Golden Sands Bistro sits right on The Esplanade at Eastern Beach, Auckland, doing exactly what its tagline promises: where memories and meals are made. It is a laid-back, beachside bistro inspired by the coastal beauty of New Zealand — a warm, inviting spot where friends and family gather, relax and linger a little longer than planned.
The kitchen is built on fresh, locally sourced ingredients shaped into generous, crowd-pleasing dishes. Signature seafood platters lead the way, backed by hearty burgers and vibrant vegetarian options, so there is something on the table for every palate. Drinks are treated with equal care: perfectly crafted cocktails, glasses of local wine, and artisanal coffee poured from the bistro's new coffee bar.
Golden Sands is more than a restaurant — it styles itself a community hub where good times and live music come alive. Weekly events bring live performances, beach-themed celebrations and exclusive food and drink specials, and there are dedicated Bottomless sessions and a Golden Hour for those in the know.
Founded by Sachin Chaudhry and Gurpreet Kaur out of a love of great food, the beach and bringing people together, the bistro pairs ocean-inspired décor with classic Kiwi hospitality. Whether you are drifting in after a day on the sand or marking a special occasion, it aims to make every day feel like a beach holiday.
On The Esplanade at Eastern Beach, a short stroll from the sand, Golden Sands Bistro trades on a simple promise: where memories and meals are made. It is a beachside bistro in the truest sense — relaxed, warm and shaped by the coastal landscape around it, with ocean-inspired décor and a soundtrack that often includes live music.
Golden Sands Bistro was founded by Sachin Chaudhry and Gurpreet Kaur out of a love of great food, the beach, and the joy of bringing people together. The idea was never just to serve dinner. From the day the doors opened in Eastern Beach, the vision was a space where friends gather, families bond, and strangers become regulars — a little slice of paradise for locals and passers-through alike.
That community spirit runs through everything. The bistro describes itself as a hub where good times come alive, hosting weekly events with live performances, beach-themed celebrations and exclusive food and drink specials. The team's aim, in their own words, is for every day to feel like a beach holiday.
The kitchen leans on fresh, locally sourced ingredients — the finest of local and global produce, as they put it — crafted into dishes that evoke sea, sun and sand. The signature move is the seafood platter: a generous, shareable spread of fresh seafood that has become the bistro's calling card. Alongside it sit hearty burgers for the hungry and vibrant vegetarian options so no one at the table is left out.
The drinks list keeps pace. Expect perfectly crafted cocktails, glasses of local New Zealand wine, and — a newer addition — artisanal coffee from the bistro's own coffee bar, ideal for a slower, beachside-paced afternoon.
Two house traditions are worth planning around. Bottomless sessions offer the bistro's take on the endless food-and-drink format, while Golden Hour brings its own specials. Layer on weekly live performances and themed celebrations, and there is usually something happening beyond the regular menu — it pays to check what's on before you visit.
The vibe is deliberately laid-back: come straight off the sand, settle in with friends, and let the meal stretch. It is equally at home hosting a casual family lunch or a special occasion, with the team's take on Kiwi hospitality front and centre.
Golden Sands Bistro is at 32 The Esplanade, Eastern Beach, Auckland. It opens Monday to Friday from 11am to 9pm, and weekends from 9am to 9pm, with a lunch break from 2:30pm to 5pm — worth timing around. Bookings can be made through the Book Now page on the website. Questions, groups or special occasions can be directed to the team by phone on +64 9 534 1989 or via [email protected], and new menu drops, events and live music line-ups appear on their Facebook and Instagram pages.