El Greco

About this place

El Greco is a family-owned Greek and Italian eatery at 1/1 The Esplanade, Campbells Bay, on Auckland's North Shore. It sits at the beach end of the Campbells Bay shops, minutes from Milford and Takapuna and roughly a 25-minute drive from the city centre. The restaurant is run by Kostas and Sarah Grigorakis; head chef Kostas was born and raised in Greece, and the kitchen leans on that background.

The menu is Mediterranean, combining Greek staples with Italian dishes. Meze platters, gyros, pizzas and pastas form the core of the offering, and the restaurant is noted by diners for generous portions and a good range of gluten-free options. There is a full bar, and El Greco also operates as a BYO — a point of difference on the Shore and the basis of its best-known accolade.

In 2022 El Greco was named Auckland's Best BYO, chosen ahead of eleven other shortlisted restaurants by a panel of food judges, with the award citing its Greek-Italian menu, relaxed atmosphere and service. The result was covered by Hospitality Business, The Shout and Concrete Playground.

Facilities include indoor and outdoor dining, wheelchair access, and takeaway service. Reservations are accepted, and the venue is dog-friendly. Trading hours run Tuesday to Saturday.

For group and event use, El Greco actively promotes itself for family, work and social get-togethers, and the owners note they have hosted many events at the restaurant. Off-site catering is also offered, with personalised menus built to brief — the business states it is experienced at catering for groups of 10 to 50 people, at home or at a workplace.

That combination — shareable Mediterranean food, BYO, a relaxed seaside setting and catering for up to about 50 — makes El Greco a sensible choice for team dinners, client entertaining, celebration lunches and small private functions on the North Shore. See more Auckland venues.