269 Parnell has officially opened its first phase of restaurants, bringing the tastes of international cuisines to the heart of Parnell.
Parnell’s newest food destination, 269 Parnell, opened last weekend in a flurry of Brazilian dancers, samba music, vibrant food and smiling faces. It was a day to remember for a project that’s been many years in the making.
“It’s amazing to finally see it open,” said founder Kevin Harvey, son of Parnell’s founding father Les Harvey.
“It was beautiful to watch so many people eating at the markets and from our vendors and having a great time with their friends and family. We’ve been building this dream a long time and it was magical to see it in reality.”
269 Parnell’s food offering focuses largely on Latin and European food. Permanent vendors are open daily from 11am till late (coffee from 8am) and are already attracting a steady stream of customers for their authentic tasty fare. You’ll find visitors of all ages enjoying drinks and meals at tables in the piazza, which sits to the right of Harvey’s whimsical yellow building facade with its ornate balconies and vibrant potted colour. It feels like a European courtyard rather than suburban Auckland.
Currently, four restaurants have opened their doors as part of phase one.
Mayu is the brainchild of Armando Campana and Alessandra Yanez, who planned a one-year working holiday in New Zealand but have stayed for a decade. After honing his skills at top restaurants like Sidart, Pasture, and Onemata, Campana has fulfilled his dream of opening his own modern Peruvian eatery. Mayu will feature plates like ceviche, cornbread, grilled prawns with aji panca, and empanadas with a twist.
Aula’s Kitchen was founded by Aula and Sam Saado, who have brought authentic Mediterranean flavours to 269 Parnell with dishes inspired by Aula’s Mother’s kitchen. Expect freshly made pita bread, spiced falafel, creamy hummus, tangy pickles, smoky baba ghanoush and so much more.
“I learned to cook from my mum when I was really young,” Aula Saado said.
“She makes everything from scratch – no shortcuts.” Aula and her husband Sam use top-quality ingredients, even sourcing sumac dried from her mum’s garden back home to create vibrant dips, zesty salads, and mezze dishes.
After 25 years in luxury resort hospitality all over the world, including most recently as executive chef at Auckland’s Sofitel, Alfredo Romero is returning to his roots with the opening of Taco Amaiz. His eatery at 269 Parnell has celebrated the food of his childhood in Sonora, Mexico, like authentic birria tacos filled with slow-cooked meats. Romero, who helped document Mexico’s national cuisine by travelling more than 4000 km to preserve recipes passed down by word of mouth, has produced pure Mexican soul food, just like back home.
Chef Regi Gallina has combined his Brazilian roots with modern flavours at Tambo. Think soft pão de queijo, chilli-lime salads, hearty feijoada in croquette form, fun street food snacks and slow-cooked meats – dishes that evoke family barbecues back home. After many years as a chef in Brazil and New Zealand, including working as a Culinary Arts tutor at NZMA, Gallina and his wife Dawn can’t wait to build a community around the food of his childhood.
A second phase of openings will proceed in due course, featuring an ice cream parlour.
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