About

Superb cuisine, well priced meals, beautiful marine views…

As well as the excellent dining, part of the charm is a relaxed atmosphere.

The popular waterfront eatery, Annabelles has a remarkable back-story.  Coffee with charismatic proprietor Susan Cho, revealed that folk partaking in Annabelles’ famous Seafood Chowder, can thank mystical poet Edgar Allan Po for their hearty lunch or dinner.  As a schoolgirl in Korea, Susan fell in love with Po’s work, especially that tragic love poem…

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;

Then more than 18 years ago, when Susan and husband Kyu Taek Cho landed in New Zealand, she assumed she’d be continuing advanced studies in horticulture.  Then one day Susan noticed for sale a restaurant with that familiar name, ‘ANNABELLES’.  There just isn’t really space here to record the enormity of the challenge Susan took on when she purchased it.  Though an avid English reader, Susan says her spoken English was initially quite inadequate.  And, though familiar with tasty Korean cuisine, she lacked the necessary background in European culinary arts.

There followed years of hard work, with Susan putting in long hours to gain chef qualifications at AUT; to improve her English; to design and refine a successful menu, and – in collaboration with with her architect husband Cho – to design a larger restaurant, utilising additional space from next door.  It wasn’t easy, but then again it was a labour of love, and today thanks in no small part to Cho’s artistic ability and design skills, the result is a beautiful establishment on the waterfront.

It’s one with a loyal following too, including among locals, folk from other parts of New Zealand and even from all round the world!  As for Susan, she’s more than happy to have exchanged horticulture for cuisine; when not at work she’s to be found reading cookbooks and culinary magazines, watching cooking shows on TV, or testing new recipes in her own kitchen.  And this same enthusiasm is evident in each member of the friendly staff.