Across Auckland’s vibrant dining landscape, names like Hugo Baird and Willy Gresson have become shorthand for effortless yet elevated hospitality. From the laid-back charm of Honey Bones to the decidedly European sophistication of Lilian, to the bustling energy of Baird’s Hotel Ponsonby, the pair’s ventures have raised the collective bar with hospitality that feels both unpretentious and deeply considered.

This week, they’ve added a new all-day eatery to their oeuvre, anchored by the soulful cooking of Petra Galler, the baker-chef best known for Butter Butter’s cult following.

By day, Mother’s menu leans into European café culture with coffee, freshly-baked pastries, open sandwiches, and fresh, seasonal salads that can either be enjoyed on the go or lingered over. By night, it will soon shift gear into something more intimate, “Simple food made exceptionally well,” as Baird puts it. Expect Mediterranean-inspired small plates — food that is familiar yet somehow surprising, paired perfectly with an ever-evolving wine and cocktail list that follows the same ethos.

According to Baird, the name is less a branding exercise than a philosophy, “It’s a tribute to our three mothers who have shaped our journey, and a nod to the feeling of sitting down to something nourishing in every sense.” 

While the food takes centre stage, the setting refuses to play second fiddle. Interiors, crafted in close collaboration with the experts at CTRL Space, channel a lived-in yet modern European sensibility — stainless steel, butter yellow, earthy elements, and an unforced charm. “Mother is unlike anything else in Auckland, blending the bustling bakery-and-deli culture of Australia and the UK with the laid-back warmth of Europe’s most inviting wine bars,” says Baird. 

In a dining scene where novelty often overshadows nuance, Mother reads as a quietly confident reminder that hospitality, at its best, is an act of care.

Opening Hours:
Monday — Friday, 6.45am — 2.30pm
Saturday — Sunday, 7.30am — 2.30pm
Evening service launching soon

instagram/mother.akl