Lilian

About Lilian

Lilian is a beloved European-influenced neighbourhood osteria and wine bar nestled in Grey Lynn, Auckland. Centred around an authentic woodfired oven, the kitchen prepares an inventive menu designed for sharing, moving effortlessly from raw seafood and fresh breads to handcrafted pizzas, roasted meats, and seasonal vegetables.

With warm timber interiors, thoughtful hospitality, and a lively, welcoming hum, Lilian functions as both a casual spot for mid-week dinners and a celebratory gathering place for weekend lunches and long evenings. Complementing the shared dining format is an extensive beverage program featuring classic and inventive house cocktails, local craft beers on tap, and an expansive list of natural, organic, and classic European and New Zealand wines.

Lilian Grey Lynn: Auckland’s Vibrant Woodfired Osteria and Wine Bar

Perched on the lively strip of Richmond Road in Grey Lynn, Lilian has firmly established itself as one of Auckland’s standout neighbourhood dining destinations. Blending the relaxed warmth of a European wine bar with the energy of a bustling osteria, the restaurant strikes an effortless balance between unpretentious hospitality and culinary craft. At the core of the experience is an open woodfired oven that sends warmth, woodsmoke aromas, and a steady stream of beautifully blistered plates straight out into the dining room.

The kitchen operates on a sharing philosophy where dishes are sent to the table as soon as they are ready. Diners often begin with pillowy rounds of woodfired bread, designed to be torn apart and swiped through decadent accompaniments such as creamy burrata, whipped snapper roe with pickled radish, or silky chicken liver parfait. Raw seafood also features prominently, including fresh daily market oysters and thinly sliced raw market fish brightened with seasonal citrus, red onion, and capers.

Woodfired Craft and Shared Plates

Moving through the menu, the cooking highlights seasonal produce kissed by flame. Smaller plates offer bold contrasts in texture and flavor, from woodfired eggplant drizzled with agrodolce and macadamia to melt-in-the-mouth lamb ribs coated in rich black garlic and crushed pistachios. Those looking for greens will find charred cabbage paired with caraway cream and prosciutto, or crisp endive balanced with pear and red leicester.

Pizzas are cooked rapidly at high heat, emerging with airy, blistered crusts and distinctive topping combinations. Alongside a classic tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil, options range from pancetta, potato, and caramelised onion to savory Ortiz anchovies with stracciatella and fresh chilli, or tender clams tossed with garlic, parsley, and pecorino. For larger appetites, substantial mains include woodfired octopus atop soft polenta, duck breast with pickled radicchio, and dry-aged bone-in steaks served with concentrated roasting sauces.

Natural Wines and Welcoming Community Charm

Complementing the kitchen is a thoughtfully curated drinks list that embraces local and international producers. The wine selection showcases a strong roster of natural, organic, and skin-contact wines alongside classical European appellations and New Zealand varietals. Creative house cocktails, refreshing zero-proof concoctions, and local craft beers on tap round out the bar offerings.

Whether dropping by for an express weekday lunch, sipping an aperitif on a sunny afternoon, or settling into a booth for a long, wine-soaked evening, Lilian captures the convivial spirit of neighbourhood dining done exceptionally well. It remains a fixture of Grey Lynn where locals and visitors gather over honest food, generous flavours, and effortless charm.

Signature items

• Woodfired bread
• Lamb Ribs
• Raw market fish
• Ortiz anchovy woodfired pizza
• Tiramisu
• Mandarin & white chocolate bombe alaska

Menu

Bigger

• Woodfired octopus — Served with chard, polenta & fermented chilli
• Market fish — Accompanied by mussels, confit leeks & smoked albariño sauce
• Poached market fish — Crayfish butter, duck fat potato & grilled greens
• Duck breast — Served with pickled radicchio & parsnip
• Bavette — Bone marrow bordelaise & duck fat potato
• Dry aged t-bone steak — Served with roast bone sauce
• Dry aged Porterhouse steak — Served with roast bone sauce

Smaller

• Baby cos — Ranch dressing, parmesan crumb & lemon
• Endive — Piqa boo pear, red leicester, pickled shallots & walnuts
• Grilled cabbage — Caraway cream, dukkah & prosciutto
• Woodfired eggplant — Macadamia & agrodolce
• Lamb Ribs — Glazed with black garlic & pistachio
• Grilled beef tongue — Tonnato, capers & rhubarb mostarda
• Clams — Fennel, roast garlic & chorizo pangrattato

To Start

• Market oyster — Fresh market oyster
• Raw market fish — Served with cara cara orange, red onion & capers
• Woodfired bread — Freshly baked woodfired bread
• Marinated olives — Marinated table olives
• Whipped snapper roe — Served with pickled radish & dill
• Anchovy & caramelised onion butter — Rich savoury compound butter for bread
• Burrata — Fresh creamy burrata cheese
• Pickled mussels — Accompanied by cucumber, chilli & horseradish
• Chicken liver parfait — Smooth chicken liver parfait
• Beef tartare — Prepared with chicken fat, roasted peppers & fried potatoes

Cocktails

• Acqua di Cedro Lemonade Sour — Lemon verbena infused Burnt Hill vodka, Acqua di Cedro liquore, balm mint
• Cosmopolita — Vodka, apple, elderflower, chilli, basil
• Strawberry Guava Daiquiri — NZ RumCo McJaggery rum, strawberry cherry guava, lime, mint
• Caña Blanca Mojito — Pineapple, Carta Blanca, coconut, mint, fizz
• Blood Orange & Habanero Margarita — Arette tequila blanco, blood orange, lime, habanero
• Raspberry Matcha Sour — Raspberry infused gin, 144 Vermouth #3, matcha, whites
• Loquat & Nasturtium Martini — 1919 gin, mandarin, dry vermouth, mandarin hibiscus, nasturtium
• Plum & Proper — Black Doris plum infused dark rum, honey, Angostura bitters
• Mandarin Montenegro Boulevardier — Amaro Montenegro, Eltom Distilling bourbon, mandarin, hibiscus, orange blossom

To Finish

• Tiramisu — Classic Italian dessert
• Choux bun — Peanut, dark chocolate ice cream & rum soaked prunes
• Mandarin & white chocolate bombe alaska — Flambéed meringue dessert

Beer & Cider

• McLeods Longboarder Lager — On tap lager, 5.0% ABV
• Canyon Brewing Hazy Pale Ale — On tap hazy pale ale, 5.2% ABV
• Sawmill IPA — On tap IPA, 5.8% ABV
• Heineken Lager — 330ml bottle, 5% ABV
• Hallertau #2 Pale Ale — 330ml bottle, 5.3% ABV
• McLeods Brewery Seasonal IPA — 440ml can, 6.8% ABV
• Canyon Brewing ‘The Front’ Pilsner — 330ml can, 4.9% ABV
• Sawmill Ultra Low Carb Lager — 330ml bottle, 4.2% ABV
• Hallertau Granny Apple Cider — 330ml bottle, 5.1% ABV
• The Earls Drop Methode Apple Cider — 750ml bottle, 2019 vintage
• McLeod’s Northern Light Lager — Low alcohol beer, 2.3% ABV
• State Of Play Nectaron Hazy Pale Ale — Zero alcohol beer, 0% ABV
• State Of Play IPA — Zero alcohol beer, 0% ABV

Non Alcoholic

• NA Amaretti Cherry Sour — Lyre’s Amaretti, sour cherry, lemon, whites, zero ABV Angostura
• Blackberry Lychee Bramble — Lychee, Lilian botanical, blackberry, lime, fizz
• Feijoa & Botanicals (0%) — House-made tonic, butterfly pea flower, Lyre's non-alc gin, feijoa
• Cranberry Grove Fizz — Cranberries, botanical hydrosol, coconut water, rosemary, fizz
• Rhubarb Iced Tea — Zealong black tea, rhubarb, lemon, zero ABV Angostura
• Coca-cola — Classic soft drink
• Coca-cola Zero — Sugar-free soft drink
• Lilian Limonata — House lemonade
• Lilian Zingibeer — House ginger beer
• Antipodes Sparkling Water — 1000ml bottle

Woodfired Pizza

• Tomato, mozzarella & basil — Classic woodfired pizza
• Potato, pancetta & mozzarella — Rosemary & caramelised onions
• Coppa & cherry tomato — Finished with pecorino & rocket
• Spicy sausage & mozzarella — Garlic, sliced lemon & rocket
• Chorizo & mozzarella — Fermented chilli cream, pickled onions & oregano
• Prosciutto & grapes — Parmesan & fresh thyme
• Ortiz anchovy & tomato — Parmesan, stracciatella, basil & chilli
• Clams & garlic — Parsley, chilli & pecorino

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lilian located?

Lilian is located at 472 Richmond Road in Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.

What kind of food does Lilian serve?

Lilian serves a European-inspired, woodfired shared dining menu that includes woodfired bread, raw seafood, small sharing plates, woodfired pizzas, and classic desserts.

What are Lilian's opening hours?

Lilian is open Monday from 6:00 pm until late, Tuesday from 5:00 pm until late, Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00 pm until late, and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

Does Lilian cater to dietary requirements?

Yes, the menu includes items marked as no added gluten (NAG), dairy-free (DF), vegetarian (V), and vegan (VE), with several other dishes adaptable upon request.

How can I contact Lilian for takeaway orders or same-day booking changes?

You can message the host directly via their dedicated Lilian WhatsApp service for takeaway requests or same-day booking modifications.

How do group bookings work at Lilian?

Bookings of 16 people or fewer can be made through the website's booking page, while larger groups of 17 or more, as well as private dining enquiries, should contact the team via email.

Tips

• {"body":"The woodfired bread comes straight from the oven and is best enjoyed paired with burrata, chicken liver parfait, or whipped snapper roe.","title":"Always Order the Bread and Add-ons"}
• {"body":"From Wednesday to Sunday between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm, an express lunch set is available for sharing among groups of two or more.","title":"Try the Express Lunch for Daytime Dining"}
• {"body":"If you need to change booking details on the day of your visit or want to organise a takeaway, message their host directly on WhatsApp.","title":"Use WhatsApp for Same-Day Updates"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Extensive dietary options including no added gluten, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan options clearly marked on the menu."}