About 27 Galway St
27 Galway Street sits in the heart of Auckland’s Britomart precinct inside a restored 1885 heritage building (Stanbeth House) (www.ticketfairy.com ) (britomart.org ). The warehouse-style space retains original Victorian features – exposed brick walls, kauri-timber beams and Italianate-style façades inspired by Florentine palazzos (www.ticketfairy.com ) (britomart.org ). Today the address houses a trio of venues from the Café Hanoi team: a ground-level Vietnamese restaurant (Café Hanoi), a private dining lounge above (The Parlour), and an underground Chinese dining bar called Ghost Street (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ). This mix of old and new is what makes 27 Galway St notable. While Café Hanoi and Ghost Street showcase creative Asian cuisine under heritage kauri ceilings, the whole complex evokes Britomart’s turn-of-the-century port-era roots and vibrant dining scene, blending local history with contemporary hospitality (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ).
Events and Programming
Rather than concerts or theatre, 27 Galway St is primarily a dining and social venue. The nightly “program” consists of dinner services and special food events. Ghost Street (in the basement) operates as a Chinese street-food restaurant, typically open Wednesday–Saturday evenings (with limited lunch service on some weekdays) (www.ticketfairy.com ). The upstairs Parlour is a hire-only private room for celebrations, business events or tasting menus, serving adaptations of Café Hanoi and Ghost Street cuisine (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ). You won’t find on-sale shows or regular live music here – these spaces build on the site’s legacy of nightlife (e.g. the former “1885 Britomart Country Club” jazz bar) by offering intimate dinner parties instead. Occasionally the restaurants participate in citywide dining festivals (like Restaurant Month) or host one-off chef’s-table dinners and themed evenings (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ). Any special events (for example New Year’s Eve dinners or menu launches) are announced through the venue’s own website and social channels. In short, expect table bookings and curated menus rather than tickets or cover charges for shows (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ).
Tickets and Booking
Reservations. Both Ghost Street and Café Hanoi are booked via phone or online – there is no traditional “box office.” Because Ghost Street is small and popular, advance booking is strongly recommended (especially Friday/Saturday) (www.ticketfairy.com ). Call (09) 306 2233 or visit the restaurant’s website to reserve a table. For very large groups or private events, guests often book the upstairs Parlour (available for hire with a minimum spend) (www.sharedspace.co.nz ) (www.ticketfairy.com ).Duration. To make room for multiple seatings, Ghost Street enforces dining time limits based on party size – for example, up to 4 people usually get about 1 hour 45 minutes, while larger parties get 2–3 hours (www.ticketfairy.com ). Groups should plan accordingly.Pricing. There is no entry fee – you simply pay for the food and drink. Prices are moderate: most shared plates run in the NZD 16–26 range and cocktails around NZD 14–18 (www.ticketfairy.com ). (For reference, simple appetizers might be ~$9 and larger dishes ~$23 (www.ticketfairy.com ).) The Parlour’s private events typically use fixed-per-head banquet menus (around $65pp) with customization available (www.sharedspace.co.nz ).Holiday Surcharge. Note that on public holidays New Zealand restaurants usually add a surcharge. Ghost Street follows this rule (about 15% extra on the final bill) (www.ticketfairy.com ). It’s wise to check if you’re dining on a holiday or holiday-eve.Walk-ins. Ghost Street takes a reservation-first approach. Walk-in seating can be very limited, especially in evening peak hours (www.ticketfairy.com ). Visitors hoping for last-minute tables may be seated only after prime time or asked to wait up to an hour. The Parlour, being a private function room, is not available to walk-ins at all.
Seating and Layout
Ghost Street (Basement). The Chinese restaurant is tucked below street level. It has a casual “hole-in-the-wall” layout with long communal timber tables and bench seating (www.ticketfairy.com ). There’s no formal stage or VIP section – instead all guests share the space and the menu. The open kitchen along the back wall is visible to diners. Decor details (hessian-cushioned benches, elm stools and ghost-story murals) reinforce the Beijing-street ambience (www.ticketfairy.com ) (heartofthecity.co.nz ). If you prefer privacy, try to grab a corner bench spot or the far end of a table. Overall the vibe is intimate and shared.The Parlour (Upstairs). Accessible via a small staircase from the Café Hanoi entrance, the Parlour is a dedicated private dining room for up to ~44 seated guests (or ~50 standing) (www.sharedspace.co.nz ) (www.ticketfairy.com ). Its seating is organized around multiple round tables in a bright, quietly decorated space. This room has its own mini-bar and washrooms, making it feel like an exclusive hire. There is no performance stage; it’s configured for dinner parties, meetings or cocktail functions.Café Hanoi (Ground Floor). The Vietnam-inspired restaurant occupies the street-level floor. It features a large open room with natural light from the side street, and communal bench tables similar to Ghost Street (www.ticketfairy.com ) (heartofthecity.co.nz ). The atmosphere is airy and lively (think shared food, friendly chat) compared to the darker basement below.Acoustics and Atmosphere. Evenings at Ghost Street can be lively, as the brick-walled basement tends to amplify conversations. Background music (world jazz or quiet Asian-themed tunes) fills the air, but it’s still easy to hear your table. If noise is a concern, midweek dinners or a table near the kitchen often feel calmer (www.ticketfairy.com ). The Parlour, by contrast, remains quite quiet and private when in use. Note there is no amplified live music in any of the dining spaces; entertainment is culinary and social, not concert-like.
Getting There and Parking
27 Galway Street is very centrally located in Britomart, on the corner of Customs Street East. The Hotel Britomart (at 29 Galway) and the Britomart Country Club (31 Galway) are its immediate neighbours. Public transport to the area is excellent: the Britomart Transport Centre (rail and bus) is literally at one end of the street (www.ticketfairy.com ). All city trains and many suburban plus airport trains stop there; major bus lines also serve nearby Customs and Tyler Streets. From Britomart Station it’s less than a minute’s walk to reach 27 Galway.
Car Parking. Street parking on Galway itself is almost non-existent (mostly short-term metered spots). The easiest paid parking is in multi-storey car parks a short walk away. The Britomart Car Park (on Fort St) is open 24/7 for public parking. A cheaper option is the Downtown Car Park at Fort & Quay Street – rates are roughly $2.50/hour (capped at about $15.50 for evening/weekend stays) (heartofthecity.co.nz ). Both accept EFTPOS card payment. Allow extra time if driving, as pedestrian access may involve a few blocks of walking from the lot.Taxis & Rideshare. Taxis or Uber/Lyft can drop off passengers directly on Galway Street or on nearby Customs Street (which intersects Queen Street). On busy nights the roads can back up, so it’s helpful to specify a meeting point (e.g. “outside Café Hanoi at 27 Galway”). Pick-up is usually easy on Quay St or Fort St after your meal.Walking & Cycling. If you’re staying in the city centre or coming from the waterfront, 27 Galway is an easy stroll (Queen Street is only one block north). There are bike racks and scooter parking in Britomart if needed. Note, however, that Ghost Street is down a basement stairwell – any bike or scooter would have to stay above ground while you dine.
Inside the Venue
Stepping into 27 Galway Street feels like entering a modernist restaurant with vintage flair (www.ticketfairy.com ). Ghost Street’s entrance is unmarked and low-rise; you descend a narrow stairwell into a dimly lit dining room. The effect is intimate and cinematic (magazines have called it a “dark and moody, movie-set version of old-Beijing” (www.ticketfairy.com )). Walls are painted matte black and covered in Chinese characters and ghost poetics, while hanging lanterns and candlelight cast a warm, red glow. The Parlour upstairs is the opposite: bright, softly decorated and arranged for dinner tables or a catered bar, feeling like a premium banquet space.
Entry & Ordering. There is no cover charge or formal check-in line. Staff will welcome you and guide you to your table based on your reservation. In Ghost Street, an unusual ordering system is used: each table gets a printed menu card and Sharpie pen, and diners mark their choices on the card to submit to the kitchen (www.ticketfairy.com ). It’s a fun, informal touch that ensures you and the server are literally on the same page. Note that there is no cloakroom – guests simply hang coats on chair backs or lay them by the table (www.ticketfairy.com ).Food & Drink. Ghost Street is fully licensed. In addition to tea and soft drinks, they serve Chinese and local beer, sake and wines. The cocktail list leans Asian: inventive drinks like a Sichuan-Pepper Negroni or Lychee Martini appear alongside classics (www.ticketfairy.com ). Bartenders know their ingredients and may chat about the Chinese spices. Service is friendly and knowledgeable – waitstaff often explain dishes to newcomers and help seat people together at communal tables as needed. Tips are not required in NZ, but exceptional service can be acknowledged with a small gratuity if you wish.Facilities. Restrooms for Ghost Street guests are in the venue (basement level), and The Parlour has its own washrooms upstairs; Café Hanoi’s patrons use the ground-floor restrooms. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout (the building’s network even reaches the lobby), and mobile phones generally work fine in the basement. Most diners tend to dress “up” a bit for a night out – think smart-casual (collared shirts or neat tops rather than t-shirts) – but the atmosphere is relaxed and there is no strict dress code (www.ticketfairy.com ). Do dress neatly, as a courtesy to other guests and the setting.
Nearby Amenities
27 Galway Street is in a bustling hub of cafes, bars and shops. In fact, Café Hanoi (the Vietnamese eatery itself) is on-site, and arriving early for a pre-dinner snack or coffee there is very convenient (www.ticketfairy.com ). The Parlour is the small private lounge above. Just around the corner on Galway you’ll find Britomart Country Club (31 Galway St), a popular beer garden and pizza bar. Next door at 29 Galway is the Hotel Britomart – its ground-floor library bar and the nearby Kingi Asian-seafood restaurant can be good spots for a drink or a second course if you’re staying late (www.ticketfairy.com ). More broadly, the entire Britomart precinct has dozens of dining and nightlife options within a two-minute walk – from casual cafes and wine bars to fine-dining spots – making it easy to extend an evening out.
For accommodations, the area has many hotels. Besides Hotel Britomart (luxury eco-hotel next door), the Viaduct Harbour nearby offers larger hotels (e.g. Sofitel, Cordis, M Social) within 10–15 minutes’ walk. Queen Street shops and Myers Park are also a short stroll north. If you need to arrive very early or stay late, note that Britomart Square outside the station has late-night security on weekends, and the city centre remains lively well into the evening. Late-night public transport (midnight trains/buses on weekends) and rideshares are readily available for getting home.
What Makes This Venue Special
This address stands out because it weaves together Auckland’s past and present in one spot. Architecturally, the heritage Stanbeth House building is unique – a category-2 historic warehouse with an unexpectedly ornate Italian-Victorian style (britomart.org ). Its Victorian character (brickwork, kauri posts) creates a memorable backdrop for the modern dining inside. Culturally, the venue bridges cuisines and eras. Ghost Street, for example, pays homage to Beijing’s famous late-night “Gui Jie” food street – even its name comes straight from that market alley (www.ticketfairy.com ). The result is an immersive “old Beijing” vibe in downtown Auckland. Likewise, Café Hanoi brought its beloved Vietnamese flavour to a new flagship location here, reflecting NZ’s love of Asian fusion food. In reviews, Ghost Street earned an 18/20 score and was called “one of the most exciting openings of 2021” (www.ticketfairy.com ), highlighting the innovation behind these eateries.
27 Galway Street matters to Aucklanders because it exemplifies the Britomart ethos: revitalizing Victorian buildings with high-quality local businesses. It’s both special and welcoming – diners often remark on the friendly, story-filled atmosphere (walls full of ghost lore!) and the social seating. It’s a place where visiting chefs and global culinary trends meet Kiwi heritage. In short, both artists (chefs and designers) and audiences (food lovers) cherish it for its layered history, creative cuisine and distinctive ambience (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.ticketfairy.com ).
Visitor Tips and Information
Accessibility. The venue spans multiple levels: Ghost Street is down a flight of stairs from street level, and The Parlour is up stairs. Those with mobility constraints should note there is no elevator to the basement or first floor at 27 Galway. Café Hanoi on the ground may be easier to access. The building has an accessible entrance via the main street door, and bathrooms on each level (though Ghost Street’s restroom is downstairs).Age Restrictions. The dining venues are generally family-friendly during dining hours, but Ghost Street’s atmosphere is adult-oriented (dim lights, adult-oriented décor). Under-18s can enter, but note that alcohol is available after 5pm, so children should be accompanied and seated at appropriate tables. There is no enforced strict age limit, but if you plan to sip cocktails keep in mind that servers will ask for ID from anyone who looks under 25.Baggage. Light travel items or small backpacks are okay, but there’s no secure cloakroom. Oversize luggage is not permitted in the dining areas. Bring only what you need for the evening. Smoking and vaping are not allowed indoors; any smokers must go outside to street level (NZ law prohibits indoor smoking).What to Bring. Have a credit card or EFTPOS-enabled bank card available – all venues here take contactless payment (and parking is by card). Only bring cameras or phones; the only other electronic device you might use is a flashlight app if you have trouble finding the unmarked stairway down. It’s wise to arrive a few minutes early to locate your entrance, especially at night when signage may be subtle.Avoid These Mistakes. Don’t arrive last minute hoping to walk in. Reservations can fill up fast on weekends. Don’t show up expecting a live show or performance – the “event” is the food and ambience. Also, don’t expect to linger after 10pm for casual drinks; most diners leave by then and the kitchen often closes around 10:30pm. Plan to move on to another bar or nightspot if you want after-hours activity.Other Tips. Menus are multi-course share-style; it’s best to arrive hungry and share several dishes. Portions are abundant. If you have dietary restrictions, you can ask The Parlour or staff in advance – they offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-aware options (www.tripadvisor.com.sg ). Service at all spots here is relaxed and friendly; feel free to ask questions about the dishes or recommendations for wine/cocktails. And since New Zealand restaurants often include taxes but not tips, note that an optional service charge is not added to the bill (though splitting a meal is easy by request).
What are the opening hours of the restaurants at 27 Galway Street?
Ghost Street typically opens for dinner Tuesday to Saturday (closed Mondays). Café Hanoi serves lunch and dinner most days (see schedule below). Exact hours can change, so check the venue websites or call ahead. For reference, Ghost Street is closed Monday and generally opens after midday from Tuesday onward (heartofthecity.co.nz ) (heartofthecity.co.nz ).
Do you need to book a table at Ghost Street or Café Hanoi?
Yes, reservations are strongly recommended, especially on weekends. Ghost Street has no front-door tickets – you simply call (09 306 2233) or book online. The Parlour (upstairs) requires advance booking as a private hire space (www.ticketfairy.com ) (www.sharedspace.co.nz ). Walk-ins are possible only if a table is available, which is rare during busy hours (www.ticketfairy.com ).
What is the price range for meals at 27 Galway Street?
There’s no cover charge; you pay for your food and drinks. Dishes at Ghost Street are in the mid-range. Most shared plates cost roughly NZ$16–26 each (www.ticketfairy.com ), while cocktails run around $14–18. For example, small starters might be ~$9 and dumpling plates ~$23 (www.ticketfairy.com ). Private events (The Parlour) usually have set banquet prices (around $65 per person) (www.sharedspace.co.nz ).
Is there a cover charge or ticket to enter Ghost Street?
No. Ghost Street and Café Hanoi do not use an entry ticket or cover charge. You simply make a reservation and pay for whatever food and drink you order. 27 Galway St operates as restaurants/bars, not as performance venues with admission fees (www.ticketfairy.com ).
How do I get to 27 Galway Street by public transport?
It’s very accessible. The Britomart Transport Centre (city rail and bus hub) is adjacent to Galway Street (just 50 m away) (www.ticketfairy.com ). Many bus routes also stop on nearby Customs or Tyler Street. So you can hop off a downtown, suburban or airport-linked train or bus at Britomart and walk a minute west to 27 Galway Street.
Is there parking near 27 Galway Street, and how much does it cost?
Street parking on Galway itself is scarce. The best paid options are multi-storey car parks a short walk away: the Britomart Car Park (Fort Street, open 24/7) and the Downtown Car Park (corner of Fort & Quay). The Downtown car park costs about NZ$2.50 per hour (capped at ~$15 on nights/weekends) (heartofthecity.co.nz ). The Britomart car park has higher rates, so Downtown is a cheaper evening alternative.
Which is the closest train station to 27 Galway Street?
Britomart Station is the nearest – it’s literally on the same block. Once you exit Britomart, just walk about 50 m north along Galway Street to reach 27 Galway Street (www.ticketfairy.com ). You can also walk west from Queen Street for a couple of blocks to get here.
What is the seating layout like at Ghost Street?
Ghost Street (the basement bar-restaurant) primarily has communal long tables with benches and stools (www.ticketfairy.com ). There are no private booths or reserved sections. The kitchen is open at the back. The feel is like an intimate underground eatery, so if you want a bit of privacy, try to snag a corner seat or the end of a bench.
What is The Parlour and can guests use it freely?
The Parlour (upstairs) is a private dining room available for hire only. It has separate access through Café Hanoi and can seat about 44 for dinner (or up to 50 standing) (www.sharedspace.co.nz ). Ordinary restaurant guests cannot walk in to the Parlour – it’s reserved for group bookings, events or corporate functions with a minimum spend agreement (www.sharedspace.co.nz ) (www.ticketfairy.com ).
Are the restaurants at 27 Galway Street wheelchair accessible?
Ghost Street (basement) is not wheelchair accessible, as it is reached only by a staircase (www.ticketfairy.com ). The Parlour upstairs is also reached by stairs. Café Hanoi on the ground floor has street-level access. If accessibility is a concern, the staff at front can advise on seating or alternatives.
What is the dress code at Ghost Street or Café Hanoi?
No formal dress code is enforced. Most diners wear smart-casual attire – for example, collared shirts or clean tops and trousers (www.ticketfairy.com ). You don’t need a jacket or tie, but it’s best to avoid athletic wear or flip-flops if you want to fit the restaurant vibe. Essentially, come as if for a nice dinner; the atmosphere is informal yet polished.
Does Ghost Street offer vegetarian or vegan options?
Yes. The menu at Ghost Street includes vegetarian and vegan dishes, as indicated by guest reviews and the restaurant’s menu categories (www.tripadvisor.com.sg ). You can request vegetarian versions of some dishes, and there are clearly marked options. Just mention any dietary needs when ordering.
Can children dine at Ghost Street?
Families with well-behaved children are generally welcome at dinner time, but note Ghost Street’s ambience is an adult-themed Chinese speakeasy. There is no separate kids’ menu, so meals are shared plates. If your child is young, consider an earlier or quieter night and be mindful that the seating is communal if you want extra space.
Is there Wi-Fi available inside the venues at 27 Galway?
Yes, free Wi-Fi is typically provided for guests. All the connected spaces (Café Hanoi, Ghost Street, the Parlour) share the building’s network, so you should get a signal at your table. Mobile data coverage is also generally strong underground.
Is smoking allowed inside or outside 27 Galway Street?
By New Zealand law, smoking and vaping are not allowed inside any part of 27 Galway Street. Guests who wish to smoke must step outside. There is no indoor smoking room. You can step onto the street-level area to smoke, but keep in mind it’s an outdoor urban environment.
What does the name “Ghost Street” refer to?
The name “Ghost Street” (Gui Jie in Mandarin) comes from a famous late-night food street in Beijing known for its many Chinese restaurants. Ghost Street Auckland is inspired by those alleyway eateries and even aims to evoke that lively spirit in its menu and decor (www.ticketfairy.com ).
