Candela

I honestly cannot recommend Candela enough! With so many incredible options in central Auckland to choose from, it’s hard to pick but Candela never disappoints. And now I don’t go anywhere else. Every birthday I bring my family here and as much as the menu may change with the seasons, the standard and quality remains the same. There is a reason they won restaurant of the year! Head chef Matt is so creative and It’s exciting trying new dishes, I’m never too scared to order something new each visit. The wine menu is curated with perfection and staff are always happy to help you pair it perfectly with your meal/evening. I brought my Spanish friend here when she was over visiting and she could not believe how authentic and beautiful the atomism here was, she obsessed over the wine menu and tastes that felt like her home deep down in the South Pacific. There is really no comparison. If you wish to dine out in Auckland you will always leave smiling and full in the best way, from Candela

Have come to Candela several times over the 3 years it's been around and it never disappoints. Incredible wine list, the staff are all well educated on the wines and food so you never have trouble knowing what you're in for. Perfect for a couple bites and a couple glasses of some wines you won't usually get in NZ.

We had the pleasure to dine here on their 3rd birthday. They had a limited tapas menu on offer which we made our way through. Twice! All the dishes were incredible but the stand outs for me was the sour zucchini and the salmon crudo which was served on potato. Delicious. My partner favoured the lamb and flat breads. It was busy and noisy - all added to a great atmosphere and evening. Our service was great. Can't wait to bring my friends from overseas here.

Fantastic new discovery for me. The service was slick, professional, knowledgable and friendly and the food!! The food was next level quality. The Oysters are plump, fresh and delicious and the anchovy tostadas are super moreish. The wine list is interesting and varied. Totally recommend this place - Great vibe!

Fantastic food. Candela was on my to go list for a while now and finally, way too late I got there for dinner. We had some oysters, flatbread with burrata, blood sausage, lamb skewers with salsa verde, fried cabbage and basque cheesecake. Everything was top notch. I personally don’t really like lamb, but always try to give it a go. This one was great, I could eat it every day. Great service too. Highly recommended!!

We love this restaurant and always make time to come each time we are in Auckland. A small menu allows them to really prepare top quality, tasty dishes that are as good as any we had in Spain. Don’t skip dessert—the Basque cheesecake is a must—light, creamy and served up with a side of berry sauce. We look forward to coming again!

What a taste sensation! We had heard about Candela on the radio as a food blogger was asked where his go to was in Auckland and said that he frequents Candela. So we had to make a booking and drive up from Hamilton to experience it firsthand. We ordered the 'Olive Lemonade' which was extremely refreshing with a nice bite of lemon in there. The $85 set menu was amazing! Everything plate that came out was well presented and looked tantalising. Every single flavour on each plate complemented each other so well from freshness, to heat, to spice, to sweetness, to creamy-ness, to crunchy-ness to tenderness! What an absolute treat to experience so many flavours! We would definitely come back and eat at Candela a hundred times over! Thanks heaps for an awesome experience.