BOLD DINING, BIG HONOUR
Rothko Restaurant, where fire, flavour, and artistry combine for a bold culinary experience, has reached a new milestone.
The restaurant has just earned its first Hat at the prestigious Cuisine Good Food Awards – a recognition that not only honours the team’s extraordinary work but also makes history as the first Hat awarded in the Rodney region. For a restaurant that relaunched its concept as recently as December, this achievement is both meaningful and encouraging.
Inside Rothko guests are immediately immersed in a dining experience that is bold, generous, and deeply rooted in the elemental. At the heart of the new concept is fire, fermentation, and flavour, all brought together under the creative leadership of Head Chef Neil Sapitula. Drawing on his heritage and a rich tapestry of cultural influences, Sapitula delivers a menu where charred, smoky meats and deeply fermented sauces dance alongside vibrant, umami-packed vegetables, seafood kissed by flame, and broths that hum with slow-built depth.
The dishes are as striking as they are satisfying: fire-roasted steak laid over saffron-infused paella rice enriched with silky bone marrow, and heirloom carrots blistered over flame, served with harissa curd, dhal dukkah, and a drizzle of hazelnut brown butter. Each dish bursts with bold, layered flavours that celebrate smoke, spice, and texture – designed for sharing, for storytelling, and for pure pleasure.
The dining style is warm and communal, matched by interiors that echo the natural beauty of the surrounding Sculptureum grounds and food that carries the same honesty and soul. The energy is vibrant, the flavours unapologetically bold, and the attention to detail razor sharp.
Rothko is currently open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday, and from 8 December through to the end of January, the restaurant will be serving lunch six days a week, closed only on Tuesdays.
To receive a Hat just months after relaunching is a powerful signal: Rothko is one of New Zealand’s most exciting food destinations. This is a dining experience that lingers on the palate and in the memory long after the last bite.
www.RothkoRestaurant.co.nz | eat@RothkoRestaurant.co.nz