait for your table instead of having to sit on a hard high chair - which let’s be honest, no one enjoys. The staff then took us over to our table where we began a prompt, yet intimate service, with two appetisers (duck and fried bread) and our cocktails.

We then moved to our two mains (pork belly and paua pasta) that were quickly devoured until our plates were sparkling clean. They were rich in flavour, unique in taste and showcased a part of this country within each bite! The Māori take on these Italian dishes could not have had a more special and personal touch by the chef, Kia Kanuta. He made sure to share his childhood with us through key ingredients like the hāngī cabbage and pork belly.

Lastly, we ended on 3 desserts that continued the masterpiece including not only Kia’s own creations but the work of his fellow Māori local chocolatier, who helped Kia create one of his dessert items. The staff made sure we had enough time to enjoy every dessert without feeling rushed. Once we were done, the creativity didn’t just stop there. We were lucky enough to try an upcoming item in the dessert menu that Kia casually brought out to share with us as we finished our meal seeing how much we enjoyed all the food this team had gracefully prepared. If that doesn’t tell you enough about the culture at Ada, I’m not sure what will. The love for food and the Māori culture around sharing experiences is heavily embedded in this place and the people that bring it to life.

Thank you so much Ada team and Kia for making one of our last nights in Auckland an extremely special one! P.S. you have the best playlist - we will be listening to it throughout our flight...

Beautiful little restaurant inside the convent hotel in Grey Lynn.

We came right at opening on our last day in Auckland and we greeted by a beautifully sunlight room that used to be a courtyard in an old nunnery.

The staff Daena and Elena were great! They managed our orders and guided us through the menu with expertise, confidence, and were great hosts.

We shared the fixed lunch menu which consisted of 5 items (the smoked kingfish toast, burrito, beef short rib, ricotta cavatelli, and cannoli for dessert) we added the pizza fritta with eggplant, pomegranates, and mint because it sounded too good to pass up.

The smoked kingfish toast, is 2 small pieces of toasted with a fantastic smoked fish sitting on top of some squid ink mayo, and topped with fennel and microgreens. It was incredibly light and melt in your mouth goodness.

The Burrata was excellent, the chilled eggplant and spices compliment it very well. It was a soft heat throughout which is quite pleasant. The only thing missing imo would be a nice crunchy piece of bread but I love carbs a bit too much lol.

The beef short rib and beetroot with walnuts was divine. Perfectly cooked and seared, the crunchy bits just grind that salt into your palate, simply mouth watering. The beetroot sauce topped with walnuts provides a good bit of balance to the chili and fatty meat. The chili stays on your lips for a while after you finish.

The ricotta cavatelli was stellar, another reminder of how delicious something so simple can be when you use the best ingredients. The dish was very balanced and didn't leave us feeling heavy considering it was the 4th dish.

The cannoli looked and tasted amazing! The vanilla was complimented with a light note of orange and dusted off with ground pistachio. Nothing too sweet and the perfect touch to finish the meal.

Overall the meal was delicious and well priced, we will definitely come back when...

Wonderful experience at Ada Restaurant. First evening staying at the hotel we got in late and the Maitre d' very kindly found us a seat at the bar so we could have just a light snack. We shared a delicious fried bread with oyster mushrooms and blue cheese with a rocket salad - light, incredibly tasty and just what we needed. On the way out we stopped to thank the Head Chef, Kia (hope that's spelt right) and although the restaurant was heaving and he was busy he stopped to take time to show us his incredible creations, all based on trying to elevate and showcase Maori cuisine. Most amazing was a completely filleted but whole snapper and pork belly cooked like a hangi but in the oven. We could not believe how enthusiastic and friendly this brilliant chef was when he was also so busy! We enjoyed the snack so much that we returned with our daughter for a celebration meal the next evening. We shared the snapper and it was fantastic. Served with hangi potatoes (delicious), heritage carrots and the rocket salad again. Really fantastic meal. Could not resist the desserts and we shared the cannaloni and the panacotta. The whole experience was really amazing - decor, atmosphere, friendly efficient service. I can't wait to return to Auckland to stay at the Convent Hotel again and have another opportunity to eat at this wonderful restaurant. Highly recommend both to anyone staying in...