Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar

Finally got to have dinner at Depot (i hear at peak/after 6pm there can be a 2 hour wait, we went at 5pm and were seated immediately, but the place was full) and it lived up to the hype. Al Brown’s eatery focuses on bringing out the best in fresh, seasonal ingredients and each dish was delicious and the flavours nicely balanced. The fresh turbot sliders were a standout, succulent pieces of fish on pillowy soft buns that veer towards brioche, the pork in the carnitas was lovely and juicy, the popcorn clams were crisp shelled with a hint of heat, the green tomatoes were lovely and clean tasting and the cider poached pear salad with blue cheese was fantastic. The staff are attentive and efficient; highly recommend!

Popped in for breakfast and chose the first of three options - bacon & egg roll, muesli and beignets. The bacon was delicious, crisp and flavoursome, and the egg was fried to perfection. Served in a panini-style bread with rocket fuel. Accompanied by Havana coffee, it was a good little brekkie, but not as imaginative as Al Brown’s other fare (though no doubt this reflects the fact Depot is much more a lunch & dinner place).

went here with mum and dad - we all loved it!

This place is in a great location and very central to lots of businesses. They offer great coffee, which is full in body and flavour. The coffee is fairly priced and is made very well by the baristas. They offer good food to have in and takeaway. I was introduced to the Bacon Doona which is life changing, i would love to meet the person who invented it so i could shake their hand! The place is always clean and staff are friendly. There is a funky decor and the place has an upbeat funky vibe.

Great coffee, highly recommend the bacon and egg doona to start the day. Excellent interior design, love the subtle touches. Tin cups keep the complimentary water cool. Staff are friendly and the wait is never that long.

Great food and excellent service. With excellent cozy atmosphere. Make sure you get in early because you can’t book.

I first heard about this place last week. I then checked out the web site and fell in love with the culinary sensibility. I went there today and chowed down on a spectacular array of oysters, clams and Kingfish. I started with Tio Point, Te Matuku, and Mahurangi oysters, two of each. They were properly chilled and fresh as. I also had the Diamond Shell Clams (very small and my favorite of the lot -- I could eat them by the bushel!) and the tasty Tuatua clams. I followed all of this with Kingfish sashimi cut into cubes and served on beds of oyster cream with apple & fennel seed. The ambience of the place is electric. The walls are plastered with photos, signs, and knick-knacks that give the restaurant a lived-in maritime feel that's quite comforting. Every bar seat and table was occupied, but it was still subdued enough to have a normal conversation. The staff are a handsome lot and very attentive. I love this place so much I'm going back tomorrow for dinner. Way to go, Depot.