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What's On

16 Epic Things To Do In Auckland This Weekend

You’ve made it—the weekend’s here and she’s a vibe.

Features

Hāmiora Bailey On Pride, Really Good Kai And Club Culture

We caught up with Hāmiora Bailey, director of Auckland Pride 2025 to pick their brains on the festival and all their favourite spots in the Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Food & Drink

New Year New Snacks: What To Eat At The BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival

Grab your tickets to this free family-friendly event filled with fireworks, local dance and drum performances, lion dancing and beautiful lanterns lighting up the grounds. With over 60 food stalls and lines out the door each year—we’ve rounded up our top food picks while enjoying the sights and lights.

Bars & Pubs

Portside

When it comes to enjoying simple pleasures, those of the food and/or drink variety rank pretty highly for us Urban Listers. A good coffee. A perfectly baked pastry. Pretty cocktails at a rooftop bar. Which brings us to Portside, the latest addition to a growing number of gravity-defying spots popping up around the city.

Bars & Pubs

Tyler St Sport

Tyler St Sport is the cracking new venue from Foley Hospitality aka the group behind several other top Auckland establishments including Soul Bar & Bistro, Andiamo, and Somm Wine Bar & Bistro. Solid credentials, to say the least.

Food & Drink

269 Parnell

It seems like 269 Parnell was under construction for millennia, so much so that we’d long stopped expecting anything to materialise behind it. 

Health + Wellness

Mode Studio

Mode doesn't look or feel like a gym at all (in the best way) and it's one of the few that might actually have this healthy body, healthy mind thing down. For reals. 

Food & Drink

Where To Wine, Dine And Treat Your Lover In Auckland This Valentine’s Day

Hello lovers, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so if you haven’t made plans yet, you'd better hustle.

What's On

What’s On In Auckland This Week, This Month And This Year 2025

Auckland is pulling out all the stops this month. Here’s what’s on in Auckland this week, this month, and this year. 

TV & Movies

25+ Of The Best Shows And Movies On Apple TV+ To Watch This Summer

In our opinion, you can never have too many streaming services, and Apple TV+ is a must-have. Packed with all-star casts and binge-worthy shows, it's the perfect addition to your watchlist.

Bars & Pubs

Quinn

Hidden away on Mills Lane is a brand new speakeasy-style cocktail bar punctuated with sleek blue neon—Quinn.

Bars & Pubs

Mea

Parasol & Swing just got an enigmatic younger sister and she can sure handle a shaker. 

Food & Drink

The Vegan Treatory

Ponsonby Central just scored the cookie shop. They’re soft-baked, they’re chunky, they’re entirely plant-based and they’re pulling people off the streets of Ponsonby for a fix. 

Restaurants

Cāntīng

Dessert might seem like an unusual place to start a review—especially one focusing on Chinese cuisine—but then again, Cāntīng is far from your usual restaurant. 

Food & Drink

Chromatic Dining: A Curated Must-Try Dish List So You Can Eat The Rainbow This Auckland Pride

Eat a rainbow this Auckland Pride with eight must-try chromatic dishes from local hospo legends. 

Fam

Why A Disney Cruise Should Be At The Top Of Your Bucket List

Your go-to guide for maximising your time on-board.

Things To Do

The Best Aotearoa Music Festivals And Live Acts To Catch This Summer

These are the best festivals hitting Aotearoa this summer. 

Food & Drink

The College Hill Wine Room By David Nash

If fine wine luxury's a bit of you (it is), you'll want to head to The College Hill Wine Room by David Nash, glass-first. 

Where to stay

Ruru PurePod

A sublime getaway just 90 minutes from central Auckland, Ruru PurePod the tonic to a this-close-to-burnout sort of week; it's a jaw-droppingly gorgeous setting for a romantic getaway and a secluded retreat for reflection and self-care. 

Food & Drink

Roses Dining Room

Forget your average restaurant routine. Roses Dining Room on Karangahape Road throws a curveball, transforming a former storeroom into a vibrant playground for emerging chefs. 

Fam

Farm House Cafe

The famous cinnabun from Hill House Cafe has returned to South Auckland.

Features

How To Make 2025 Your Most Calm And Centred Year Yet

Your guide to finding more soul-nourishing moments in 2025.

Fam

Simon Gault On Fame, Opening A Restaurant At 22, And Feeding Felines

Renowned for his ability to serve the best Kiwi cuisine, ex-MasterChef New Zealand judge Simon Gault has built his reputation through a love of pushing boundaries and celebrating local ingredients.

Travel

10 Of The Best Airbnbs In Rome For Euro Summer 2025

Oh, bella Roma. It seems that this ancient land always manages to weave  some sort of magic on its visitors, leaving them desperate to return again and again - and with so many stunning historical monuments and some of the world’s greatest restaurants, it’s not hard to see why.

Food & Drink

Bowler

From Charles and Patrick Williams—the good folks who brought us Williams, one of Tāmaki's most frothed cafes (by restaurant royalty and hungry punters alike)—comes Bowler, a bangin' salad and açaí bowl pitstop tucked inside Les Mills on Victoria Street. 

Food & Drink

Little ‘Lato Ponsonby

It all started as a gelato dream for Hannah Engelsman, founder and CEO (a.k.a official title as Gelato Fanatic) of Little ‘Lato. 

Cafes

Juno

If Wes Anderson hung up his director's hat and opened a cafe, it'd be the kind of place with pastel margaritas, diabolically cool wallpaper, and eggs benedict topped in fluffy, candyfloss-coloured hollandaise. 

Food & Drink

Trivet

Inspired by To’ona’i traditions (Sunday brunch or feasting in Samoan) and the multicultural culinary fabric of Aotearoa coming together at the dinner table, Chef Wallace (Uelese) Mua is bringing his culinary ode to Auckland in the form of JW Marriott's Trivet. 

Beauty

The New Beauty Products To Shop This Month According To Our Beauty Editor

Welcome to the most fabulous corner of the internet—Urban List's destination for the picks of the beauty crop. This month, our fave haircare has a glow up, there's new scents galore, indie brands are having a *moment* and a new immersive beauty space. 

What's On

The Secret Gems Of Auckland Pride 2025

Here are all the events not to miss at this year's Auckland Pride Festival. 

Things To Do With Kids

14 Fun Things To Do In Auckland With Kids This February

Hey Feb, it's nice to see you (and not least because you signal the start of school). What you lack in days, you more than makes up for in events—especially those of the wholesome, bring-the-whole-fam-along kind. We're talking about an annual lantern festival, the World Manu Champs (yes, it's a thing), and the return of a wreckless but much-loved event to the city's streets after a decade-long hiatus.

Shopping

Mānawa Bay

Forget everything you thought you knew about outlet stores—Mānawa Bay's serving bargains, but make it luxe.

Where to stay

Abstract Hotel

Tucked away just off Karangahape Road is a boutique hotel known as Abstract. As its name suggests, Abstract brings a fresh perspective to the local hotel scene (and staycays) standing out from the crowd not least due to its tasteful theatre-inspired aesthetic. 

Food & Drink

St. Marg’s

St Marg's has emerged from the ashes of the ol’ Thirsty Dog, complete with lush olive-green banquette seating lining sun-facing windows, pops of indoor greenery, organic cotton and rice paper lamp shades. 

Restaurants

Good Luck Club

It’s your lucky day every day at the Good Luck Club. 

Things To Do

Electronic Symphonies And Deep Sea Festivities: Here Are 6 Events Taking Over Auckland This Summer

If there was a recipe for a banging summer in Tāmaki Makaurau, it’d absolutely involve the sea, some good food, a bit of music and a boogie.

Things To Do

17 Auckland Date Ideas That Aren’t Dinner And A Movie

Let us hear you say love. Whether it’s your first or your one hundredth date, a little thought goes a long way and a dinner and a movie just ain't it. 

Things To Do

What’s On In Wellington In 2025

Arts and culture capital of Aotearoa, Te Whanganui-a-Tara is packed with an epic lineup of things to do.

Food & Drink

Turtle: Pizza & Pints

Tucked away in the bustling heart of Greenlane, surrounded by a sea of office buildings, lies Turtle: Pizza and Pints—a hidden gem that might just be missed if one isn’t in the know. 

Fitness

Red Room

Neon-lit workout spaces appear to be on the rise and, as a Personal Trainer who self-identifies as a Disco Moth, I couldn't be happier.

Restaurants

GOAT - From India, With Love

Located in the old Misters Real Food digs on Wyndham Street, GOAT—short for "Greatest of All Taste" with love, from India—is a culinary adventure you won’t want to miss.

Food & Drink

Norma Taps

There’s now one more reason to head to Auckland’s City Works Depot and that’s the addition of Norma Taps, located just a mere 20-second stroll from the legendary Best Ugly Bagels, this dapper new spot has quickly become a local favorite.

Food & Drink

The Best Burger Joints In Auckland And Where To Find Them

There’s really nothing better than smashing back a good burger. It’s salty, it’s satisfying, and it’s what hungry dreams are made of. However, we all know there are many components that go into making a decent burger. Once you weigh up the bun, the patty, the sauce, and the toppings, it can become a very spirited debate. Which begs the question, who IS slinging the best burgers in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland?

Things To Do

8 Of The Best Mini-Golf Courses In Auckland For You To Smash A Hole In One At

Although we may have reluctantly come to terms with the fact that we don’t possess the golfing prowess of Lydia Ko or Rory McIIroy, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy an 18-hole game from time to time.

Bars & Pubs

13 Of The Best Sports Bars In Auckland So You Can Catch The Big Game In Style

Sport is basically a religion here in Aotearoa, and meeting your mates to share a drink and yell sports-themed profanities is a rite of passage. And when you can’t make it to a game, there’s no better way to experience nail-biting sport than with a drink in your hand and plenty of people to create the vibe. 

Restaurants

Hanoi Haven

Traditional Vietnamese cuisine has traversed the Pacific to find a new home on Hurstmere Road, where it's been given a contemporary (and potentially Auckland-best) makeover. This elevated take on what is undoubtedly some of the world's most flavoursome food can be found at Hanoi Haven—a chic new eatery that's replaced the now-unrecognisable Bird On A Wire spot, fronting Takapuna's Fortieth & Hurstmere laneway.

Food & Drink

Perky’s Coffee And Dessert Diner

Sweet tooth aching harder than a cavity? Energy levels at an all-time low? Perky's Coffee and Dessert Diner is here to save the day (and night!). This family-run, American vintage-inspired joint slings hot coffee, delectable bites, and signature Snow Bowls—a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that’s as Instagrammable as it is tasty. 

Food & Drink

ChaBliss

An idyllic tea space has brought all the comfort and ease of the Third Space to a champagne glass. Here, life pauses. Here, it’s all about drinking tea and blissing out. In fact, that’s exactly what the name means ‘cha’ being the Chinese word for tea and ‘bliss’, well, we could all do with more of that on the daily. 

Restaurants

Katsu Katsu

Hankering for something golden and crispy? Look no further than this certified Newmarket favourite.

What's On

What’s On In Christchurch In 2025

Whether you love getting amongst the arts or prefer to eat your way around town, Ōtautahi’s got something for you. Here are the best events happening in Christchurch in 2025. 

TV & Movies

22 Best Crime Shows On Netflix to Binge In 2025

If there’s one genre we can’t get enough of for a binge-session, it’s crime. From gripping detective dramas to chilling serial killer series, these 20 Netflix crime shows will have you hooked.

TV & Movies

Best Shows And Movies On Disney Plus Australia (January 2025 Edition)

Kick back and dive into the best Disney+ has to offer in Australia and New Zealand for 2025.

Restaurants

Smoking Shack

From the smoky depths of Grey Lynn, there’s a new pitmaster in town—and a hot contender for the best BBQ joint of the year.

Restaurants

Hazy Tiger

It’s impossible to miss the giant neon-lit tiger as you wander up Durham Street West. The glowing cat signals a departure from your daily—cross the threshold and you’ll find yourself in Hazy Tiger, a trippy wonderland of Korean eats and sip-worthy libations. 

Restaurants

Bon Pinard

Sarah Macdonald has a grounding energy about her. Astonishing given she’s the co-founder of not one but three eateries—an impressive feat in any climate but especially so in the current economy. 

Bars & Pubs

Isle On Snickel

Venture down one of the smallest, most secret lanes in Auckland CBD and you’ll happen upon a bar and cellar you won’t want to leave. Sitting pretty among a florist and botanical gift shop, a Thai vegan eatery, a Japanese restaurant, and a barista, Isle On Snickel completes a micro-climate that’s a welcome relief from the frenetic energy of the city. 

Wellness

Where To Get An Earth-Shatteringly Good Massage In Auckland

We’ve taken the hard yards out of scoping out the very best massage places in Auckland, so that you can sit back and slip right into a state of bliss. Toodles, tension. 

Best Of

The Best Sunflower Farms In New Zealand And Where To Find Them

Sunflower season is short but sweet and while there might not be an abundance of sunflower farms in Aotearoa, there are five magical spots you’ll definitely want to visit.

Markets & Food Events

The Best Markets In Auckland For 2025

Make markets your favourite weekend morning ritual and kick on with mates for the night markets too (we're looking at you Auckland Night Markets). We've rounded up a list of all of the best markets across Tāmaki you need to check out. 

Food & Drink

XièXiè Ponsonby

As if Ponsonby Road wasn’t already our go-to for all things eating, dining and shopping, this foodie precinct / Ponsonby paradise has welcomed a new contemporary Chinese restaurant to the area.

Fashion

Diamonds on Richmond

One of Auckland’s top boutique jewellers, Diamonds on Richmond presents a beautiful collection of designs from the classic to the unique. The helpful team of jewellers can also work with you to create the perfect for that special someone (or yourself!).

Restaurants

Sum Made

If you're looking for a buzzing spot for lunch and dinner in Albany, look no further than Sum Made. 

Bars & Pubs

Nami Record Bar

Rising from the proverbial ashes of the old Conch digs, Nami Record Bar might just be your next favourite hangout. It’s certainly one of ours. 

Food & Drink

The Best Artisanal Gins In NZ So You Can Level Up Your G&T Game

20 New Zealand-made gins that will turn your typical G&T on its head.

Shopping

16 Ways To Embrace Mocha Mousse AKA The Pantone Colour Of The Year 2025

Pantone has been selecting its Colour of the Year for more than a decade now and in 2025, that honour goes to Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230). According to the official Pantone website, this is a “warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.”

Fitness

Auckland’s Best Gyms According To A Personal Trainer

It's the time of year when we resolve to go harder, to be better, to move faster, and to get stronger—no wait, that might just be Daft Punk. 

Restaurants

Impression Restaurant

Following their success in Dunedin, the team behind the popular Chinese restaurant Impression Manor has opened a new eatery in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Food & Drink

Queens Rooftop Bar & Wineshop

When *everyone* gets a rooftop spot with stunning harbour views, you know you’re in for a treat. Queens Rooftop, the 360-degree, sky-high wrap-around bar atop the Deloitte building and Commercial Bay is Auckland’s newest grand dame. 

Restaurants

Cibo

The grande dame of Auckland dining is officially 30, and every bit as flirty and thriving. 

Restaurants

Advieh

You would be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that ticks as many boxes as Advieh, the latest gem from acclaimed Chef Gareth Stewart.