Amayjen the Restaurant is Andrew and Jenni May’s chef-led Palmerston North dining room, built around local and seasonal New Zealand ingredients. Andrew’s international career and Scottish cooking background sit behind a style that values modern technique and detailed presentation without limiting the restaurant to dinner. Breakfast, lunch and evening service each have a developed menu, while reservations, high tea and seasonal brunch events allow the space to work for both ordinary meals and planned occasions.
Morning and midday cooking moves confidently between refined cafe food and substantial lunch plates. Eggs Benedict uses house-made sourdough crumpets, and avocado is paired with whipped feta, dukkah and poached eggs. Waffles and omelettes broaden breakfast, while lunch brings house-made gnocchi, fish tacos, Amayjen fried chicken with Asian slaw, fish and chips, Vietnamese noodle salad and burgers. The range feels connected by house-made details rather than by one narrow cuisine label.
Dinner becomes more composed and ingredient-focused. Baked brie and fried pickles can start a relaxed meal, while beef tartare, gin-and-lemon-cured salmon, lamb tortellini and battered king prawns offer a more formal first course. Mains span scotch fillet, braised beef short rib, fish, pork, chicken and roasted eggplant. A slow-cooked lamb shoulder designed for two provides the clearest sharing option and gives a table a centrepiece around which to add sides.
Dessert continues the kitchen’s interest in making components in house. Crème brûlée is joined by nougat ice cream, pear, vanilla and chocolate elements, while a dessert taco layers dark-chocolate ice cream, caramel, meringue and crisp textures. Lemon posset and tiramisu cheesecake offer more focused flavours. Seasonal vegan sorbets and an artisan cheese plate keep the final course flexible, and coffee or house-made truffles can extend the evening without requiring another full dessert.
Address: 17 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
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