Last Thursday, Bravo did not simply open its doors. It arrived to a standing ovation. As the sun set across Westhaven Marina, Winton’s Chris and Michaela Meehan hosted more than 400 guests to experience their bold new venture, Bravo. With champagne in hand and the sun setting across Westhaven Marina, the sense of Winton’s arrival in Auckland’s hospitality scene was strong.
The weather, obligingly cinematic, revealed the venue at its very best. The northern light poured through the main dining room, spilled across the covered terrace and settled over the umbrella-lined seating overlooking the marina. It was the sort of evening that made you understand Bravo’s intent from the outset.
Guests grazed on canapés and local seafood, expertly crafted by the Bravo kitchen, while the bar flowed and conversations gathered momentum. The venue’s scale, capable of hosting up to 400, felt animated rather than overwhelming.
On the terrace, Peter Urlich set the tone, his DJ set carrying across the waterfront as supporters from around the country celebrated Winton’s first hospitality venture in Auckland. There was a sense of momentum in the air, of something considered and long-planned finally taking shape.
For those yet to visit, Bravo is more than an opening night spectacle. From morning coffee and rotisserie chickens ready for boat provisions, to long lunches, sunset dinners and book-a-berth arrivals by sea, it has been conceived as a true all-day address. The Ayrburn wine range threads through the offering, linking this new waterfront chapter to Winton’s now celebrated South Island success at Ayrburn.
