This summer, Viva Premium is revisiting the best and biggest stories of the year. This article was originally published in November.
At Viva’s Top 60 Auckland Restaurants Supreme Winner for 2024, “the food is superb”, says dining out editor Jesse Mulligan. In this exclusive video, Jesse and
“It felt right this year that our supreme winner isn’t somewhere you’d have to drop $300 just to feel full, but instead is a restaurant that has fully democratised dining out,” says Jesse Mulligan of this year’s winner, Gemmayze Street on Karanghape Rd.
“Through the economic ups and downs of the past few months (and years) it has been full nearly every night, creating memories for couples, families and even the most dreaded of social units: group dinners.”
In what has been an indisputably rough year for hospitality, Gemmayze Street’s quiet determination and consistency stood out, says Johanna Thornton.
“Founded in 2016 by chef Samir Allen with a dream to share the food of his Lebanese/Pākehā culture, Gemmayze Street is what he calls a love letter to his nana and jiddi’s kitchen, and the cooking of his great-auntie and mum.
“It’s where hospitality translates as warmth, compassion and generosity, something you can feel running through all aspects of Gemmayze.”
Samir’s cooking journey has seen him working in fine dining kitchens at The Grove and Baduzzi, but it was a trip to Lebanon that sparked his dream to cook the food of his upbringing and open his own restaurant.
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Advertise with NZME.Gemmayze Street is named after a bustling street in Beirut known for its vibrancy and eateries. The Auckland restaurant channels that energy with its unique St Kevin’s Arcade location.
“You won’t find a lovelier setting for dinner in Auckland,” says Johanna.
“Down the back of St Kevin’s Arcade, tables spill across the chequerboard tiles and floor-to-ceiling windows frame an iconically Auckland scene: the leafy trees of Myers Park and the Sky Tower. Whether it’s still light outside or you can see the twinkling city skyline, there’s no better spot for a catch-up. Away from the buzz of the arcade, the interior’s purple banquets are just as good, offering a quieter vantage point to watch the chefs at work, surrounded by Samir’s family photos, and colourful hanging glass orbs.”
This summer there’ll be more opportunities to dine at Gemmayze Street with the announcement that its Kebab Shop pop-up will run every Sunday, serving a casual menu of loaded hummus, mixed grill and Lebanese chicken rice.
Meet Samir Allen
Viva caught up with Samir Allen, chef/owner of Gemmayze Street, to quiz him on being the supreme winner in the top 60 Auckland restaurants for 2024.
How would you describe the kaupapa of Gemmayze St? What kind of restaurant do you strive to be?
My aim with Gemmayze Street since we first opened eight years ago was to show that Lebanese food can move forward, just like every other cuisine. All cultures evolve, and we don’t have to be left behind or always be associated with “home cooking”. French food is seen as the pinnacle but it’s a baby compared to Middle Eastern food. Lebanon has one of the oldest cultures in the world and I have always wanted to show what that could look like going into the future.
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Advertise with NZME.What are you most proud of about Gemmayze St?
My team for killing it. The honour of showcasing my family’s story through food.
Jesse Mulligan described Gemmayze Street as being “the heart of Karangahape Road”. What does the location mean to you, and has it been a positive thing being on K Rd?
K Road has always been a big part of my life in Auckland. I lived here when I was a student, spent all my time here and then lived on K Road again years later when I opened the restaurant. Even though it’s become more popular as a dining-out destination, it’s kept its authenticity.
You’ve described your food as a love letter to your nana and jiddi’s kitchen and the food of your great auntie and mum. Can you explain how you’ve represented those memories on the Gemmayze Street menu?
Starting with the menu itself, it has a picture of my nana and jiddi on it, in the house we all grew up in. The dishes I create are based on meals we ate at every azimi (feast). Everything down to the techniques we use to make our sauces has roots in my nana’s kitchen. To be a guest at my nana’s house was to be the most important person in the world. It’s something we try and carry over to our service at Gemmayze St – to make sure everyone is looked after like that.
How does it feel to be crowned supreme winner in Viva’s Top 60 Auckland Restaurants?
Amazing. Humbling. Shocking. Grateful.
How was your day as a team? Did you have people congratulating you?
My nana was so happy and said she wished my jiddi was alive to see the restaurant. My uncle, who is in Lebanon right now, called me and told me how proud he is to see Lebanon represented in Aotearoa.
What do you think makes Auckland’s dining scene so special?
The owner-operators who care so much about their offerings, especially on places like K Road. They truly put their heart into everything they do and that’s what makes it authentic.
Any updates for 2025 we should know about?
Hopefully our hummus won’t be the only Gemmayze Street product you can buy on shelves next year.
For everything the judges thought about Gemmayze Street, as well as the full list of top 60 Auckland restaurants, see the story here.
