Coming Soon: A Colourful New Mediterranean Restaurant Is Opening in Herne Bay

Auckland’s suburban restaurant scene is growing and changing. Mount Eden saw the opening of Ooh-Fa in August, and Ragtag is on the horizon in Westmere. Now, it’s Herne Bay’s turn.

A sun-catching corner site on Jervois Road will soon be home to Squisito Trattoria, a Mediterranean- and Italian-leaning spot that’s due to open in the first week of November.

The neighbourhood destination is from Tony Matches and Buki Prekazi, who over the years have run several well-regarded Auckland venues between them. Prekazi had Local (and its adjoining Laneway bar out back) and Artusi Cucina in Remuera, while Matches was a Jervois Road fixture from the ’90s to around 2009, operating several popular restaurants on the strip.

It’s been over a decade since chef-trained Matches has run a restaurant (interestingly, he spends a lot of time in Africa, often living and working there for a couple of years at a time). But when the previous tenants wrapped up their lease in his former stomping ground and Prekazi suggested they take over the spot, he took it as a chance to reinvigorate the site.

“A food outlet on the corner should be a really nice offering,” Matches told Broadsheet. “It’s very sunny in the afternoon, it’s in a great area, and there’s car parking right here.”

While “squisito” is an Italian word (meaning “exquisite” or, often, “delicious”), Matches says the new venue will be broadly “Mediterranean, influenced by Italy”. The vision for the 50-seater is something “a little bit upbeat, fun and casual, with great, honest food”. The menu will feature pasta, gnocchi, duck dishes and seafood, as well as pizza grilled in an Italian-imported oven.

There will also be a window on the side street where people can pick up pizzas and take them to one of the many beaches within walking distance of Jervois Road – plus, Squisito will have an off-licence for take-home wine.

In keeping with the vibrant atmosphere its owners are looking to create, the restaurant’s interior will be painted in soft terracotta and deep sea-blue and green tones. “It’s going to be different; it’s not your safe creams and whites,” says Matches.

Having been on-site doing a lot of the build himself, Matches says curious passers-by have been sticking their heads in to see what’s opening. “We have a lot of people saying, ‘It’s just what the place needs. We are so looking forward to you opening.’ I got a box of wine yesterday from people that live down the road – I don’t know them! They left me a lovely note.”

Squisito Trattoria is scheduled to open in early November at 170A Jervois Road.

@squisito_trattoria