Review Rumi Persian Cuisine - Auckland Central

From the moment we walked in, the warm and attentive service set the tone for a memorable dining experience. Every dish, artfully presented, was a symphony of flavours that danced on the palate. The staff's knowledge and recommendations were spot on, making for a seamless evening of culinary delight. This establishment is a testament to the perfect blend of exceptional service and delectable cuisine. Highly recommended for those seeking a top-notch dining experience!

From the moment we stepped through the door, we were greeted with warm smiles and a welcoming atmosphere. The ambiance of the restaurant, with its tasteful decor and soothing music, created a sense of tranquility that made us feel instantly at ease. Every dish we ordered surpassed our expectations, showcasing the rich and vibrant flavors of Persian cuisine. Each bite was a symphony of taste, expertly prepared and presented with meticulous attention to detail. The service we received was impeccable. The staff members were attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was flawless

Authentic Persian cuisine and middle eastern owners. They were very nice and food was yummy. We ordered slow cooked lamb and chicken leg and both meals were very tender and well served ($36 each). We asked for salt and pepper since we found the meals missing seasoning but the manager explained to us they are typical from that type of cuisine/region. We ordered baklava and saffron ice cream ($16) and Persian coffee ($8). Very small portion but really tasty baklava. The whole experience is great. Recommended!

As our first official, in dining experience in Auckland, we could not have picked a better place. One of our promises to each other was to make fun food choices, so when offered Thai, Italian or Persian, we chose Persian and it was fabulous. We got the sampler plate, the meat was tender and full of flavor (filet, chicken and lamb). The rice was a perfect flavor to enhance the meat but not overwhelm. And we split two plate between three people and got stuffed. The staff were very kind and attentive, overall, a great way to start the food portion of our vacation,

Rumi Restaurant is a hidden gem for Halal Persian food. While the restaurant may be on the smaller side, it exudes a charming atmosphere with its lovely decorations. The food, while not overwhelmingly large in portions, is undeniably delicious. If you're in the mood for some delightful Persian cuisine in a cozy setting, Rumi is the place to be.

Delicious Persian food I recently had the pleasure of trying out a local restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the generous portion sizes. The food was absolutely delicious, and I could tell that great care was taken in its preparation. The portions were also very generous, making it an excellent value for the money. What really impressed me was the fact that this was a local business. In these difficult times, it's more important than ever to support our local businesses, and this restaurant is a great example of that. I feel good knowing that my money is going towards supporting a small business and helping the local economy. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for delicious food and great value. The portions are big, the prices are fair, and the food is top-notch. Let's all do our part to support local businesses and help them thrive in our communities!👌 😋 👍

Great middle eastern food with a matching atmosphere and good service. Lovely location, however finding parking could be challenging especially during peak hours. Most suitable for meat lovers as the menu have limited vegetarian dishes. As a suggestion, it would be nice to have a menu with photos so the customers can get an idea of the food they're ordering.

Excellent food delivered quickly to the table. Personal service. We really enjoyed our lunch so much that we came back the next day for dinner. Lamb that falls off the bone. My husband was licking the chicken bones dry - the sauce was that good!

Amazing food! The portions were good sized and while the food took a bit of time to come out, it tasted soo good. Not quite suitable for big crowds as it's a small place but really good for smaller groups and paid parking is close by. Ice cream was a nice way to finish the evening. The chicken on its own was good but my friends said that the lamb was more succulent. There's also an option of the chicken being placed ontop of the lamb - see pics.

was curious to try Persian food, so stopped here for dinner. very friendly service from the waitress

The saying that you first eat with your eyes, holds true for Rumi, a wonderful little middle eastern discovery along Parnell’s restaurant row. <br/><br/>This charming Iranian owned and family-run halal eatery is as alluring from the outside as it is on the inside. You almost feel like you’ve stepped into a secret Aladdin’s cave from the warm clay colours that make the interior cosy, to the furnishing, pottery, bronze ornaments and dining utensils to the lovely Iranian carpets adorning the bench seats to the ones stylishly hanging off the rafters! <br/><br/>Like: <br/>1. Besides the delightful ambience, the food is excellent and reasonably priced. <br/><br/>2. Our party of three started with the eggplant appetizer - a kashk badem served with naan and garlic bread. Delicious and totally whets the appetite. <br/><br/>3. Picked a mixed meat platter - koobideh with roasted lamb, beef and chicken marinated in different fascinating and exotic spices served on a silver platter. <br/><br/>4. Perfect accompaniment to the Fesenjoon which was tender chicken breast slow cooked in a sweet and tangy broth made from pomegranate sauce. <br/><br/>5. To ensure that not a drop of the sauce was wasted, we ordered a generous platter of the most visually appetizing grainy herb rice that came in three varieties and looked like a delightful celebratory explosion of fabulous colours and textures. <br/><br/>Finished with Persian tea and a hankering to plan our next visit back SOON. <br/><br/>

Good service and good food. They might be on the pricier side in my opinion but you’re getting quality food. Ordered Baghali Polo and the lamb is just falling off the bone, served with a salad and spiced rice. Paid 30$ for that but worth it. My husband enjoyed his Soltani (skewers of lamb and beef) as well for 30$ - so you know why im saying on the pricier side 😬. Not saying that in a bad way as you’re getting what you paid for ☺️. Nice ambiance and vibe of Parnell as it is nestled just in the heart of it.

we had a very bad experience in this small restaurant cheap quality food with unexpecting bill Plus GST which is prices on their menu not indicate plus GST till you try to pay you end up with different prices than the menu prices , WHY OHH PLUS GST .... on top very bad manner and rip off

My wife and I decided to try Rumi because the nice and friendly waiter on the door. Sadly the food was very bland, the lamb was MIA from the dish or maybe hiding under the sauce and lentils. I normally like lentils but these were flavorless. Thankfully we ordered the mint/yogurt side dish or the meal would have been a complete disaster. The final surprise for the evening was to discover the price for 2 gin and tonics (they gave us lemonade but we didn’t complain) was $24 ($12 each) for a short glass and not even a slice of lemon. I generally don’t complain or waste my time with a poor review but I was so disappointed by this evenings experience. I hope for Parnell cuisine Runi ups their game or we were on the receiving end of Runi having a bad night.

Felt like a kabob fix on my visit to Auckland and checked this place out. <br/><br/>Being quite used to Persian cuisine, I was quite perplexed when they advised that they didn’t serve sumakh with the kabob or nor did they they have Salad Shiraz on the menu. Instead, I ordered the mast oo Khiar (which tasted nothing like it was supposed to) to go with the Shamshiri main and wasn’t served with bread which is normally standard.<br/><br/>The main was actually decent, both the koobideh and joojeh were quite good. The only downer with the main was the small serve size.<br/><br/>The service was quite reactive but it was reasonably priced.

If the weather is warm, ask to seat outside. Our party of 6 adults and 2 kids enjoyed and loved it. We had a Persian friend in our group and he explained the different dishes, so we ordered a lot of food. Most have similar taste to certain Indian foods but milder and definitely not “chillie” hot. Delicious, well-cooked, authentic and each dish came out one after another, - no awkward waiting. I was looking forward to trying out Tah-Dig (Persian rice with golden crust) but disappointed at how small it was served. Service was good; owner/host was welcoming and warm; prices are reasonable; ambience was lovely and we had a brilliant evening!

Being of half Iranian ethnicity, I can happily say the food here is traditional and authentic - pretty spot on regarding flavors. Its the kind of food we have at family gatherings and the yummy meals our parents would prepare. So if you want an authentic Persian meal you will definitely get it here. The meat was tender and juicy (chicken, beef and lamb) however we all did feel that the Rumi special (which I highly recommend) was over priced coming in at $35 where I feel it should be around $28 tops. There is simply no way its worth that much in relation to the ingredients used or the portion size. Anyway, the foods great and we will be back!

Hands down my favourite restaurant in Auckland 😍 everything is to die for!

Love the service. Been here few times and never was disappointed. <br/><br/>The food extremely delicious and the ambiance is relaxing. Definitely one of my favorite place in parnell.

Absolutely amazing food and beautiful location/interior. Had no idea how much I loved Persian food until eating here. Going back tonight and very excited to get another lamb dish.

A very small but great place to eat, interesting and very tasty food highly recommend it and is quite busy

My girlfriend took me here for my birthday. I had really high hopes for this place as I love middle eastern cuisine.<br/><br/>We ordered the Rumi Special and walnut chicken curry. The meat was kind of dry which really did need the yogurt to help it get it down. The curry was a bit too sweet for my liking.<br/><br/>I did however enjoy the eggplant paste that we ordered with the bread in the entree. That was delicious and I would have been happy just eating that all night.<br/><br/>But given the fact that I came in with very high hopes, it didnt meet my expectations at all.<br/>The price was not cheap and they charged us $13 for meat substitution from lamb to chicken which is not fair at all.<br/><br/>I will most likely not come here again<br/><br/>Taste - 3/5<br/>Ambiance - 4/5<br/>Value - 1.5/5

Rumi used to be a favourite of mine. Succulent, tender chicken and the most amazing tangy walnut pomegranate curry. Amazing food & service. <br/><br/>Sadly, this was not the case last night. We ordered the platter for two, Rumi special, and walnut chicken curry. The eggplant paste was nice - it was the only thing I enjoyed to be honest. The chicken kebab was dry and hard to swallow and the curry was too sweet. It was missing the tangy pomegranate taste that mesmerised me last time. Since I don’t eat lamb, I asked for one of the lamb kebabs to be swapped (a substitution, not addition) with a chicken, and didn’t appreciate that I was charged $13 extra for this without even being asked or told prior to paying the bill. Since it’s already $35 for the Rumi special, that makes it $48 for the dish, which I don’t think is reasonable. <br/><br/>Although the ambience is nice and the food is pleasant, it definitely doesn’t seem like there is the love and care that used to be in the food anymore. Not the worst, but definitely could be better.

Rumi is my favorite restaurant in Auckland. The food gives you the real Persian food experience. It’s a must go!!! Especially the Kebabs are delicious which is caused to fresh and soft meat! Reza is always friendly and hospitable :).

Can’t say I enjoyed this. Got it through food delivery and found my lamb to be quite oily & sour. The salad also had really ordinary ingredients that didn’t taste fresh at all. From a take away perspective, bit annoying to have it delivered without any cutlery or napkins.

Food 5/5<br/>Ambiance 4/5<br/>Service 1/5<br/><br/>Me and my friends came here for a birthday dinner. Food is amazing here but the reason why I rate it so low is because of the quality of the service me and my group received. There seems to be a trend by reading other feedback. The manager at the restaurant is very rude, whereas the staff there are friendly. We made a booking for dinner on a saturday night for 3, when we arrived, the staff was about to take us to our table inside the restaurant. However, the manager standing at the bar rudely stopped us half way and told his staff there's no table available inside and to put us outside at a table that clearly only fits 2 people max. He said this out loud to his staff in front of us when we can clearly see a table is free inside. We were all surprised at how rude he was! We made a booking in advance as well!<br/><br/>It took awhile until the manager came over to serve us...<br/><br/>Not a pleasant experience especially when we chose to come here for a birthday celebration.

This restaurant is amazing, great food, great customer service. The owner (Reza) is very friendly and hospitable. Recommended to everyone. Thanks!

Honestly , wonderful dishes and also people working there. I order Ghormesabzi and bunch of things, it’s so brilliant taste and also amazing feeling to eat. Out of 10 , I can give more marks than 10 , 100000000000000 ... yours Rumi Restaurant. Lots of thanks.

I was really excited about this place because I really enjoy Persian food and although the food tastes good, I wasn't sure it was worth the money I paid for it (I suppose this is the effect of a Parnell location). The decor is homely and inviting, staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and the food is presented well. They have a great selection of food and drink. I didn't realise they didn't serve meals to share and each main is intended to be eaten by an individual.<br/>I really enjoyed the mezze platter we started with and easily fed our group of 6 (we just asked for extra bread). For mains, the we ordered the shamshiri, baghali polo, ghormeh sabzi, gheymeh bademjan, fesenjoon and koobideh. I liked that they allowed us to substitute the saffron rice with salad. The food tasted good and I was impressed with the variety of flavours in the dishes.<br/>Would have also liked if they offered a dessert menu after they cleared our dinner plates.

Good food and atmosphere. I had the fesenjoon, not many people can make it good. But thos one was really good. Delicious! The rest enjoyed their kebab.

What a little gem! The food is superb - we had the Kashk Bademjan and the Rumi Special. Everything was full of flavour and the meats were beautifully marinated and grilld. The restaurant also has a lovely atmosphere. On a nice day, you can sit outside in one of Parnell's little alleways, which boasts a charm that is hard to come by. The service was excellent, too - prompt and very friendly.

It was the best Persian food I have had in New Zealand. We Iranians are a bit picky when it comes to food and we usually prefer the taste of the food our parents make. I can say the kebabs I had at Rumi were truly as good. I ordered Rumi Special and I could not stop myself from finishing it all. I sat outside and I really enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere. Thank you.

I made sure that I reserve a table here for dinner on a Saturday evening and glad I did that. The restaurant was completely packed on a saturday evening.<br/>We were seated inside as soon as we arrived. Quick and prompt service were delivered by the staff. The ambience was great, the staff was polite & the food was fantastic.<br/>We ordered 3 mains 2 chicken dishes and 1 lamb dish and all turned out great.

This is a nice Persian Restaurant (environment) and the food and staff are very nice. However, the reason I rate this restaurant very low is its manager. It seems like, he does not know how to communicate with its customers at all. He is not polite at all. Two of my friends, my colleague and I (each of us went to the restaurant in different time) have had issues with the way he talks or answers our questions regarding the food or booking.

Absolutely stunning! <br/>Held a birthday here for my sister and there were about 10 other people with us. The pricing is great for the amount of food you receive. <br/>The wait for the food was not long at all and I really appreciated the great service by everyone who worked there! <br/>Will definitely be visiting again :)

Was excited to try this Persian restaurant for the first time. Sadly disappointed with only average food. Had Rumi special. Very greasy meat, small uninviting salad. Staff were purely functional, no great “service” involved. High price for average food. Wouldn’t recommend. <br/>

Felt over-rated and expensive. The kebabs are just like other normal kebabs, but are too expensive. Not worth the taste. Ambience is not that great. The place is really small. Would not prefer to go again as the taste was not that good. The dessert was great, I tried Bakhlava here which I can say is worth trying.

Best food in Auckland love the atmosphere great staff and service. Koobideh is so yum I personally love to visit all the time. Must try the one and only Persian cuisine.<br/>

Friendly staff. Authentic. Great setting. Good service. We preferred chicken over lamb options. Limited selection of drinks. The seating was a little cramped. Overall we enjoyed dining there.

Enjoyed the Arabian atmosphere that is mixed with Iranian designs on the wall and the taste of Arabic and Persian food. I would rate as 4 stars because of the high prices although same dishes are offered into other restaurants for a bit lower prices.

Hi, do they serve halal food? My rating is without experience because i never tried it. Either restaurant owner either customer can answer my Q

Tried this restaurant as I haven’t tried Persian cuisine. To be honest I didn’t enjoy the food. My rice dish came with cranberry. It’s not my type. However the chicken was so tender and good. It doesn’t have much flavour. But my husband really enjoyed his dish. The service was good. Not the best but not bad at all. So you can give this a try.

My favourite go to restaurant. Love the kebab and the service. My favourite kebab is the Negindar and the doogh (yoghurt drink).<br/><br/>Have been here multiple time without any complaints <br/><br/><br/><br/>

Love this place! Proper Turkish food and the kebabs are amazing and legitimate and authentic! Staff are awesome too and the whole place feels cosy and homely

The disappointing experience of our NZ trip. <br/>The service was very friendly and we were seated outside 'temporarily' while waiting for our table to become available 'in 20 minutes'. However, by the time our food arrived, I was quite cold and asked about the inside table. The service suddenly became brusque – none were available inside, we were told. <br/>My dish consisted of a few soggy pieces of lamb floating in green sludge with rice and a bowl of yoghurt with cucumber and mint that offered the only glimpse of flavour – I shared it with my partner in an attempt to liven up his tasteless vegetarian option. Slow-cooked dishes can be brilliant for a rich, flavoursome, warming-up winter meal, but these failed to sustain us as we became thoroughly chilled. <br/>The value was absent for $23 and $24 mains and I was surprised to see the beautiful New Zealand produce we have experienced so far rendered unrecognisable. <br/>After travelling around the world and trying many cuisines, we were excited to try Iranian food. However, we were shocked at the attitude of staff and the deliberate misinformation. <br/>We gave this place ample opportunity to redeem itself, to our detriment – I now have a cold to take home after our holiday. We won't be trying this cuisine again.

Excellent food and atmosphere. Very polite waitresses, beautiful decorations. The group had Kobeidah, Shamshiri and Rumi special, all were very yummy. Would definitely come back again.

Best persian food ever, thank you for your great service. خیلی ممنونم ازینکه اینقدر غذای خوشمزه تقدیم مشتریان خود میکنید, همیشه موفق و پیروز باشید .

Beautiful good, really really good service. First time trying Persian food and thought it was 100% beautiful, really lovely!! Would highly recommend it

Friend recommended Rumi to me, took me along for lunch. Ordered the Shamshiri, quite pricey but that meat was just unbelievable. Reminded me of Middle Eastern cuisine I’ve had in Melbourne, a lovely connotation to go alongside the amazing food. Location is brilliant, cozy but right in the heart of Parnell, tables at the front are perfect for car spotting.

Don't get to try much middle eastern cuisine but damn this was good.. The minced lamb skewers (Koobideh) were exceptional and went well with the saffron rice. Great experience.

Thanks to Patrick Tong and Diner8Here for the recommendation! Amazing place! I never knew Iranian people make the most amazing stew! I feels like i have been missing out on such good food all my life! <br/><br/>Anyway just like everyone said this place is Tiny but they certainly packs a punch! Amazing skewers! They were full of flavour, juicy and yet tender meats! We were blown away at how perfectly done those skewers were. <br/><br/>Lovey service! They were friendly and very attentive. Can’t wait to come back and try their other dishes ❤️

Service is very good, the ambience is amazing but the food is the best part! Highly recommend Momtaz, Koobideh and Fesenjoon. Truly an authentic Persian restaurant.

High quality Persian food. We had Kashk Bademjan and Soltani Kebab, which were really delicious. Prices seem to be a bit high, but reasonable compared to the food quality .

Great food, great vibe and great service. Price is ok but love the taste of their food. Few great healthy choices and a meal will make you feel full for the day.

Fantastic food and great service. Looking forward to going back and having some lamb. The lamb is simply superb. 0.5 points off because they wouldn't share the recipe.

Iv grown up with persian food so i know what im talking about! Out of three dishes that we ordered only one was acceptable or good enough and that was: Fesanjan (Fesenjoon), the other two being Gheimeh and Ghorme Sabzi were pretty much water and ingredients, the later two were the worst iv ever had in my life... so watery so tasteless...terrible. Then to make the matters worse they tried to charge us for something we did not receive! It was more than a disappointment as my friends who have not had persian food which i raved about a lot, were less than impressed (rightly so) and the embarrassing hidden overcharge they tried to pull on us which i luckily saw and told them to remove it! Overall quite a bit of disappointment! :( shame as its the only persian resturant in auckland and its gona ruin persian cuisine especially for those who dont know this cuisine!

I have been there several times and it's been always my number one restaurant in Auckland. Perfect food, hospitality, and reasonable price. Just give it a try and you will be a real fan of it.

I love coming to Rumi for lunch, and make sure I visit at least once a month. The staff are super friendly and accommodating and service is attentive and swift. The food is absolutely delicious and such great value. I love coming here in winter and still being able to sit outside in the charming laneway as they have heating and blankets for warmth. This place is always a delight to visit.

Of I had to use just one word to describe Rumi, it would be "authentic!"<br/><br/>Like most small restaurants there isn't a fleet of wait staff, but the two that kept everything flowing while we were there made everything work... Our questions about dishes were answered well, and our glasses were never empty. <br/><br/>And the food was spicy (but not hot) and cooked to perfection! <br/><br/>I intend to stop by again the next time I am in Parnell.

Apparently the only authentic Irani / Persian restaurant in Auckland and I absolutely loved it. With a great Parnell location, this reasonably small sized restaurant (cramped even) had a fantastic buzzing ambience, helpfull and friendly service and fabulous food. I cannot stress enough about how good the food was. We will be visiting this place again a few times at least. For us it was one of the best restaurant experiences in a while. Highly recommended.

Very attractive Interior. Menu with good illustrations.<br/>Tasty beautifully-presented Persian (Iranian) food. One outdoor table. Very low prices for Parnell! Friendly welcoming staff.<br/>

Potentially me favourite restaurant in Auckland. <br/><br/>I love Persian food and this place serves only the best! The service, atmosphere, and combination of flavours make this restaurant an easy choice, any night of the week. <br/>For anyone that has not tried Persian food before, you're missing out. This is the place to be 👌🏾

We come to Rumi once every 3 months of so. The food is great Persian cuisine and is authentic, simple and delicious.<br/><br/>I always order the koobideh and love the tenderness of the meat, it's minced but juicy. The rice is divine! I know it's just basmati but they cook it so well and give you butter to make it even more tastier. I couldn't fault my meal and all my friends commented on how good the koobideh was.<br/><br/>My other friend ordered a shishlik which were the lamb pieces, unfortunately i tried one and it was very dry. I won't rate her food as it wasn't my experience but i would definitely stick to the koobideh.<br/><br/>If you're looking for a very good shishlik i would definitely check out Samadi's. The absolute best lamb pieces i've had.. ever. I know that's a big call but you have to try it to compare it.<br/><br/>Overall the food and service is excellent never had a bad experience and look forward to each visit. Thanks زود میبینمت

Visited Rumi for a late dinner tonight. We ordered the Rumi special - delicious, tasty, fresh, juicy skewers of meat. The side salad was a bit withered and was not dressed. That's ok. The major disappointment was their baklava- usually one of our favourite desserts. Unfortunately the baklava here was not well made - very dry layers of pastry, no where near enough syrup and lacked flavor. Come here for their mains but skip dessert.

Rumi delivered a most enjoyable introduction to Persian food. Ideal for hearty appetites, and with excellent service, we loved the Shishlik (tender marinated lamb on a skewer), Dollma (stuffed vine leaves) and Kashk Bademjan (sautéed eggplant).

Another gem in the crown of Persian food in Auckland! Beautiful ambience both modern & yet traditional atmosphere. Artistic lighting decor & location as well as great seating options. A class apart! Friendly & welcoming staff. Excellent menu choices in starters, mains & dessert. Their photo book illustrates exactly what each dish is & has a short descriptive that we found most useful. The wait staff were very knowledgeable & patient & most importantly genuinely caring. Once ordered, the dishes arrived soon & each culinary presentation was just done to perfection. Speaks volumes about the talented Chefs hard work. The lamb was done superbly - just falling off the bone. The kebabs were juicy, succulent, freshly done & beautifully appealing. The eggplant & entree 'Rumi Platter' were most uniquely flavoured & well recommended. Excellent choice of wines to accompany every dish. Their rice is absolutely divine, light fluffy & of course aromatically infused with.... You guessed it? Yes, Saffron! Speaking of which that is the ice cream you must have; just love the delicate flavours of their signature Pistachio saffron ice cream. Also a tidbit of their warm & freshly prepared Baghlava/Baklava, would not be amiss on the side especially to taste the amazing pistachio in delicately layered thin pastry. All in all a most memorable dining experience coupled with amazing & legendary Persian hospitality & warmth with perfectly cooked fabulous gourmet styled authentic Persian cooking styles in a relaxing atmosphere & great location. Oh! Almost forgot to mention do please try their Persian style cuppa, 'Chai' it goes very well at both the start & the end of a meal. One reluctantly leaves Rumi carrying forth a most delightful taste of an excellent dining experience, in a tastefully decorated restaurant with superb service with a longing to return for some more of this lovely experience, again & again.

I can honestly say this is the best place in town if you want to experience a taste of the middle east. Not only is the service exceptional but the food divine! This place is a must !

Had heard good things about this place, and Rumi definitely lived up to expectations! Most people rave about the meat (which was indeed juicy and flavourful) but I have to say that I was impressed by the Persian rice. It's so soft and surprisingly tasty!<br/><br/>Service was lovely and portions are pretty big. Definitely worth checking out!

If you are looking for great food, an excellent service, friendly and helpful staff, and an awesome atmosphere, then Rumi is the place to go.

Apart from those kebab shops in food court, our 1st time experiencing Persian cuisine. Although the place is not big, very cosy and comfortable.The waitress attitude is pleasant. The food is good. We tried the $32 main. Actually, it is not expensive, we shared the dish and it filled up our stomach. Very enjoyable 1st timer and will be back to try other dishes.

Had Persian food after a long time... Always passed this place but never tried it until yesterday. Their unique ambience and friendly staff made sure I enjoyed my meal. Food was good too..I tried Jujeh which though different than what I had in India, was tasty and just perfect in the portion size..Was glad to find out they offer delivery too.

My wife and I had been wanting to come here for a while. We were intrigued by the sign "Persian cuisine". The place is beautiful and feels really cozy. Food is delicious and tastes really different than what I was expecting. So many options in the menu. Don't forget to all for the dessert menu.

Rumi is an amazing experience, the food is delicious and never disappoints, the staff are attentive and always friendly. It's the perfect place to go for something a little different, offering a taste of Persian culture. The atmosphere is always calm and welcoming and I highly recommend it.

As an Iranian living outside of Iran for a long time, I am always looking for a real Persian taste, for who love the food and are in love with the authentic taste I will recommend this little cozy place. 👍

AMAZING<br/><br/>We really really love this restaurant, the food is very nice, very tasty with always good pieces of meat, the Fesenjoon is excellent as well as the Kuku Sabzi, the rice cooking is always perfect (you don't find that everywhere at all!!). The staff is very friendly and always explain the menu if needed its always a nice moment to go there, the decoration is really nice as well. We love it ! Thank you

Recommended by a close Persian friend, I and my friend had an appetite that needed satisfying and we were craving something different, something middle eastern!<br/><br/>The service here is attentive and relaxed, there is a distinct lack of poshness here which we really enjoyed, and this meant that Rumi felt cosy and relaxing.<br/><br/>I and my friend both ordered the rice with lamb mince, grilled chicken, and steak . I can't for the life of me remember the meal name but it's the most expensive dish at $32.<br/><br/>Our meals took around 10 minutes to come out which was fine and the meal was visually appealing. In terms of taste, we both really enjoyed our dishes but we felt that for $32, it's a tad pricey.<br/><br/>Showstopper: The meat we ate was incredibly tender and it's nice to see a Persian restaurant that isn't a kebab store. <br/><br/>Overall Grade: B

This guys are amazing, no wonder why they are busy all time I'm passing by. One of the best restaurat thet i tried recently. Try their home made safran ice cream deffinetly.<br/>Best of best

I booked my birthday dinner in rumi, it was so amazing and best Persian food that I had before, the staff were so friendly and quick, I really enjoyed, <br/>we'll done rumi and many thanks 😊

Recommended by a Persian mate and my first experience of Iranian cuisine, not bad i had the classic gheymey which is  lamb and chips are the star of the dish, but had just 3 peices of lamb meat and a traditional Persian tea afterwards. Not as spicy as Indian and has it's own unique flavoring such as saffron, not bad at all, friendly staff to help you explain their dishes too.<br/>May start to see more of these Persian diners popping up as the Persian community slowly grow and a welcome change from Indian dishes.

Love a bit of parnell especially on a Sunday nite, it just has that nice relaxed feel with still a bit of buzz and atmosphere. Rumi is about right in the middle of the parnell strip so sat near the front you get to do a nice bit of people watching. First time here, had been looking forward to try some Persian food, not something we seem to have a lot of. Staff were nice and friendly and explained the menu. I had a chicken and lamb dish while bf had a minced lamb dish. Both served with rice and salad. The rice was so fluffy and came with a packet of butter which they explain is to be mixed through it which could become a delish but dangerous new habit! Between us all of the meat was tender and juicy esp the chicken. I really liked that although our meat was cooked bbq style on skewers, the skewers had been removed for us, which i loved as I hate trying to get my meat off a stick politely. Would go back but only concern would be lack of variety as all the dishes seemed to some variation of meat served with rice and salad

Rumi is a great excuse to go out with friends and experience yummy new food :-) The Rumi special as a main was enjoyed by two of our group! Lamb was nice and tender and chicken was nice and succulent. I had the Greymeh Bademjan and it was mouth watering. One of our other friends had the Fesenjoon - the second time for her and still top of her list! Will go again!

Food was average. Good. Nice. Nothing wrong with it. But average. Like Greek food, except not as good, and too much rice. The side salad was quite plain. Unfortunately I think you'd get better food and better value at the local kebab shop.

We went there for dinner. Everything was great. Foods were fantastic and yummy. Service was just perfect. We really enjoyed it. Highly recommended. Well done guys

It has the best Persian saffron pistachio ice cream in Auckland. Very authentic in taste and presentation, will definitely come back for that again.

Rumi is a small and intimate restaurant. With their Persian rugs, decoration and rustic vibe, you're almost certain to experience Iranian dining at its most authentic form. <br/><br/>In my opinion, the food was rather average. I expected my meal to be packed with lots of flavour. However, I was let down. My favourite part of the momtaz dish I ordered was definitely the chicken- however the lamb was quite boring. In my opinion, the naan was appalling and not up to standard. I loved the torshi- nice and sour, just like how mama makes it ;) the panir sabzi- very basic. <br/> <br/>The service was a bit too friendly for my liking. One waiter kept touching my arm/shoulder and placed a blanket on my friend and I when we politely said we didn't want it. Strange! <br/><br/>Overall, not bad/not amazing. I might try this place out for lunch in the near future!

It is the first Persian restaurant in town I guess. So I guess they are doing good. The food is nice and the waiters are friendly and fast. They explain about the menu, and guide you through. Shishliks (lamb kebabs) are normally served with ribs, but here it's a different style, still delicious though. The drinks are nice. Starters are delicious too. Water bottles keep coming free of charge. The set up is nice, but it is a bit small. I liked it and will go there again.

Best Persian food in town with the most friendly staff. Just wants to thank you guys for your quality food and your excellent customer service. Highly recommended

Very poor customer service. If you wish to have your day ruined and feel horrible after your meal, welcome to go to Rumi. Such a waste. I give 1.5 just for the average food.

I love Persian food as there was no restaurant in Auckland I knew of. So found out about rumi so decided to go there Tuesday night called Reza and booked for 7 people. On arriving was greeted by Reza and his wife the place was amazing very good vibe. The food was Devine, service a+ My daughters experience so exciting. The restaurant was full on a Tuesday night with really bad weather so that tells you something about place. And the price was so fair. <br/>So all up recommend it very much. Couldn't fault at all. 10 out of 10. <br/>Thanks Reza and family <br/>See you soon again.

It's hard to explain the excitement I felt upon discovering there was a new Persian restaurant in Auckland. <br/>Having first been introduced to the distinctive cuisine by a Persian friend - I was lucky enough to eat a fair few home cooked meals - I definitely felt a Persian restaurant was a much needed addition to Auckland's thriving restaurant scene.<br/>There have been others, of course, but most are kebab shops, or pizza/burger shops which may also have the odd Persian dish on the menu.<br/>We received a warm welcome and proceeded to order baghali polo (lamb shank with herbed rice), joojeh (chicken marinated in saffron with rice & tomato), the mezze platter and the gheymeh bademjan to take home.<br/>Prices were very reasonable and the food was fresh and authentic. It was good to have sumac brought to the table for the joojeh kebab & our water was topped up without asking. Service was excellent on the whole.<br/><br/>My dining companions were all impressed with their meals and we ended up ordering another mezze platter to share.<br/>The mezze platter was fresh and filling. The platter consisted of kuku sabzi (herb omelette), kashk bademjan (an eggplant dip), dollma (much nicer than others I've tried), olives & salad. The kuku sabzi was particularly delicious - there is also a main-size which I'm definitely going to order in the future.<br/>I do recommend you order the maust' khiar (yoghurt with cucumber & mint) as this is how meals are eaten at Persian homes and I don't find the meals are the same without it.<br/>Also, order salad if your meal doesn't come with it. <br/>Although in saying that I thought the salad shirazi we had was too small and lacking in flavour. If they increased the size and ensured it was well seasoned I'd definitely recommend it as this goes well with most dishes.<br/>Would be nice to see some more dishes on the menu such as ab goosht (dizi) and fesenjan, (tahdig would be great too) but Rūmī, you're off to a good start!

The search for a Persian restaurant in Auckland is finally over. The menu has to be deciphered with the help of friendly staff. Most of the dishes are basmati rice based. The presentation of the dish is good. There's a lot of flavour in the rice.<br/>Must try : Lamb dish was good.<br/>Verdict : Might come again but not soon

Woo hoo to finally something in Parnell that isn't Italian or does pizza :-) Do you and your amateur diner friends want to be transported to the Middle East, then come here and try the lunch menu (you don't need to be qualified to eat here!). There is an air of Persian charm, with a selection of exotic teas and various bbq meat with rice dishes. The lunch dishes are well presented and full of flavour and make a great bite with very reasonable prices...

This was a very authentic Persian restaurant. The food was absolutely loved.<br/>This place is definitely a must go for people that want to try new things cusine and are also ready to have a lot of it! <br/>Definitely try the kebabs!!!<br/>For starter i tried the eggplant pure and the shallot yoghurt dip with Lebanese bread... so yumm<br/>For main i had the "Koobide"(which is the grilled mince kebab) , it was so so so good and authentic. <br/><br/>Desert!!! i had one of the most interesting/amazing ice creams.  I had the rosewater, saffron and pistachio ice cream.. This is now my most favourite ice-cream and i definitely am planning on taking my close friends to try it out! its so delicious.<br/><br/>The place is cosy so try and book if you're going on a busy night.

I have given a 5 as an overall review because I dont want to bring the rating down as you are a starting business and I believe you have the potential to excel and learn. <br/><br/> I would like to provide my experience in the form of constructive criticism as I am aware that there are areas in which the business is lacking in terms of service. <br/>The business is located in the heart of Parnell thus having the ability to market a large range of individuals however if these problems are not sorted then a lot of customers may find another place to dine. <br/><br/>1. The tables in which we dined on were sub-par in terms of clearing items etc- this is a critical part in ensuring the area one dines on is tidy. <br/><br/>2. Provide different sets of cutlery: As a restaurant owner it is important for you to provide separate cutlery when serving entrees and mains- I saw a few customers struggle to ask for extra cutlery as some of your wait staff were a bit grumpy upon providing this.<br/><br/>3. Slow at serving drinks: Your staff were also slow at serving the drinks, this should only take 1-2 minutes not 45? The drinks provided were also wrong with my friend receiving Sauv instead of Chardonnay. - These are small things but part of the dining experience is for the restaurant to be responsive in providing drinks promptly as they require minimal preparation. <br/><br/>4. Be responsive to your customers needs: there were numerous times in which orders were repeated on a constant basis because your wait staff failed to note them down on the first go.  <br/><br/>Overall the setting, food and ambience is lovely however paying attention to service will help your business exceed. Essentially you do not want your service to be on the same level as Caravan Serai and Jaan- please take note that customers come first and perhaps providing a your wait staff with basic training in hospitality will enable your business to excel and to be different from the other middle eastern food joints that lack customer service! There have been numerous times where the lovely attitude of the host and staff and their promptness has encouraged me to return back! Best of luck and I hope you take this advice well.

Stopped in for a quick lunch and the food was very good. The owner was really friendly and the doogh was some of the best I've ever had. Will definitely be back again, so good to see fine Persian food in Auckland!

nice persian food. same taste as the food in iran. it is a family run persian restaurant. the chives are iranian couple who were also doing the same job in iran.

We went for lunch and were more impressed than we thought we would be.   Lovely tender pieces of lamb, very good service.   Negative points - well the table could have been cleaner perhaps (but soon forgot that when the excellent food arrived).    A splendid addition to the Parnell restaurant scene which is competitive to say the least.