Auckland is home to some of the finest cuisine found in Oceania. A melting pot of cultures, let your taste buds take a trip to Japan, Central America, Italy or New York. Let's get virtual eating folks ... we guarantee your mouth will be watering by the end of this!
1. Soul bar & bistro
Seafood lovers this is the place for you! Located in the heart of The Viaduct, this place is hard to miss. Go for a classic Kiwi dish; whitebait fritters with a squeeze of lemon, or a hearty, seafood chowder. Yum! If you're an oyster fan, they do plenty of em' and they serve them any style. My pick would be the fried oyster, brioche bun, coleslaw and spicy mayo burger. If you're not a seafood fan, check out their pasta menu and dig into a delicious bowl of macaroni cheese with ham off the bone! Finish off with a peanut butter taco with salted caramel ice cream and Spanish peanuts for dessert. Now I'm hungry!
2. Ebisu
Japanese cuisine at its finest. Located on Tyler Street in the Britomart precinct, this restaurant has an awesome atmosphere and some stylish decor. The menu is designed to share so grab your mates and head along for a Japanese feast! If you're as indecisive as I am, you'll have a hard time choosing what to order as everything is so damn good! The beef tataki, karaage chicken, steamed prawn dumpings and miso eggplant are some of my favourite dishes, or if you really feel like treating yourself, try their tasting menu. With an extensive sake list, you're really in for the full experience!
3. Amano
Who doesn't love Italian? I don't know about you but I could eat pasta until I die. Also located in Britomart, this stylish eatery heros bold flavours and unique combinations. The crayfish tortellini and chitarra with scampi, tomato and a hint of chili are my pasta picks. Char-grilled lamb or chicken, or the scotch fillet are my picks for poultry. For dessert, finish with an espresso with mascarpone trifle. If you're simply after something to grab n' go during the day, pop into Amano Bakery and pick up a pastry, filled roll or something sweet. Did we mention how amazing the coffee is?
4. miss clawdy
Let's head to Central America folks! Inspired by the Southern States and Central America, the flavours are big and this place has soul. Another restaurant celebrating the beauty of sharing plates, I recommend starting off with the guacamole and corn chips, followed by the Jamaican jerk chicken and a few tacos, and finishing up with the key lime pie or a few fresh doughnuts. Miss Clawdy is located in Wynyard Quarter and is an easy walk from the Viaduct.
5. Saint Heliers Bay Cafe & Bistro
Sitting across the road from Saint Heliers Bay beach, this little cafe and bistro is an epic spot for brekkie, a bite for lunch, an afternoon ice cream or dinner! Pop in for an omelette or some eggs benny in the morning, or visit and try the Wagyu beef burger, pork belly or fish and chips for an easy lunch or dinner. On a sunny Summer's day, you can't beat their ice cream! A personal favourite of mine is the peanut butter flavour or a sorbet! This is an awesome eatery during those stunning blue sky days when you're hitting the beach and want to finish off with a bite to eat!
6. holey moley golf club
I bet you read golf club and started questioning what we're talking about ... We're talking an indoor mini golf course meets bar and eatery! Yes, that's right, you can channel your competitive side, have a few bevvies and a delicious meal after your game. A hop, skip and jump away from Queen Street, head down to the Viaduct and feast your eyes on their delicious pizzas, seafood, hotdogs and treat yourself to one of their signature cocktails. Grab some mates and head along, grab a club and a beer!
7. O'Connell St Bistro
O'Connell Street is a beautifully paved street in Auckland surrounded by heritage buildings. The Bistro has been consistently rated as one of the best restaurants in the city as they take culinary art to a whole other level. They say you eat with your eyes first right? Well this place makes you do just that! They provide the best cuts of meat mixed in with the most flavorful herbs and spices. Crispy peppered squid or steak tartare are recommended starters. The lamb rump or slow cooked rib of beef are both melt in the mouth for mains. They even have a cheese menu, fancy! My dessert picks would be the Tahitian vanilla crème brulee or lemon curd ice cream sandwich with strawberries. Heaven.
8. Masu
Located in the heart of the city (right by the Skytower), this contemporary Japanese restaurant has a large menu, with big and bold flavors. They do everything from sushi, tempura, steamed vegetables, sashimi, edamame and soft shell crab. Miso soup, rice any style, this place is a dream for those who love the cuisine, which is simply fresh and irresistible, jam packed full of deliciousness. Their mojitos are also pretty darn tasty!
9. federal DELICATESSEN
One of the country's most loved chefs, Al Brown has bought an old school New York Jewish delicatessen to Auckland! Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and affectionately known as 'Fed Deli,' it's almost always busy for a good reason. The Chelsea bun with golden raisins and cinnamon from the brunch menu is particularly tasty alongside a mimosa or breakfast martini! The poutine, bagels and sandwiches are standouts on the lunch and dinner menus, as well as the New York cheesecake from the dessert menu. They also have a takeaway menu for those on the go!
10. mission bay pavilion
A cafe by day, a restaurant and bar come night, the Mission Bay Pavilion has it all! Rich with history dating back to the 1840s, the scoria rock buildings were given a new life in 2017 and Lucien Law of Savor Group is at the helm of the operation. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, peruse the menu and choose from classic dishes such as fried calamari, beer battered fish and chips, or the snapper pie is our pick. Did I mention the dessert menu? The potted chocolate mousse or sticky date pudding is to die for! We recommend finishing off with a stroll along Mission Bay Beach.