The Story Behind Honoka Yakitori

 

Honoka Yakitori began with a simple mission: to bring the Future of Yakitori to Auckland.

 

My wife and I have always been drawn to the beauty of this Japanese style of cooking where every skewer is treated with care, and flavor is built with precision. For us, yakitori isn’t just food, it’s a ritual, a moment, a memory.

 

But over the years, we noticed something changing. Around Auckland, yakitori was losing its edge. Too many places were relying on shortcuts frozen meat, rushed prep, and a lack of attention to detail. We’d leave feeling disappointed, craving the kind of yakitori that made us fall in love with it in the first place. Some people we spoke to had even stopped ordering it altogether.

 

We knew it could be better. So, we opened Honoka Yakitori, a place where quality comes first, and every skewer is made with intention. We use an electric grill, not coal, but we’ve spent countless hours perfecting our technique to bring out the best in every bite. We don’t freeze our meat, and we source fresh ingredients whenever possible because we believe that’s where real magic happens.

 

At Honoka, we’re not trying to replicate tradition, we’re honoring it in our own way. And when you taste that first juicy, perfectly grilled skewer, we hope you’ll feel what we’ve always felt: that yakitori, when done right, is something truly special.

 

Honoka is our way of reigniting the love for yakitori in Auckland, and sharing it with everyone who walks through our door.