If the term “hotel bar” conjures up images of a tired lobby with an equally tired menu, you wouldn’t be alone. Thankfully, Estelle’s — the newly minted, Spanish-inspired wine and cocktail bar situated inside Auckland’s Grand Millennium Hotel, is going to leave you floored.

Set to open on Wednesday, October 29 Estelle’s offers elevated Mediterranean fare alongside a carefully curated drinks menu — a combination seldom found in Auckland’s CBD. The space itself has been artfully redesigned by Paul Izzard and now better echos the elevated new menu and Spanish-leaning cuisine, bolstered by an interior palette of rich mahogany and sultry garnet reds.

Authentic Spanish raciones and traditional tapas serve as the best supporting act to Estrella Damm, conveniently available on tap, while the cocktail menu reads as a well-balanced revisit of the classics. We’d be remiss not to call out Estelle’s Dirty Negroni by name, with its gin sous vide in Manuka-smoked olives, or the slightly smokier Paradise: a heady combination of dark rum, Tio Pepe, yuzu and coconut. For those in the mood for something slightly pared back, the robust wine list features everything from Dom Pérignon 2012 to Ruinart Blanc de Blanc and Spanish Cavas, all situated neatly alongside standouts from acclaimed New Zealand producers such as Cloudy Bay, Prophet’s Rock and Mon Cheval.

In keeping with the performative quality of an authentic Spanish dining experience, the kitchen has been carefully reoriented to offer patrons full view of the chefs at work. Now, with cocktail in hand, guests can soak up the electric energy and atmosphere, as chefs slice premium jamón with precision, assemble delicately doused anchovies on bite-sized toasts, and pour cocktails with flair. What’s more, Estelle’s non-alcoholic menu well and truly measures up to its boozier counterpart, with considered combinations like the Summer to Autumn —a balanced blend of raspberry tea, watermelon syrup, vanilla and lemon juice, topped with ginger ale — the ideal zero-percent, happy hour refreshment.

“Estelle’s is about bringing the essence of Mediterranean dining to Auckland, that beautiful spontaneity and conviviality you experience in Spanish tapas bars and European lounges,” explains executive chef, James Kenny. “We wanted to create a space where the bar is part of the theatre — where guests can watch their food being prepared with the same care and flair you’d find in Barcelona. Our menu celebrates premium Spanish ingredients and traditional techniques, but it’s really about bringing people together.”

Small bites successfully herald the shores of San Sebastián, like the caña de lomo, de bellota and chorizo paired with guindillas peppers. The authentic Spanish starter, gilda, receive a refined edit, featuring prawns with charred pineapple and jamón or pan con tomate with sourdough and Ortiz anchovies, and Asparagus topped with jamón, manchego, watercress, topped with a Spanish-style fried egg.

To finish, it would be hard to surpass the traditional Crème Catalana with orange, cinnamon, and vanilla, or the Malaga raisin ice cream with Pedro Ximénez sherry and almonds. The Leche Frites — the Spanish donut — serve as a bite-sized churro, dusted with cinnamon sugar. A selection of Spanish cheeses, muscatel grapes and honeycomb provide the perfect after dark treat.

Estelle’s joins an impressive cohort of existing gastronomic offerings that includes Ember, the Aviary lobby bar, Katsura Japanese Cuisine and sensory dining experience, Dans le Noir, positioning the Grand Millennium Hotel as a dining destination not to be overlooked.

Opening Hours:
Monday — Sunday, 5pm — late

estelles.co.nz