There’s a certain formula that applies to new restaurant openings. Ask almost anyone, and they’ll tell you that if you master good food, good drinks, good service, a good location, and a nice fit-out, you’re onto a winner. But there’s a key part of that equation — arguably the most important factor — that’s often overlooked: how you feel when you step inside. It doesn’t have to be a specific catch-all — each venue has its own unique vibe and inspires a different experience, but very few places achieve the kind of comfort and calm akin to being in your own home. Something that Blue — a laid-back new spot at the top of Franklin Road from the clever team behind many of the city’s most beloved dining destinations — delivers on implicitly.

Neighbourhood café by day, wine bar by night, Blue is centred on thoughtful, authentic hospitality, and fostering meaningful connections with the community. “With Blue, we wanted to create a space that could be whatever people want and need it to be,” Joe Dale-Dickson, co-owner of the new eatery tells me. In the most authentic way (community is a word banded about frequently in the hospitality world, often with little substance or follow-through), the team behind Blue (Joe, alongside Katie Riley and Ophelia and Karl Bayly) believe that a hospitality space has the capacity to become a hub for connection, and after two hours spent between the eatery’s central dining room and sun-drenched courtyard, I’d have to agree.

The space itself, which sits at the perfect intersection between unfussy and elevated, was brought together at the deft hand of architectural designer Sam Boanas, with a brief to honour the site and its history, while bringing something decidedly unique (and decidedly European) to Auckland’s dining scene. As such, light and bright wooden floors, brick walls, and custom cabinetry casually stacked with a mix of pottery, crockery, and wine, come together in perfect harmony, creating a space that feels lived-in and warm. “It’s a building with so much history, so we wanted to unearth what it once was, while bringing something different to the table,” co-owner Ophelia tells me.

From the cosy, light-filled central dining room which quietly buzzes from dawn ’til dusk (perfect for a solo wine and snack, laptop session, or a bite with a friend) to the second dining space at the rear which boasts two large, communal tables (and a basket brimming with kids’ toys), to the narrow, sun-drenched courtyard reminiscent of what you’d find filled with people from all walks of life in any bustling European city, Blue was designed to cater to all — with a vibe that’s both lively and intimate, and a team of owners and staff that ensure every guest is made to feel instantly at home.

At the heart of the experience, the food offering is centred around small rituals. It’s seasonally reactive and produce-led, but not in a disingenuous way. As is the case with Blue’s genuine focus on community, this focus on hyper-seasonality is taken seriously, with the menu changing almost weekly to adapt to what local producers have to offer. Organic dairy turns up in glass bottles from Dreamview Creamery, organic bread comes fresh from Florets in Grey Lynn, organic coffee from Supreme, and much of the fresh produce comes from Manurewa High School’s community garden. “We’re very lucky to have so many friends in the industry doing incredible things,” says Ophelia, adding that they look to use almost entirely local, and source from small, independent businesses.

In the morning, locals will find silky egg buns with bread and butter pickles and breakfast béarnaise on freshly baked brioche (those who miss the breakfast bun from Williams will be particularly thrilled with this addition), as well as a light and bright daytime menu that runs the gamut from Scandi-style breakfast plates complete with pickled egg, olives, cheese, house pickles, fresh seasonal fruit, burnt butter, and seeded toast, to impossibly tasty rice pudding with seasonal fruit, to toast with toppings, and a delicious breakfast salad (without an eggs Benedict in sight). For the littles, which Blue caters to beautifully — with bespoke fluffy cups and all — there’s a mini rice pud, and eggs with marmite soldiers.

Come late afternoon, the menu switches to classic wine bar fare, with a beautiful, considered menu perfect for sharing and pairing with your favourite drop. Chefs and co-owners Karl and Katie (of Roses, Alta, Candela, Williams and Annabel’s fame respectively) have joined forces to craft a nighttime food offering that puts an incredible spin on the classics — from house kiwi onion dip with crisps and roe (a must-order) to terrine with rye, cress, and beer mustard, gilda du jour, lamb with burnt beetroot and charcoal salt, and Jerusalem artichoke with sunflower seed tahini and buckwheat. Of course, as the menu changes so frequently, this is just a taster of what you can expect — but a very delicious taster indeed.

Those harbouring a sweet tooth will be thrilled to find a concise cabinet with a seasonal tart, already-famous amaretti cookies, and seeded slice, and on the menu, a house-made soft serve that’s worth the trip alone, and, come Saturday, maritozzi buns.

And, while the food is the focus, the drinks are just as thoughtful. Ophelia describes the wine list as original, which it certainly is, and while the offering is ever-changing, you’ll always find interesting, hard-to-come-by international bottles amongst the very best local producers. There are 5-7 glass pours on offer at any given time, which change out weekly, and you’re unlikely to find your traditional go-tos. There are a handful of Greek producers which you’ll likely never have heard of, as well as stand-out bottles from Austria, Germany, France, and of course the best of New Zealand. Those who, like me, are particularly partial to a chilled red at this time of year will find plenty to choose from, and if you’re yet to try a jacquère — this is your opportunity to dive in.

The cocktails follow a similar ethos to the food — prioritising local ingredients and small producers, with a concise list of alcoholic classics and a selection of house-made sodas for a tasty non-alcoholic option.

With a formidable team at the helm, a striking space unlike anything else in town, exceptional food and drinks, and a dynamic, warm, and welcoming ambience that truly sets it apart, Blue is set to captivate Aucklanders and become a regular destination on dining agendas across the city. Whether you’re looking for a place to settle in solo for work or leisure, park up with the kids on the weekend, catch up over drinks with friends, shake up date night, or grab a late-night drink in the quaint courtyard, Blue seems to have it all covered in a venue I think we’ve all been crying out for.

Opening hours:
Wednesday — Friday, 7am until late
Saturday, 8am until late

instagram.com/blue.tamaki