What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 12pm - 2pm 5:30pm - 10pm Wednesday 12pm - 2pm 5:30pm - 10pm Thursday 12pm - 2pm 5:30pm - 10pm Friday 12pm - 2pm 5:30pm - 10pm Saturday 12pm - 2pm 5:30pm - 10pm

Cocoro

Japanese Cuisine cocoro is located on a quiet side street off the busy Ponsonby Road, in an old brick building.
(336)

Tue-Sat
Lunch 12:00-14:00
Dinner 17:30-22:00

cocoro means 'the heart and soul' in Japanese, we have chosen this name because we aim at providing our food and service with all our heart and soul. The restaurant seats a maximum of 40 people with tables along the walls, and a large communal table in the middle. The large communal table is designed so that couples or smaller groups sit on the same

side next to each other for a more intimate experience. At dinner service, we place our focus on providing an "ichi-go ichi-e" experience with our seven course degustation menu, therefore it is the only menu available with reservations. A la carte menu is available for dinner with our 'Tapas' menu but reservation will not be taken. We are also open for lunch services with a la carte menu, reservations are welcome. Our wine list covers wines from New Zealand and other parts of the world with an emphasis on organic/biodynamic varieties. We also have a wide range of Japanese Sake, only "Jun Mai" pure rice sake is served.

02/04/2026

Cheval Blanc X Cocoro X Ōra King

For two nights only, Michelin 1-star chef Yoshishige Yamamoto of Restaurant Cheval Blanc in Japan will join Makoto at Cocoro to present a very special collaboration degustation.

A true dialogue between two chefs, the menu will celebrate Aotearoa’s exceptional ingredients - including Ōra King Salmon and a selection of carefully sourced artisan produce.

Both chefs are proud ambassadors of Ōra King, bringing a shared philosophy and deep respect for this remarkable ingredient to each course.

Date: Thursday & Friday, 23–24 April 2026
Time: Book a time that suits you between 5:30pm–8:00pm
Degustation: $260 per person
Optional wine/sake pairing: $160 per person
Optional non-alcoholic pairing: $95 per person

*Due to the nature of this event, please advise us in advance of any dietary requirements for you or your guests*

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Cheval Blanc × Cocoro × Ōra King

日本からレストラン Cheval Blanc のミシュラン一つ星シェフ、山本義茂氏をお迎えし、Cocoro の徳山真人とともに、2日間限定の特別コラボレーションディナーを開催いたします。

二人のシェフによる対話から生まれるこのコースでは、Ōra King サーモンをはじめ、厳選されたニュージーランドの素晴らしい食材の魅力を存分に表現いたします。

両シェフはともに Ōra King のアンバサダーとして、この特別な食材に対する共通の哲学と深い敬意を料理に込めてお届けいたします。

⸻

日程：2026年4月23日（木）・24日（金）
時間：17:30〜20:00の間でお好きなお時間をご予約ください
コース料金：お一人様 $260
ワイン／日本酒ペアリング（オプション）：$160
ノンアルコールペアリング（オプション）：$95

本イベントの特性上、アレルギーやお食事制限がある場合は、事前に必ずお知らせくださいますようお願い申し上げます。

25/03/2026

Join us this April as we welcome you across the public holidays.

We are pleased to remain open on public holidays with no surcharge, so you can relax and enjoy the long weekend with ease.

— Open —
• Good Friday, 3rd April
• ANZAC Day, Saturday 25th April

— Closed in lieu —
• Tuesday 7th April (in place of Good Friday)
• Tuesday 28th April (in place of ANZAC Day)

We look forward to welcoming you over the holiday season.
Reservations are warmly encouraged.

21/03/2026

Château Palmer × Cocoro

An evening paying homage to the iconic Château Palmer, beautifully intertwined with the precision and elegance of Japanese cuisine.

A night where tradition, craftsmanship, and culture came together in the most seamless way.

Working with Margaux wines alongside Japanese cuisine was both a challenge and a discovery - two worlds that don’t often collide, requiring a careful balance of structure, subtlety, and expression to truly complement one another.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the night so special.
And a special thank you to Peter Maude Fine Wine for the opportunity to be part of such a memorable collaboration.

Truly a celebration of harmony across worlds.

30/01/2026

Valentine’s Day Omakase menu at Cocoro

Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with our special Omakase menu. Indulge in a romantic dining experience featuring meticulously crafted dishes that blend traditional Japanese flavor with New Zealand fresh produce. This year, being a Saturday, this special Omakase is available for lunch as well. Book from our website now to secure your table.

23/12/2025

Cocoro will be open over the next few weeks up to the 17th January 2026 as usual, and will only be closed on the statutory holidays. So if you are in Auckland, we are here to satisfied your sashimi cravings once you have had enough of ham and BBQs.

We will take our summer break between the 18th January to the 3rd February 2026. Reopening on Wednesday the 4th February energised for the new challenges in 2026.

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27/11/2025

It is our honour to be once again included in the La Liste’s Top 1000 Restaurants in the world for 2026, amongst some of peers in NZ near and far.

We would not be able to achieve this without our customers and suppliers. Therefore this post is more about thanking every one of you.

To our suppliers, we know the business climate has not been as great as we all wanted but thank you for continuing to have trust in your amazing products and produce so we can have some of the best in the world to work with.

To our customers, just thank you for letting loose of your tighten wallet to dine out. Trusting that we will provide you with more than just “restaurant food” but an enjoyable dinning experience.

Of course, we appreciated all members of our team that have put in the hard work too!

13/10/2025

Giulio Sturla of Mapu will once again join force with our owner chef Makoto Tokuyama at Cocoro, specially on 28th and 29th October to bring you their special collaboration degustation.

A food story told with incredible New Zealand ingredients through two different culinary cultures will definitely be an outstanding experience.

Previous collab events with Giulio have always booked out quickly. Thus we will be offering two special nights this time.
Each night will be with smaller capacity to give the chefs a chance to serve their dishes directly to our guests and answer any questions you might have.

Date: Tuesday & Wednesday, 28-29th October 2025 Time: pick a start time that suits you between 5:30pm-8pm Ticket price: $230 per person Menu: Snacks + 5 Courses

*Due to the nature of the event, please communicate with us prior to buying your tickets if you have dietary restrictions.

26/08/2025

FINAL DAYS — Cocoro Truffle Degustation
An Ode to the Périgord Black Truffle — Nature’s Black Gold at Its Finest.

Tomorrow is your last opportunity to savour a five-course culinary journey, each plate delicately composed to honour the deep, earthy allure of fresh Riwaka truffle — now at the height of its season.

$160 per guest | Truffle graces every course

Reservation is essential
Phone: 09-360 0927 | Book online

A fleeting luxury, not to be missed.

23/08/2025

We will be opened on Father’s Day 7th Sep. this year for both lunch and dinner services. All our usual degustations are available, alongside with this amazing 4-courses father’s day special at $118 per person.

-Cocoro welcome snacks trio
-Your choice of entree from our predefined options including sashimi, karaage chicken, tempura salad and more
-Chirashi sushi or Wagyu don for main
-Dessert

Book online today and make sure you choose the “Father’s Day 4-courses Special” when you do.

Or call us on 09-3600927 if you need any further information.

18/07/2025

The long-awaited seasonal truffle course is back at Cocoro!

Winter brings with it the return of our most celebrated indulgence — the Périgord Black Truffle, also known as black gold, now in peak season right here in New Zealand.

Experience a 5-course truffle journey: $160pp 4 refined snacks + 3 elegant dishes including dessert, with truffle featured in every element.

For the main event, choose between: Chatham Island Crayfish Tail
Or A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Sirloin steak
 Both accompanied by Olliff Farm egg ramen and Hiratake oyster mushrooms.

Available from Saturday 19th July, for a limited time only — until the truffle season fades.
 📞 24hr pre-order essential | Book via phone: 09-360 0927

Limited Seasonal luxury. Don’t miss out.

18/06/2025

To celebrate Matariki, chef has tailored our Cocoro Degustation into a special Matariki edition with additional focus on Aotearoa Kai Moana. Check out the full menu and simply book for our Cocoro Degustation over this Matariki weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) for dinner.

Also open for lunch as usual with our a la carte menu. No surcharge for both lunch and dinner.

Come visit us before we take a 2 and a half week winter break from this Sunday the 22nd. Otherwise, we will see you from 10th July onwards.

15/06/2025

Ebisu Endo X Fujimoto Junichi X Cocoro

Ichigo - Ichie • A Once in a Lifetime Omakase Experience

World-renowned omakase sushi chef Endo Norihito, owner of Ebisu Endo Tokyo, will take on Aotearoa’s finest kai moana for the first time, exclusively at Cocoro.

Over three unforgettable nights, Endo will present a meticulously crafted 20-course omakase sushi experience, showcasing seasonal New Zealand seafood prepared using traditional 「Ikijime」 techniques performed by Japan’s most acclaimed fisherman, Fujimoto Junichi.

Additionally Endo will be sharing the Japan Limited 「Aramasa」 sake to pair with craftsmanship.

This one-of-a-kind collaboration will be held from June 27th to 29th at Cocoro, in a private 8-seater dining room.
Seats are extremely limited — this is a rare opportunity to witness the intersection of Japanese mastery and New Zealand’s natural bounty.

Session Times (All Start Promptly):
• Fri 27 June – Dinner at 7:00pm
• Sat 28 June – Lunch at 12:30pm, Dinner at 7:00pm
• Sun 29 June – Lunch at 12:30pm, Dinner at 6:30pm

Price:
• Omakase Course: $260 per person
• Beverage pairing available
• Drinks are additional and not included in the course price.

Each session is limited to just 8 guests, starting simultaneously.
⚠️ Punctuality is essential — out of respect for the chefs and fellow guests, late arrivals cannot be accommodated.

📩 To reserve, please DM us directly through
This will be a truly intimate and unrepeatable dining experience — don’t miss your chance.

12/03/2025

Aotearoa Nigiri Course

A 4-course menu with focus on New Zealand seafood and produce.

-Snack trio in welcome box
-Lake Ohau Wagyu yakiniku salad
-Aotearoa nigiri sushi 10 pieces
-Dorayaki, Yama-matcha ice cream

$99 per person
Available for lunch and dinner with reservation only until 5th April. Book online now or call us on 09-3600927.

At cocoro, we use some of the best New Zealand ingredients. Many of these are from small and family owned artisan suppliers. Come enjoy this special course and ask us about the stories of some of these amazing produce.

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29/01/2025

Celebrate love this Valentine’s Day with a thoughtfully curated degustation menu by chef Makoto Tokuyama. Indulge in a romantic dining experience featuring meticulously crafted dishes that blend traditional Japanese flavors with New Zealand fresh produce

This year, being a Friday, we will opened for lunch with this special Valentine’s Degustation as well. Avoid the dinner crowd and start the celebration early with a glass of Champagne under the sun. It is supposed to be healthier to indulge during lunch too.

Valentine’s Degustation
5 snacks + 5 courses

ようこそ
Te Matuku Oyster, Shiso kombucha granita
Kagoshima A5 Wagyu nigiri, caviar, kina
Smoke Cambridge duck breast slice, karashi
Panko crumbed Shirako, truffle tartar
Grilled scampi, kombu salsa

お造り
Shared sashimi platter, varieties include Bluefin tuna chu-toro, scampi, Ora King Salmon, Haku kingfish, paua and more

お椀物
Sweet corn potage, scallop dashi

中皿
Tora Bay crayfish gratin, sesame avocado salad

焼き物
Costal lamb racks, balsamic miso, truffle Asian mushrooms

別腹
Yame-matcha & kumara parfait
Valrhona chocolate coated cherry

$290 per person

Don’t delay and book online now. Or call us at 09-3600927

25/01/2025

Lunar New Year
The 2025 Lunar New Year falls on the 29th January. Have you made plans to celebrate by dinning out with your family or friends? If having a oversized, luxurious and colourful dish to share amongst the closest people in your life is your idea of kickstarting the Lunar New Year, then our “Signature Sashimi Platter” is just what you need.
Pair the Platter with a bottle of the recently arrived Nabeshima 100th Anniversary special edition Junmai Daiginjo sake and it would no doubt be a very joyful way to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

During next week (28/1 - 1/2), to help celebrate Lunar New Year, we will offer the Signature Sashimi Platter and the Nabeshima 100th Anniversary Sake ($428) together as a combo deal at $699 instead of the normal $888. Be sure to mention this deal when you book!

Address

56a Brown Street Ponsonby
Auckland
1021

Opening Hours

Tuesday	12pm - 2pm
	5:30pm - 10pm
Wednesday	12pm - 2pm
	5:30pm - 10pm
Thursday	12pm - 2pm
	5:30pm - 10pm
Friday	12pm - 2pm
	5:30pm - 10pm
Saturday	12pm - 2pm
	5:30pm - 10pm

Website

http://www.cocoro.co.nz/

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