Dining

All good holidays need good sustenance — and you’ve hit the jackpot in Auckland. Its wide, diverse, and ever-changing restaurant, cafe, and bar scene is exciting, and there’s always somewhere new to check out. Down on the waterfront, you’ll find the Viaduct area, home to a number of interesting casual eateries, pubs, bistros, and restaurants overlooking the water — many of which get livelier as the evening progresses. Wander along to Britomart for more exciting eateries, with small hole-in-the-wall Japanese cocktail and dumpling bars, large bistro-style eateries, seafood restaurants with views of the harbour, and underground bars in Roukai Lane. Federal Street, near Sky City, has great options — a NY-style deli, Korean barbecue, steak restaurants, fine-dining Japanese — and if you want a view with your meal, head up the Sky Tower for a dining experience like no other.

Visit the High Street and Lorne Street areas for more funky dining options, or the top of Queen Street for a strip of cheap and cheerful options. Karangahape Road offers quirky spots, with Indian street food, excellent Lebanese, cosy bistros, and grungy underground clubs and bars to be seen sipping negronis at. Downtown’s surrounding neighborhoods all have their own flavour — head to Ponsonby Road for more hip and delicious dining options than you’ll have time for, or explore the suburbs — walk to Parnell or Uptown, head to Grey Lynn or Mount Eden, or get the train to Kingsland or Newmarket for a number of options and fun dining scenes.

For noodles and all things Asian, catch a bus to Balmoral and Dominion Road. This strip has a huge variety of different Chinese cuisines, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese — from dumplings to bao to hand-pulled noodles to ramen. Head to Sandringham for Auckland’s best Indian, Sri Lankan, and other South Asian options.

Take one of the many excellent food tours of Auckland to experience the range with an expert and go to places you might not otherwise have visited. Hop on a ferry to Waiheke for a day of wine sampling with some of the best views a vineyard could have, or head out west to Auckland’s wine district.

You never have to walk further than a few metres in most parts of Auckland to get good coffee, and you’re also guaranteed an excellent brunch. If you’re downtown, head to Britomart, High Street, and Lorne Street for your caffeine fix, while Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, and Kingsland also all vie for the coffee crown.

Our concierge team can help recommend the perfect place for you.