Metro's top restaurants revealed

Auckland's best restaurant was announced last night by Metro magazine.

Al Brown's Depot, located on Federal St in the central city, took out Auckland's Top Restaurant and Best City Bistro awards, while five-time previous Supreme Award winner The French Cafe was the runner-up.

So what makes a good restaurant good and a bad restaurant bad?

Metro Restaurant Awards judge Simon Wilson says that there was "a team of judges" who individually experience each nominated restaurant.

"Obviously the food" is the primary part of judging, but "service is the thing that separates the best from the rest".

"It's the experience of sitting in a restaurant that makes the place memorable and makes you want to go back."

Watch the full interview with Simon Wilson.

Top 50 restaurants (in alphabetical order)
Baduzzi
Bracu
Cable Bay
Café Hanoi
Casita Miro
Cassia
Cazador
Cibo
Clooney
Coco’s Cantina
Cocoro
Depot
Ebisu
Eight.Two
Farina
Federal Delicatessen
Gusto at the Grand
Ima
Kazuya
Masu by Nic Watt
Matterhorn
Merediths
Molten
Moochowchow
O’Connell St Bistro
Odettes
Orphans Kitchen
Ortolana
Ostro
Pilkingtons
Poderi Crisci
Ponsonby Rd Bistro
Prego
Rosie
Sidart
Siostra
Soul
SPQR
Te Whau
The Blue Breeze Inn
The Engine Room
The French Café
The Grill
The Grove
The Oyster Inn
The Shed, Te Motu
The Sugar Club
The White Rabbit
Vinnies
Woodpecker Hill