Go Fish this summer

Fish Kitchen on Devonport Wharf celebrates their first anniversary this month

Very few – if any – Auckland restaurants sit right on the waterfront. Sure, there are the beach facing eateries and those that overlook the water from afar, but at Fish Kitchen in Devonport you can dine a metre from the ocean. Perfectly appropriate, then, that Fish serves the freshest, highest quality, locally sourced fish possible. And it’s true to say that everything here is locally-sourced – everything!

Owners Harriet and Ian live locally, at Narrow Neck. Harriet is a former Takapuna Grammar pupil. The couple also runs Vic Road Kitchen and set up both businesses with a promise to support only New Zealand producers and suppliers. This wasn’t any easy option; they have had to search the country for the best boutique produce and beverages, but they have remained proudly steadfast in their dedication to the ‘support local’ cause.

New mum Harriet said: “It’s a 100% Kiwi story. We have gone out of our way to ensure everything in the restaurant is sourced in New Zealand. That’s always been very important to us. Even all the spirits we serve are made in New Zealand.” She wouldn’t even budge for her dad, Paul, a Takapuna local who suggested they bend the rules to include French champagne on the wine list. “If we did that, we wouldn’t be being true to our ourselves,“ says Harriet. “We’ve stayed true to our New Zealand-only promise. If we allowed champagne, who knows where it would end!” She smiles, cradling four-month-old Sophia.

Running two restaurants while becoming first-time parents during a global pandemic must have been taxing, to say the least. “It’s been interesting, that’s for sure!” says Harriet. But she and Ian are admirably calm and confident of what they are able to achieve. “We know Devonport is going to miss the overseas visitors this summer, but we hope locals and Kiwi visitors choose to come and spend some time and money here and support us.”

The wharf-based restaurant boasts 270-degree views: glass doors open to a delightful deck overlooking the water towards Devonport to the north, out towards Bastion Point to the east and towards the city to the south. There could not be a better spot to enjoy the New Year’s Eve fireworks, upcoming America’s Cup racing (with pre-main event races starting in December), summer lunches and dinners with not one, but several stunning views.

Fish Kitchen celebrates its first anniversary this December. A day-long birthday party on the 6th will kick things off and will feature a clam bake feast, ‘fish wing’ eating competition, oyster shucking and ideas to keep the kids as well as the adults entertained. A year in business in 2020 is something to celebrate indeed, and the upbeat vibes that shine from Harriet and Ian tell you they’re going to make the most of the milestone. Live music every Sunday throughout December will keep the party going all month long.

At this time of year, they’re keen to showcase the space for New Year’s Eve and encourage readers to book early to avoid disappointment at what promises to be the pick of the places to enjoy fireworks in all directions.

The couple’s insistence on quality is as strong as their Kiwi-only ethos. Their Mount Edward wine range is available on tap and served by the carafe and glass, owing to a complex cool line system, which they had to run under the wharf. The bespoke system required an engineer to carry out painstaking work on a floating barge below the restaurant to install it. And Mount Edward isn’t your standard ‘house wine’ – it’s a high-quality Kiwi offering, with a pinot blanc (crisp and sauv-like) and rosé variety served perfectly cooled. There is also a popular pinot noir option available at the $8 happy hour wine (and bubbles) price, 4-6pm every day. Beyond the Mount Edward, the wine list is comprehensive and high calibre: those of you who know sister restaurant Vic Road Kitchen’s reputation for exquisite wines can expect similar here. Uniquely New Zealand spirits include Puhoi’s Batch 10 manuka-smoked whisky and Central Otago’s Reid and Reid aperitivo, which is used to make Fish’s ‘Not Aperol Spritz’ local take on the now classic summer drink.

Sustainability is a must for chef Ian, with snapper and hapuka eschewed in favour of gurnard (his favourite for fish and chips), trevally and terakihi. Grilled swordfish, tuatua clams, flounder and mackerel are all usually on the menu too, catch dependent. Homemade mushy peas, Fish Kitchen slaw and smoked kahawai mac ‘n’ cheese sit alongside the crispiest, most golden chips as sides.

Beyond fish, there are inventive chicken, beef and vegetarian burgers (such as the onion bhaji burger with curry coconut yoghurt and tamarind chutney).

And if you, like Harriet’s dad, are a fan of bubbly, you can splash out on some of the finest New Zealand method traditionelles around. Who needs French, right? If champagne connoisseur Paul’s a convert, it’s safe to say you will be too.


Devonport Wharf, Devonport
Phone: 09 445 1777  www.fishkitchen.co.nz