Josh and Helen Emett are at the helm of the new restaurant at Faradays, to be known as Lottie’s.
As the countdown ticks closer to the opening of new luxury department store Faradays, a major new drawcard has been revealed.
Restaurateurs Josh and Helen Emett will open their third Auckland restaurant inside the sleek, $30m Queen Street development opening next month. The redeveloped heritage building is currently in the process of being transformed with elegant marble and timber interiors designed by Fearon Hay.
Lottie’s is tipped as a modern take on traditional department store tearooms, albeit with a luxury spin that will see shoppers refuelling with champagne and oysters.
Inviting us to linger a little longer after browsing the racks, the sophisticated new space will be located on the first floor of the three-level, high-end shopping destination.
The new eatery’s name pays playful homage to the central city building’s storied past. It was once home to the Milne & Choyce department store, which first opened its doors in 1867, with ‘Lottie’s’ a nod to Charlotte Milne, one of its founders.
All-day dining destination
Helen Emett says the concept draws on her own childhood memories of visiting London’s Selfridges with her grandmother.
“I remember it feeling so special,” she says. “It was such a treat, and I couldn’t wait for my next visit. Those days left a lasting impression on me and inspired the kind of experience we wanted to create with Lottie’s.”
An all-day dining menu will feature long-lunch, afternoon tea and light bite offerings with Emett’s culinary flair. The new restaurant marks the hospitality power couple’s third establishment in the city, along with Gilt Brasserie and Onslow.
The Emett’s experienced team across their businesses will expand to run the new restaurant. Chef Zach Meads will lead Lottie’s kitchen.
“Great hospitality has always played an important role in creating vibrant city precincts,” says Josh Emett of embracing the ambitious new CBD arrival.
Jewel in the crown
“We see Lottie’s as contributing to something much bigger than a restaurant opening,” he says. “Together with Faradays, we’re creating a destination where people come not only to shop, but to spend time, connect and experience the very best of the city.”
The new restaurant is just one jewel in the crown that is Faradays’ extensive shopping development. The department store will cover three levels. The basement will offer a selection of contemporary fashion, denim and athleisure. At ground-level shoppers will find a beauty floor and parfumerie as well as men’s and womenswear from NZ and abroad. And on the first floor, luxury fashion alongside Lottie’s restaurant.
The first big-name brand confirmed for the store is the NZ arrival of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s lifestyle and shapewear brand. More revelations on the store’s confirmed label line-up are expected shortly.
Founders Edward and Constance von Dadelszen say the store will open with a number of desirable designer names not easily accessible to New Zealand shoppers. The approach is not new to the couple. The duo were also behind the previous beautifully appointed iteration of Faradays in Parnell, which closed in 2024.
The store at 131 Queen Street is on track to open in September.
