Eating out in Auckland

From street eats to degustation menus and farmers’ markets, Auckland’s dining scene is deliciously diverse.

1. MULTICULTURAL DINING

Find traditional spaghetti at Puglia Ristorante Italiano in Kingsland, a genuine Italian restaurant with Italian owners and daily-made pasta. Grab a quick Latin snack at Fonda, the latest Mexican diner, or try Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi, for an authentic street food experience. You won’t find a better Chinese dumpling this side of Shanghai than those along Dominion Rd, and nearby Sandringham is your go-to for Indian fare. Ponsonby Rd fuses flavours from across the world, and South Auckland is the king of South Pacific dishes. Don’t miss Mangere Food Market every Saturday from 7am until 2pm.

© Puglia, Kingsland, Central Auckland

2. ALFRESCO

Head in any direction and you’ll find superb alfresco dining. Centrally, the Wynyard Quarter and Drake Street feature street-spilling eateries and elevated courtyards, while the deck at Hilton’s FISH Restaurant affords expansive harbour views. Head north to Takapuna’s The Strand for a row of beach-fronting hangouts, or continue to Brick Bay Wines in Matakana to dine beside the vines. Southern bound? Head to Bracu and sit under shaded olive trees, or venture north-west to Kumeū, where The Tasting Shed boasts a cabana on the lawn.

Lunch at Auckland Fish Market, Central Auckland

3. DISTINCTLY KIWI

Auckland knows good seafood. Throw back an oyster on the deck at Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill or eat straight from the source at Auckland Fish Market. Celebrity chefs have infused SkyCity’s various restaurants with New Zealand flavours and the historic railway station, famed for its architecture, grand ceilings and marble floor, is now Platform 8, a decidedly grandiose restaurant and bar.

4. VEGAN-LICIOUS

Packed with vegan choices, the goodies at Tart Bakery offer pure indulgence with zero sins, while The Raw Kitchen at City Works Depot has both sweet and savoury plates and an eye-widening selection of raw cakes. The Butcher’s Son in Herne Bay is 100% plant-based, as is Revive Café. The chefs at Khu Khu Eatery on Ponsonby Rd have taken traditional Thai dishes, meat-centric or otherwise, and made them vegan.

5. DESSERT BARS

At dessert bars such as Miann and OKO Dessert Kitchen in central Auckland, you can lock lips with gateaux and gooeyness. Miann also have a chocolate factory with chocolate workshops and tastings in Morningside. Try outrageously different ice cream at Giapo (home of the legendary selfie-stick ice cream) and macarons loaded with sweet fillings at Daldang.

Pani Puri ice cream© Giapo, Central Auckland

Stylish BRITOMART and FEDERAL STREET precincts twinkle under a canopy of fairy lights, while the Sky Tower boasts a revolving restaurant.

6. NEW TO THE FOOD SCENE

Harbour Eats, the food court at Commercial Bay in downtown Auckland has 700 seats and everything from grab-and-go snacks to ethnic street food and New York-style bars. Newmarket’s Westfield Mall is the largest shopping centre in New Zealand and boasts a spectacular rooftop dining area brimming with on-trend food outlets. Also in Newmarket, Fix & Fogg’s new hole-in-the-wall serves strong coffee and, of course, peanut butter on toast.

© Puglia, Kingsland, Central Auckland