Family restaurant chain Wahlburgers is coming to New Zealand and one will be opening in Auckland later this year.
The Wahlberg brothers - chef Paul and actors Donnie and Mark - founded the chain in Massachusetts in 2011. There are now 91 Wahlburgers around the world.
The New Zealand venture will be owned and operated by the Mustaca family, who own Australia's largest independent cinema chain, United Cinemas.
Sam Mustaca told 1News it was the Kiwis working at the recently opened Wahlburgers in Sydney who had inspired the family to bring the chain across the ditch, although the family had been thinking about it over the last couple of years anyway.
The first restaurant will be in Auckland - tipped to open in the last quarter of this year - and others are being eyed up in Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
There is a United Cinemas in Tauranga, so a Wahlburgers may go in there, Mustafa said. He remarked they "always had a vision" about Tauranga.
Mustaca said the Auckland restaurant will be located at the former Euro Bar & Restaurant and Coley & Punch venue on the waterfront.
He told 1News the venue was "well-known" and had "great history and bones".
The Auckland Wahlburgers will have a capacity for 240 people. It is expected to create about 75 jobs, and 350 across the country down the line.
Mustaca said the menu may even be tweaked - like they did in Australia - to incorporate more of a Kiwi flavour.
He also added he is going to try and get chef Paul or even Mark out to New Zealand for the Auckland opening.
"With really great food, beers and a fun atmosphere, we think it's going to be a big hit."
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