At the heart of every great city, there is a fish market. Or at least, there should be. Which is why it should come as no surprise that Auckland, a global destination in the throes of doing some serious growing up, has just seen one emerge in the waterside precinct of Wynyard Quarter. Spearheaded by Sanford — New Zealand’s oldest and largest fishing company — whose primary vision is to feed premium local seafood to local residents, the new Fish Market, open today, will enshrine ethical awareness and celebrate the intrinsic relationship New Zealanders have with their kai moana. 

At the centre of the vast space, brought to life by Izzard Design and situated alongside Sanford’s headquarters at the corner of Jellicoe and Daldy Streets, is the principle fishmonger, whose daily catch arrives on the nearby Halsey Wharf. It is here that the crux of the concept comes to life with piscine experts on hand to enlighten shoppers about various species, preparation, and methods of cooking. One of Sanford’s main goals is to encourage visitors to try fish other than the main five (snapper, tarakihi, salmon, gurnard and hoki) and in doing so, promote the sustainable consumption of seafood.

Furthermore, an array of food vendors — some of them seafood-driven and others not — have culminated in the creation of a fully fledged food market offering, whereby visitors are able to purchase from the stall of their choice and enjoy a delicious feast in the common seating areas which have space for up to 400 diners. From the poke bowls of Hawaiian- and Pacific-inspired Ika Bowl and an offering from beloved Peruvian- Japanese restaurant Azabu, through to the wood-fired ‘Super Pizzas’ and a tasty Thai joint from Ex-Tok Tok chef Cameron Knox, the newly forged Fish Market is bound to have something for everyone.