TALA

TALA, contemporary Samoan cuisine in Parnell, Auckland

TALA is a fine dining restaurant located in Parnell, Auckland, dedicated to contemporary Samoan cuisine. Its name comes from the Samoan word tala, meaning "story" or "tale", and sums up the vision of Executive Chef and Owner Henry Onesemo: to tell the stories of Samoa through a dining experience inspired by his cultural heritage.

The restaurant presents itself as the world's only Samoan fine dining restaurant and structures its offering around tasting menus called "Journeys", in which the chef reimagines, revisits and refines ingredients and dishes from Samoa's villages and roadside stalls, as well as from his own childhood, combining traditional techniques with modern methods.

International recognition

TALA became the first restaurant in the world to receive a MICHELIN Star for contemporary Samoan food. The distinction appears in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide New Zealand 2026, following a judging process with anonymous visits by MICHELIN Inspectors. Chef Henry Onesemo has said that this recognition represents an important step in showing Samoan food in a new light and asserting its place on the international culinary scene.

In 2025, the restaurant was named "Supreme Winner" at the Viva Top 50 Restaurants, where the judging panel considered it Auckland's best restaurant. Critic Jesse Mulligan described the decision as "immediate" and called TALA an "enchanting... nothing like it in the city or the world" place. That same year, the restaurant earned Three Hats (19/20) at the Cuisine Good Food Awards, placing it among New Zealand's top six restaurants; the judges described the chef as "a trailblazing Pasifika chef redefining fine dining and cultural storytelling".

TIME magazine included TALA in its annual "World's Greatest Places" list for 2026, which highlights one hundred extraordinary destinations around the world. TALA was the only restaurant in the Oceania region on that selection and will also appear in a special print edition of TIME dedicated to the world's greatest places of 2026.

At the Best Chef Awards held in Milan, Chef Henry Onesemo received a knife, becoming the first Samoan chef to represent his culture and cuisine at that event. The restaurant was also named "Best New Restaurant" in 2024.

Chef Henry Onesemo's career

Henry Onesemo grew up in Samoa and his interest in cooking began in childhood, helping in the family kitchen and joining his father on early Sunday morning trips to the fish market to prepare the umu, the traditional Samoan earth oven, before church. After living and working in Hawaii and Florida, where he met his wife Debby, he returned to Samoa to train as a chef.

He subsequently worked at Auckland restaurant Meredith's and spent time at Gaa in Bangkok, where traditional Indian food was presented in a MICHELIN-starred setting. The COVID-19 pandemic brought him back to New Zealand, and together with Debby he launched TALA as a pop-up concept in 2022 before opening the current restaurant in Parnell in November 2023.

Experience and service philosophy

TALA's offering seeks to introduce diners to the Samoan concept of fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, and to share the country's hospitality. The restaurant combines cultural storytelling with a fine dining experience and has been described by critics as a journey into the heart of Samoa served with flair and thoughtfulness.

Location and access

The restaurant is located at 235 Parnell Road, in Auckland's Parnell neighbourhood. The entrance is found by following the walkway to the back of the premises. Parking is available along Parnell Road and at the St John's car park at 244 Parnell Road.

Reservations and services

The restaurant's website offers sections for reservations, menu, information about the project, press, gift cards, gallery and careers, which indicates that TALA manages reservations and sells gift cards, as well as providing a contact channel for press and image enquiries.

Location and contact

235 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand · Phone: +6421 172 8349 · Email: hello@tala.co.nz · Hours: Wednesday: 5:30pm to 9pm Thursday: 5:30pm to 9pm Friday: 12pm to 2pm and 5:30pm to 9pm Saturday: 12pm to 2pm and 5:30pm to 9pm