Directory

Celeb chef Nic Watt was on to the good thing when he opened MASU Japanese bar and restaurant in the Federal Street dining precinct. At the heart of MASU is a robata grill. Here, the contemporary Japanese dishes are cooked in a traditional style over the hot coals of the grill and served up right before your eyes. The menu includes a selection of smaller dishes designed to be shared with mates and dates. You can’t leave MASU without trying the highly praised lamb cutlets with gochujang hot pepper, pickled onions and carrot. Trust us on this one.

There’s not much we can fault Fred’s Espresso on. This Ponsonby Road café and soda bar is full of yum, honest food, great coffee, slurpingly good milkshakes, and some of the friendliest staff you’ll encounter in the area. Stop by Fred’s for an early morning feed, or afternoon catch ups. 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

The Espresso Workshop bunch are serious about making really great coffee. Their Britomart café is full of coffee enthusiast baristas who spend their days creating beautiful, smooth-as-silk coffees. Pop into Espresso Workshop for your cold brew fix and a bagel. 

Coffee lovers, you’re spoiled for choice at Grey Lynn’s Postal Service. Using their own beans, Kokako is all about helping people find their favourite brew, be it espresso, filter, cold brew, or the trusty flat white. Stop in for a light lunch of broccoli, cumin feta, and quinoa fritters (drizzled in cashew aioli—yum!), or grab an energizer sandwich, one of our favourite loaded sammies. 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

Ramen is having a moment, and there’s no better place to get on board the buzz than Ramen Takara in Brown’s Bay. They have soul warming, noodlelicious bowls of ramen, made fresh daily using local ingredients as well as all our Japanese favourites—edamame, karaage chicken and beef tataki. Hands down one of the best ramen spots in Auckland, and won’t break the bank. 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

Depot Eatery is many things—a cracking bar, an oyster-lovers paradise, and one of Auckland's best restaurants. Perched high on the hill in Auckland's CBD this little all-rounder is a warm and welcoming recluse for wine lovers and foodies alike. Freshly shucked oysters are the star of the show, but it's hard to put a foot wrong when ordering from the epic share plates. Chef Al Brown has created a seasonal menu with a strong focus on New Zealand produce, and the result are pretty darn delicious. Depot also does breakfast with a tidy little menu including beignettes, bacon and egg doonas, and coffee served from 7am.  

Give us a plate of pork buns, and we’re happy campers. Give us a plate of Blue Breeze Inn pork buns, and we’ll demolish them within seconds—they’re that frickin’ tasty. Sitting snug in Ponsonby Central, this modern Chinese restaurant is the beautiful brainchild of chef Che Barrington, and restaurateur Mark Wallbank. Their staff rock around in kitschy Hawaiian shirts (and manage to somehow look pretty cool), and their cocktail menu is a delicious Rum Diaries-meets-Tiki fever mix (you can even take the tiki mug home!). The giant chocolate lava pot is tops, so leave a bit of room for that. 

The Roaming Dive is an Auckland food truck fave serving po’ boys, sliders, and damn tasty sides. But wait, there’s more! The Roaming Dive have just introduced a revolutionary slider concept (because sliders are prone to revolution, don’t ya know)—the DIY DIVE, SLIDER STATION. Yep, The Roaming Dive will rock up at your event with a huge box, full to the brim with buns, meat, salads and condiments, so your guests can get stuck in and make their own.

This gourmet Mt Wellington burger joint is famous for it’s always delicious Burger of The Week. Big J’s uses handmade patties, fresh ingredients and sauces to create burgers, toasties and hot dogs. Rally up the troops and get to Big J’s for a burger feast, STAT! 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

Auckland food truck icon, The White Lady can smash out 200 orders within an hour! The burger flipping skills of The White Lady crew have been honed for over 60 years, making them the oldest food truck in Auckland. Located in downtown Auckland, The White Lady serves up burgers, toasties, and milkshakes every night of the week. 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

BBQ, barbeque, barbecue—no matter how you spell it, there’s no denying that it’s one of the tastiest cuisines (can we call it that?!) out. Auckland food truck, Dixie Barbecue, is dishing out delicious American barbecue fare. Whether you’re in the market for a ridiculously tasty sandwich, or simply want a tray of super tender meat, Dixie Barbecue is sure to impress.

In 2013, three friends brought their love of New York-inspired hotdogs to life with Brooklyn Dog—one of the best food stalls in Auckland. With a focus on free-range, prime sausages made from top-notch ingredients, Brooklyn Dogs are showing Aucklander’s what’s up in the world of hawt dawgs. We’re digging The Brooklyn Classic—a pork shoulder, prime beef sausage with secret spices. Yum!

Beautiful coffee and tasty, no-fuss food—Caffetteria Allpress caters for all your fuelling needs. The Freemans Bay café offers Allpress coffee in every form, including single origin filter and almond milk for all you gluten-free folk. Caffetteria Allpress will also serves ‘pretty damn good for you’ muesli and yoghurt for breakfast, or head there for an Italian sammie at lunch. 

No. 1 Pancake offers some of the best pancakes in Auckland. There’s always a smile from the staff as they serve these Korean hotteok … delicious, warm and fluffy stacks to beat the three o’clock hunger pains or for a tasty lunch.

Sushi and Sake? Yes Please! Sake Bar Nippon brings you traditional Japanese cuisine served fresh and delicious. Bringing friends? Why not order a sharing platter from the party menu. After, why not try a variety of traditional sakes, all made with strong exotic flavours of Japan. Sake Bar Nippon's dining experience is one to revisit ASAP! 

Little Bird is the face of the raw and organic food movement in Auckland. Walking in the bustling doors of the Unbakery on Summer Street in Ponsonby is a treat in itself, even before cracking into the extensive offering of mouthwateringly sweet morsels, all of which are dairy, gluten, and refined sugar free.

Naomi and Ulala are the sisters behind coffee roastery ARK Coffee on Takapuna’s Lake Road. Founded on a love for the caffeinated bean, ARK offers brewing classes, tasting sessions, and bloody brilliant cup of coffee. A giant roaster sits in the middle of the store, so you know the beans are fresh as can be. ARK’s long black is an absolute treat, and the serene, welcoming atmosphere will have you coming back for more. 

One of our favourite slightly snazzy but reasonably cheap eats in Auckland is Parkside Cafe & Vietnamese Cuisine in Mt Albert. Their dishes are made for sharing and packed with the fresh, lively flavours of Vietnam. Parkside’s green papaya salad with homemade jerky beef will make you one happy diner, as will their Hanoi style grilled pork and fried tofu in spicy tomato sauce. Oh, and they also do Kiwi-style brunch—get amongst.  

Curry in a hurry? Chawlas Indian Restaurants delivers right to your doorstep. This restaurants chain is uber popular in India, so you know the curries are authentic, full of flavour, and not going to break the bank. Chawlas’s onion bhaji (spiced onions coated in chickpea flour and fried) are the ultimate entrée, and Rarra chicken is an adventure for the senses. Make sure you order a couple of rotis and naans to mop it all up. 

Bonz Cajun Kitchen are introducing Aucklanders to a mashup of American barbecue and authentic Cajun cuisine in Elliott Stables. Their menu is made for sharing—think buffalo wings, Cajun snapper sliders, and jambalaya. Bonz Cajun Kitchen’s babyback ribs are rubbed with a Kentucky spice blend and lathered in their homemade barbecue sauce—you’ll won’t to bring your appetite for this one, and maybe a couple of wet wipes.  

With so many restaurants on Dominion Road, it can be a hard job deciding which ones are worth going to, but Barilla Dumpling is a must. Serving up lip-smacking dumplings (of course) and plenty of other options to satiate the hungriest of bellies, Barilla Dumpling is one of Auckland’s best cheap eats. 

If you’re on the shore and craving a truly delicious Korean feast, make your way to Biwon Korean Barbeque. Situated on Link Drive in Wairau Valley, Biwon specialises in grilled meaty goodness, which you cook yourself. Each table comes complete with a mini extractor fan, so you can grill your marinated beef without setting of the smoke alarm. Biwon’s bibimbap is also worth a try.

In a mad rush and forgot to eat brekky? Or walked out the door without your lunch and your tummy is rumbling? Greedy Guts is the answer. In the heart of Auckland City, it’s a small space that’s big on personality—and delicious food. You’ll be spoiled for choice with their ever-evolving menu.

We think we’re in love. Goodnight Cocoa has seduced us with their rich, chocolatey hot cocoa, and it has warmed the cockles of our hearts. Dan and his partner, Ali, are the lovely couple behind this gorgeous little pop-up (often found at The Street Food Collective). They serve unbelievably moreish homemade smores, and cocoa topped with a scoop of chocolate ice cream—yum! Find where they are on Facebook and go say hello! 

Nestled in the metropolitan crux of central Auckland burb Grafton, Ceremony Company is taking the sandwich zeitgeist to new heights. With a delectable array of lovingly crafted creations (best devoured with a double shot of Flight Coffee goodness), the aptly named Ceremony is just as the name depicts—a warm space and place for like-minded individuals to stop and take a moment to celebrate the simple things done well.

Shut the Front Door is about the coolest name, for a homewares store, that we’ve ever heard. And tell you what, if the interior of our house was this awesome, we would want to shut the front door and stay at home forever. Shut the Front Door has one of the best assortments of homewares, furniture, nic nacs and just about anything you can think of, but cooler. In our minds, Shut the Front Door is one of the best home stores in Auckland.

Soft shell crab stuffed in a brioche bun? With a side of tater tots? Weirdough & Tuck knows what’s up. This City Works Depot eatery is from the Scratch Bakers crew, who have made lunch time in the city all that more delicious. We’ve come up with our own breakdown of the name Weirdough & Tuck—weird (or more so, interesting) types of dough, in a trendy form of tuck shop. 

The residents of Point Chevalier are a little bit blessed to call Twisted Tomato their local dining option. Having nailed the difficult mixture of classy and cool, which comes with being a smart-casual establishment, Twisted Tomato provides Aucklanders with yet another reason to dine out. Twisted Tomato’s casual ambience is paired with a menu that is bound to awaken each and every taste bud. We hear that the Gnocchi gives the potato a whole new lease on life.

Epsom is home to the sweetest little deli and café, Raven & Cook. Well known in the area for its working lunches, sweet treats and incredible sausages rolls. Raven & Cook provide a catering service, and we tell you what, any event that has Raven & Cook’s food is a good event to us! 

RAD in Mt Eden prides itself on its swanky ‘Strada’ coffee machine, the use of Flight Coffee, and having some of the best baristas in Auckland. And they should, the coffee is a stride ahead of many other Auckland cafes and the ambience is, well, rad. RAD focuses on all things cool, even their freshly prepared lunch rolls have cool names (our fave is ‘It’s Ham’mer Time’). The menu is innovative and interesting but the kitchen behind RAD know what they are up to, and pull it off ‘radically’. 

We all love a cheeky mimosa, and this one is not quite as cheeky as it seems. Mimosa, located in seaside suburb Takapuna, focuses on all things good for that bod of yours. The Japanese-inspired menu is made up of primarily organic and gluten free ingredients. Mimosa’s Fair Trade Organic coffee is superb, and their cabinet is packed to the brim with various treats. Thanks to Mimosa, these treats cater to most dietary requirements—yay!

Grey Lynn has slowly developed, over the last few years, as a neighbourhood to entertain the tastebuds. Speaking of entertaining, Dilecta is the perfect place to take that date, or stop by for some after work drinks and nibbles on a Friday. Dilecta serves up high-end food, without the prestigious atmosphere or prices. With a menu straight out of the Mediterranean, Dilecta could be our new favourite romantic dinner spot. We hear they make a divine salted caramel tart, though that might not be something to share.

This little café in Westmere, named after Betty Catroux, exemplifies simplicity and elegance. With a white interior Catroux allows us to focus primarily on the vibrant cabinet, packed full to the brim. The salads are always fresh and the Paninis always innovative. Catroux’s brunch menu is top-notch with everything that’ll make you feel a little bit better about yourself; free-range eggs, eight-thirty coffee and fresh baked bread from Pukeko Bakery. And if you enjoy the cakes so much, you can order the whole. They are so delicious you can probably eat them whole, too.

They say to not judge a book by its cover, sometimes it is the same for the culinary world too. Pokpok is no palace from the outside, and the inside is more ‘shabby chic’ than chic. In saying that one should not let décor remove from good, fresh, authentic food. Pokpok knows exactly how Thai food should be prepared and executed, and then they spice it up with a surprise twist or two. We recommend trying Pokpok’s famous black sticky rice pudding and coconut ice cream, it’s simply to die for.

Goodness Gracious me! We’ve finally come across a café with a name to match the expression of its regulars. Goodness Gracious is a bit of a hidden gem, stowed away on New North Road. Notorious for its bagels, which are both perfectly doughy, yet provide a satisfying crunch. We like to imagine the Goodness Gracious bagels are straight out of New York—‘The Kranksy’ could have fooled us. A little bit of New York style goes a long way.

The Indochine Kitchen on Fort Street combines two of our favourite things: Vietnamese food and tapas. What better way to spend a night out with friends or a lover, than sharing plates of fresh seasonal produce tied together with authentic flavours? Indochine Kitchen will momentarily whisk you away to Vietnam, through exhilarating taste explosions. For the best Vietnamese in Auckland, explore Indochine Kitchen’s taste escape to South East Asia.

Franc’s dub themselves ‘the purveyors of all things yummy’ and we can't fault them on that. Franc’s is tucked away in Takapuna and offers three separate, but equally mouth-watering menus. C’mon, who can fault a smoky pork sliders and popcorn shrimp with an ice cold beer, or perhaps you’re after buttemilk waffles with chocolate milkshake—because why the hell not. If that isn’t enough for you, Franc’s has its very own brew. 

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

Editor’s Note: This venue is permanently closed

If you’ve ever considered becoming part of a members' club, then look no further than Takapuna’s Regatta Bar. Flashing that brand new member’s card as you sip on cocktails, beachside, will not only provide you with a sweet, sweet discount...but inclusive events, a scenic dining spot and we hear Regatta Bar even give their members an annual birthday present. Regatta Bar may just be the best members' club in Auckland!

Does anyone actually, thoroughly enjoy working out? We agree it’s hard to enjoy when you’re running to get to that free cross-trainer, or being sweated on in a class that has 20 people too many. You don’t want it to be hard work to work hard. The Exercise Room in Parnell is our little secret to a good workout. With limited membership spaces, you can enjoy The Exercise Room’s free space. If that’s not enough, The Exercise Room provides its members with individual bathroom suites, free undercover parking and 24/7 access. Talk about fancy!

The Tin Kitchen is exactly how it sounds. A tin kitchen, on wheels, in the shape of a small caravan. We, just like you, love food trucks. The simplicity, the moveable location, the cheap eats. The Tin Kitchen provides all of those things, with restaurant quality. With owner Matt Ross being a keen fisherman, The Tin Kitchen has gained a well-deserved reputation for it’s delectable soft shell crab burger. It might even be the best in Auckland.

Deep inside the concrete jungle, that is Auckland City, is a new hub for art and tea enthusiasts alike. We all love tea, and we love cafes that support this trend even more. This That on Lorne Street focuses on tea, more so than coffee. Thanks to T2, This That offers an extensive range of options for that steaming brew. What we love even more, is how this quirky little café offers gallery space for artists looking to exhibit their work. Tea and art, This That is really all that!

At first thought, Father Rabbit could be described as a homewares store. On second thought, it is so much more. Entering the door at Mt Eden's BLOC, is like falling down the rabbit hole into a world of organisation and modernity. Father Rabbit provides a range of organisational tools, kitchen necessities, home niceties, tiny clothes for those tiny humans in your life, and a never-ending array of items that you ‘need’ to purchase for your home. Immediately. 

Atomic Coffee, or Atomic bomb? It really doesn’t matter once your fatigue is smashed to smithereens, and you’re charging, ready for the day. Atomic Café & Roastery in Kingsland Kingsland offers a range of beverages and bean varieties to bewilder your brain. Whether you’re looking for a great start to the week, an afternoon pick-me-up, or to stock up the home coffee supply, Atomic Café & Roastery is the place to indulge in caffeination (or even decaffeination).

We just love a good shoe (who doesn't?) and when it comes to finding the perfect pair for that special occassion, Kathryn Wilson is a must-visit.  As one of New Zealand's fastest growing labels, there's stores in Britomart, Herne Bay, Newmarket and Devonport. Embrace the style and the sass of Kathryn Wilson's heels on your next night out, or pop on a pair of loafers for weekend comfort and trend. Hours are for the Herne Bay store, you can check your local by visiting Kathryn Wilson's site. 

Clean and green, Ecostore is all about making sure your home, body and baby are super-healthy and safe AND their products are good for the environment.  There's no nasty chemicals so you can use them with without worry. We've all seen them in shops around the country but their flagship store in Freemans Bay is worth visiting to get an idea of their full range - and to check out other environmentally friendly brands.

Sunglass Bar has been a staple on Vulcan Lane for the past 19 years and of course we love them - we're crushing on their brands. Think Yves Saint Laurent, Dita, Marc Jacobs, Dior Homme, Karen Walker. Just saying their names feels good. They also offer a full repair service for scratched and broken frames for those times you've had a tad too much to drink and forget to care for them in the way they sooooo deserve. 

Nestled in the heart of the big smoke, you’ll find The Store. Though the name may suggest a small corner dairy, it supplies something much more arousing to the taste buds. Whether it be a snazzy brunch, fancy fish n’ chips, or the best salted caramel ice cream outside of Italy (or at least the best in Auckland), The Store offers a tasty treat for all. Regulars will notice The Store’s upmarket spin on things with little touches such as linen napkins and complimentary sparkling water. 

Auckland cafe Richmond Road Cafe is a staple on, you guessed it, Richmond Road in Grey Lynn. The spacious deck allows an ever flowing stream of diners to bask in the sun while perusing a menu chock full of hip new seasonal meals, coffees, sweet treats and libations.

Tosca & Salome on The Strand in Takapuna is boho incarnate. Inspired by wanderlust, the Tosca & Salome collection is created by pieces from around the world. Gorgeous crochet, mystical prints and bohemian style adorn the collection, and inspire you to drop everything, slip in to one of their maxi dresses and go soak in the beauty of mother nature.

AS Colour was born out of demand for a better quality t-shirt. What started as humble beginnings has since burgeoned into a lucrative retail business around New Zealand that fills a very real need in the market: quality, innovative and colourful unbranded t-shirts.

On Customs Street West in the Viaduct lies Japanese Bistro Zen, a modern yet authentic Japanese restaurant with an eclectic atmosphere, making it incredibly attractive to groups of young and old alike who are keen for a more upscale evening out. The menu encourages sharing, and is organised into different bite-sized plates for tasting.

Il Buco in Ponsonby serves up over 30 different varieties of fresh pizza by the slice, the traditional Roman Pizza al Taglio way. Choose your slice and enjoy it at Il Buco while Ponsonby people-watching, or take it home and savour the traditional Italian fare with a bottle of wine and Netflix.

Nothing is more irresistible than a piping hot and bubbling New York pizza pie, crafted with love by a tried and true New Yorker with Italian roots. That, our friends, is the magic behind Epolito’s Pizzeria in Grey Lynn.