Ambrosia Restaurant and Bar
What makes your venue the Best Gastropub in New Zealand?
You do, our customers, the people we meet, the reason we keep coming back every day. Meeting new people, hearing their stories and making new friends. Because of you, our staff love it and love their job. Yes, it can be hard work, but a happy customer and the appreciation from them for making their experience enjoyable is what it is about. From the people who clean and do all the jobs that no one wants to know about, to the engine room in the kitchen being put under the pump time and time again to the FOH running plates with what seems to be octopus arms still greeting new customers and having a conversation with their existing table without missing a beat, the bar staff having multiple conversations, listening and making concoction's for the unsure punter. This is the package for success and a reason people come back.
We have the wit, banter and a way of helping you feel relaxed, whether it is a quiet coffee or beer or a social situation that requires a bit of a laugh. The experience we have in this is what makes our place stand out. What is better than a friendly, welcoming face?
After that is our culture, our Manaaki Tanga.
We change with the times and want you entertained, after all that is the business, we are in. We have upbeat live music every Friday night and soothing, soulful, laid-back bliss for our Sunday sessions; Wednesdays are for the brave with an open mic night, live comedy a few times a year, and quiz nights on Tuesdays in winter to give people a reason to get out. We try to be as progressive as we can be within a regulated space.
Our staff are happy to see people and be busy; they want to have a laugh and remain professional.
We support and sponsor locally; we have been supporting the Ronald McDonald House for 15 years. We help out with the Christmas children's party each year and sponsor kids to go along. We believe that the more you put out, the more you get in return. We want this city to thrive, and if we can help by being the best we can, then come hell or high water, we will try!
Describe the experience your customers have at your establishment – what is your food and beverage offering and why do people come back for more?
Being welcomed with open arms is the simplest way of putting it. When we speak to different customers, loyal locals, new faces and visitors from around the globe, the comments are always the same, "Great food, great attentive service.", you dive a little deeper, and you hear comments like, " it's great you make everything fresh and in-house", "wait you make your own Pasta!?" Or "Where do you get your bread from?" We are proud to answer "we make it".
It's those finer points on things that separate us from the rest. It gives the engine room pride in what they do and why they put up in a hot, stressful fast paced environment. Our food specials change with the times. We have something for everyone, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian. We are a bunch of clever buggers in the engine room. We offer light bar snacks that are not just deep fried and heavily salted. We have food available from 8am right through till we close so we have offerings for everyone.
The music that we have is never always the same genre or person; everyone has their tastes, and that's what we want to cater for.
We are relaxed but not flippant, cool but still professional, and we have a sense of humour.
The bar staff enjoy being creative, and if there is nothing on the list that you like, I'm sure we can think of something for you. If alcohol is not your go, we can do mocktails that are just as good, if not better or 0% beer. Lighter-side wines and beer are also available. We have 2 guest taps for those who are after draught craft.
Tell us how you showcase NZ produce / offerings? Does your menu change with the season and how is it locally influenced. How do you accommodate allergy and dietary requirements?
Our menu changes a minimum of twice a year, with specials changing weekly or as fresh ingredients come into season. Our engine room is creative and we work collectively to bring new offerings. We create as much as we can in house from our own pasta to varieties of bread, we use native products to infuse flavors like our Rewena Fry Bread with Kawakawa Butter. We use our experience to ensure the quality is to our high standard. Our head chef is aware of the allergies in the menu and trains both the FOH and engine room staff so that they know and are able to assist customers that may have an allergy of how we can change their meal to accommodate.
We use locally sourced organic products where we can and forage for our native products. We love to know what our micro and macro environment is and use what we can accordingly.
What are your key points of difference and how have you managed to deliver them?
I would like to think that our key point of difference is the way we look after everyone.
We have a strong local following and that has to be a testament to our staff, they get to know everyone's names, what they like to drink and eat, even their favorite seats, we are always glad they came. We respect them and they respect us. Everyone is welcomed by everyone, and everyone is treat the same, no matter who they are.
Our new staff are chaperoned with one of our senior management team, they need to learn from the best and these guys are. Our attention to detail and being attentive to everyone is what we strive for.
We donate vouchers to various fundraisers get behind charities and love having community awareness, we always look at ways we can contribute to a better Rotorua and are known for it.
We have live music Fridays and Sundays with artists asking from around the motu to play. The customers stay longer because of the service and atmosphere.
Best Known for:
Live music every Friday
Strong local community support
Pasta & bread made in-house
Please describe your commitment to sustainability.
We are particular about our dedication to reduce our refuse. We joined the Rotorua sustainable charter 2 years ago. We use geothermal to run our heating and hot water and are looking at going solar for power. We also have over 100 plants around our establishment. Our recycling is done by us, both the FOH and BOH are committed to the cause and sort recycling reducing our refuse considerably. We do not accept products in styrofoam and use recyclable take away containers.
Have you won any awards in the recent past?
WINNER MATARIKI CHAMPIONSHIP DISH, Nourish magazine and RotoruaNZ, 2022
WINNER BEST CHEF, Rotorua Hospitality Awards 2021
FINALISTS, BEST FRONT OF HOUSE Rotorua Hospitality Awards 2021
FINALIST PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS, Rotorua Hospitality Awards 2021
Monteiths Wild Food National Finalist 2012
Monteiths Wild Food Regianl Winner 2012
Please describe how you create ambience.
Our music changes like the weather. You will seldom here the same routine the next day. Each staff member has a different personality and we play music for their tastes to provide a happy work space and a variety to mix it up for our wide range of customers. We support live music and artistic preferences; we want individuality and a chance for artists to show their talent and play original music as well as the classic bangers. Who wants to go and listen to the same genre day in and day out.
Our staff create a good atmosphere with the personality and will joke around and help you feel relaxed while remaining professional.
We all so support local comedians and have comedy nights, especially after the last couple of years nothing beats a good laugh.
