Review Pilkingtons - Auckland Central

The restaurant was fancy and nice! Even the food, eyefillet, was perfect! It was tender and juicy but ravioli was a little salty for me. I wish they had a non-alcohol drinks menu as well.

Trendy restaurant, bar and brunch spot in downtown Auckland. We had dinner and cocktails here and enjoyed the space, vibe and food. The focaccia and prawn and crab ravioli were stand out and the maple roasted carrots and market fish were also great.

Went for some dinner with some friends and it was quite a lovely experience. The staff were accommodating, food is a bit pricey and according to my friends could have more flavour. Drinks were amazing and would come again! Atmosphere was very nice as well!

Finally got around to dining at Pilkingtons through first table! It was a great experience honestly. The vibes were immaculate, the waiter and waitress were very helpful and friendly too. The focaccia bread is a must! 10/10 Lamb skewers - 9/10 , definitely a must. Only a 9 because there should’ve been more! Haha. Fried crumbed spinach gnocchi - 9/10 as well, would get again and would definitely recommend. The braised lamb ragu - 5/10. This was a slightly disappointing dish in all honesty, hence why the 4/5 overall. It just lacked flavour and seemed liked corned mutton with cheese and pasta bits. Overall, I would go back to Pilkingtons for drinks and other bites to try! :)

10/10 service! Got a walk in for bottomless brunch ($65), which was excellent value for 2 hours of non stop drinks, and delicious food. Vegetarian friendly and shareable bites with a wider choice of drinks than average. The floor and bar staff were so attentive, friendly, competent and generally sound. The vibes and decor are gorgeous, and the music was great too!

Really nice spot in centre of the city! The food was delicious. The indoor seating is very comfy and cozy (there’s also outdoor seating). Nice decor and very lively atmosphere. The staff were really polite and service was fairly quick. 5/5 would recommend!!

Had an excellent experience with our party of 13 during their bottomless lunch! Communication was thorough and so helpful beforehand, despite needing a few changes. The Brazilian lady who served us was so attentive. Thank you!

I visited Pilkingtons during Restaurant Month 2020 and was excited to dine here after hearing many positive reviews. Upon arriving, I was warmly greeted and seated by such attentive staff. The restaurant decor is beautiful, opulent and light like a glass enclosure with marble and gold features. I was very impressed by the wine list as there was a wonderful selection. The restaurant month menu is what I opted for and also had some artisan bread with whipped home butter. This was absolutely wonderful with my Barossa Shiraz. As part of the set menu, my entree was a roasted beetroot with grilled radicchio, soured cream, candied walnut and beetroot gel. This dish was amazing, I loved the textures and complimentary flavors with meringue shards within. My main was a long line market fish with roasted cauliflower, walnuts, kale, golden raisins, burnt butter and ajo blanco. This dish was delicious and served with a complementary Gewurztrauminer. To finish of I ordered the cheeseboard with a glass of Zinfandel. My dining experience was truly wonderful with exquisite food and wine and exceptional service. Highly recommended with highest distinction!

Held an event last week at Pilkingtons and can't rave about it enough! Gorgeous venue and atmosphere with an inside area & the outside terrace exclusive for our use. Food was delicious and Bonsay, the duty manager, was outstanding, as were all of the serving staff. Highly recommend the gin tree! A really great evening, thank you Vanessa!

Been twice of late; a bottomless brunch for a friend's birthday and today for my birthday! Amazing service, food stunning and thanks to Vanessa for the recognition today (& telling us about a certain Jason!) A city centre restaurant in the midst of the business district but don't dismiss this New York-kinda restaurant vibe! Will be back...oh the home made focaccia (spelling) is to die for. Get that butter on while it's hot.

Beautiful atmosphere. Yummy omelette and well made scrambled eggs. Omelette only 2 eggs and is $18.50 retail which is quite pricy. The presentation could be a little better too. But the ambience make up for it. Service: 4/5 Environment: 5/5 Presentation: 4/5 Food Quality: 4/5 Food Quantity: 3/5 Price per person: $20-$30

Great bottomless brunch! Service was outstanding, so much food we couldn't eat it all, drinks kept coming steadily. Can't fault it and great price to boot.

One of the best European style bistro dine-in experience. My friends and, I loved everything about this place. Beautiful customer service, lovely attendants, delicious delicious delicious food, bloody good cocktails and not to forget their pumpkin crème brulee just hit the top of the charts!! The place itself has a welcoming ambiance. The decoration to the seating, everything was top notch. We have ordered the below to eat and drink. Please find all the photos attached from our dine-in experience. If you like to know more about Auckland scrumptious and sumptuous restaurants, you can check my Instagram page on "epicurious_taz". Thank you Pilkingtons. Will visit again. - An extremely satisfied customer ❤️

The food and service were exceptional - the snapper and gnocchi were delicious. The ambience was lively with lots of positive vibes. Highly recommend.

Such a great intimate venue for a wedding! in the heart of Auckland City too... a warm inviting place with friendly staff and great food. I really enjoyed photographing here :)

Very nice atmosphere and beautiful place. Just alittle bit busy at dinner time but the waiters handled well. all food dishes were great. Highly recommened.

Beef cheek croquettes and the market fish were absolutely delicious! The spinach and ricotta dumplings were mediocre! Lovely decor and lovely service.

Nice place and friendly staff 😊

Been here a few times for after work drinks and lunch and cannot fault the place. The happy hour special is great and it's just a nice spot to knock back a few brews.

Service was great every staff was smiling and very nice when they were serving us. The food taste was absolutely gorgeous! Especially the mashed potato and the fish if the day. We used our Zomato Gold here and I would say that I am willing to pay for the full price for the service and the quality of food that you are getting. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Really nice spot in centre of the city! The food was delicious. The indoor seating is very comfy and cozy (there’s also outdoor seating). Nice decor and very lively atmosphere. The staff were really polite and service was fairly quick. 5/5 would recommend!!

Beautiful decoration, great service and amazing food! We ordered the rib eye filet which was delicious but a bit small, the highlight was the lamb rump, would definitely come back for that.

Want to know where to get one of the best lamb rump 🥩in Auckland? You are reading the right post✅! And had the best lamb rump ever! It was so tender😋 so juicy💦 the lamb just melts in your mouth. It was not too oily😣 like some lamb dishes can get. It also came with avo puree🥑 which is always a plus. Rita ordered the market fish 🐟and the prawn🦐 on it looks amazing too. With Zomato Gold it is so much easier to enjoy a fancy dish like this. Thanks @pilkingtons_no41 for amazing food

Tried the steak. For $45, even though it is a rib eye, the portion just seemed too small. The steak came with mash and asparagus, and again for the price it just didn’t exceed expectations. It was a basic steak, with nothing special to go on. <br/>The market fish (mahi mahi) was also adequate. Seasoned well, yet the sauce was not all that flavourful. The greens were bitter and kind of overpowered the other flavours (because they were bland as it is). <br/>The fries were as expected. If the dipping sauce was the highlight of the meal, there is probably something not quite right with the dishes. <br/>They did have a delicious gin cocktail, but the food was average, even though it did look good at first. <br/>The service is top notch and the atmosphere is great, but there are many places that compete just as well with similar food but better.

Went here on a Friday afternoon after Waitangi Day - not very busy afternoon.<br/><br/>Waiter bought out food for 4/5 of us - we had to ask for cutlery after being served our mains. Waiter forgot my order and also a starter of fries that we ordered. I asked to check in on my order and didnt hear back for another 10 minutes. Asked to cancel at the end of a 40 minute wait for no food.<br/><br/>Friends meals were salty and cold.<br/><br/>I expected alot more from a high-end interior resturant but walked out VERY disappointed.<br/><br/>Wouldnt come back even for the Zomato gold.

The tuna tartare was too spicy for my liking, it overpowered the tuna. We also asked for more water a couple of time but the waitress kept forgetting and we never ended up getting a refill. The restaurant looked nice with the plants and flowers patterns on the seats.

note: this rating is purely based on experience of booking/showing up NOT on food. <br/><br/>Super disappointed to review soemthing so negatively considering I was very excited to come to Pilkingtons. Tried to make an online booking for Monday and only saw early dinner times (5-6pm) so gave the restaurant a call to see if they were booked out later on. Was informed that they don’t take bookings later than 6pm on a Monday as if it is quiet they close the kitchen early. Advised we wanted to come in later but the staff told us they couldn’t book us in, but that if we did try and walk in we may not be able to order food. <br/><br/>Ended up attempting to come in a little later around 7.30 and was advised the kitchen was already closed for mains and only available for bar snacks. <br/><br/>Seems a bit odd to me that if a customer is calling up to make a booking, that a restaurant would decline for a later time because they didn’t want to stay open for only one set of customers. Maybe this makes sense financially but to us it just put us off coming back in future. <br/><br/>Made it worse that when we did come in, the server advised that in future if we called up they would stay open knowing that they had customers coming, which went against what I had been told previously. We ended up going elsewhere and had a lovely dinner.

I really like this place for the food and vibe but I just wanna let pilkingtons know that they use plates with lots of little dots on them :( I’m not a big fan and neither are a lot of my friends so just wanted to make a comment. I think restaurants should generally avoid those kind of patterns for the plates they serve food on. I just ate as quickly as possible and got the plate taken away.

I used first table here and was at the restaurant before it started filling in. The atmosphere and indoor decoration is absolutely lovely. The service is also spot on and makes you know you’re paying for a great service. The food was also unique and beautifully presented. This is a place I’d definitely come back for special occasions to make it easier on my wallet.

Great ambience and service from staff. Menu is good and has ample options for everybody. Food was delicious and drinks were well made too. Definitely recommend to others.

We order two meals，Beef Burger and Cured Meat Plate.<br/>When we check out，The waitress said meal couldn't attend the event，let me pay the full price.<br/>Just don't understand😂，never heard before.

Delicious! Worth the wait! Although it took nearly 45mins to bring our lunch out! Very tasty. Small portions. Best for tapas.

Another beautiful eatery for a romantic night out. Food was yummy and staff was attentive. Always love to order their shoestring fries 🥰

Came here for a birthday celebration and really enjoyed the place. Great atmosphere, cocktails were delicious and the nibbles were a great side snack. This is a perfect place for any occasion, really a great place overall.

Came here for a friends 21st. The place had been partially booked out (although with almost no one else around we practically had the whole place) staff were so friendly and the cocktails were very good. Good atmosphere and loved the outdoor seating

Ordered the chicken. Was flavorful and juicy but a tad on the salty side, much like their host that night. She was annoyed when I wanted to split the bill and didn't bother to thank me for my patronage, instead opting for a death stare.

This was our first time in Pilkingtons located in prominent corner of Shortland St. Came here on a Tuesday for a dinner with my friend. The interior is stunning but the spaces inside are a bit small. It was quite loud here and needs to talk a bit louder to hear each other. The food was good but I think it could have been better. The Lamb Rump was tasty but I have had tried better with smaller price tag. Love the fried Market fish, its cooked to perfection but the salad came with it was a bit salty for me. The staff were very attentive. Overall, its a good experience. I would love to come back here to try their breakfast and lunch menu.<br/><br/>Rating out of 10<br/>Food: 7<br/>Service: 7<br/>Value: 6<br/>Ambience: 7

The market fish and the salad on top of the fish was very very salty. So the whole dish was very salty basically... Had to drink water a lot.. my partner's eye fillet was also a bit salty but not as bad.. the other components of the eye fillet dish was good. Been to Pilkingtons a few times before and we liked the place, this latest visit was quite a let down unfortunately..

ZGold 20% OFF code: SYSTEM<br/><br/>Service & food is great especially with ZGold!<br/><br/>Fries were extremely salty hence the 4/5 but otherwise the experience is very enjoyable.

Had a great dinner at pilkingtons! We ordered the eye fillet steak and lamb rump. The steak was delicious with the herb sauce. <br/>Food was fantastic but very small portion sizes for the price. Still great service and a great ambience.

Five of us went to there in the afternoon. Every food is pretty nice. There are also has friendly staffs. We just wait for our food for 15 mins.<br/>

Came here for birthday brunch, ordered the scrambled eggs and the omlette! Great service! The scrambled eggs were so delicious and fluffy, perfect with salt and pepper! The bacon was pan fried beautifully, not burnt at all. Yhe potato hash consisted of thinly sliced potatoes, which I didn't expect! I think it needed some seasoning. The bread was nicely toasted as well! I tried a bit of the omlette and it was light and fluffy too! The interior is absolutely beautiful. Keen to be back for their lunch menu and coffee!

Had dinner with friends. The staff was friendly and helpful, she helped us set up a table next to the heater, but then we moved inside. I love the gnocchi with mushroom sauce. The market fish was ling fish that day, it was delicious.

New menu is great and very versatile. Both the noodles and the pulled pork sandwich were delicious and we also ordered a salted lychee soda (very refreshing). The staff were so friendly and attentive which made the experience that much better. Using zomato gold made it so much more affordable and worth it :) <br/>Food - 5/5<br/>Ambience - 3/5<br/>Service - 5/5

Love this place. I had the eye fillet which was the freshest, tastiest eye fillet I’ve ever had! Better than many I’ve had from steakhouses. Super impressed. Can’t wait to go back for food and coffee again.

Nice interior and design but the food was a letdown. Too much salt and no other taste. Ordered the chicken and market fish which totaled $66. For a plate of chicken and fish covered in salt, not worth.

<br/>Came here on Friday for a pre-birthday celebration! I loved the vibes here, it was quite loud so you do have to talk quite loudly if you want to hear each other, but is definitely a nice place to come if you want a drink and some food.<br/><br/>I really liked the cerviche for an entree! The fish was very fresh and the subtle coconut flavour with the sour sauce complimented the dish very well. I got the market fish which was snapper and I thought it was cooked very nicely. The eye fillet was cooked perfectly and would definitely get this again! <br/><br/>We wanted to get the pulled pork sandwich and the chocolate dessert however both were unavailable. Hopefully can come back soon to try these dishes!

Ordered the market fish and the roasted chicken. The food tasted great, everything was perfectly cooked. The staff were good and the ambience was great.

Lovely atmosphere. We ordered market fish and lamp for the lunch. Both of them taste good and the fish could be the best I have tried. There also have lots of outside seats which is good to catch up with friends after work.

Great food and polite staff, has the fish dish, which was pan fried and was completely delicious... great place to catch up with workmates over lunch or a few drinks.

The food is has different level of taste. Slightly over priced. Toilet is very unique and good design. I like the interior vibe. Will go back again.

Have always wanted to try their food and zomato gold gave us the perfect opportunity to do so.<br/><br/>Gnocchi: the gnocchi was pillowly and soft, but the dish should've been called mushroom featuring gnocchi. Even for a mushroom fan like myself, I wished there was less mushroom since there was a bit too much salt and threw off the balance of the dish.<br/><br/>Pan fried chicken: this was delicious, skin was crisp and the cabbage and accompaniments went well. No comments here.

Watched the rugby and had a friends birthday here, atmosphere was great, staff very friendly and helpful. Took a bit of time to find though.

First time lunching at Pilkingtons as I wanted to take advantage of the ZG discount. My colleague and I both ordered Eye Fillet. It came with mushrooms and potato gratin. Food was average and the portion was extremely small which was quite disappointing for a $42.00 main course meal.<br/><br/>Service: 2.5/5<br/>Environment: 3/5<br/>Presentation: 3/5<br/>Food Quality: 4/5<br/>Food Quantity: 2/5<br/>Price per person: $40-$60

We had an amazing dinner here using Zomato Gold, we got one of the main meals for free. The jus on the steak was amazing and my friend said she loved the fish! However we did think the menu needed more vegetarian options.

After walking past Pilkingtons and longingly looking at its beautiful yet simply elegant ambience while walking down shorthand street for a while, we finally decided to have dinner here. The appetisers were fantastic with a solid drink menu to match. However, distracted wait staff and underwhelming mains made the dining experience just a little less special.

Nibbles to start, Cauliflower Bites were too hard, not cooked through properly, they’re supposed to be soft, disappointing and the sauce that comes with it really just doesn’t go lol, like oddly paired.<br/><br/>Duck dish was ok, super small portion, under seasoned, and the duck wasn’t very tender. <br/><br/>Fish Market dish was nice, good flavours in the sauce base, fish was good too, but only one shrimp?<br/><br/>Final thoughts: for the price you’re paying ($34 for each main dish) this isn’t really worth it to be honest, your portions are tiny for such a big price tag and the flavours are honestly lacking, like major lacking, it’s all just OK, nothing special, save your big bucks for something more filling and some more satisfying flavours.

We ordered the Szechuan pepper and salt squid and the prawn dumplings for a late arvo nibble with an iced coffee on the side! The batter on the squid was light and not oily at all, the dish was well balanced in its flavour and the Szechuan pepper left a nice spice on your pallet. Came out well underseasoned, but the salt provided on the table fixed that. The dumplings were silky and generous on the prawn filling! The dipping sauce was average, however. One of the ingredients overpowered the sauce and was too tangy, so we avoided that! Iced coffee was one of the best we’ve had, highly recommend with a shot of sugar syrup! The decor is nice but the service was sadly average - they took our order and checked up on us from time to time but no smiles or energy/enthusiasm (I guess they were too busy attending to all the people in suits around us lol)

It's late Monday morning. We only had small dishes with drinks at Pilkintons. I had the marinated prawns with confit garlic; they were fascinating - even the garlic was beautifully cooked.  My wife had the fish crudo with tomato, cucumber, coconut, etc. - a very refreshing small dish. After that, we decided to walk up Shortland Street for our dessert.<br/>(Food - 4/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience - 4/5) <br/>Visited on 6 May 2019

A work group attended for pre-Easter drinks<br/>it was humming<br/>Good vibe including live music<br/>A bit loud to chat<br/>But very pleasant<br/>Had great Emerson's Pilsner <br/>And shared cheese and meat platters both smallish but good<br/>All in all an excellent experience enjoyed by all

Love the atmosphere of the restaurant! I think this place is usually busy but when i went, it was raining and so quiet.<br/><br/>Staffs were really friendly and the food was also great. Recommend the burger and chocolate mouse dessert. Great cocktail too. My friend and I were going to move to another place for dessert but we ended up having it here.. 😁<br/><br/>I will definitely go again and try other menus.

This place was good, atmosphere was really nice, also get to experience the live music on Thursday. We were welcome by the staff as we walked in, we got told we can pick anywhere to sit and he will bring us the menu, the menu only came after 10 mins, the restaurant wasn’t full, it was like half empty? Anyway, we ordered our food, and asked for water, we also had to wait for a long time just for water, like another 10 mins...? food came out in a reasonable time, and flavour was very tasty especially the market fish, but our fries tasted like it was a little burnt. From the moment we sat down and until we left, there was this spray bottle of cleaning liquid and a dirty cloth just placed close to our table, non of the staff there realise or bothered to take it away, really weird in how they could have missed, because it’s just sitting right there...<br/><br/>After the dinner, and had a walk with my partner, our tummy started to feel a little funny, not sure if it was the food or what, we didn’t have any other food or drink after having our dinner here. My partner got home and went straight to the bathroom ... 😓<br/><br/>Overall experience was alright, food was good, atmosphere was great, service was a bit disappointed. :(

Lovely food and vibe. Used my zomato gold and get a dish for free. Excellent service as we booked for a leaving party and it was raining. Staff kindly offer a back up table. Not over crowded on a Friday night. Great ambience.

Came here about three years ago and remember the food wasnt that good but came back wanting to try my luck again. <br/>We ordered; The Marinated Prawns, Thai salad, Linguini and the Market Fish, two cocktails and a watermelon juice. <br/>Drinks came out first, and both my friend and I were so surprised at how little alcohol there was. Just tasted like juice and the watermelon juice looked or tasted nothing like watermelon juice. Prawns were alright but a bit expensive for three pieces, the thai salad was very salty and lacked the sweet, tangy taste. The linguini was extremely bland and again, lacked flavour. The service wasn’t that great by the waitresses as we found they were rude at times... but that was made up by the lady, who may have been the manager/owner, as she was much more friendlier. The upside is the pretty decor and ambience. My friends and I said if we had to go back, we would probably only go for a glass of wine. Food really needs some work :(

Nice experience here on my birthday. Good food, good quantity and a very romantic ambience with good service. I recommend this place for those evenings when all you want to do is hang out with your loved one and talk over a glass of wine. The ambience is good after a stressful day. Does get pretty loud on Friday and Saturday evenings but then which restaurant doesn't.

Lovely place and atmosphere and good staff. Unfortunately the food was a let down. I ordered the beef burger which was average at best. Dry meat, too much mustard and lack lustre. Chips were nice but nothing special. The market fish was nice. Wouldn’t come back without a coupon

Good food and service here.<br/><br/>Only let down is that I left behind some belongings and the staff were quite rude about when I could come and get it due to an event (which was a public event!!) but can’t fault the food or the place just because of one rude staff member.

Had a great Zomato Gold experience here. The process was hassle free and there were no exceptions from the menu. We had two $34 mains, so we got one of them complementary. The staff were also friendly and attentive.

Zomato Gold Members BEWARE****<br/><br/>Went to Pilkintons for dinner for the first time with my friend, we ordered 2 main dishes and a couple sides + drinks, we even considered splitting the order as we weren’t sure how the gold benefit of buy one get one works. We showed the waitress our gold buy one get one free on the app and she assured us that we could order accordingly as she will just take off the second most expensive item. We ended up ordering 2x $34 main dishes and sides/drinks. <br/>When it came time to pay our bill the waitress informed she will only be taking off the $18 dish instead of the other $34 dish, she said this does not apply as the dish is the same price and it is not the “second most expensive”. If the other dish is $30 or $33 then she would’ve taken it off.. <br/>we were absolutely shocked and confused, and questioned her but we ended up paying the bill. When we walked out the door we thought that it wasn’t right so we checked the fine prints on Zomato gold and it states that the dish of same or lesser value is complimentary. <br/>We went back, showed the waitress and she had to call the owner and we ended up getting our refund but what was sooo intriguing/ridiculous was the fact that she told us that this is a one time only thing as this is not within their restaurant policy..... <br/>Summary of this experience is that if you plan to use your gold benefit here, use with CAUTION! <br/><br/>The food was very average as well.. maybe it’s different for breakfast or lunch but our dinner was very salty and the mains were over cooked and dry.

Friendly staff and nice food. The deco is brilliant and the place is just awesome! Friend and I work nearby and came for a drink. After we saw other's plates, we decided to stay to give the food a try. Anf it's definitely worth coming again just for the food.

Came here for dinner on a Friday evening. Worst timing probably as there were two company groups here for drinks which made the whole place very noisy. The food however was great, we ordered the duck leg which was pan fried nicely, the market fish which was also pan fried, I loved the fried skin making the whole dish very flavourful. And also the fish crudo which was considerably large portion, and the potato layer cake. 10/10 Would come back again.

Food was amazing! Both pan fried chicken and linguine was full of flavour 😋 the lovely lady who served us recommended us perfect wine to go with the food. Will definitely visit again ♡

Came here for lunch. Great ambience friendly staff. Ordered the eye fillet which cost $42. Other than that being a bit steep for a lunch price the steak was an eye fillet and I know those are normally expensive I asked to swap the potato out for fries which they totally accommodated. The steak was cooked to perfection and came with mushrooms and a tasty jus. It did take a while for our food to come out and a table that came after got served but the staff member swiftly came over to explain the issue and kept us in the loop which is all you can ask for

Lunch work outing at end of last year. Delicious food but price is on the high side, small size so it’s so so for us. A workmate of mine ordered a poke bowl and for $25, not much fillings and she was still really hungry afterwards. Service was average, hard to get their attention and lady in the cashier seems to be can’t be bothered with us! Beautiful setting and decor of the place though. Might be back to give it a try again as we have the Zomato Gold membership.

Beautiful atmosphere. Yummy omelette and well made scrambled eggs.<br/><br/>Omelette only 2 eggs and is $18.50 retail which is quite pricy. The presentation could be a little better too. But the ambience make up for it. <br/><br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Environment: 5/5<br/>Presentation: 4/5<br/>Food Quality: 4/5<br/>Food Quantity: 3/5<br/>Price per person: $20-$30

Very beautiful place. Staff was very friendly, deco was pretty cool. It's better if presentation more creative. Quantity 2/5 Quality 5/5 Service 5/5 Price 3/5

Came in today for brunch with a friend. We ordered a beef burger with fries and the herb and avocado smash. There were 4 minutes left before the breakfast menu wasn't available so it was a rush choosing what to get but my choice turned out to be a good one. The ciabetta toast was buttered so well. As soon as they brought over the avocado smash I could smell the butter melted on the toast. It smelt absolutely amazing. I couldn't wait to dig in. The avocado was smashed perfectly. Chunks were easy to spread and/or eat separately. I usually don't like ciabatta bread because of how hard the bread is, but this one was soft as well crunchy on the outer layer of the bread. It was the perfect avocado on toast. The beef burger brioche bun was really good too. It wasn't too hard or soft. The patty tasted average. Fries were crispy and soft on the inside.

I was there for a company function. The ambience is really good, with beautiful setting in the restaurant. However, the food was not that nice. The steak my colleague ate was dry, and the fish I ate was dry and not so tasty. I wouldn’t go back again actually.

Known to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in the heart of Auckland, I was excited to dine at Pilkingtons. <br/>We ordered 3 entrees and 3 mains to share between two; along with 2 cocktails. <br/><br/>We got oysters, Venison Carpaccio, Autumn Harvest Salad from Entrees. In all honesty, as much as I wanted to rave about their dishes, I just couldn’t find myself being awed by any. The oysters are probably the smallest I’ve come across in any restaurant, looking rather quite sad in its large plate of ice. <br/>Venison carpaccio was decently nice, with chia seed crackers and beautiful venison accompanied by chilli jam; albeit jam was a little overly sweet and overpowered the natural taste of the venison. <br/>Autumn harvest salad was good but nothing exciting here. <br/><br/>From Mains we got Roast Pork Belly, Long Line Snapper and Braised Lamb. <br/>Roast Pork Belly was probably the better dish, hot and soft. Skin could have been more crispy with a bit of crackling. The lentils and whipped potato cream was a subtly delicate touch which was beautifully seasoned. <br/>Long Line Snapper was a bit bland, fish was cooked a little too long and lacked seasoning. The charred leek seemed a little out of place amongst the dish, adding no flavour nor texture to it.<br/>Braised Lamb was a bit of a let down, as it looked sticky and sweet and salty with the glazed appearance. Lacked seasoning as well, albeit meat was cooked fairly well. The charred Brussel sprouts added a bitterness to the dish which I was feeling very mixed about. <br/><br/>Cocktails were good! Lychee Bellini is quite strong with its Prosecco Champagne and looked nice and delicate in its flute glass. Call of the Wind, however, tasted quite diluted with minimal spritz and flavour and too many ice cubes for $20. <br/><br/>Service was superb the moment we stepped into the doors; filling our water, checking on our meals and changing our plates and cutlery with lovely smiles on their faces the entire evening. <br/><br/>While food was a bit of a let down, the service and ambience made up for it. <br/><br/>Food: 7/10<br/>Price: 7/10<br/>Ambience: 10/10<br/>Service: 10/10

We dined here with via first table therefore the place wasn’t busy upon arrival. The staff were very friendly and accommodating we were seated promptly. The place is small and cosy, seatings are well spread out. Ambiance is very romantic with dimmed lights. We ordered southern fried chicken, burger, lamb, gnocchi, sides of fries and chocolate torte for dessert. All the dishes were well presented and decent portions. However the flavours were lacking especially for fried chicken (chicken was cooked well) but it wasn’t southern Flavours, Gnocchi was average and so was the lamb. Least fav would be the lamb (too fatty and not much flavour and Our fav dish would probably be their burger. The chocolate torte was also very underwhelming as it was super sweet which made it difficult to eat. Overall we paid $84 (including 2 alch.) which was a great deal via first table however the food flavours was fairly average.

Came here for graduation dinner. <br/><br/>This place is decorated beautifully and is definitely perfect for a semi formal celebration. The waiter / waitress were really friendly and helped us through the menu.<br/> <br/>We ordered most of the entrees. A highlight was definitely the Calamari. It was perfectly crisp and light. <br/><br/>For main I had the pork belly. The skin was really crispy and the belly itself was soft and tender. <br/><br/>For dessert it had to be the creme brûlée. The perfect ratio of crispy sugar to creme. Definitely a highlight of the evening. <br/><br/>They had Grabone vouchers so the bill came down to around $600 for 9 people. This included all the food, 1 bottle of champagne, two beers and a round of cocktails and spirits.

The place that’s always filled with the office people during lunchtime, we came here for dinner at a quiet time around 5.30pm. There wasn’t really any service as we had to refill our water ourselves. The bill came to about $130 which I think is pretty reasonable for this type of dining.<br/><br/>We got the venison carpaccio, fried Brussels sprouts, southern fried chicken, braised lamb, roasted pork belly, wagyu beef burger.<br/><br/>Venison - although an expensive starter and small in portions, each slice of tenderness with cheese and the crunchy crackers really brought some mixed textures and exciting flavors, especially with the fruity flavored jam.<br/>Brussel sprouts - nicely stir fried and seasoned but there is a bitterness in the flavor which comes from the brussel sprouts. <br/>Fried chicken - another good starter as the yellow creamy mayo-like sauce takes the hot chicken to another level. The light sauce makes the tenderness even tastier!<br/>Braised lamb - although the meat isn’t as tender and moist, the flavor of the sauce and raisins made the lamb tasty. However the brussel sprouts’ bitterness, not a very good choice of sides, countered this taste.<br/>Pork belly - this is my favorite of the night. In terms of taste and texture of the meat, it was the best pork I’ve had out of many restaurants. The tender and moist pork along with its sweet sauce and roasted pumpkins all made it a very enjoyable dish. <br/>Burger - the wagyu beef is obviously very tender and it’s well cooked and seasoned. What I like about this burger was actually the whole pickle on the burger (weird, but effective). The light sourness of the pickle actually adds an exciting flavor to the burger as a whole.<br/><br/>Taste - 8/10<br/>Size - 8/10<br/>Price - 8/10<br/>Service - 7/10<br/>Ambience - 8/10

Went to celebrate my friend’s birthday last Friday night. The restaurant wasn’t empty but it was surprisingly quiet when we first came in, which was good (maybe it was too early, or its the CBD night markets that everyone had gone to that night). By the end of the night the place was buzzing.<br/><br/>We ordered 6 oysters and kingfish to start off with a bottle of white wine, and shared the pork belly and scotch fillet. The food was great - the kingfish dish had hints of spiciness but it went so well together. The meat dishes were both soft and delicious – I am steak lover but the pork belly dish here is a must! Everything on the dish complemented each other so well. I feel like they have increased the portion size of the meals compared to the last time I was here as well.<br/><br/>The waitress was very attentive and helpful, it was easy for us to get her attention when we needed anything.<br/><br/>Ambience was just right, dinner was set in a dim but romantic kind of atmosphere with music not being overly loud.<br/><br/>The wine list might need to be updated, the waitress had to come back to our table two times as they didn’t have the wines we were after available.

Gave this place a second go after the Manager contacted me and offered me 50% for lunch. The service this time was top notch - the kingfish sashimi and squid were well-presented and delicious! Also got a complimentary drink which was a nice surprise. Definitely will be back after this great experience!

Really enjoyed our meal here. We ordered the steak which was tender but it would have been nice if the portion was a bit bigger.<br/><br/>The lamb was very tender.The southern fried chicken was crispy and and the meat was tasty. The whitefish ceviche was beautifully presented.<br/><br/>The service was fantastic. The manager was very chatty and inviting. The chicken was the best by far. Everything else was good but nothing to rave about.

Visited several times already. Good spot and nice setup. During summer, please take the outside seating. Atmosphere is just nice, relaxing situation, good place to catch up with friends and colleagues. Nice food, delicious fried chicken, nice fries. Give it a try and have fun there.

Perfect location at the heart of Auckland city and the beautiful decor was the prime reason to take my date to this restaurant on valentines. They had a set menu and a pairing wine menu which was on point. However, the service disappointed me a wee bit. The Manager/waitress took us to our table and started speaking about the menu etc without letting my girlfriend get seated. It was a wee strange as we assumed that it would be more like a fine dining experience. But we overlooked such petty courtesies. Food was great and appropriate proportions as well. The only reason for low rating is that they didn’t offer us water(most basic and most important) at all. We kept quiet as we’d already asked them for a few favors (like to bring us cocktail menu & then wine menu). So absolutely stop by for food and good ambience if you could overlook the service.

Very disappointed with my experience at Pilkingtons. Went here for lunch and was advised there was only tapas available when booking on the phone. When I looked on the website the tapas menu had various delicious sounding options. When we got there the menu only consisted of cheese platters and fried foods. The croquettes were delicious but there needed to be some fresh options available. The service was very average. On the positive side - the atmosphere and fit out of the place is great. Possibly picked the wrong day to go.

First of all, they didn't have the wine we wanted. We were suggested a wine which was way more expensive. And secondly, the food was below average. Kingfish ceviche was hardly a mouthful for a premium price. Have had better taste and value for money.

The food was not as good as I expected but the waitress provided us with an excellent service! Their gnocchi tasted super good. The pumpkin puree was so delishhhh. But all the other food we ordered was very salty. 3 stars for the food and 5 stars for the waitress :)

Food: 3.5/5<br/>My partner and I ordered the cheese board with a glass of wine each. The selection of cheeses were good but the selection of condiments were quite limited. Pretty much you got what you paid for. For entre, we ordered the battered squid (really liked) which was light and crispy. Some might find it a little salty but we enjoyed the taste. For mains, we ordered the gnocchi, eye fillet and the pork belly. We asked if we could have the fillet cooked rare, but it came out medium-medium well done. We asked the waitress if the dish was right, but she stated that we were wrong and the steak was rare :/ the other two dishes were good, but would’ve liked the gnocchi to have been less mushy. <br/><br/>Ambience: 4/5<br/>Nice place to have lunch on a sunny day. Decor was welcoming, except out tables weren’t cleaned very well.<br/><br/>Service: 3/5<br/>In total, 3 different ladies came to our table. Two of the ladies were very welcoming and helpful, however the one lady made us feel quite uncomfortable throughout the meal.<br/><br/>Overall a pleasant place to go<br/><br/>

Went to a wedding last night and was very impressed with the service. The wait staff are fabulous, great and to the highest level! Each and everyone! It then made me me ask what IS this place. Ambience check, food was well served and delicious. Toilet amazing! Parking bit hard to find if ypu want closer to venue. Shout out to all the staff from morning of sunday up to the wee hours!!! Youre all very impressive.

Really like the ambience of this place, service is great and food is good, overpriced unless you are a Shortland street suit man, but it's obvious they use fine ingredients and kitchen staff know what they're doing.<br/><br/>Duck confit is very well seasoned. unlikely most of the places that serve it in Auckland, there it's not salty. The purée that comes along is also great, silky texture.<br/><br/>The tuna carpaccio was average, had a nice combination of ingredients, but it wasn't diced evenly and the fish wasn't chilled enough.<br/><br/>My partner had a eye fillet that had an awesome sauce I could drink out of a bottle, and the crème brullee was also great.<br/><br/>They are usually busy after office hours so if you don't like a crowd lunchtime around 12 is a good time.

I used to live near Pilkingtons and had the chance to dine here when they first opened for business. I fell in love with this place. There is no doubt in my mind this is going to be a hot spot in city central. <br/><br/>Service: Top notch 👌 staff made me feel really welcomed and let me pick my table. Even though there are just 2 of us, we got to seat in a big corner table. Our water was refilled frequently and fast. Whenever I asked for sth I was met with a big smile. <br/><br/>Ambience: I usually come for brunch/lunch service. The place was decorated with floral chairs, heap of natural light, beautiful indoor plants. The tone of the whole place was just so cozy and romantic. <br/><br/>Food: We ordered Confit Duck Leg and Magtaliati which is a filled pasta dish. First impression: they were presented so beautifully that I almost don’t want to eat. The aroma was super nice as well. The duck leg was tender and delicious while the lamb filled pasta was amazing and blended well with the sauce. I would live to see more greens on the plate as sides but I’m still happy with the quality of food. The portions didn’t look much but they were very fulfilling. <br/><br/>Price: This is a fancy place in a prime location so the price is pretty cha-ching. Expect to pay around 45-60$ each depending on your choice of food, with a drink.<br/><br/>Overall, perfect spot for dates. Highly recommended and will definitely come back for more, especially for dinner service.

We went on two different occasions and we thought to give them a review. On our first visit we ordered waikato aged beef which was cooked nicely and sirloin pork jowl which we inform the waiter that it is extremely fatty and oily not much of the pork meat. For dessert we had the creme brûlée and white chocolate raspberry which is ok. <br/><br/>On our next visit we thought let's try the entree,<br/>We ordered Plancha squid with garlic nero and burnt lime- the flavour is a different but the lime adds good zesty flavour and chili fried chicken is alright. For main we ordered beef eye fillet the the sauce was good and gives a lot of flavour to the steak! Another main was yellow belly flounder which taste good fish is really fresh and cooked to perfection. On the dessert we ordered Pedro Jimenez creme brûlée which is i find to blunt and nothing special at all. The frozen feijoa was alright. I would say they need to improve their dessert menu as if you're planning to do 3 course meal here you'll end up disappointed on the last part of the meal. Ambiance was good and interior was tastefully decorated as well. Customer service was good we both had attentive waitresses on our visit. <br/><br/>

A top fine dining restaurant with amazing vibes and decor and top notch food! :) between the three of us, we had the kingfish crudo and two type of rye waffles. The salmon waffles is definitely the highlight of the entrees as they were fluffy and sweet, perfect with the salmon and daikon on top! <br/><br/>Mains were equally tasty and the presentation was 10/10. The gnocchi was definitely a winner (apparently their signature dish) and the confit duck was also very tender. The lamb was disappointing as the pepper was overpowering and the pasta was very dry. Overall a good experience and would return again.

Outstanding food, service and ambience! The décor attracted me to this place and it was such a great find. The food was fantastic. We had three courses which were all excellent and perfectly presented. The service is quick, friendly and professional and we had a lovely, attentive waitress who looked after us throughout the night . Absolutely loved this place and will definitely be back! Thanks for the excellent service, Pilkingtons! Highly recommend.

We had a very short window for lunch, so a proper sit-down restaurant probably wasn't the most sensible choice, but being a wheelchair user in a rush I operated on the principle of finding the closest accessible place that served decent food.  So chance, really, brought me to Pilkingtons.  I'm glad it did.  Had the fish, it was john dory today instead of flounder.  Wow.  It was delicious.  And beautiful.  And delicious.<br/><br/>Loud indoors.  Pleasant outdoors, with the heater there.  Friendly, helpful waitress.  A relatively short, restrained lunchtime menu, but with lots of interesting choices nonetheless.  Would certainly go back if I got the chance (unlikely, since I'm about to move out of Auckland).  Recommended.<br/><br/>Wish I could have stayed for dessert!

Climbing up the marble stairs with the letters "Pilkingtons" stamped onto the wall to your left, even the entrance creates a statement. <br/><br/>Pilkingtons has a presence not all restaurants achieve from the curb. It's design is dramatically subtle - something out of a minimalists dream. Credit can be given the Nat Cheshire's group of architects. A refined elegance extends through the Mediterranean style courtyard into an urban jungle that is Pilkingtons itself. <br/><br/>Inside you'll notice mismatch patterns and textures, brilliance of colour and impressive indoor foliage. Large golden lamps highlight the menu in-front of you, a long with an extensive wine and cocktail list. <br/><br/>The atmosphere is light and fun approach to sophistication. The service impeccable and the food is some of the best plated in Auckland. <br/><br/>This one I recommend all year round.

I had my 21st here and it was great. The place itself has a beautiful atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I had canapés on the night and they were delicious. I will definitely be returning!

Well, we finally got along to Pilkingtons. Thought it was only fair that we gave them an opportunity to redeem themselves!<br/>Service - prompt, friendly, the waitress offered to take photos for our group. She apologised when the mains had been prepared at the same time as our tasting platter, despite her instructions to the kitchen, and offered to have them remade if we weren't ready for them yet. This was a nice touch.<br/>Food - Well presented. We had:<br/><br/>- Trust the chef Tapas board (I loved the calamari, but it was all a bit too deep fried for the liking of the others in my group)<br/>- Fried gnocchi as a main (delicious, very unique flavour, however would have been a bit too sweet to have all for one person, so we're glad that we shared)<br/>- Roasted market fish (the soup/sauce that this was in was wonderful and very flavoursome)<br/>- Strawberry, buffalo curd, white chocolate, crystalized milk chocolate, basil (impeccably presented)<br/>- Violet crème brûlée, roasted nectarine, brown butter almonds (delicious!)<br/><br/>All up, we thought the food was wonderful.<br/><br/>We loved the ambience of the restaurant - its a popular with the Shortland Street suited lawyer crowd, so it's very upmarket, but also with plenty of greenery, large windows, and lots of natural lighting. Great place for a function, however unfortunately they don't have private rooms and our wedding reception won't be big enough to justify hiring out the whole place.<br/><br/>Overall, we were very happy with our visit, and it's somewhere I would like to bring friends/family when they visit from Australia.<br/><br/>I'm also happy with the response provided by Irina below, and appreciate the time she spent replying to my concerns. I do understand that there can be technology issues, but do struggle to understand how emails go missing in this day and age. I remain unhappy with how the matter was dealt with when I called, and still considered this to be a reflection of their service overall - however I was happy with their service when we visited, so this has made up for it somewhat.<br/><br/>Archived:<br/> It's super ironic that there is an out of office message replying to all the reviews below, advising that people should get in touch with Irina Frank – Owner and Operator. However when you email Irina (per her email address which is also on Pilkington's Website) she just doesn't reply to confirm or not confirm a restaurant booking. Twenty days and counting now - per the photo of my email sent to her on the 12 January! I rang on the day of the 'booking' to confirm, only to be told that there was a private event on, and that I should have used their booking form on the website, which would have confirmed that they were not available to book for that evening. All well and good where the booking plugin works on all platforms, which it does not, and with no warning (IE at work for example). And to still not even have the courtesy of replying to your email. My partner and I were looking for venues to try before we decide on where to have our wedding reception, and they're obviously not going to be it.<br/><br/>Not like me to leave a review like this, but in this day and age, not replying to an email as a business owner is pretty lousy, and as far as I am concerned, must speak wonders for their overall customer service practices.

This place is probably the best decorated restaurant in cbd. It was absolutely beautiful inside. However, it was quite noisy. We had braised beef shin, scallops, lamb and the fish. All were well presented and tasted very good. The beef shin was a massive portion and it tasted delicous. The fish was cooked perfectly and the sauce was very good. Only problem I have is that it is quite overpriced. However I will admit that the food is very good.

We went around 2pm... wanting to have something light. Was unable to order breakfast menu.<br/>The Interior of the restaurant was stunning.. such a beautiful decoration but not impress with the food.<br/>The food we ordered was tasteless and too expensive. We ordered two mains and two sodas which we paid $72. Nice place for a drink of wine or cocktails. <br/>

Me and my bf came here for our 2.5 years anniversary on a wednesday. The restaurant decor was very chill. I like the greenery around the place. Its very relaxing after a whole day of work. We got the croquet to start. Beef burger and pork jowl for mains and a a side of roast kumara. We enjoyed the food very much. My pork was a little dry to the end but thats okay. We were very full and satisfied after our meal. Couldn't even fit any dessert in.

Was here on Saturday night for a friend’s engagement party and we were really impressed with the service and our experience here. The interior is stunning and I loved the cute outdoor setup, this would be perfect in summer. Located conveniently in the heart of the city, it’s away from the busy main street. The service was attentive during the entire night – food was served regularly and drinks top up as needed. Also there were plenty of heaters outside to keep us warm. The service was ideal for a private function. We didn’t get to experience a proper meal here but the tapas were very good. Would definitely recommend this place for a private function!<br/> <br/>

We dined here for my birthday last month. The service was very good from the start. Very attentive but yet not intrusive. Water topped up frequently without having to ask.<br/>I was not overly hungry so I only had a main. I was actually planning on trying a few of the tapas but will have to come back for those. <br/>I had the oxtail ravioli for dinner which was beautiful. The sauce that accompanied the soft ravioli was stand-out!<br/>I also had a taste of the venison, scallops. Everything was beautifully plated and tasted really good.<br/>I ended up having a spiced fig cake which was nicely spiced and full of flavour. <br/>Will definitely be back!

Total 5 star rating! Went here for dinner and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. Steak was perfect, charred cauliflower was amazing. The interior is amazing & staff are great. It attracts a really good crowd of professionals with a mix of diners and drinkers after work. Good place for a date.

I had been looking forward to dining at Pilkingtons for a while so was super excited when we went for my friend's birthday. The interior was beautiful with the capturing circular lights and interesting bar area. The menu also read very well, so all the more I was looking forward to the evening. I ordered the pork and was very disappointed. For the price of $38 the portion size was very small (I wish I took a photo), although I do not mind smaller portions if the food is cooked well. Unfortunately this was not the case; the crackle was inedible as it was so hard and the meat itself was extremely dry. The service was nothing extraordinary either. I am not usually one to give a bad review but I was very disappointed with my experience.

We were a large group (30+) and we were all happy with our meal and service. Good effort for a smaller establishment. Ate from set menu and was reasonable price and great portion sizes. It's hard to cater for large groups and they did an excellent job. Good was classy without been pretentious.

Went there for dinner on a Friday night, had the rib eye steak and salmon salad. Also had the jersey bennies and spinach salad as sides. All were amazing and worth trying. Service was also excellent.

Conveniently located right in the center of the city (and across the road from the office), Pikingtons ended up being our pick for our team lunch.<br/><br/>We ordered a bunch of their starters including the lime cured trevally (basically a ceviche) which was delicious. For the mains, I ordered the lamb rump which, while a bit small (as you would expect of such expensive places), was quite delicious. It went well with the accompaniments of peas and buttered carrots. <br/><br/>Service was top notch. The staff kept on checking back with us to see if everything was okay and if we needed anything else. A solid choice for an expensive meal. And a great location.

I had heard alot of good things about this place. I was excited to go and it didn't disappoint. The atmosphere and lighting really transports you into a secret garden tucked away in the middle of the city. The food was delightful, I ordered the duck confit and the oysters. Both of which were well worth it! Only slight issue was the waiter seemed a bit obnoxious.

I found this place by chance when I was walking around Shortland street and I decided to give it a try. <br/><br/>One of the things I really liked on the place was the great atmosphere on the environment. Nice balcony with sofas outside and very peaceful garden on the other side. Sound tracking was also really nice and relaxing.<br/><br/>I was not hungry and wanted something light and fresh, so one of the waiters advised the Lime cutely trevally. The fish was very fresh and the salad was very flavoured and refreshing.<br/><br/>It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to get back again in another opportunity.

Lovely setting and environment with nice background music. Food is a little bit on the expensive side. We have 3 people dining. Ordered a bottle of wine, 3 mains, 1 small and 1 medium plate, 1 side and 3 experimental desserts and it came up to about $260. Just a tad pricey. Overall it's a lovely little place.

Absolutely divine food and decor. We came in a large group (hen's party!) and the patience and grace of our waitress was outstanding. Have been again for dinner since and the food and service was outstanding- obsessed with the arancini starter. Best dining in Auckland hands down 🙌🏽

Hmm. Food was good but did not blow me away. The best dish is the beef. Cooked beautifully and very tender. The rosti that went with it is different to the normal mash you get but sitting in the "soup" of gravy made it too salty and soggy. The fish was a bit dry for my liking but nice touch with the risotto and tuatua. The insalata and calamari was nice but nothing to write home about.

We went to Pilkingtons for lunch and we really love the environment and friendly staff. I like the taste of raw beef which is fresh and melting in mouth. We also ordered the market fish which I like the risotto part but the fish itself was not really fresh though. Want to try their cocktails next time.<br/>

We popped in here for a late lunch and was very pleased that the kitchen was open ... The restaurant is lovely with a great selection of seating... Very relaxing and excellent service.... We started with the entree selection sharing platter, and everything was yummy except the salt&pepper squid abit unusual .... We also ordered fries which were yummy too and then we were still abit hungry and shared a dish that had prawns, coconut, salad etc and wow that was a real surprise treat very yum!!!! Will definitely come back ...

Brekky on the way to work, the fit out of this place is tight I loved it. Super friendly staff, reso expenny but hey this is Auckland I guess. <br/><br/>My mate got the smashed avocado with a berry smoothie, which he thought was pretty dam good. I got the Poached egg, Chorizo sausage and Bacon get up. One egg slightly over cooked but it didn't matter at all, this thing was a slick breakfast option. Peered up with a peach smoothie with protein shot I was good to go for the day, Coffee game is strong too. <br/><br/>Recommend, thanks for hooking it up shorty street.

Went here last night for a drink with my partner, function inside so we had to sit outside. It was a little chilly but we were next to a heater which was nice and I was offered a blanket. Our waitress was super friendly and the drinks were brought out quickly. Would like to come back and try something to eat :)

A beautiful restaurant with good atmosphere and friendly staff. I went here with my friend, because it was close to her apartment. We ordered share plate and roasted yams (I can't remember the actual name of this menu) The food was lovely, especially pork belly in the share plate.

Pilkingtons located on Shortland street has a cosy garden vibe to it. We went there for a late lunch and ordered the sharing platter. It came with a selection of mostly deep fried foods including prawn tempura and calamari. The pork belly was so good and nicely complimented by a fruit piece topping.

I went here with my partner and friends for dinner on Thu night few weeks ago. It was a great dining experience: beautiful food, good wine, professional and friendly service and the ambiance was delightful. Highly recommended :)

Excellent addition to the Auckland food scene. This place does it well all day from early morning breakfasts to coffees, lunches, drinks after work and even a quality dinner. The food is not complicated but well done and complimented by an excellent wine list.

We had a Great dinner last night!<br/><br/>We came following Alex (Executive Chef) from OSB and were not disappointed. His food is great looking delicious and substantial.<br/><br/>We loved the free bread<br/><br/>We loved the Pilkinton's share plate<br/><br/>We loved the Kingfish ceviche<br/><br/>We loved the Beef Eye Fillet<br/><br/>We loved the Lamb Rump<br/><br/>We loved even the fact that you can reserve a table online<br/><br/>We are coming back for sure.

We came in for a long lazy lunch and had a fantastic time.  The garden atmosphere was like a mini holiday away from Auckland in the middle of winter.<br/><br/>The lamb and the creme brulee were fantastic, and some of the best I have had in Auckland.  If you are looking for high quality, fresh,  heart warming food, this is the place.<br/><br/>Pilkingtons is now one of my go tos for a special lunch (and I'd like to try it again for a night out).<br/><br/>Just a note, the current menu is not exactly the same as the one loaded above.

A really beautiful place with a great, warm ambience. Staff are very friendly and provide excellent service. Didn't have to wait too long for the food and they tasted amazing, although I found the caramel rice pudding dessert a bit sweet (just personal preference). Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here :)

In love with the interior design in this place! Good food worth every dollar! Service is on point as well love the waiter guy we had he was just the best made us laugh and even stay longer

Beautiful establishment with artistiy designed upholstry. A bit sad to say I did not capture its beauty in photos on my visit. <br/><br/>Since there is only one menu, it is a little bit confusing when visiting for lunch. There is a small, mid, large and sides section. One would think for lunch, a dish from the medium section would be suitable? Unfortunately it is not. Though, my fault for not asking. I ordered the beef carpaccio and that was nicely presented and very good. My friend ordered an oyster and the salt and pepper squid. She said she didn't like it that much as it was too dry. <br/><br/>The mocha and hot chocolate we had were absolutely perfect though!

Really tasteful green oasis in what used to be a concrete jungle. Helpful and friendly staff. Lamb shanks were best I've had anywhere. Recommend.

I Went hear for a work function. The staff were very accomodating and the food was great. Pricey food but good value when you bear in mind the quality.

Came in last Tuesday night for hubby's birthday. What a wonderful experience the staff were spot on and made you feel comfy from start to finish. The starters are just delish then the main meal I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The atmosphere suits the area and i love how your beautiful resturant is set out.<br/>The only downer was a table not far from us were awfully loud but that has nothing to do with the resturant they were obviously having a great time.<br/>So well done Pillingtons we will be returning.

A botanical oasis exists within the confines of Auckland's CBD. Featuring an array of charming floral upholstery, indoor greenery and chic bubble bulbs all encapsulated in a rectangular glass box allowing ample natural light and ensuing passer-bys to go green with jealousy, this may possibly be the most beautiful establishment I've ever dined in. The fare is almost as beautiful. We started with the manchego & Serrano ham croquettes which were creamy, magical sticks of savoury goodness, accompanied by a bold and sweet paprika. The squid ink pasta itself was plain, but the tender, delectably-cooked scallops made up for it. The expense of these meals was on the higher side, predictably so for this impeccably wait-staffed eatery meant for the swanky crowd (I was the odd one out)

Pilkingtons, a crown jewel on the otherwise very corporate looking Shortland St, is one of the latest additions to Auckland’s dining scene. One of the most striking features of the place is in its design, modern yet with a hint of lavish charm; the designer seems to have spent a vast amount of time crafting the entire experience.<br/><br/>The Welcome<br/>We were promptly greeted by their team of staff and nothing was too much trouble – finding us a table, bringing water plus menus promptly and even switching off the heaters – the team can be described as proactive rather than reactive. At night, there were a bouncer greeting the customers as they arrive, who also were friendly and approachable.<br/><br/>On the Menu<br/>Pilkingtons offers a range of small, medium and large plates, an industry trend that seems to be very popular right now. Our group ordered a confit duck and 2x kingfish ceviche as the squid ink pasta was not available. The food when served was pretty impressive at first. I liked the plating of the ceviche and the duck was well portioned. However, when tasting it, the ceviche could do with a more flavourful punch as it was a little plain. On the bright side, the crunch of the soft shell crab paired quite well with the fish and was the highlight of the plate. As I didn’t have the duck I couldn’t comment on the taste, although my friend who is a bit of a food perfectionist did think it was very yummy although the orange peel garnish would be better shaven.<br/><br/>For dessert, the tiramisu although seemed to have omitted the liquor, was well made with yummy chocolate bits on top and the ball of chocolate gelato complemented it well. When it comes to the drinks, they feature quite an extensive wine list, interesting cocktail menu and also mocktails for the sober drivers. Drink quality was good, we had ‘The Mule’ and except for perhaps needing an extra squeeze of lime, it kept us happy.<br/><br/>The Ambiance<br/> For lunch, the environment of this place is amazing. A beautiful restaurant letting in plenty of light with garden like features all round. Pilkingtons apparently used to be the name of a glass maker so it was no wonder the design featured so many windows and glass balls. After dark, there is a live DJ pumping remixes throughout the night and it’s quite a popular place for evening drinks by the nearby men and women in suits.<br/><br/>Aucklandholic verdict <br/>Definitely a great place for meals and drinks because at the end of the day, it’s the people that makes all the difference. Too often popular restaurants and cafes forget the importance of service especially when it gets busy, but not Pilkingtons. The friendliness of their staff makes us believe that it is only a matter of time before some of their minor details will be fine-tuned and when it does, this place would definitely be up there with the biggies like Depot, Ebisu and Ortolana.

I just found a new place in the city for lunch with the accountant and dinner with wife. Great food with a wide beverage menu. Friendly and professional staff which is what you expect in the city. The atmosphere is perfect and looks to boot! I had the Ravioli but have to go back to try the rest!

Was recommended by an associate to take clients to the new eatery Pilkingtons...and wow.Fantastic food with great fresh flavours backed up by friendly and efficient service.Importantly we were more than impressed by a most splendid selection of wines, which is something I find so many inner city eateries lack.Everything from the décor, food and service certainly impressed everyone in our party.Thank you and well done, you have won our office!

Great Venue and atmosphere. Food was amazing , the cocktails beautiful.Defiantly a must for anyone to check out who are looking for somewhere to go in Auckland. Morning, Afternoon and Night.

The setting and service you just can't fault. The breakfast ,an order of poached egg and bacon on a white sauce however was underwhelming. The presentation perfect but the white sauce( was expecting a hollandaise) had 0 flavor! Also only one perfectly cooked egg , expected two. Coffee very good.

Every time I went to Pilkingtons I had a great experience. Awesome service and food. I take my clients there for lunch. The atmosphere is just right, the music is not too loud and the front of house staff professional. It's perfect for business meetings.

Booked a table at this lovely new restaurant. The decor is outstanding. Menu was a little disappointing, ravioli lovely for a main but quite heavy for a summer evening. Dessert, orange custard was gorgeous but had a caramel topping which was thick toffee which was inedible. Probably won't revisit. Although lovely location for drinks in the city.

Came in for Drinks and Dinner on Thursday night, We hadn't booked but the helpful and professional staff got us through to a table in the bar to have a some drinks, before being taken on the front terrace were we sat and watched the world go by. The food was really great fresh dishes with great flavour and perfect portion size, we worked our way through a couple of the mid and large plates between six of us and even got a couple of deserts. This place is such a find in the heart of the city and from the great vibe through the night this will become a regular spot for us when we are in the city

In for a Friday lunch meeting and simply put in one word - Amazing. <br/>I visit Sydney frequently and must say that it reminds me very much of our neighbours biggest city.<br/>From the surrounding decor to brilliant service to cuisine to die for, it oozes quality across the board.  This place will do extremely well.<br/>Fabulous addition to Auckland<br/>See you again soon Pilkingtons