Design destination

A real trip for your taste buds, at just-opened bar-taverna Daphnes, Greece is the word.

Daphnes.

After selling their Auckland hotspots Odettes Eatery and Hugo’s, hospitality gurus Clare and Joost van den Berg planned to take a break, but as the saying goes, you can take the restaurateurs out of the restaurants… While on their sabbatical, Joost found himself on the trail of a new location, and when he discovered this one, he knew he was onto something. It was a definite yes from Clare too, who loved the charm and character of the standalone Ponsonby Road building. Welcome to Daphnes…

You guys have opened some iconic Auckland eateries in your time, Clare, including Herne Bay café Zus & Zo and Takapuna’s Zomer. What sparks your imagination?

It’s always about creating something with a difference, something we believe is missing in the city and somewhere we’d like to go ourselves.

How did you land on the idea for this Greek-taverna-style restaurant?

We went to Greece on a family holiday in 2018 and absolutely loved everything about it. Sitting in a taverna in Paros, we discussed opening one in Auckland; the idea seemed wild at the time, but we’ve made it happen!

Most people think whitewashed walls and sea blues when they think of Greece, but here you’ve opted for something richer…

We wanted to do the unexpected, yet with definite nods to Greece. Terracotta’s another colour of the Mediterranean, so we’ve combined tonal terracotta hues, including the beautiful salmon that frames the exterior, with navy and

THIS PAGE “The colours I used are bold and it took some time to find the exact matches I was looking for, but I absolutely love Porter’s Paints for their off-tones and matte, eggshell finish,” says Clare. OPPOSITE Sydney sisters Sefton & Segedin created this artwork, My Daughters, in the front bar. The trio of Opal pendant lights in this zone are by Ferm Living from Slow.