Tomorrow's Brunch – Amano, Auckland

One of our favourite openings this year was artisan Italian bakery Amano – and that was before they expanded into an all-day eatery serving beautiful handmade pasta, slow-cooked meats, sustainable seafood and decadent desserts.

In May we visited the first installment of Amano and were delighted by their selection of beautiful breads, breakfast sandwiches and pizzas, Italian pastries and an ingenious build-your-own-breakfast station. Now, their beautiful terrazzo floors continue on to the building next door, where they've built a stunning all-day eatery with an ever-changing menu made up of only the freshest, most sustainable ingredients they can find.

In the mornings Amano offers the likes of chargrilled pork shoulder and fried egg with green tomato chilli salsa verde, a courgette, ricotta and basil frittata and smoked trevally with potato raviolo and an egg yolk and parsley crumb. Tempted by the novelty of pasta for breakfast, we tried the pucatini pasta with bacon, pancetta and egg and were delighted with the thick, fresh strands of pasta smothered in a beautifully rich sauce. 

The lunch and dinner menu is expansive and divided up into Dairy, Seafood, Meat, Vegetables and Dessert. From the pasta dishes, Scampi Agnolotti, fermented chilli and chervil (Auckland Island scampi tails enclosed in egg dough pasta parcels) is one of our team's favourites so far; as is the fresh burrata with black walnut vinegar and picual olive oil from the dairy menu. Offerings of suffolk lamb served with capsicum, eggplant, organic yoghurt and rosemary anchovy sauce and charred octopus with cucumber and burnt chilli salsa verde are likely to have us returning back for lunch, dinner or both, many times over.

Exposed brick walls give the large space a relaxed feel, while enormous bunches of drying flowers and wheat adorn wooden beams along the ceiling. Mother-of-pearl benches tiled with oyster shells add a bright touch, while glossy marble countertops provide a gorgeous backdrop to carefully plated food presented on earthy ceramic bowls and plates. No detail has been left to chance and they take the same philosophy with all their ingredients – sourcing them locally, using less popular catches of fish to increase sustainability and respecting the animals by using everything from nose to tail. 

With a selection of Italian wine, beer and classic cocktails luring in the crowds after work, it seems any hour of the day is an ideal one to drop by. We'll be back for pastries, then for pasta, then peppermint gelato – their ever-changing menu provides the perfect excuse for repeat visits....

Amano
Address
66–68 Tyler Street
Auckland, New Zealand
Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday: 7am–late