The table is set — the Fork and Fame awards return to Commercial Bay for restaurant month
Following a seriously delicious debut in 2025, Commercial Bay's Fork and Fame Awards are back, and this year, they're bringing even more to the table.
For the first time, the 2026 Fork and Fame Awards have joined Heart of the City’s Restaurant Month programme. Over the month of August, Aucklanders have the perfect excuse to eat their way through Commercial Bay’s dining precinct, as this year, the awards’ focus is expanding beyond Harbour Eats. More than 35 eateries are included this year, serving everything from quick office lunches and casual bites to destination restaurants and must-try seasonal specials.
As part of restaurant month, voting power has been handed entirely to the public, to uncover and celebrate the cult favourites and unexpected hits that keep Aucklanders coming back.
The 2026 categories are perfectly specific, because there’s no such thing as too many ways to recognise a great dish. There’s Bang for Buck (dishes that deliver maximum flavour with minimal spend), Best Date Eats (shareable, flirty and unforgettable plates), Don’t Need Meat (standout plant-based options), and Don’t Wear White (gloriously indulgent dishes best enjoyed with zero regard for your outfit).
Also on the category lineup is Save Room for Dessert (the sweet treat worth saving space for), Zero Forks Given (the bites that call for no cutlery, and no shame about it), and the People’s Choice Award (your ultimate, unbeatable dish).
Returning for another year is Best Foods Mayonnaise, along with their wildcard award category — the Mayo ‘Mazing Award — challenging Commercial Bay’s eateries to get inventive with new dishes that creatively incorporate and celebrate the iconic hero ingredient. Last year, Fatima’s took home the title with its crowd-favourite A Great Fish Burger, taking mayo to legendary status.
With restaurant month already in full swing, consider this your sign to get eating. You can cast your vote throughout August via the dedicated Fork and Fame voting booth at the Commercial Bay Concierge desk, by scanning the QR codes located throughout the precinct, or by voting online.
And if the food alone isn't reason enough to make the trip, every vote you cast is a chance to win ‘Lunch for a Year’: a $5,000 Commercial Bay dining voucher to enjoy your favourite eateries all year round.
With only two weeks of restaurant month to go, the countdown is on to head to Commercial Bay and vote for your winners.
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