coffee & brunch
Liam & Andrea own and run this local bakery with cafe. Liam is self taught and makes delicious bread. Good for coffee and brunch.
Fort Greene
327 Karangahape RdLiam & Andrea own and run this local bakery with cafe. Liam is self taught and makes delicious bread. Good for coffee and brunch.
Coffee & brunch with an upstairs restaurant. Here is a quote from the owners "We look to the bush, the ocean, the orchards, the fjords and the plains as tools for exploring national flavours and identity. This is how expressions on the plate are teased out, ones that express the nuances of our Oceania home"
45 locals recommend
Orphans Kitchen
118 Ponsonby RdCoffee & brunch with an upstairs restaurant. Here is a quote from the owners "We look to the bush, the ocean, the orchards, the fjords and the plains as tools for exploring national flavours and identity. This is how expressions on the plate are teased out, ones that express the nuances of our Oceania home"
Daily Daily Coffeemakers
My regular perfect coffee with excellent pain au chocolates!
Consistently excellent coffee and service in an open space, high ceiling heritage building with plants, and large windows looking out on to Myers Park.
13 locals recommend
Bestie Cafe
183 Karangahape RdConsistently excellent coffee and service in an open space, high ceiling heritage building with plants, and large windows looking out on to Myers Park.
bars & restaurants
French brasserie style restaurant, good for an early evening drink or dinning with friends
Bar Céleste
146 b Karangahape RoadFrench brasserie style restaurant, good for an early evening drink or dinning with friends
A good mixture of locals, hipsters and visitors. Good for g & t's, wine and dining. Interior has a sparse utilitarian feel. Open Thu-Sat from 6pm. Outside area in summer with dancing and DJ's on weekend evenings.
EAST ST. HALL
5 East StreetA good mixture of locals, hipsters and visitors. Good for g & t's, wine and dining. Interior has a sparse utilitarian feel. Open Thu-Sat from 6pm. Outside area in summer with dancing and DJ's on weekend evenings.
English pub style bar with great selection of beers owner operated. Open deck nights where you can bring your own vinyl singles to play.
Northern Line Bar & Social
6 Beresford SquareEnglish pub style bar with great selection of beers owner operated. Open deck nights where you can bring your own vinyl singles to play.
Ante Social is next door & attached to the larger Ponsonby Social club bar. Terrific Brazilian tapas on my visit, intimate and felt like a little 'Brazilian bubble', great atmosphere! Sometimes hired out for private functions so check first.
Ante Social
152 Ponsonby RoadAnte Social is next door & attached to the larger Ponsonby Social club bar. Terrific Brazilian tapas on my visit, intimate and felt like a little 'Brazilian bubble', great atmosphere! Sometimes hired out for private functions so check first.
Uncle Man's Malaysian Restaurant & Takeaway
277 Karangahape RdTasty Vietnamese fusion or as promoted…traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a strong French influence. Relaxing and beautifully lit for evenings.
10 locals recommend
Le Vietnamese Kitchen
107 Ponsonby RdTasty Vietnamese fusion or as promoted…traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a strong French influence. Relaxing and beautifully lit for evenings.
Popular well established, colourful & vibrant very much part of the neighbourhood restaurant. ‘No nonsense family run restaurant.’ Italian cuisine. Good also for people watching from outside tables.
69 locals recommend
Coco's Cantina
374 Karangahape RdPopular well established, colourful & vibrant very much part of the neighbourhood restaurant. ‘No nonsense family run restaurant.’ Italian cuisine. Good also for people watching from outside tables.
Highly rated Malaysian food. In 2022 Condé Nast Traveler magazine listed it as one of 210 restaurants around the world worth travelling for.
17 locals recommend
Sri Pinang
356 Karangahape RdHighly rated Malaysian food. In 2022 Condé Nast Traveler magazine listed it as one of 210 restaurants around the world worth travelling for.
Beaches
You can access this small & secluded Minnehaha beach from Minnehaha Ave, Takapuna. At the end of the street follow a pathway down to the coastline, turn left, walk for 10 minutes. This photo was taken with sun behind a cloud cover creating exquisite diffused lighting and helping me to capture the moment.
Minnehaha Avenue
Minnehaha AvenueYou can access this small & secluded Minnehaha beach from Minnehaha Ave, Takapuna. At the end of the street follow a pathway down to the coastline, turn left, walk for 10 minutes. This photo was taken with sun behind a cloud cover creating exquisite diffused lighting and helping me to capture the moment.
This photo was taken late afternoon although I prefer the morning for a swim. Love the exposed open beach feel, still safe for swimming. It’s only a 10 min drive from the city centre and instead of accessing the beach from Takapuna village drive down Park Avenue where you’ll find a beautiful sprawling Pohutukawa tree at the waters edge for sun shelter if needed.
81 locals recommend
Takapuna Beach
This photo was taken late afternoon although I prefer the morning for a swim. Love the exposed open beach feel, still safe for swimming. It’s only a 10 min drive from the city centre and instead of accessing the beach from Takapuna village drive down Park Avenue where you’ll find a beautiful sprawling Pohutukawa tree at the waters edge for sun shelter if needed.
If you have half a day to spare a 45min drive will take you to Auckland’s iconic surfing spot. The images speak for themselves.
145 locals recommend
Piha
If you have half a day to spare a 45min drive will take you to Auckland’s iconic surfing spot. The images speak for themselves.
Groceries
184 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Lim Chhour supermarket is directly behind the food hall.
The Vietnamese in the food hall Hanoi Village is my go 2 favourite for lunch. A 5 minute walk.
184 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
15 locals recommend
Lim Chhour
184 Karangahape Rd184 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Lim Chhour supermarket is directly behind the food hall.
The Vietnamese in the food hall Hanoi Village is my go 2 favourite for lunch. A 5 minute walk.
184 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Countdown Grey Lynn Central
4 Surrey Cres4 Williamson Avenue, Grey Lynn Auckland 1010
My favourite art spaces
Trish Clark recently moved her gallery space to Grey Lynn. Its a 5 minute bus ride or a 20 minute walk.
Trish Clark Gallery
142 Great North RoadTrish Clark recently moved her gallery space to Grey Lynn. Its a 5 minute bus ride or a 20 minute walk.
Two Rooms Gallery
16 Putiki StAcross the road from Trish Clark gallery. Mostly photography.
Along with the art you can immerse yourself in a beautiful building. And the rear of the gallery with floor to ceiling glass panels looks out to the back slopes of Albert Park. An oasis you can enjoy with coffee and lunch with outdoor seating.
606 locals recommend
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
Wellesley Street EastAlong with the art you can immerse yourself in a beautiful building. And the rear of the gallery with floor to ceiling glass panels looks out to the back slopes of Albert Park. An oasis you can enjoy with coffee and lunch with outdoor seating.