Eat · Central Auckland: Sky Tower and Queen Street
Depot Eatery
A CBD share-plates restaurant on Federal Street from a well-known New Zealand chef: oysters, small plates and a raw bar. Good for an easy CBD dinner near the Sky Tower without a long walk.
- Central location near the Sky Tower
- Raw bar walk-in option
- Well-regarded chef
- Tables and stools
- Walk-in window: 17:30–19:00
- Queue risk: 20:00–21:30
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
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- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- New Zealand ↗Visa-waiver visitors need an NZeTA (with the tourism levy) before travel, including many transit passengers; others need a visa. Apply only through Immigration New Zealand or its official app, and check the rules for your passport.
- New Zealand ↗Declare all food, plant and animal products, and used outdoor gear such as hiking boots and tents, on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration; undeclared risk items bring instant fines.
- New Zealand ↗Drive on the left; give way as signed at one-lane bridges; an English-language licence or one with an approved translation or International Driving Permit is required.
- New Zealand ↗Freedom camping is restricted: sleep in a vehicle only where signed as allowed, and in many places only in certified self-contained vehicles.
- Upper North Island ↗Collect the hire car on the day you leave Auckland: CBD parking is expensive and the first day after a long flight is the wrong time to drive on the left.
- Auckland ↗Declare all food, plant, animal products and used outdoor gear on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration; undeclared items bring instant fines.
- Auckland ↗Collect the hire car on the day you leave the city: CBD parking is expensive and jet lag and left-side driving make the first day the wrong time to start.
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Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Easiest walk-in
17:30–19:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Per person
NZ$30–55 (≈ US$18–35)2026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Ask staff to confirm no meat stock or lard in the base. · say: “Ask staff directly.”
- AskVegan · Dairy and egg are common even in vegetarian dishes; ask about both.
- AskHalal · Not certified; ask about pork and alcohol in the specific dish.
- AskGluten-free · Not confirmed; ask about wheat-based sauces, breading and noodles.
Paying
- CBD pricing; share plates add up — agree an order plan with your table before ordering freely.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Note
- Recommended for dinner; the raw bar counter is more often walk-in friendly.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of Central Auckland: Sky Tower and Queen Street: this place has no exact point on file.
More places in Central Auckland: Sky Tower and Queen Street
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Good, great | Ka pai | kah pie |
| Hello | Kia ora | kee-ah or-ah |
| Thank you | Ngā mihi | ngah mee-hee |
Portions and sharing
- Share plates: Small-plate format, order several to share.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- CBD pricing; share plates add up — agree an order plan with your table before ordering freely.
- Tipping: Not expected; round up for excellent service if you wish.
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Cards widely accepted.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Ask staff to confirm no meat stock or lard in the base.
Show: Ask staff directly.
- Veganask
Dairy and egg are common even in vegetarian dishes; ask about both.
- Halalask
Not certified; ask about pork and alcohol in the specific dish.
- Gluten-freeask
Not confirmed; ask about wheat-based sauces, breading and noodles.
What is in the dishes
- Oystersshellfish
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- Dress code
- smart_casual
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly or holiday closures | check before you go | Check for a weekly closing day. |
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Tables and stools · Dining room plus a raw bar counter for walk-ins
- Kids
- More of an adult dining atmosphere; fine for an early family dinner
- Access
- wheelchair: yes · Ground-floor CBD dining, step-free reported — check on arrival
Hygiene
- Well-known central kitchen; no specific concerns reported.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not on file — Recommended for dinner; the raw bar counter is more often walk-in friendly.
- Capabilities
- food
- Getting there
- Federal Street, CBD · ~3 min walk
Cons
- Busy with the CBD after-work crowd early evening.
- Share plates can get pricey if over-ordered.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Raw bar | A counter serving oysters and other raw/lightly prepared seafood | — |
Price check
- rule
- CBD pricing; share plates add up — agree an order plan with your table before ordering freely.
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is it close to the Sky Tower?
Yes, a short walk on Federal Street.
Do I need to book?
Recommended for dinner; the raw bar counter is a good walk-in fallback.
If it is closed or full
All places to eat in Auckland, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Auckland in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Auckland (eat)
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.