Arabic restaurant in Auckland

“Hidden little gem, in a quite corner of a small shopping centre. The banjan borani was absolutely amazing, with the kebabs platter & biryani to go on the side, was a delicious meal. Service was almost non existent but the authentic chefs in the background stole the show for us.”

“Nice and cosy place, food is delicious, waiters are mindful. Good atmosphere and overall satisfying experience. Kebabs are a must, mezze is full of flavours, and safran ice cream is definitely worth trying.”

“Such a local gem. Food is just delicious. The beef cheeks and the lamb mains just melt in your mouth. Wonderful flavours and good portions. Highly recommend”

“They offer good shisha, delicious food, and drinks. They both have indoor and outdoor dining. The shisha is outdoors with heater and they provide blankets if you wish to have one. The place gets really busy no matter which day - that’s how good they are. The food I enjoy the most is their cheesy mayo fries. It’s crispy and the amount of cheese and mayo is not too overwhelming. I also enjoy their Iraqi tea. I never would have thought I’d enjoy a cardamom taste on my tea. It soothes my throat and warms me on winter nights. Their shisha is 50/50 and I guess it depends on who makes it. But it is definitely a place to catch up with friends over food and shisha. Especially when you’re stressed and just want to relax. The staff are very lovely. They try their best to be attentive to everyone, even when busy. They always greet us with a smile. The owner is such a lovely lady and will welcome you like a family. They do have a good selection of meals and desserts. They also have RTDs, beer, cocktails, mocktails, etc. Suitable for all group size. I highly recommend.”

“Easily the best kebab I’ve had in a fair good while. Absolutely perfect. Great prices for an AWESOME kebab. I’m not quite sure what kind of seasoning you guys do for your chips (chicken salt??), but holy damn they were so on point. Perfect amount of seasoning and perfectly crispy, Chips really can make or break a meat on chips. Chicken was beautiful, again the seasoning was incredible. Fresh salad and yummy sauces. Good amount of extra cheese. I will be coming back as much as possible. Thank you for a great after work meal”

“@theaucklandbuzz We went to East recently and absolutely loved it. The flavors were amazing—fresh, bold, and creative. Service was top-notch too, super friendly and attentive. Definitely worth a visit! My rating 4.9/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What we had? Starters: -Mushroom & truffle dumplings -Gochujang cauliflower -Ginger caramelised bang bang shiitake mushrooms Mains: -Malaysian nyonya vegetable curey -Char kway teow noodles, shiitake mushroom, egg, garlic chives Cocktails: -Golden Glow -Red Rum It's a must try place and you will never forgets.”

“We got dinner and a couple of drinks each and WOW, this place absolutely exceeded my expectations. We were served by a super friendly lady, who seems to really care about this place and giving people a great experience. The food was outstanding. Huge portions! Steak cooked to perfection and the garlic bread was banging. We are very very happy we chose this place for our staycation and we will be back, thank you guys :)”

“I had a wonderful experience at Akdeniz. The food was delicious, especially the kebabs, so tender and tasty! The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was really nice and relaxing. I’ll definitely come back again!”

“Everything about our visit was genuinely impressive. The service was some of the best I’ve experienced in a long time - attentive without being overbearing, and the staff made us feel welcomed from the moment we arrived. The atmosphere was also a standout. It had a great vibe, plenty of space, and a comfortable layout with good distance between tables, which is something we really value when choosing where to dine. The only downside for me was the braised pork. It was a bit on the chewy side and didn’t fall apart the way I’ve had it at other places, so it didn’t quite meet the standard of the rest of the meal. Other than that small issue, everything else was excellent. The overall experience was great, and I’ll definitely be returning.”

“This is one of the finest restaurants in Auckland city. I seldom write reviews about restaurants. My brother was a chef and you have to be pretty good to impress me. It is a popular Middle-Eastern and South-West Asian restaurant with authentic and traditional dishes. It is the "chef that makes the restaurant", not the other way round. The dishes were outstanding! I have just come back from Melbourne city and they blow away the competition over there. They win hands down, nobody comes even close to them. I had Tabouleh which comes from modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. It is a staple in Lebanese cuisine and has been a part of Middle Eastern culinary traditions for centuries. Greek salad, snapper and lamb. Every dish was fantastic!”

“Excellent food. Nice quirky place. The young lady who served the table was very gentle and kind. We ordered eggplant puree with naan bread for entrée and it was delicious. The lamb shank with mashed potato and rib beef and both meals were superb. It's a shame they don’t have beers but it goes with their tradition. Recommended!”

“Fantastic service from Junil and Deepat. Food very well prepared and presented. Nice open space, atmosphere and decor and the food was amazing. Well done to the staff and chefs.”

“Absolutely loved the Spider-Man cake we ordered for our son’s birthday! It turned out even better than we expected—beautifully designed and full of detail. Our little one was over the moon, it truly made his day! We were referred by a friend and so glad we went with this bakery. The taste was amazing too—moist, fresh, and not overly sweet. Great quality at a very reasonable price. Highly recommend giving them a try!”

“This Mediterranean spot in town is top-notch! Customers love it for its great service, upbeat atmosphere, yummy food, and excellent customer care. Plus, they keep the toilets clean! We tried the Mediterranean chicken, bread, and dips, especially recommending Love in Sam's special dip. Give it a go!”

“Ali is amazing and cooks with his heart and soul. All I can say is these are the BEST Kebabs and Shish Kebabs I've had in Auckland, made with so much love and served with a smile always. The quantity of meat in the kebabs is great too, true value for money, not like the ones with the sauces you normally get. Worth a try if you haven't already and you will be surprised :D Thanks again Ali :)”

“Very nice shop and also very nice people thank you Zakaria very good service brother”

“It was pretty busy when we dropped in, so it took a bit to get our food but it was SO GOOD. The atmosphere is super fun, and the guy (owner?) serving us was fantastic and made sure nothing was too spicy for the kids. We got the jerk chicken, wings, Mac n cheese, empanadas, and the curry with chicken and everything was AMAZING.”

“My favorite place in Auckland for lunch! Tasty, delicious food and amazing service! They’re always generous and kind, and sometimes they’ve even given us something for free. 100/100”

“I would highly recommend this place for Poly food. The portions are great, the service is very friendly and there is lots to choose from. Had breadfruit for the first time since visiting the islands. Just really gorgeous, simple and fulling meals. I was looked after by Asif who took great care of our table (my partner and I). You wouldn't see this place from the outside, so I recommend making the effort.”

“This restaurant is highly recommended. First, the owner was very enthusiastic and patient when I was ordering. Second, the food in this restaurant is very delicious. It is generous in portion and good in taste. The drinks here are also highly recommended. Plus，What makes it particularly warm is that before meals, hand sanitizing gel is provided on each table. This allows customers to disinfect their hands before eating, which is very hygienic and aligns well with the restaurant's halal philosophy. Overall, it is a restaurant that makes people want to go again after the first visit.”

“The Lebanese Grocer is home to the best chicken shawarma I have ever tried, outstanding! Not just the shawarma but the hummus and labneh that we got to take home is unbelievable. Pro tip, they give you $2 back each time you drop in your jars for a refill of hummus or labneh, hold onto your jars. 10/10 - Highly recommend to all. James Ashwin Kakapo Business Sales”

“One of our favourite go to spots. Great food and customer service. I ordered their mix on salad 10/10”

“Food was incredible. Came here for my partners birthday at lunch time very quiet and Food was delicious had kufta and lamb kebab with bread and wow the garlic sauce that came with the kebab was amazing never had anything like it! Bread was great meat was so succulent. The kufta sauce was delicious and the meatballs were succulent and I wish I could have eaten it all but I was so full! Thank you for this amazing food”

“This place has excellent bakery items. We enjoyed it all! Thankyou!!”

“Zeki's has added new wraps (falafel, chicken, or lamb) that are larger and made fresh to order, and they are awesome! As usual, the owner is super friendly and the food and coffee are top notch. Will definitely return over and over.”

“Kebab Serai in Remuera truly offers the best kebabs in Auckland. The combination of succulent chicken served over aromatic rice, accompanied by a fresh and crisp salad, is nothing short of divine. …A special mention goes to the baklava, a dessert that never disappointed. was impressed by the passionate food of the young owner from Afghanistan. I am very satisfied with the price, quality, and quantity. It’s the best kebab in this area. The future of this friendly and lively young man looks very bright.””

“Wow! Charcoal Chicken is hands down my favourite take out, especially the southern chicken burger. However I alway cut the siracha back a little. That's just my preference.”

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Now I understand why Gemmayze Street was voted No.1 — this place is outstanding! The chicken shish is hands down the best I’ve ever had: juicy, full of flavour, and perfectly cooked. The saffron rice with raisin, walnut, and a touch of sour creamy sauce is absolutely delicious — a perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and creamy. The hummus is also a standout. It has a flavour that reminds me of Sichuan chili, but without the heat — super unique and addictive. The lamb was decent, pretty standard compared to everything else. I also tried their new dessert — it was okay, just not quite my taste. Overall, a fantastic experience and a must-try if you’re in the area!”

“Khanz Panmure is analyzing, very good and clean kitchen - the food is absolutely a delicacy.”

“One of the absolute best restaurants in Auckland serving kebabs. Owners obviously very passionate about hospitality & make the establishment a very nice place to visit to enjoy a meal. Their food is delicious, presented beautifully, made from beautiful fresh ingredients. A asset to the surrounding area. Highly recommended!:)”