There’s a new addition to Ponsonby Central, and it comes with some familiar faces, plenty of personality and a rather delicious family story. From Elie Assaf and Keelan Bowkett-Assaf, the husband-and-wife duo behind Karangahape Road’s Lebanese Grocer, comes Yola, a modern Lebanese bistro that takes everything we love about its older sibling and gives it a spirited new direction.
Named after Elie’s mother, Yola is a deeply personal project that brings together nearly two decades of hospitality experience with the flavours, traditions, and generosity of his Lebanese upbringing. Having moved from Beirut to New Zealand at the age of 10, Assaf has always understood food as something that extends well beyond the plate, and it is this sense of connection that sits at the heart of the new venture.
Where Lebanese Grocer has built its following on the classics, from shawarma and falafel to hummus, Yola offers room for a little more experimentation. The menu is Lebanese at its core but takes inspiration from Auckland’s ingredients and Assaf’s now well-honed local hospitality experience. The result is a menu designed to be shared, explored and enjoyed without too much formality.
Expect familiar Lebanese Grocer dips with warm bread, skewers straight from the grill and tuna kibbeh, a reinterpretation of the traditional dish that proved popular at previous pop-ups. Then there’s Tony’s Fried Chicken, named after Assaf’s father, served with three house-made sauces: habanero hot sauce, red pepper caramel, and toum. With the promise of a continued evolution of the menu, there’s plenty more still to come.
The interiors have a personal touch that the couple have shaped together, making them feel warm, colourful and full of character. Family photographs of Yola and Tony in Lebanon during the ’70s and ’80s line the walls, while Sunday Best has helped bring the restaurant’s distinctive identity to life.
As for the atmosphere, expect music, cocktails, food coming off the grill, and a lively energy that makes just as much room for a solo diner stopping in for a drink and a plate of food as for a group intent on ordering the entire menu.
Above all, Yola is about bringing the pleasure back to dining out. A place where the food is generous, the welcome is genuine, and an evening with friends might just stretch a little longer than originally intended.
Book your table here.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12pm-10pm
