Hello Beasty

About Hello Beasty

Hello Beasty is a contemporary East Asian fusion restaurant located on the Viaduct Harbour waterfront in Auckland. Established by Chef Stuart Rogan, whose culinary journey began in 1989 and spanned Michelin-starred hotels to intimate kitchens worldwide, the restaurant delivers an energetic dining experience shaped by the bold flavours of Japan, Korea, and China.

The menu is designed around sharing, featuring a variety of small bites, raw seafood, hibachi-grilled skewers, dumplings, and substantial mains. Every dish reflects an ethos of complicated simplicity, balancing fresh New Zealand produce—such as line-caught fish and free-range meats—with punchy, layered Asian seasonings, homemade misos, and house-blended kimchis. Guests can dine inside surrounded by playful decor and vibrant murals, or take in the bustling waterfront atmosphere from the heart of Market Square.

Flavour-Packed East Asian Fusion on the Viaduct: The Story of Hello Beasty

Perched directly on Market Square along Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, Hello Beasty brings a vibrant, boundary-pushing approach to contemporary dining. Drawing on the street food culture, barbecue stalls, and comfort cuisine of Japan, Korea, and China, the restaurant translates these deep culinary traditions into a distinct modern New Zealand vernacular. Founded by Chef Stuart Rogan, Hello Beasty is the culmination of decades spent cooking across the globe, bringing together punchy flavours, meticulous craft, and an irrepressible sense of fun.

From Kitchen Whites to Waterfront Nights

Stuart Rogan's professional culinary journey began in 1989 when he stepped into a professional kitchen at the age of fifteen. From there, he never looked back, travelling the world with his whites and knife roll in tow. His experience ranges from high-end Michelin-star hotels to unpretentious six-table garages with kitchens barely the size of a bathtub. That breadth of global experience instilled a deep respect for authentic ingredients and street-side ingenuity, which directly shapes Hello Beasty's menu.

Rather than offering a standard coursed dinner, Hello Beasty approaches dining as an inclusive, shared experience. The restaurant champions dishes designed to be set down in the centre of the table for friends and family to pass around, dissect, and enjoy together.

Complicated Simplicity on the Plate

The culinary philosophy here revolves around what the kitchen terms a 'delicious kind of complicated simplicity.' Premium New Zealand ingredients—such as free-range proteins, Big Glory Bay salmon, and line-caught South Island fish—are combined with time-honoured East Asian sauces, ferments, and pastes.

The meal often starts with small bites: edamame seasoned with house moromi miso, Sichuan tuna tartare scooped up on crunchy black rice crackers, or cloud-soft shokupan Japanese milk bread served with confit garlic and miso brown butter. Dumplings and buns, including pork and ginger potstickers and steamed chicken and prawn dumplings bathed in smoked hock suprême butter, arrive steaming hot from the kitchen.

From the hibachi grill, skewers and slow-charred meats capture the smoky aroma of open-fire cooking. Standout centrepieces include the tender slow-cooked Coastal lamb shoulder tossed with red chilli, Sichuan sauce, coconut, and fresh mint, as well as the hearty char siu pork belly okonomiyaki layered with kimchi and bonito furikake. Vegetarian and gluten-free diners are equally well catered to, with dedicated menus highlighting plates like Korean fried cauliflower coated in sticky gochujang and savoury tofu dumplings.

The Waterfront Experience

Set between Little HQ and Oyster & Chop along Customs Street West, Hello Beasty features a dining room saturated with graphic art, neon touches, and an energetic buzz. Whether popping in for a quick lunch of chilli Sichuan noodles, ordering a Beasty Yuzu-shu Spritz alongside freshly shucked sashimi, or settling in for an extensive multi-course 'Feed Me' chef's selection, the restaurant provides an unpretentious, flavour-forward haven on Auckland’s waterfront.

Signature items

• KFC Korean fried cauliflower
• Slow-cooked Coastal Lamb shoulder
• Char siu pork belly Okonomiyaki
• Ruakaka Kingfish
• Kkwabaegi twisted donuts

Menu

Extras

• Iceberg, crunchita cos — Ginger + sesame
• Charred broccolini — Miso + sweet soy dressing, shaved bonito, crispy garlic, coriander
• Crispy fried brussels sprouts — Leek soubise, white miso dressing, smoked bacon + chilli Typhoon shelter
• Spring onion flatbread + green koji — Single flatbread piece
• Steamed Japanese rice — Steamed Japanese short-grain rice

Snacks

• Edamame — Chilli, moromi miso
• Nashi pear kimchi — Whipped cashew, shiso + chive
• Sichuan tuna tartare — Black rice crackers, avocado, tobiko + finger lime, chilli oil (1pc)
• Shokupan Japanese milk bread — Confit garlic, miso brown butter, shio kombu

Hibachi

• Wild caught Australian tiger prawns — Garlic + kombu butter, shichimi (4pc)
• Grain-fed eye-fillet kushiyaki — Karashi mustard, black pepper shallots, wasabi chimichurri (2pc)
• Gochugaru + annatto BBQ chicken — Roasted sesame + yuzu, spiced radish, pumpkin + sunflower seed crunch, lemon (2pc)
• BBQ half roast duck — Ginger + Japanese black vinegar, cucumber, coriander, Korean barbecue sauce, 4pc gua bao

Desserts

• Toasted marshmallow — Guava + prosecco sorbet, coconut caramel, poached rhubarb, raspberry + cookie crumb
• Kkwabaegi — Twisted donuts, chocolate fudge sauce, miso buttermilk caramel
• Crème brûlée cheesecake — Charred pineapple, makrut lime, passionfruit sorbet, chocolate crisp

Small Plates

• KFC Korean fried cauliflower — Spicy gochujang glaze, roasted sesame seeds
• Beasty fried chicken — Red chilli hot sauce, miso ranch, yuzu cucumber, lime
• Crispy soft-shell crab — XO chilli sauce, ginger, spring onion, fresh coriander, mint + bean sprouts, lime
• Prawn + crab toast — Seared grain-fed eye fillet, sweet + sour sauce, Japanese mayo, green onions

Bigger Plates

• Roasted Hapuka — South Island scampi, prawn + yuzu bisque, gai lan, brown butter almonds, fennel, coriander + green chilli
• Slow-cooked Coastal Lamb shoulder — Red chilli + Sichuan sauce, sesame, coconut, coriander + mint
• Wok-fried black pepper eye-fillet — Cumin, chilli jam, onion, garlic shoots, Japanese black vinegar, soy, crispy shallots
• Chilli Sichuan noodles — Wok-fried pork mince, mustard greens, black vinegar, spring onion, coriander, roasted peanuts
• Char siu pork belly Okonomiyaki — Mung bean + Japanese rice, kimchi, spicy bulldog sauce, kewpie, bonito furikake
• Roasted eggplant + kimchi Okonomiyaki — Mungbean, savoy, spring onion, Japanese mayo, spicy bulldog sauce, togarashi emulsion, sesame seeds

Raw + Cold Cuts

• Ruakaka Kingfish — Green chilli, coconut, fresh lime + fish sauce, cucumber, Thai basil
• Beasty sashimi selection — Big Glory Bay salmon, garlic chive, basil + finger lime, market tuna, wasabi cream, Ruakaka kingfish, charred jalapeño
• Cucumber + fennel salad — Green sesame sauce, dill, mint + coriander, silken tofu, crunchy chilli + almonds
• Burrata — Yuxiang sauce, roasted peanuts, spring onion, sesame + chilli crisp (with flatbread)

Potstickers + Buns

• Pork + ginger potstickers — Spring onion, garlic shoot, chilli crisp + black vinegar (6pc)
• Spiced tofu savoy cabbage + spinach dumplings — Schezwan tomato + sesame sauce, peanut, chickpea furikake (5pc)
• Steamed chicken + prawn dumplings — Smoked hock suprême butter, chilli shallot (3pc)
• Nikuman sticky beef cheek buns — Japanese black vinegar, chilli jam (2pc)

Frequently asked questions

Where is Hello Beasty located?

Hello Beasty is situated at Market Square, 95-97 Customs Street West on Viaduct Harbour in Auckland, between Little HQ and Oyster & Chop.

What style of cuisine does Hello Beasty serve?

The restaurant serves contemporary New Zealand fusion cuisine inspired by the vibrant culinary traditions of Japan, Korea, and China.

Can I book a table online?

Yes, bookings for up to 7 people can be made directly online via their website. Larger groups of 8 or more are handled through their group dining team.

Are there options for vegetarians and coeliacs?

Yes, Hello Beasty provides dedicated Vegetarian and No Added Gluten menus with clear markings for vegan and coeliac-safe dishes.

What are the restaurant's opening hours?

Hello Beasty is open seven days a week, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm Monday through Sunday.

Is there a surcharge for card payments?

Credit card and contactless payments incur a 1.5% surcharge.

Tips

• {"body":"If you are dining with two or more people, consider the 'Feed Me' sharing menus ($75pp or $95pp) to sample the kitchen's standout dishes without having to choose.","title":"Trust the Chef's Selection"}
• {"body":"Ask your server for the dedicated vegetarian or 'no added gluten' menus, which clearly specify coeliac-safe and vegan-adaptable plates.","title":"Request Dietary Menus Directly"}
• {"body":"Complement the spicy, fermented flavours of the dishes with Japanese umeshu, artisanal local sake, or one of the house Asian-inspired cocktails.","title":"Explore the Drinks Selection"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Dedicated vegetarian, vegan, and coeliac-friendly menus available.","payments":"Credit card and contactless payments incur a 1.5% surcharge."}