Traditional
Mediterranean
Cuisine
53 Fort Street
Auckland CBD, 1010
her vision
Ima Cuisine specialises in authentic Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern home-style food owned and run by notable chef, Yael Shochat. Yael is a Jewish New Zealander born in Haifa, and has been sharing her intense love of Middle Eastern food to kiwis in the city for over 20 years.
We are an independent, owner-operated business built around Yael’s philosophy of cooking like a mother, not a chef. This means good, nourishing food that lifts your spirit, paired with a few little treats. It’s only fitting that “Ima” means “mother” in Hebrew.
We are an all-day restaurant, serving up breakfast, lunch, dinner and a cabinet full of pastries, sandwiches, salads and sweet treats. Love is poured into every morsel as we make everything onsite and fresh from scratch; our bread, sausages, our pickles, our preserves. We even cure and smoke our own meat and fish. We source our ingredients from local growers at the Wesley and Avondale market.
Growing up in Haifa, Yael was deeply inspired by indigenous Palestinian food and hospitality as well as dishes from across the Middle East. Continuously pushing boundaries, Yael explores innovative techniques to bring rare delicacies to Kiwi tables. Specializing in meticulously crafted Middle Eastern dishes, she remains unwavering in her commitment to sourcing only the finest ingredients to recreate the true essence of these recipes within New Zealand's borders. At Ima Cuisine we pay homage to this cuisine and are deeply committed to Palestinian liberation as well as serving our local community.
Dine with us
Please feel free to access our online reservation system to secure your table for an exceptional culinary journey. We look forward to welcoming you on your chosen date.
AN AUTHENTIC DINING EXPERIENCE
At Ima Cuisine we specialise in the true Middle Eastern family-style or "mezze-style" meal. This is particularly true of our dinner menu. It's a little different to the traditional 3-course menu as you build your meal around a wide variety of small plates designed to go together. These are the essentials that provide ritualised generosity and balance; of protein to vegetables, of creaminess to tang, soft dips and crunchy falafel. Middle Eastern mums want the table to look full and inviting from the start and we want everyone to have a taste of everything. Let us introduce you to authentic Middle Eastern dining without the long flight and expensive airfare.
HOST YOUR EVENT AT IMA
CUISINE OF THE SUN
Ima Cuisine has been making authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean in the Auckland CBD for over 20 years. This cuisine centres health and longevity with a focus on fresh salads, vegetables, legumes and handfuls of herbs in every meal. The cuisine is not strictly vegetarian by any means but salads and vegetables are not side dishes. They take centre stage! That’s what makes our menu so special. Getting your fill of healthy plant fibre and protein means more room for a sweet treat… It's all about balance!
