Ada Restaurant is housed within The Convent Hotel in Grey Lynn, a restored 1920s former nunnery blending heritage architecture with contemporary hospitality. The restaurant's name pays tribute to Sister Ada, a nun who once cooked every meal for the community housed in this same building.
Today, Ada carries her legacy forward in a light-filled atrium, serving a seasonal Modern European menu designed for sharing - a dining experience recognised in the 2026 Michelin Guide. The menu runs from breakfast through to small plates, large plates and dessert, alongside a substantial wine list, cocktails and a curated six-course tasting menu called The Ada Experience.
From uniquely appointed suites to the shared table, Ada invites guests to experience a sanctuary where rich history, exceptional food and genuine hospitality come together.
Ada Restaurant occupies a restored 1920s former nunnery in Grey Lynn, part of The Convent Hotel, blending heritage architecture with contemporary hospitality. The building's history runs through the restaurant's name itself - Ada is a tribute to Sister Ada, a nun who once cooked every meal for the community that lived in this same space.
Today, Ada carries that legacy forward in a light-filled atrium, serving a seasonal Modern European menu designed for sharing. The restaurant's dining experience has been recognised in the 2026 Michelin Guide, a reflection of the kitchen's approach to heritage produce and contemporary technique.
Breakfast covers dishes like The Daily Bread with toasted rēwena sourdough, an ADA Avocado plate with whipped avocado and beetroot hummus, and Sister's Benedict - poached eggs, focaccia, heirloom carrots and hollandaise, named in tribute to the building's original resident. The Full Confession serves as the fuller cooked breakfast, loading bacon, pork sausage, potato cake and halloumi onto one plate.
The lunch and dinner menu opens with small plates built for sharing - oysters with rescue gin and champagne vinaigrette, a duck liver pâté with Doris plum jelly, and a wagyu tartare finished with fresh truffle and hen's egg. Fish crudo and tiger prawns cover the lighter seafood side, while lamb bon bons and pumpkin and mushroom croquettes round out the small plates.
Large plates lean into confident, technique-driven cooking: a lamb loin with pea fricassée, a wagyu beef rump with cauliflower purée and black garlic jus, and a beetroot risotto finished with fresh truffle for the vegetarian option. Duck fat potatoes and roasted heirloom carrots with hot honey are among the sides.
For a fuller taste of the kitchen's range, Ada offers a curated six-course tasting menu called The Ada Experience, designed to be shared across the table and moving through schiacciata, fish crudo, lamb bon bon, wagyu beef rump, duck fat potatoes and a poached pear dessert.
Ada's cocktail list plays on the building's history, with drinks like the Nun's Breakfast (vodka, flat white and cold brew) and Chapel Fire Margarita sitting alongside more classic combinations like the Cardinal, a gin, vermouth and Campari mix. The wine list runs deep across champagne and sparkling, white, rosé, red and dessert wine, spanning New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and the United States, with selections ranging from approachable by-the-glass pours through to serious cellar bottles like Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Grand Cru Champagne.
Ada asks guests to advise their server of any dietary requirements or allergies, and offers decaf coffee and alternative milks at no extra charge.
Ada Restaurant is located at 454 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, within The Convent Hotel. For anyone after a Michelin-recognised Modern European dining experience in a genuinely unique heritage setting, Ada's atrium, sharing menu and Sister Ada story make it a distinctive stop in Grey Lynn.