The Banker

About The Banker

The Banker is an all-day eatery, cafe, restaurant, and bar located at 60 Highbrook Drive in East Tāmaki, Auckland. Conceived by the creators behind Honey Springs and The Breakfast Club, the venue pairs rich dark timbers, tailored heritage detailing, and vintage geometry designed by Paul Izzard of Izzard Design to evoke the atmosphere of an old-world London private club combined with Melbourne's specialty coffee culture.

Operating from early morning coffee through to evening dinner and drinks, The Banker focuses on scratch cooking with house-made salsiccia, slow-simmered sauces, and fresh dressings. The kitchen serves morning plates, specialty coffee, and signature cold brews, transitioning into lunch and dinner service featuring smashed burgers, hand-rolled pastas, and Italian-inspired dishes. The space accommodates local business lunches, meetings, weekend brunch, and after-work dining, alongside corporate catering services across East Tāmaki.

Inside The Banker: Highbrook Drive's Vintage-Inspired All-Day Eatery

Located along the commercial hub of Highbrook Drive in East Tāmaki, The Banker brings an ambitious hospitality concept to Auckland's industrial and corporate south-east. Created by the hospitality team behind Honey Springs and The Breakfast Club, the venue sets out to offer a polished, all-day alternative to standard commercial district dining. Drawing conceptual inspiration from vintage London private clubs while embracing Melbourne-style specialty coffee service, the eatery balances morning espresso runs with long lunches and evening bistro fare.

Heritage Design on Highbrook Drive

The interior architecture was crafted by Paul Izzard of Izzard Design. Stepping inside reveals a palette of dark timbers, tailored heritage detailing, and vintage geometry designed to evoke an atmosphere with character and permanence. Rather than leaning into sterile corporate aesthetics, the dining room relies on warm lighting, shadowed corners, and leather-and-timber textures that make the space feel as though it has anchored the corner of East Tāmaki for decades.

This deliberate layout caters to the diverse demands of the surrounding business community. Long tables and booth settings provide space for morning meetings over flat whites, while the central dining floor supports formal business lunches and casual after-work gatherings. A dedicated takeaway cabinet provides faster options for workers on tight schedules, including house baking and a signature tiramisu that has quickly gathered a dedicated local following.

Kitchen Craft Audited from Scratch

The culinary direction at The Banker is anchored by scratch cooking and traditional Italian-leaning bistro techniques. Rather than relying on pre-packaged components, the kitchen produces its own salsiccia sausage patties, slow-simmers arrabbiata tomato bases, whips truffle mayonnaise, and blends specialty anchovy butters in-house.

Breakfast and brunch service runs throughout the morning with items like the Banker's Breakfast, featuring two free-range eggs, house salsiccia, streaky bacon, balsamic mushrooms, roasted vine tomatoes, and salsa verde served alongside toasted focaccia. Classic morning dishes receive Italian twists, seen in the avocado toast topped with sun-dried tomato pesto and pistachios, and eggs benedict served with a signature basil pesto hollandaise over crispy potato rösti or focaccia.

Pastas, Burgers, and Evening Service

From 10:00 AM onwards, the kitchen expands into its full lunch and pasta menu. Signature pasta dishes highlight bold flavour combinations, including an inventive spaghetti tossed with anchovy-infused olive oil and Korean gochujang chilli paste, penne arrabbiata loaded with smoked salmon, capers, and dill, and soft potato gnocchi coated in a rich wild mushroom and mascarpone cream sauce.

Heartier midday choices include The Carbonara Double Burger, stacking two smashed beef patties with bacon, melted cheddar, and a silky carbonara-style sauce accompanied by skin-on Agria wedges tossed in truffle oil and parmesan. As afternoon turns into evening, the restaurant transitions through bar snack service before launching into a dedicated dinner menu with last calls at 8:30 PM, backed by specialty cold brews, cocktails, and Noble & Sunday teas.

Signature items

• Banker's Breakfast
• The Carbonara Double Burger
• Smoked Cheese & Salsiccia Volcano
• Truffle & Wild Mushroom Gnocchi
• Vanilla Sea Salt Brew
• Pistachio Mascarpone French Focaccia

Menu

Sides

• Truffle & Parmesan Skin-On Wedges — Thick-cut Agria potatoes tossed with truffle oil, sea salt, and grated parmesan, served with house-made truffle mayo
• Porcini & Truffle Arancini — Crispy golden arancini infused with porcini and truffle, tossed in umami salt, finished with Pecorino Romano and chives

Add-Ons

• Two Free-Range Eggs, Any Style — Two free-range eggs prepared to order
• Crispy Streaky Bacon — Two slices of crispy streaky bacon
• House-Made Salsiccia Patty — House-crafted Italian-style pork sausage patty
• Balsamic Glazed Wild Mushrooms — Wild mushrooms glazed in balsamic
• Roasted Vine Tomato — Slow-roasted vine-ripened tomato
• Crispy Potato Rösti — Golden pan-crisped potato rösti
• Toasted Focaccia — Slices of toasted house focaccia

Full Menu

• The Carbonara Double Burger — Two smashed beef patties, crispy bacon, melted cheddar, silky carbonara-style sauce, and freshly grated parmesan, served with skin-on wedges and house-made truffle mayo
• Smoked Cheese & Salsiccia Volcano — House-made salsiccia bomb stuffed with smoked scamorza and cheddar, baked in sizzling arrabbiata sauce with a soft-fried egg and toasted focaccia sticks
• Truffle & Wild Mushroom Gnocchi — Soft potato gnocchi tossed with balsamic-glazed mixed mushrooms in a mascarpone cream sauce, shaved parmesan, and truffle oil
• Pistachio Mascarpone French Focaccia — Cinnamon-soaked focaccia topped with pistachio mascarpone cream, crispy streaky bacon, and bittersweet espresso maple drizzle

Morning Menu

• Eggs on Focaccia with Anchovy Butter — Two free-range poached eggs on thick-cut toasted focaccia, finished with melting house-made anchovy butter
• Banker's Eggs Benedict — Two free-range poached eggs with fresh rocket and signature basil pesto hollandaise, served on crispy potato rösti or toasted focaccia with bacon, smoked salmon, or mushrooms
• Black Cherry & Yoghurt Bowl — Velvety house-blended mascarpone and Greek yoghurt, dark cherry compote, house-baked oat granola, and toasted pistachios
• Banker's Breakfast — Two free-range eggs your way, house-made salsiccia patty, crispy streaky bacon, balsamic-glazed mushrooms, roasted vine tomato, toasted focaccia, and salsa verde
• Italian Avo & Garden Toast — Lemon & basil-crushed avocado on toasted sourdough, sun-dried tomato pesto, herb-marinated cherry tomatoes, toasted pistachios, and aged balsamic glaze

Signature Pastas

• Gochujang & Anchovy Oil Spaghetti — Spaghetti tossed in anchovy-infused olive oil with Korean gochujang, fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and rocket
• Smoked Salmon Arrabbiata Penne — Penne tossed in house-made arrabbiata sauce with smoked salmon, capers, Grana Padano, fresh dill, and lemon zest
• Truffle & Wild Mushroom Spaghetti — Spaghetti with balsamic-glazed wild mushrooms in garlic-infused olive oil, mushroom broth reduction, truffle oil drizzle, wild rocket, and grated parmesan

Frequently asked questions

Where is The Banker located?

The Banker is located at 60 Highbrook Drive in East Tāmaki, Auckland 2013.

What are The Banker's operating hours?

The Banker is open Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM, and Saturday to Sunday from 8:00 AM. Daytime service runs until early afternoon, followed by bar snacks from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and dinner from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM with last call at 8:30 PM.

Does The Banker take table reservations?

Yes, table bookings and private dining arrangements can be made by calling +64 9 379 6434 or emailing the restaurant directly.

Does the menu cater to dietary requirements like gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan?

Yes, the menu clearly marks dietary options including gluten-free (GF), vegetarian (V), and vegan (VG) items such as potato rösti, avocado garden toast, and mushroom gnocchi.

What kind of coffee and drinks are served?

The Banker serves specialty espresso, signature cold brews such as the Vanilla Sea Salt Brew, fresh smoothies, and teas from Noble & Sunday.

Does The Banker offer catering or event services?

Yes, The Banker offers catering for boardroom breakfasts, grazing tables, and hot lunches across East Tāmaki, as well as private dining and full venue hire for events.

Tips

• {"body":"Order the signature Vanilla Sea Salt Brew, which combines house cold brew with a vanilla sea salt cold foam topping.","title":"Try the Specialty Cold Brew"}
• {"body":"From 10:00 AM, the kitchen serves inventive signature pastas like the Gochujang & Anchovy Oil Spaghetti and Carbonara Double Burger.","title":"Look Beyond the Morning Classics"}
• {"body":"If short on time between meetings, check the front cabinet for grab-and-go lunch options and house-made tiramisu.","title":"Check the Cabinet for Fast Lunch"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options clearly indicated on the menu."}