Every so often, we could all use a gentle nudge in the right direction when it comes to dining out. This season, that nudge is towards Somm Wine Bar & Bistro on Auckland’s Princes Wharf.
After a typically wet and weary Auckland winter, warmer climes and lighter spring menu edits usher in a welcome change. In keeping with their expansive local wine list (conveniently available by the glass) and a plethora of gastro offerings to boot, Somm’s October menu edit has arrived at precisely the right time.
Featuring lighter bites to share, like the crispy chilli salt squid alongside heartier mainstays like Venison bourguignon, leave the wine pairings up to the seasoned sommeliers and consider yourself in very safe hands.
For a Friday night wine that quietly segues into dinner by the water, we can attest that the smaller shared plates here leave no crumbs. Somm’s green olive salad with rocket, pear and walnut sits neatly alongside a robust Chardonnay list, while the crab toasts offer a satisfying and flavour-filled bite.
Tucked into Princes Wharf with front-row harbour views, this wine bar and bistro is the kind of place you plan to pop into for a glass and yet somehow end up staying all evening. The cellar is a love letter to New Zealand’s best producers — with an ever-evolving food menu that echoes the same sentiment.
