Big Fish Eatery

About Big Fish Eatery

Big Fish Eatery is a Pan Asian restaurant on Great South Road in Penrose, Auckland, serving what the team calls 'authentically unauthentic' food — traditional tastes from all over Asia reworked into fresh, modern dishes. The menu is built around sharing: everything is made to order and comes out as soon as it's ready, family style, so the table eats together and no one waits for the last plate.

The kitchen sources quality New Zealand ingredients and prepares them under an award-winning chef, turning out bao, dumplings, curries, wok-fried noodles and sashimi alongside playful creations like the cheeseburger spring roll. There's real range here — karaage chicken and soft shell crab sit next to massaman curries, coconut beef ribs and drunken noodles, with vegetarian options clearly marked throughout.

Nine years ago the eatery opened 'in the middle of nowhere' with a simple focus: delicious food and drink, and a good time whatever the occasion. That down-to-earth spirit still shapes the experience — good times, great flavours, and dining that's anything but ordinary.

Beyond walk-in meals, Big Fish hosts private functions in 'The Conservatory', a private dining room for 30+ guests, and offers set menus for larger groups, including the Big Fish Feast and Big Fish Seafood Feast. Dinner groups of ten or more can hand the ordering over to the team, who tailor the selection around dietary requirements.

Every dish is also available for takeaway, and the eatery delivers free to Penrose and neighbouring suburbs with a $40 minimum spend — just call to place an order. Gift vouchers are available too, and the restaurant closes on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.

Big Fish Eatery Penrose: Authentically Unauthentic Pan Asian Made for Sharing

On the corner of Great South and Wilkinson Roads in Penrose, Big Fish Eatery has been quietly doing things its own way for nine years. The team describes the concept as 'authentically unauthentic' — a blend of traditional tastes from all over Asia, reimagined as modern Pan Asian cuisine. Classic dishes get a fresh spin, quality New Zealand ingredients get the spotlight, and an award-winning chef ties it all together.

A menu built for the middle of the table

The first thing to know about Big Fish is that it's a sharing restaurant. Every dish is made to order and served the moment it's ready — no courses, no fuss. Plates roll out as the kitchen finishes them, so the table fills up gradually and everyone eats together, family style. It's a relaxed, generous way to dine, and it suits the down-to-earth, good-times atmosphere the team set out to create when they opened the eatery 'in the middle of nowhere' nine years ago.

The menu itself ranges wide across Asia. Start with bites like edamame, pork and prawn dumplings with chilli oil, crunchy karaage chicken, or the cheerfully unexpected cheeseburger spring roll. Bao fans can choose between four-hour slow-cooked pork belly and crispy karaage chicken, both layered with cucumber and house sauces.

The Favourites section is where the kitchen shows its range: market fish ceviche with lime, coconut and crispy pastry, salmon sashimi, beef tataki salad, lemongrass chicken vermicelli salad, and the coconut beef ribs — succulent short rib infused with coconut and finished with pickled herbs. Massaman curries come in lamb or chicken, rich with potato, fried shallots and peanuts.

From the wok and beyond

The wok section covers all the comforting staples with a Big Fish twist. Sweet and sour pork follows a family recipe with pork scotch and pineapple; basil chicken and basil prawns come tossed with baby spinach and garlic basil sauce; and black bean beef or silken tofu delivers the deep, savoury classic. The tamarind udon — available with chicken, prawns or as a vegetarian version — is a house signature, while drunken noodles bring organic egg noodles together with king prawns, NZ squid, chilli and Thai basil. For something green from the sea, spiced or teriyaki salmon rounds out the lineup.

Save room for dessert, too: gooey baked cookie dough in white or dark chocolate, or a Biscoff banoffee pie with house-made caramel and coffee cream.

Functions, groups and delivery to your door

Big Fish is as much a place for occasions as it is for weeknight dinners. 'The Conservatory', the restaurant's private dining room, hosts business functions, team builds, birthdays and family gatherings for 30+ guests. Groups of twelve or more can choose from set menus, including the Big Fish Feast and the Big Fish Seafood Feast, with dishes swappable to accommodate dietary requirements and preferences. Dinner parties of ten or more can go one step further and let the team do all the ordering — a set spend per head guarantees a mouth-watering run of the most popular dishes, individually tailored to the table.

Can't make it in? Every dish on the menu is available for takeaway, and the eatery delivers free to Penrose and neighbouring suburbs with a $40 minimum spend — just phone your order through. Gift vouchers are on offer as well, making an easy present for anyone who loves bold Asian flavours.

Plan your visit

Hours run across two services: lunch from 11am to 3pm, Tuesday to Friday, and dinner from 5pm to 9pm, Wednesday to Saturday. The restaurant closes on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays, so it's worth planning around that. Whether you settle in for a long shared dinner, grab bao and noodles to go, or book the Conservatory for a full-scale celebration, the promise is the same: fresh produce, delicious food, and a genuinely good time.

Signature items

• Coconut Beef Ribs
• Tamarind Udon
• Drunken Noodles
• Karaage Chicken Bao
• Massaman Lamb Curry
• Sashimi Platter

Menu

Bao

• Pork Belly Bao — 4-hour slow-cooked pork belly, cucumber, coriander, hoisin, Japanese mayo
• Karaage Chicken Bao — Crunchy fried chicken, cucumber, kimchi honey mayo, spring onion

Wok

• Sweet and Sour Pork — Family recipe — pork scotch, pineapple, onion, capsicum
• Basil Chicken — Free-range chicken, baby spinach, chilli, capsicum, garlic basil sauce
• Basil Prawns — King prawns, baby spinach, chilli, capsicum, garlic basil sauce
• Tamarind Udon - Chicken — Free-range chicken, beans, egg, rice noodles, tofu, crispy shallots, peanuts, house-made tamarind sauce
• Tamarind Udon - Prawns — King prawns, beans, egg, rice noodles, tofu, crispy shallots, peanuts, house-made tamarind sauce
• Tamarind Udon - Vege (v) — Tofu, beans, egg, rice noodles, crispy shallots, peanuts, house-made tamarind sauce
• Fried Rice — BBQ pork and Chinese-style sausage, house-made prawn crackers, fried egg
• Chicken Fried Rice — Free-range chicken, house-made prawn crackers, fried egg on top
• Vege Fried Rice (v) — Fried rice with seasonal vegetables, house-made crackers, fried egg
• Spiced Salmon — NZ king salmon, broccoli, capsicum, red onion
• Teriyaki Salmon — Salmon, broccoli, sesame, house-made teriyaki sauce
• Drunken Noodles — Organic egg noodles, king prawns, NZ squid, garlic, chilli, Thai basil
• Black Bean Beef — Beef loin, seasonal vegetables, black bean sauce
• Black Bean Tofu (v) — Seasonal vegetables, silken tofu, black bean sauce

Bites

• Edamame (v) — Warm soy beans with Marlborough sea salt
• Cheeseburger Spring Roll — Prime beef, American cheddar, house-made burger sauce
• Karaage Chicken 3pcs — Crunchy fried free-range chicken, kimchi honey sauce
• Tempura Fries (v) — Tempura-battered shoestring fries, seaweed, kewipe mayo
• Soft Shell Crab — Tempura with jalapeño sauce
• Pork & Prawn Dumplings — Pork scotch, prawns, spring onion, chilli oil, vinegar
• Steamed Asian Greens (v) — Seasonal vegetables, garlic, olive oil

Dessert

• White Chocolate Cookie Dough — Gooey baked cookie dough, white chocolate, macadamia, vanilla ice cream
• Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough — Gooey baked cookie dough, dark chocolate buttons, peanut butter, vanilla ice cream
• Biscoff Banoffee Pie — Biscoff crumble, house-made caramel, banana, coffee cream

Favourites

• Market Fish Ceviche — Fresh market fish, shallots, mint, lime, coconut, coriander, crispy pastry
• Salmon Sashimi — Fresh slices of glacial mountain salmon, wasabi, ginger
• Sashimi Platter — Fresh slices of 3-4 fish varieties depending on the catch of the day
• Pork Belly Green Apple Salad — Caramelised pork, roasted peanuts, green apple salad
• Beef Tataki Salad — Medium-rare eye fillet, red onion, daikon, lettuce, ponzu
• Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli Salad — Free-range lemongrass chicken, vermicelli noodles, carrot, mint, coriander, cucumber, Viet dressing
• Coconut Beef Ribs — Coconut-infused succulent short rib, pickled herbs
• Massaman Lamb Curry — Potatoes, fried shallots, beans, peanuts
• Massaman Chicken Curry — Potatoes, fried shallots, beans, peanuts

Frequently asked questions

What kind of food does Big Fish Eatery serve?

Modern Pan Asian cuisine — the team calls it 'authentically unauthentic', blending traditional tastes from across Asia into fresh spins on classic dishes. Everything is made to order and served sharing-style as soon as it's ready.

When is Big Fish Eatery open?

Lunch runs Tuesday to Friday, 11am–3pm, and dinner runs Wednesday to Saturday, 5pm–9pm. The restaurant is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.

Do you offer takeaway and delivery?

Yes. All dishes are available for takeaway, and there's free delivery to Penrose and neighbouring suburbs with a $40 minimum spend. Call (09) 525 7811 to place an order.

Can you host large groups or private functions?

Yes. The private dining room, 'The Conservatory', seats 30+ guests, and groups of 12 or more can pick from set menus such as the Big Fish Feast and Big Fish Seafood Feast, with dishes swappable for dietary needs.

What happens with dinner groups of 10 or more?

The team can take over the ordering for you at a minimum spend of $60 per head, guaranteeing a selection of the most popular dishes while individualising every order and taking dietary requirements into account.

Are there vegetarian options?

Yes — vegetarian dishes such as steamed Asian greens, tempura fries, tamarind udon vege, vege fried rice and black bean tofu are marked on the menu, and set menus can be adjusted for dietary requirements.

Do you sell gift vouchers?

Yes, gift vouchers are available and can be purchased via the Big Fish Eatery website.

Tips

• {"body":"Lunch is Tuesday–Friday only and dinner is Wednesday–Saturday only; the restaurant shuts Sundays, Mondays and public holidays, so plan accordingly.","title":"Mind the split service days"}
• {"body":"Eating at home? Call (09) 525 7811 to order — delivery to Penrose and neighbouring suburbs is free when you spend $40 or more.","title":"Free delivery with a $40 minimum"}
• {"body":"Dinner groups of 10+ can hand ordering to the team at a $60 per head minimum — a curated run of the most popular dishes, tailored to dietary needs.","title":"Let the kitchen order for big groups"}
• {"body":"Private functions, team builds and birthdays for 30+ guests fit into the dedicated private dining room — enquire via the functions form.","title":"Book The Conservatory for events"}
• {"body":"Everything comes out family style when it's ready, so plates arrive in waves rather than courses — order generously and share.","title":"Expect dishes as they're ready"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Sharing-style menu suits groups; private functions and kids-and-all family gatherings welcome","dietary":"Vegetarian dishes marked (v); group orders and set menus tailored to dietary requirements","accessibility":"Functions enquiry form and phone ordering available for those who prefer not to book online"}