WHY CHOOSE THIS RESTAURANT?

Inspired by flavours of the Mediterranean, you will find a delicious offering that moves with the seasons to showcase the best of the premium food bowl that is a highlight of the Hawke’s Bay region.

ABOUT THE MENU

For our visit, the perfect opening bite is a crispy nori cracker laden with glazed tuna and glimmerings of compressed melon with a zing of lime in the gel. Although don’t stop there, as you will be sorry if you neglect the gougères with porcini custard and rhubarb and tarragon jam. Next the prawn tartare, a standout with its poached prawns in an ajo blanco (white gazpacho) cut with the tang of Granny Smith apples and an earthiness from smoked almonds. A superb ricotta gnudi in a spectacular pecorino cream surrounded by summer vegetables and sprinkled with hazelnuts quickly disappeared alongside the ridiculously tender beef cheek on eggplant purée, smothered with an inspired tabbouleh and served with za’atar flatbreads. The simplicity of the green salad with its super-fresh, crispy leaves dressed to perfection did not go unnoticed and throw in a side of the beef-fat rosemary potatoes in chilli mayonnaise as they are very good. For dessert, why not lean into the baklava mille-feuille with roasted local stone fruit, creamy pistachio custard and vanilla peach jam?

ABOUT THE TEAM

Emma and Simon Lillico are onto a winner here at Ari. It’s a deeply personal project that they opened in mid-2025 having previously been the powerhouse behind the kitchen at Oak Estate Winery. Emma wields a practised and polished eye for business and hospitality management, while Simon’s career stretches back to include some hefty hitters such as Logan Brown in Wellington, Maha in Melbourne and the early days of Mary’s in Havelock North. Front-of-house manager Kayla Teixeira hails from the USA and has over 12 years of hospitality experience under her belt, with an emphasis on craft cocktails and wine. We will be forever grateful to her for the introduction to a Jenny Dobson Fiano that we will return to again.

OF NOTE

The thoughtfully created wine list at Ari is also a winner, allowing the team to cater to any occasion across lunch and dinner, including bespoke private dining. The story and vision of this regional restaurant is already building a strong connection with locals and making Restaurant Ari one to watch as a destination for people like us.

103 Karamu Rd South, Hastings
Check website for opening hours
Mains $38-$42
06 222 7100, restaurantari.co.nz