Gigi Ponsonby has closed, sold less than a year after opening

Thursday, 12 February 2026

A restaurant has closed less than a year after its debut in the heart of Ponsonby, Auckland.

GiGi Ponsonby filled the gap left by Ponsonby Road Bistro, which closed in May 2025 after 18 years in business.

On GiGi’s official Instagram page, the word “CLOSED” is written in the bio, and an automatic email reply is sent when attempting to contact them.

“We’d like to let you know that GiGi has now been sold and is closed, so we are no longer taking enquiries or bookings,” the email says.

“To everyone who supported us — our guests, suppliers, neighbours, and friends — thank you.

“Your loyalty, laughter, and love of good food and great times meant everything to us.”

Co-owner Luke Dallow told Stuff it was a positive thing that they sold the business.

“There’s a moment in hospitality when you know when to step back. Not because you’re tired - but because the story has been told honestly, and it’s time for the next voice to take over,” he said in a statement.

Owners Thane Kirby and Dallow are handing the keys to Matt Lambert, who they said is one of Aotearoa’s best chefs.

“The opportunity came up organically - the right person, the right timing - and in this industry, instinct still matters more than spreadsheets,” they said.

The co-owner of Wellington eateries Floriditas and Loretta says hospitality isn’t in dire straits and closures often come down to life changes or natural business cycles, not just economic pressure.

The restaurant last posted to Facebook on January 24, where it was advertising a Valentine’s Day themed bottomless brunch on February 14.

But now the walls to the once bustling restaurant are boarded up, with the new owner set to take over.

The restaurant said hospitality in 2026 is a “very different beast” from when Dallow first walked into a kitchen 36 years ago.

“Social ethics have evolved. The culture around hospitality has shifted. What was once driven by long nights and forgiving margins is now a high-pressure business running on discipline and increasingly slim returns,” they said.

“The romance is still there — but you pay more for it now.”

Dallow said that GiGi was built on energy, connection and the joy of people coming together.

“Loud tables. Late nights. Good wine. Moments that couldn’t be manufactured. I’m proud of what we created and confident it’s in the right hands to evolve with the times,” he said.

GiGi Ponsonby is the latest business to close on the vibrant Ponsonby Rd, after a string of casualties in 2025, including Sidart, Ponsonby Road Bistro and KOL.