Located amid the restored heritage architecture of St Kevin's Arcade, Gemmayze St presents a stylish update on Lebanese cuisine. Mint, orange blossom and…

Occupying the far end of Auckland’s iconic St Kevin’s arcade, eating at Gemmayze Street is an experience from the minute you set eyes on the fit-out. Hijacking typical Lebanese flavours and ingredients, and adding their own personal spin create sharing plates as complex and richly detailed as the space. There’s harmony from start to finish; lofty ceilings and cool concrete hues of the arcade, staff that appear and disappear at all the right times, and a menu geared toward exploration of some of the freshest and most versatile incarnations of Middle Eastern cuisine.

With the heaters blazing and the Sky Tower illuminated through the big bay window, there are few more charming Auckland locations in the evening than St Kevins Arcade. While Samir Allen’s slow-braised lamb shoulder and charred octopus dishes are spoken of highly around town, his treatment of vegetables is worthy of applause too. With nine of the mezze dishes being vegetarian, you can happily create your own vege feast, starting with the city’s silkiest hummus; smoky eggplant baba ghanouj; and golden-green falafel, topped with vivid pink pickles.

After a trip to Lebanon in 2014 as well as a stint under Ben Bayly at the grove Dunedin born Samir Allen opened Gemmayze Street (named for the main dining street in Beirut) in the newly refurbished St Kevin's Arcade. His family emigrated from Lebanon to New Zealand over a century ago, but the cuisine of his ancestors clearly still comes naturally to him. The venue is minimalist and modern with distinct middle eastern influences from the hand-hammered copper paneling on the bar to the ornate, decorative tiling.

Gemmayze Street serves Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes in a warm and inviting setting, while Bodrum Kitchen in Mission Bay provides a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors in a charming environment. These restaurants highlight the diverse flavors and rich culinary traditions of the Middle East, allowing travelers to indulge in authentic dishes and unique experiences during their visit to the Auckland Region.

The lauded Gemmayze Street is so legit that a section of their website is dedicated to hummus. Tucked away in a cosy corner of St Kevins Arcade, head here to get schooled in Lebanese cuisine from babganouj and falafel to jazar roasted carrots, shish barak mushroom dumplings, homemade pide and the sweet kiss of knefe. With fabulous cocktails ripe for the drinking also (za'atar stormy anyone?) be sure to come thirsty, too.

St Kevins Arcade’s beloved Lebanese eatery, Gemmayze Street, is the perfect spot for vegetarians and non vegetarians to come together in culinary bliss, with plentiful options for both. Here, the hummus is famous and an essential order, as is the babaganouj which pairs smokey eggplant with cumin and pomegaranate, and vegetarians shouldn’t look past the jazar roasted carrots with cashew, fennugreek, and spiced granola.

Located on Karangahape Road, a diverse creative hub universally known as K’ Road, Gemmayze Street is a family-owned Lebanese restaurant in St Kevins Arcade. Named after Gemmayzeh, a bohemian district in Beirut, Gemmayze Street delivers Lebanese hospitality and flavours using Aotearoa’s seasonal produce. The Jeeb menu (from the Arabic for “to bring”) is a banquet that recreates a Lebanese family feast.

In Viva’s 2024 Top 60 Restaurant Awards, Gemmayze Street took out the award for Supreme Winner. It should be no surprise that the Karangahape Rd spot, led by chef and owner Samir Allen, is an exceptionally welcoming dining room for vegans and vegetarians. The menu showcases Lebanese fare and is designed for sharing.

Traditional Lebanese dishes shine at this address overlooking Myers Park. The seven-year-old St Kevins Arcade stalwart delivers big on Middle Eastern foods without fuss or fanfare. Complex flavours, warm attention, a great place for groups..

Auckland—New Zealand’s largest and most diverse city—is replete with great dining options, and right now eating at the downtown spot Gemmayze Street is one of the most exciting.