Plato has occupied a former Seafarers Hostel near Dunedin's waterfront since chef Nigel Broad opened the restaurant in 2002. The unusual Birch Street building gives the dining room a sense of history, while the Roberts Street entrance directs diners into a venue whose personality is shaped more by the coast than by convention. Dinner runs from Tuesday to Saturday, and fresh South Island fish and seafood remain the strongest thread through an otherwise eclectic menu.
Seafood appears from the first small plates. Oysters, whole sardines, clams and half-shell mussels can start the table, followed by entrées such as shellfish in seaweed broth or pāua fritters. Whole prawns arrive in garlic, chilli and herb butter, while marinated elephant fish is fried alongside garlic-chilli squid. These dishes treat seafood through markedly different techniques instead of repeating one preparation across several species. The range makes it possible to compare delicate broths, shellfish sweetness and crisp frying before choosing a larger course.
Market fish changes its treatment across the main menu, appearing with a kelp crust and capsicum or with spring onion, ginger, garlic and lemon. Southern curry can be ordered with fish, and fish pie offers a more comforting expression of the kitchen's speciality. Salmon with fennel and citrus and bluefin tuna with pineapple broaden the seafood choices. Pork with clams, beef cheek and cold-smoked rib-eye ensure the menu still has depth for diners who prefer meat.
The cellar and dessert list keep the regional emphasis in view without making it restrictive. Central Otago wines and local beer sit naturally beside the seafood and meat dishes. Chocolate cake, lemon cheesecake, fruit crumble and crème brûlée provide familiar finishes, while liquorice ice cream offers something less expected and affogato brings coffee into the final course. It is a closing selection that mirrors Plato's wider style: recognisable ideas handled with an independent streak.
Address: 2 Birch Street (entrance off Roberts Street), Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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