Bellota

Peter Gordon’s Bellota is my most favourite Spanish Tapa’s bar in Auckland. I love the addition of extra tables that jut right out on Federal Street and bring Fed Street to life especially on a fine evening.
Creamy dreamy cheese, freshly sliced jamon and chorizo imported from Spain, prawns, croquettes, and the decadant dessert boards (of which we ordered two), choices are numerous to choose from.
My two friends and I were reckless and ordered 10 Tapa’s before those dessert boards. But it was just the right amount for 3 hungry foodies.
Though the orange-​scented crema Catalana was underdone and under whelming, the churros were perfect and served with dulce de leche. The square of moist almond tart was different with the white chocolate icing on the side.
I love the sultry dim lighting and the tentative waiter that sits down at your level to take your order. I will of course be back for a 4^th time.

Decent food, excellent service and great ambiance. The host was very accommodating in seating us promptly at the bar and offering us a booth as soon as one became available.

Bit of a disappointing experience
We arrived after 9 pm on Friday night and were told that there was a 30−40min wait for a table but we were told we could sit outside under the heaters and order a drink while we wait which was fine. We were given menus and drink orders were placed and we were happy. After 30 mins we were told no tables inside but there was one at the front but outside directly under heaters which was fine. We got seated, placed our order and the next thing we know another waiter comes around saying kitchen is taking last orders! We hadn’t got our order and now we are feeling rushed and not even able to order dessert. The first part of our order arrives and then another waiter comes round for last drink orders, seriously! Had we been told that it was almost closing time we would have gone elsewhere. We didn’t really enjoy the food as we felt rushed to get out. Communication should have been better at the beginning but obviously they just wanted to make a quick buck.

Great central venue for a taste of Spanish wine or some tapas created by the talented Peter Gordon. Fun atmosphere and friendly service.

The Spanish are not known for their food and the Tapas here were worse than any I’ve tasted in a long time. Their Spanish wine was undrinkable.
We had the calamari which was greasy and plain, the shrimp were small and average in flavor, the bread was okay.
Save your money and go somewhere else.

What a disappointing dining experience!!!
Limited menu I could deal with. But then, I expect excellent, or at the very least, very good execution. Sadly, this wasn’t meant to be, at least not this night.
My wife and I shared four tapas, of which only one was properly served at an acceptably hot temperature. The Octopus (pulpo), $ 12, was served on sliced potato, and was decently flavored, without being rubbery. The Berenjena (eggplant served crostini or bruschetta style), $ 5.50, similarly served cold. The Piquillo, stuffed capsicum, was the only positive of the evening. This was served hot (temperature), and had a sweet taste with no heat, $ 14. The calamari, $ 11, was heavily breaded, and served cold. Even the white creamy sauce didn’t help with the flavor. This completed the meal. See photos.
The Avaniel tempranillo, $ 14/​gl, was a full-​bodied wine, and was enjoyable.
Service was fair. All in all, a sorry evening, I won’t be going back.

If you are looking for authentic Spanish food in Auckland, Bellota is the place to go.
We were served by native Spaniards and they were happy for us to practice our Spanish with them.
The food was great — the costillas (ribs) and deep fried goats cheese with honey and almonds were a stand out plus the huevos estrellados (egg with ham over fried chips) were just like back in Spain. Others we dined with said the seafood dishes (seafood stuffed capsicums and clam stew) were spot on too.
It was great to see Spanish beer on the menu (Alhambra and Mahou are recommended) and the wine list is extensive and from the famed wine regions of the mainland.
When you go I would recommend ordering 2 dishes per person so as to fill you up. The only down side is that the booths are a little dark, which may be the vibe they were going for, but this can make reading the menu a bit difficult.

I stopped going to Bellota after my favorite dish of Prawn and risotto disappeared. However a friend wanted to go for a Shangria and there we were, as Bellota makes the best red wine Shangria — not too sweet and not too heavy.
There were some new dishes which caught our eyes. Black rice w squid & prawn ($ 13) reminded me of the old dish so we ordered it to try. Way too salty. Garlic Prawn ($ 13) and Dessert platter ($ 10.5) tasted average nor impressive while rest of the dishes were fantastic. Gratin of Piquillo w fish & prawns ($ 14) was delicious, Cassava chips ($ 8) were bulky and crispy, Calamari ($ 11) tasted like heaven. You may have noticed that there are too many dishes mentioned here. Yes, I went twice in a week to try out the menu… Yes this is very unlike me but I am not regretting it as I know what I will have next time!

Bellota is the sexiest thing about Sky City. This cosy little tapa’s bar is Peter Gordon’s brainchild, and sources all of it’s inspiration, most of it’s offerings and even some of it’s staff from Spain! The design is super cool & super intimate — either sit out the front & enjoy a cigar with your port, or nestle into one of the cosy cushioned alcoves with your sweetheart & canoodle the night away over Iberico ham & pintxos.
I have never been disappointed by the ever-​changing tapas selections on my many visits here, but my personal favourites are the Seared Beef with Shallot Jam & Lemon Aioli served on bread (Filete sellado de longrono) and the Lamb Ribs with Apple & Honey (Costillas de cordero con miel). The lamb ribs are an absolute delight; a combination that sounds more suited to pork but the honey completely lifts the sweet, juicy lamb to new heights.
A night at Bellota wouldn’t be complete without a cheeky little glass of cava or Pedro Ximenez sherry… and maybe a churro or two?!! Si señor!

Ok I’ll be honest, we were only here because we were waiting for our table at Depot. But it’s a good thing we were and as our hunger pains grew there were moments of weakness when we considered just flagging that hotspot over the road and tucking into some tapas. But we didn’t.
I was very taken with sampling some new Spanish wine though and enjoyed my Gaba do Xil 2010 Godela very much. The Sherries here sound very interesting too so there’s another reason (in addition to the food) to come back again.
Once you get inside here the vibe is pretty cool but it seems so über-​posh from the front entrance it’s almost offputting. There’s a big shared table in the window where you can «enjoy» the waft of cigarette smoke through the open windows (wow now there’s a complaint I never thought I’d make), low lounge tables and lots of cosy booths.
The Tapas menu is a bit different in that it seems most things come in their natural state or close to it — olives, pickles, anchovies, cured meats — rather than having anything much done to them first. There is a whole lovely list devoted to my very dear friend Cheese as well, with Peter Gordon pairing each variety with something wonderful-​sounding.
I am majorly anticipating an evening of flash deli-​style eating with what I like to call «discovery» drinking elevated to the next level. So yeah fine dining-​ish tapas apparently. Cheers Pete.

Tapas bar Bellota, has quickly become my new favourite spot in town, be it for a cute date night, or a fun night with friends. The Brazilian staff are beautiful and are fun to practise pronouncing those Spanish dishes with. The seating is arranged in a cosy atmosphere, and gives an intimate feel as you are almost hidden from other diners. The menu delivers to those daring to try exotic flavours while retaining a few key safe dishes for the more neutral eaters. Also adding to the fun are several flavours of sangria which are great to sip on while tasting different dishes. Bellota has also created a great cocktail menu with their own spanish twist on the classics. My advice; get along to Bellota, order ‘something tasty’ from the knowledgeable wait staff, and start practising how to flirt in spanish.

Located in a sneaky little corner just beside the Sky City Centre, Bellota is a hidden gem of Spanish tapas, culture and wonderful service.
The highlight alone is the sangria. With three flavours, I have to go with the original red. Red wine, orange juice and that secret Bellota ingredient is unforgettable. At $ 35 a jug its plenty on a date night for two. I really couldn’t praise Bellota enough for blessing this city with heaven in a glass.
As for their tapas, I really enjoyed the buffalo wings they did previously and their deep fried goat’s cheese is always a hit! They’re reasonably priced and ordering a few between two or three perfect makes for the perfect way to kickstart your night in town. Not to mention you can also purchase Cuban cigars there– need I say more?

Bellota (pronounced bay-​otta) is one of famed chef Peter Gordon’s establishments, situated across from his flagship restaurant dine by Peter Gordon on Federal Street. With a focus on Spanish tapas, Bellota is set out so diners share their food and their spaces. The dining is communal and the lighting is low — these two elements combined always allow for a rowdy, sociable, tipsy night.
Beware as you start to order the restaurant’s small plates — your bill clocks up very quickly without you realising, particularly if you’ve been hitting the Spanish wine! Olive plates are about $ 8, Spanish cheeses start at around $ 11 per plate, and the tapas themselves start at around $ 5 and go up to about $ 12. It doesn’t sound like much, but each person tends to consume at least a couple of serves to themselves… and often more.
If you’re heading to the Federal Street dining area and you’re looking for a fun environment to spend your hard-​earned dollars at, Bellota is the place to go.