alma Menu

alma occupies the ground floor of Maritime House, an Art Deco landmark at the waterfront edge of Britomart. Inside, Andalusian tiles, brick and warm colour give the room a sense of southern Spain, while outdoor tables sit among native grasses and pōhutukawa near the Gore and Tyler Street corner. The restaurant serves from midday into the evening, so the same setting can host a quick plate at the bar, a long lunch in the sun or dinner gathered around the kitchen's fire.

Fire is the organising idea behind the food. Ingredients are flamed, charred and allowed to pick up smoke, with a seasonally changing menu that takes Andalusia as its starting point rather than a rigid boundary. Preserved lemon, harissa and ras el hanout bring North African accents into a Spanish framework, reflecting the cultural routes that have long shaped southern Iberian cooking. Plates arrive in sharing formats, encouraging the table to explore contrasts between bright pickles, deep spice and the richness of the grill.

The menu moves comfortably among vegetables, fish and meat, so a meal need not follow the conventional sequence of individual mains. Smaller portions can be combined into a broad spread, while dishes from the wood grill give the order its smoky centre of gravity. That open style of eating suits diners who want a few tastes as readily as groups settling in for a complete lunch or dinner, and it lets the table decide how lightly or generously to approach the meal.

The drinks list carries the same sense of place and travel. Spanish bottles appear beside New Zealand wines made from Spanish grape varieties, allowing familiar styles to be compared across hemispheres. Sherry and vermouth give the aperitif and after-dinner choices real depth, while a dedicated gin selection adds another route through the bar. With some seats kept for walk-ins, alma can be spontaneous, but its layered food and wine programme also rewards a planned, unhurried visit.

Address: Ground Floor, Maritime House, 130 Quay Street, Britomart, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

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