Guidebook for Auckland
Food Scene
It's the closest coffee shop to the house. Opens at 7am. Has cabinet food only (no menu) but nice cakes, salads, sandwiches, pies and wraps. Also great for single take out meals that you can reheat in the microwave at the studio!
8 abantu bendawo batusa
Jess' Underground Kitchen
203 Jervois RdIt's the closest coffee shop to the house. Opens at 7am. Has cabinet food only (no menu) but nice cakes, salads, sandwiches, pies and wraps. Also great for single take out meals that you can reheat in the microwave at the studio!
Great for breakfast or lunch. Terrific salads, bakery and breakfast menu and walking distance!
26 abantu bendawo batusa
Catroux
129 W End RdGreat for breakfast or lunch. Terrific salads, bakery and breakfast menu and walking distance!
Cute hipster vibe. Interesting breakfast and lunch options, and good coffee. Has a lot of GF and vegan options.
51 abantu bendawo batusa
Dear Jervois
234 Jervois RdCute hipster vibe. Interesting breakfast and lunch options, and good coffee. Has a lot of GF and vegan options.
One of our favourite restaurants. Peruvian Japanese. You often need to book, but can usually also get a seat at the bar. Be sure to try the tostadas and the lamb chops.
29 abantu bendawo batusa
Azabu Ponsonby
26 Ponsonby RdOne of our favourite restaurants. Peruvian Japanese. You often need to book, but can usually also get a seat at the bar. Be sure to try the tostadas and the lamb chops.
Cheap and cheerful rotisserie chicken place. Super casual and fun - walk up. Great sides and appetisers, and the chicken is always great.
Boy & Bird
222 Ponsonby RdCheap and cheerful rotisserie chicken place. Super casual and fun - walk up. Great sides and appetisers, and the chicken is always great.
Our favourite fine dining restaurant in the city. A fixed degustation dinner, with a dining room that has a lovely view over the city. You'll need to book. There's also a chef's table with a view into the kitchen.
28 abantu bendawo batusa
Sidart Restaurant
283 Ponsonby RdOur favourite fine dining restaurant in the city. A fixed degustation dinner, with a dining room that has a lovely view over the city. You'll need to book. There's also a chef's table with a view into the kitchen.
Great family-owned Middle Eastern casual dining. Doesn't have a license so no alcohol but the food is fantastic...and it's casual and well priced.
13 abantu bendawo batusa
Petra Shawarma
482 New N RdGreat family-owned Middle Eastern casual dining. Doesn't have a license so no alcohol but the food is fantastic...and it's casual and well priced.
Great place to catch the vibe at the waterfront. Good food and great bar.
29 abantu bendawo batusa
Headquarters
103 Customs St WGreat place to catch the vibe at the waterfront. Good food and great bar.
Sensational fitout, great service and excellent food. Hard to book so book in advance, or risk it and show up on the night - but you might have to wait for a table.
87 abantu bendawo batusa
Amano
Britomart PlaceSensational fitout, great service and excellent food. Hard to book so book in advance, or risk it and show up on the night - but you might have to wait for a table.
Our local fish and chips joint. They have a few seats out front or takeaway and pop down to one of our neighbourhood beaches in Herne Bay to enjoy them - or bring back to the studio! Do great fish tacos as well.
11 abantu bendawo batusa
FishSmith
200 Jervois RdOur local fish and chips joint. They have a few seats out front or takeaway and pop down to one of our neighbourhood beaches in Herne Bay to enjoy them - or bring back to the studio! Do great fish tacos as well.
It's not really a street market but more a cooperative food scene with a bunch of excellent casual food spots - awesome during the day or at night. Also has a juice bar, coffee bar, meat market, and wine shop. Choose from asian street food, pizza, meatball bar, Burger Burger for the best burgers in Auckland, grilled cheese spot, noodles, Japanese, Middle Eastern, rotisserie chicken, Argentinian bbq, or Blue Breeze Inn restaurant - all are great!
298 abantu bendawo batusa
Ponsonby Central
146 Ponsonby RdIt's not really a street market but more a cooperative food scene with a bunch of excellent casual food spots - awesome during the day or at night. Also has a juice bar, coffee bar, meat market, and wine shop. Choose from asian street food, pizza, meatball bar, Burger Burger for the best burgers in Auckland, grilled cheese spot, noodles, Japanese, Middle Eastern, rotisserie chicken, Argentinian bbq, or Blue Breeze Inn restaurant - all are great!
Contemporary New Zealand food with great service. Smart decor, attentive staff, and excellent food under the vaulted ceiling and fairy lights at Britomart.
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/gastronomy/new-opening-ortolana/
56 abantu bendawo batusa
Ortolana
33 Tyler StContemporary New Zealand food with great service. Smart decor, attentive staff, and excellent food under the vaulted ceiling and fairy lights at Britomart.
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/gastronomy/new-opening-ortolana/
Another great place for modern Kiwi food - with plates to share, terrific terrace and it's open for dinner, lunch and brunch. Great decor.
25 abantu bendawo batusa
Odettes Eatery
90 Wellesley St WAnother great place for modern Kiwi food - with plates to share, terrific terrace and it's open for dinner, lunch and brunch. Great decor.
Crazy popular casual dining spot opposite Skycity casino...small tables and you're cheek to cheek but excellent food and raw bar. Be prepared to wait, or pop next door to the asian bar for an excellent cocktail while you wait! No bookings taken - and the wait at peak times can be longer than 30mins.
101 abantu bendawo batusa
Depot
86 Federal StCrazy popular casual dining spot opposite Skycity casino...small tables and you're cheek to cheek but excellent food and raw bar. Be prepared to wait, or pop next door to the asian bar for an excellent cocktail while you wait! No bookings taken - and the wait at peak times can be longer than 30mins.
If you're craving a corned beef sandwich and pickle come here! It's the closest thing we have to a NY retro styled diner. We recommend the schnitzel and the banoffee pie - killer! Small tables only so not great for 6+. They don't take bookings but there are nearby places where you can grab a drink while you wait.
79 abantu bendawo batusa
Federal Delicatessen
86 Federal StreetIf you're craving a corned beef sandwich and pickle come here! It's the closest thing we have to a NY retro styled diner. We recommend the schnitzel and the banoffee pie - killer! Small tables only so not great for 6+. They don't take bookings but there are nearby places where you can grab a drink while you wait.
Open during the day for breakfast and lunch only this new popular cafe is fully vegan, and easy walking distance from the house.
6 abantu bendawo batusa
The Butcher's Son
204 Jervois RdOpen during the day for breakfast and lunch only this new popular cafe is fully vegan, and easy walking distance from the house.
Best location upstairs in the Viaduct - good food and drinks and lovely place to sit late afternoon and into the evening.
8 abantu bendawo batusa
Saint Alice
204 Quay StBest location upstairs in the Viaduct - good food and drinks and lovely place to sit late afternoon and into the evening.
Features a range of counter order casual eafood eateries – poke, wet bar, Thai, pizza, and try the mini pop up from Azabu (our favourite Peruvian Japanese from Ponsonby Rd). Also great position near the downtown waterfront and America's Cup area.
54 abantu bendawo batusa
Auckland Fish Market
22-32 Jellicoe StFeatures a range of counter order casual eafood eateries – poke, wet bar, Thai, pizza, and try the mini pop up from Azabu (our favourite Peruvian Japanese from Ponsonby Rd). Also great position near the downtown waterfront and America's Cup area.
Just along the road in walking distance, this well-loved local eatery and bar is always popular. Modern Italian classic and great snack food to accompany a cocktail or two. You don’t need to book but it wouldn’t hurt to on a Friday or Saturday night.
23 abantu bendawo batusa
Andiamo Eatery
194 Jervois RdJust along the road in walking distance, this well-loved local eatery and bar is always popular. Modern Italian classic and great snack food to accompany a cocktail or two. You don’t need to book but it wouldn’t hurt to on a Friday or Saturday night.
Essentials
Herne Bay Drycleaners Ltd
66 Jervois Rddry cleaning and wash & fold service
Full size grocery 10 minute walk from the house across Bayfield Park and Cox's Bay Reserve. NZ supermarkets don’t provide plastic shopping bags so grab the one under the sink to take with you.
48 abantu bendawo batusa
Countdown Grey Lynn
271 Richmond RdFull size grocery 10 minute walk from the house across Bayfield Park and Cox's Bay Reserve. NZ supermarkets don’t provide plastic shopping bags so grab the one under the sink to take with you.
Premium food store with loads of deli items, takeout meals, flowers, wine, fresh produce and meats and cheeses. Adjacent to a couple of homewares stores and a great bakery called Bread & Butter. And there's a hardware store next door.
90 abantu bendawo batusa
Farro Fresh Grey Lynn
34 Westmoreland St WPremium food store with loads of deli items, takeout meals, flowers, wine, fresh produce and meats and cheeses. Adjacent to a couple of homewares stores and a great bakery called Bread & Butter. And there's a hardware store next door.
One of the better all purpose grocery stores near by.
157 abantu bendawo batusa
New World Victoria Park
2 College HillOne of the better all purpose grocery stores near by.
Easy Wash Laundromat
1-3 Cowan StClosest coin-operated laundry to the house
Easy Wash Laundromat
1-3 Cowan StThis is our closest coin operated laundromat.
Drinks & Nightlife
Access via the entry to the REC bar - start to enter, then head right down the stairs into the basement - you'll see CARETAKER on the glass door in front of you. Low ceiling, underground, bespoke cocktails, cool music vibe..what's not to love. open late.
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/bon-vivant/caretaker/
23 abantu bendawo batusa
Caretaker
Britomart PlaceAccess via the entry to the REC bar - start to enter, then head right down the stairs into the basement - you'll see CARETAKER on the glass door in front of you. Low ceiling, underground, bespoke cocktails, cool music vibe..what's not to love. open late.
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/bon-vivant/caretaker/
This tiny bar, we said tiny, is an institution on Ponsonby Road. Always plenty of retro music and friendly people.
6 abantu bendawo batusa
Lime
167 Ponsonby RdThis tiny bar, we said tiny, is an institution on Ponsonby Road. Always plenty of retro music and friendly people.
Mea Culpa
175 Ponsonby RdAlways packed on a Friday, this place is a great people spotting venue on the waterfront. Bowling lanes, pizza, good honest food, DJs later in the week, and did I say people watching...
55 abantu bendawo batusa
Dr Rudi's Rooftop Brewing Co.
204 Quay StAlways packed on a Friday, this place is a great people spotting venue on the waterfront. Bowling lanes, pizza, good honest food, DJs later in the week, and did I say people watching...
Elegant small locals wine bar in Ponsonby Road - walking distance (if you're wearing your flats!)
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/gastronomy/charming-new-local-wine-bar-opens-doors-ponsonby-three-lamps/
10 abantu bendawo batusa
Annabel's
277 Ponsonby RdElegant small locals wine bar in Ponsonby Road - walking distance (if you're wearing your flats!)
https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/gastronomy/charming-new-local-wine-bar-opens-doors-ponsonby-three-lamps/
If you need a quick drink and want to walk, this is our neighbourhood bar. Fishsmiths is next door, so you can order your takeaways then take them next door and sit outside the bar with a glass of wine and eat them.
49 abantu bendawo batusa
The Grill by Sean Connolly
85 Hobson StreetIf you need a quick drink and want to walk, this is our neighbourhood bar. Fishsmiths is next door, so you can order your takeaways then take them next door and sit outside the bar with a glass of wine and eat them.
Terrific small cocktail bar on Ponsonby Road. The team really know their drinks. Trust their recommendations!
8 abantu bendawo batusa
Deadshot
45 Ponsonby RdTerrific small cocktail bar on Ponsonby Road. The team really know their drinks. Trust their recommendations!