Holy mother of cheese have we got a round-up for you! We know you love cheese more than anything else in the world, but things are really heating up—literally. Think hot, baked, melted gooey deliciousness that will leave you in a blissful cheese coma. Here’s where to get your melted cheese fix in Auckland.
Gypsy Caravan
Ponsonby
Leading the cheese pack is Ponsonby’s Gypsy Caravan. Their pan-fried ouzo cheese dish is so hot, it’s served flaming! Yup, they use the Greek alcohol to set a skillet of cheese on fire before topping it with seeds and honey. The dish comes with toasted sourdough for you to dip into the melted goodness.
Miss Moonshines
Ponsonby
Just across from Gypsy Caravan, you’ll also find cheese tastiness at Miss Moonshines. The meat house knows a thing or two about barbecuing—and cheese, for that matter. Here you’ll discover smoked camembert that’s paired with grapes, apple chutney and crackers. Speaking of cheese, they also do deep-fried mac n cheese balls (!) served with crispy bacon strips.
Circus Circus
Mt Eden
Circus-themed restaurant Circus Circus caters to the cheese obsessed in the most glorious way. Their dinner menu stars a whole baked brie that’s topped with figs and pistachio—best combo, huh? Dig in to the cheesy delight with the accompanying sourdough crostini and you’re away laughing. Keep with the cheese theme and finish dinner off with a slice of their Malteasers cheesecake. It’d be rude not to.
Melt
Food Truck
Melted raclette cheese has made its way to Auckland thanks to the friendly folk behind Melt. The food truck heats slabs of Manukau smoked cheddar until it’s niiice and melted before scraping it off and serving it with the likes of potatoes, gherkins and pickled onions. They also do a cheese-laden meatball sub—yum! Find out more here.
Matakana Market Kitchen
Matakana
For your northern cheese fix, look no further than Matakana Market Kitchen. The delightful river-side restaurant does a whole baked camembert wheel that’s topped generously with sundried tomato and pine nuts. It comes served with a pear and fig chutney and crostini. This dish is perfect for sharing but hard-core cheese lovers (such as ourselves) will want an entire wheel to themselves.
Tanuki’s Cave
Auckland City
Literally located in a cave under Queen Street, Tanuki’s Cave dishes up some of the best Japanese yakitori and kushiage in Auckland. Work your way through the likes of deep-fried kumara balls, pork belly and edamame beans. No visit is complete without their deep-fried cheese. The crispy-coated cheese is perfectly oozy on the inside. Order multiple amounts of this bad boy.
Sake Bar Nippon
Epsom
Out in the ‘burbs, Epsom’s Sake Bar Nippon is also serving Japanese-esque cheese. They have a baked camembert number that boasts a crunchy outer and a melted, cheesy inner. There’s no chance of quiet night at this much-loved Japanese restaurant—expect the gong of the taiko drum and rousing cries of “Irasshaimase!” as you enter.
Fish Smith
Herne Bay
Crumbed haloumi, people. It’s a thing and there’s a takeaway place in Auckland serving the cheesy wonder. Uh hah, at Herne Bay’s Fish Smith you’ll find crumbed camembert that’s deep-fried to perfection. It’s every bit as amazing as it sounds. Enjoy with some of their equally divine spiced fish tacos.
Want more?
- We Love Cheese! | 20 Of Auckland’s Cheesiest Dishes
- Where To Learn To Surf In Auckland
- The Four Cheeses You Can Eat After Exercise
Image credit: Kellie Blizard at Circus Circus