For years, Monday has carried an unfair reputation as the quietest night of the week, the evening reserved for leftovers, early nights and promises that the weekend will come around again soon enough. Yet some of Auckland’s most compelling dining experiences now belong precisely to those overlooked evenings, rewarding anyone willing to step out rather than stay in.
At The Lodge Commercial Bay, Mondays have become an occasion in their own right. The restaurant’s new Steak Night transforms the beginning of the week into something worth anticipating, pairing generous hospitality with the kind of menu that encourages lingering over the table long after the plates have been cleared.
Designed to be shared, the experience begins with warm pull-apart milk bread and whipped garlic butter before moving into comforting bowls of rigatoni cacio e pepe, setting the tone for what follows. The centrepiece is a beautifully cooked dry-aged New York strip steak, finished simply to let the quality of the beef speak for itself, before the evening draws to a close with The Lodge’s signature pavlova. Alongside it all, two glasses of Rodd & Gunn wine are included, with the option to upgrade to a bottle for those who have no intention of rushing home.
Available for tables of two, four or more, Steak Night feels less like a weekly special and more like a welcome excuse to reclaim Monday as an evening worth dressing up for. At $150 for two or $300 for four, it offers the sort of generous, well-considered dining experience that reminds you some of the week’s best meals happen long before Friday arrives. Secure your booking here.
roddandgunn.com/nz/the-lodge-bar
