Auckland - Restaurants

Restaurants
Gastronomic

Antoine's Restaurant
Despite its conservative tone and dcor, this sophisticated silver service restaurant is a favourite, of some 27 years standing, among Auckland's gastronomes and widely held to be one of the best French restaurants in the country. Situated just 10 minutes from the city centre, the restaurant offers some splendid dishes. Particularly high on the must-try list are the wonderful salmon specialities, tripe dishes and duckling, all from fresh New Zealand produce but cooked with Gallic flair. The menu changes weekly.

333 Parnell Road, Parnell
Tel: (09) 379 8756.
Website: www.antoinesrestaurant.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Cibo
Situated in a converted chocolate factory, this established dining room, and its illustrious chef, is one of the city's favourites. The menu is eclectic and offers fish and chips alongside confit of duck or fillet steak. There is a splendid selection of cheeses available and the wine list is well chosen. Service is exemplary and the setting superb - try to secure a table in the courtyard during the summer for the best seats.

91 St George's Bay Road
Tel (09) 303 9660.
Website: www.cibo.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Hammerheads Seafood Restaurant & Bar
This is a very popular waterfront restaurant with a balcony, where it pays to be seen. White awning and views of the Auckland skyline and harbour supplement the restaurant's effortless style. It has a reputation for slow service, although the cocktails are dynamite and the food is well worth the wait. Specialities include very fresh fish and shellfish, with some lamb, poultry and beef dishes, although diners are well advised to go with the fish.

19 Tamaki Drive, Okahu Bay
Tel: (09) 521 4400.
Website: www.hammerheads.co.nz
Price: $$$

Sake Bar Rikka
This is quite simply the best Japanese restaurant in town, done up with wall hangings and gleaming clean surfaces. Dishes include chicken teriyaki, a dazzling variety of sushi, miso and a never-ending tempura platter with hot sauce and pickled ginger, all washed down by authentic sake.

Victoria Park Market
Tel: (09) 377 8239.
Price: $$$

Toto Restaurant
Possibly the city's finest Italian restaurant, this open and airy opera-filled room (with live opera on Thursday and Saturday) leads to a sunny terrace where it is good to be seen eating at the white-clad tables. The ripieno (stuffed breads) make mouthwatering appetisers and the roasted scallops and lobster are delicious menu options.

53 Nelson Street
Tel: (09) 302 2665.
Website: www.totorestaurant.co.nz
Price: $$$

Belgian Beer Cafe (The Occidental)
This popular, business-like but atmospheric former pub has been converted into an authentic Belgian bar in the heart of the downtown area. The wood dcor, method of serving the beer, massive pots of mussels with lobster bisque and brandy or coconut cream and lemon grass, are accompanied perfectly by other Belgian favourites, including massive bowls of chips with mayo. The venue will suit most occasions. Each dish on the menu has a suggested drink from Hoegaarden to fruit beers via some excellent kiwi wine. No bookings.

8 Vulcan Lane
Tel: (09) 300 6226.
Website: www.belgian-beer-cafe.co.nz
Price: $$

Euro
Euro opened just in time for the America's Cup defence and since then has been the place to be seen in town. It has superb service, bare wood and tastefully refined dcor, as well as a fantastically imaginative and varied menu, including rotisserie chicken on a bed of mashed potato and peanut slaw.

Shed 22, Princes Wharf, Quay Street
Tel: (09) 309 9866.
Price: $$$

GPK
Another delicious fusion house combining Italian pizza bases (and sometimes toppings) with Pacific rim toppings, such as Thai green curry or octopus, which are then all finished off in large wood-fired ovens. The surroundings are a combination of smart restaurant and bare-wood bar with a relaxed atmosphere.

262 Ponsonby Road
Tel: (09) 360 1113.
Website: www.ponsonbyroad.co.nz
Price: $$-$$$

Grand Harbour
Renowned throughout Auckland as probably the most opulent of the city's Chinese restaurants where many a business lunch is enjoyed in the open airy ambience over glorious, authentic eastern tucker, served with a no-nonsense, modern attitude. The yum cha is delicious (particularly the Hong Kong style), as are the dim sum and the Peking Duck. There is a variety of refreshing teas and fruit juices to wash it down if you have to keep a clear head. You'll need to book at weekends.

18-28 Customs Street West
Tel: (09) 357 6889.
Price: $$-$$$

Iguau
Often the haunt of young corporate wannabes and their hangers-on, Iguau is a flash brasserie. It has large glass windows through which patrons look out and passers-by look in at lucky folk indulging in good but expensive steaks, pan-fired lamb and fresh fish. There is also excellent jazz during Sunday brunchtime.

269 Parnell Road, Parnell
Tel: (09) 358 4804.
Website: www.iguacu.co.nz
Price: $$$-$$$$

Anglesea Grill
Elegant surroundings and comfortable furniture prepare the diner for what can only be described as one of the best seafood restaurants in Auckland. Fresh fish is prepared in every conceivable way (chargrilled, fried, steamed, chowdered or raw) and presented in a stylish and highly appetising way, alongside a wine list of great variety and value. While you're eating check out the perpetual stream of local restaurant reviewers eating out on their night off. Booking essential.

C149 Ponsonby Road
Tel: (09) 360 4551.
Price: $$$

Brazil
With-it cafe in a mosaic-lined and barrel-vaulted former theatre entrance that vibrates to heavy grooves, R & B riffs and jazz melodies and attracts a lively and discerning crowd. Eggs Benedict, great breakfasts, toasted bagels, veggie breakfasts and Thai chicken salad typify the menu as do fantastic fruit shakes and some industrial strength and great-tasting coffee, made from beans roasted and ground in the basement.

256 Karangehape Road
Tel: (09) 302 2677.
Price: $

Kermadec
A large, fashionable and imaginatively decorated seafood specialist with a big bustling and music-filled brasserie, Kermadec serves classier versions of bistro favourites - pan-fried snapper, Cajun-spiced fish, fish curry and scallops. The adjacent Pacific Room dances to the beat of an altogether quieter, more expensive and refined drum.

First Floor Viaduct Basin, corner of Hobson and Quay Streets
Tel: (09) 309 0413 (brasserie) or 0412 (restaurant).
Website: www.kermadec.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Wildfire
A flashy Brazilian restaurant, with black-topped waterside tables and massive fiery grills inside. Gourmet pizzas are produced, which, although good, are put completely in the shade by rotisserie specials of quail, duck, venison, steak and many more, marinated in herbs and spices and roasted over manuka coals.

Princes Wharf
Tel: (09) 353 7595.
Website: www.wildfirerestaurant.co.nz
Price: $$$

Zarbo
The finest deli cafe in all of Auckland, Zarbo is renowned for its fabulous range of products from all over the world, which are used to forge delicious breakfasts and lunches, either from the menu or picked from the display counter. The dcor in this 120-seat eaterie is simple but stylish. The food takes pride of place in a long glass-covered deli counter, stuffed to overflowing with fresh cheeses, meats, dips, spreads and breads from which diners will be hard pushed to make a quick selection. There are salads of seasonal roasted vegetables, Asian sweet chilli kumara, and orzo pasta with pumpkin and feta, alongside filled rolls, lasagne, chicken breasts, roast beef and glazed ham. The breakfast menu is accompanied by scones, muffins and Eccles cakes. Lunch finishes at 1500 but the restaurant is open until 1700 for salads and some dreamy cakes and brilliant brownies.

24 Morrow Street, Newmarket
Tel: (09) 520 2721.
Website: www.zarbo.co.nz
Price: $

Java Room
Described as Pacific Rim, the predominant influence in this intimate, light-hued and comfortable restaurant is Indonesian, although there are some fantastic Szechuan dishes, particularly the prawn offerings. The spicy fish cakes also take some beating, as does the whole snapper in sambal.

317 Parnell Road, Parnell
Tel: (09) 366 1606.
Website: www.javaroom.co.nz
Price: $$$

Kamo
This stripped-down-to-keep-the-prices-down restaurant has functional furniture and a rowdy atmosphere. Pacific Rim is mixed with Mediterranean flavours, to come up with menu items such as fresh fish marinated in coconut cream and finely diced vegetables.

382 Karangahape Road
Tel: (09) 377 2313.
Price: $-$$

Merchant Mezze Bar
This buzzing, cafe-style restaurant has Turkish rugs thrown around and an intimate little deck area. It serves dishes from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and beyond, including Spanish tortilla, grilled mushroom on polenta, ceviche, and Thai green curries.

430 Queen Street
Tel: (09) 307 0349.
Price: $$

Monsoon
A heady mixture of Thai and Malay food makes for an exotic eating experience at a surprisingly low price. Functional dcor takes second place to wonderful satay dishes with peanut and chilli sauce, and fish and tiger prawns in a vibrant red curry sauce.

71 Victoria Road, Devonport
Tel: (09) 445 4263.
Price: $$

Sri Pinang
A very popular, although simplistic Malaysian restaurant, Sri Pinang starts diners off with half a dozen chicken satay skewers and follows those with some gorgeous sambal okra, beef redang, grilled tamarind fish or claypot chicken and rice, all scooped into the mouth on a tasty roti. The restaurant is brighter and lighter than it used to be, but no money has been wasted on the dcor, which explains why the food stays cheap and tastes so good.

356 Karangahape Road
Tel: (09) 358 3886.
Price: $

Alhambra
This restaurant and live music venue sits on a hill overlooking downtown Auckland. Not only does it have a rather special interior (designed to look like the outside of a Spanish villa), but it also boasts spectacular views of the city centre (particularly at night). The food ranges from excellent tapas to more substantial Mediterranean cuisine and there is a far-reaching and engaging list of wines and beers as well as piano and live jazz nights to put you in a cosmopolitan-smoothie frame of mind.

1st Floor Three Lamps Plaza, 283 Ponsonby Road
Tel: (09) 376 2430.
Website: www.ponsonbyroad.co.nz/websites/alhambra
Price: $$ (+ BYO)

Bluefins
This is yet another informal, friendly, hanging-basket-strewn, wooden-floored and apparently simple seafood specialist, but this time in the glorious surroundings of Okahu Bay. The fish is fresh, the seared scallops melt in the mouth, the tuna is just pink in the centre, and the paua is large, golden and tastes of the sea. And the steaks are juicy too.

1 Aitkin Avenue, Corner of Tamaki Drive and Aitkin Avenue, Okahu Bay
Tel: (09) 528 4551.
Price: $$$

Di Mare
One of the best surf and turf restaurants in the city serving mouthwatering steaks and an extraordinary variety of seafood to a highly appreciative local crowd, who all know that it's buried behind the main drag in Parnell but never tell anyone else. This intimate restaurant is sited in and around a courtyard where you can sip some fabulous local wines and sup variations on old standards, a very modern take on paella, or more traditional fare.

Shop 9, 251 Parnell Road
Tel: (09) 300 3260.
Price: $$$

Harbourside Seafood Bar and Grill
This is a typically informal Kiwi seafood restaurant, which is extremely classy, because of the beauty of the location and the quality of the food and wine. Located in a historical building, Harbourside affords magnificent views of the harbour from its balcony and terracotta-tiled terrace. Meanwhile, the contemporary interior is spacious, airy and stylish. The restaurant offers a myriad of prepared and presented fish and crustaceans (such as pan-fried John Dory with watercress, shiitake mushrooms and citrus zest risotto) with inland fare for the unenlightened.

99 Quay Street
Tel: (09) 307 0486.
Website: www.harboursiderestaurant.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Tony's
Tony's is a no-fuss-or-bother steakhouse (and that goes for the dcor too), where the portions are about the size of the animals from which they were removed. The massive sides of juicy beef and lamb are cooked beautifully, while the accompaniments, which include pumpkin mash and sweet potato wedges, are wholesome and delicious in equal measure.

32 Lorne Street
Tel: (09) 373 2138.
Price: $$$

Hotels
Business

Airedale Hotel
Refurbished in the original 1950s art deco style, this centrally located, classy hotel is just a five-minute walk from the main shopping streets and waterfront. Rooms are air-conditioned and spacious with speedy Internet access, as well as kitchenettes. The hotel itself has a small boardroom for meetings, 24-hour reception, valet parking, fitness centre and some cracking off-peak deals if your business is not restricted to Monday to Friday, nine to five.

380 Queen Street
Tel: (09) 374 1741.
Website: www.scenic-circle.co.nz
Price: $$$

Barrycourt Suites, Hotel and Conference Centre
This Best Western hotel is a large white block house of a building with bright blue balconies and is situated in 1.2 hectares (3 acres) of glorious greenery and trees, providing the ideal setting in which to work and play. Located in Parnell, the hotel is within walking distance of downtown Auckland and the domain. There are 67 suites with a sunny aspect, 40 well-equipped rooms and seven function rooms at guests' disposal, as well as free parking and splendid views of the Waitemata Harbour and the city. Within the conference rooms is a 440cm (170-inch) screen for video and other visual presentations, conference telephones, most forms of presentation technology, pure power points for computers, function bars and catering staff to deal with any requests.

10-20 Gladstone Road, Parnell
Tel: (09) 303 3789 or 0800 504 466.
Website: www.barrycourt.co.nz
Price: $$

Hyatt Regency Auckland
This unmistakable, tall, broad and handsome building in central Auckland is just a five-minute walk from the Central Business District and 25km (16 miles) from the airport. The 274 rooms in this modern hotel may not match the presidential suite but all are air-conditioned and have Internet access via infrared keyboards, voice-mail and in-room safes. There is also a business centre with equipment hire, secretarial services, courier delivery, translators, an airport limousine and a ballroom, as well as eight additional conference rooms with full staff back-up. In addition, the hotel boasts two restaurants, a fitness centre and jogging track, with panoramic views of the harbour and outlying city.

Corner of Princess Street and Waterloo Quadrant
Tel: (09) 355 1234.
Website: http://auckland.regency.hyatt.com
Price: $$$

The Heritage
Auckland's most interesting international-class luxury hotel was originally the city's most historic and spectacular department store, Farmers. The landmark building has an iconic reputation and is a wonderful example of Southern Hemisphere art deco styling. The Heritage has two separate accommodation wings, made up of 467 rooms and suites, a tennis court, two swimming pools (one roof-top), a health club, a business centre, spa pools, saunas, gyms, restaurants, cafe bars, lobby bars, a glass atrium and, best of all, a grand tea room with fantastic views of the harbour. Quite simply, this hotel is style and luxury personified.

35 Hobson Street, reception at 22-24 Nelson Street
Tel: (09) 379 8553 or 0800 368 888.
Website: www.heritagehotels.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Sky City Hotel
Part of Auckland's most famous landmark, the Skytower, this massive and lavish hotel in the centre of the city has 344 rooms, various restaurants and bars, conference and business facilities, a roof-top pool, gym, saunas and casino, as well as stunning harbour and city views. The best of the vistas are seen from the circular viewing gallery at the top of the space-needle-like tower. All the rooms, from premier suites to standard luxury, are tastefully decorated in the style and to the standard of world-class luxury hotels the globe over, while the service is efficient, friendly and respectful.

Corner of Victoria Street and Federal Street
Tel: (09) 363 6000.
Website: www.skycity.co.nz
Price: $$$$

Hotel DeBrett
Only minutes from the city centre, DeBrett is the place to sample the joys of an art deco hotel, at a fraction of the price of The Heritage (see Luxury). The corner-block building leans out over the pavement, to provide covered sidewalks and shows its history in the decorations on the facade. This interesting building, which crouches in the middle of the fashion and cafe districts, was constructed on the site of one of Auckland's first hotels and, despite showing its age a little at the edges, contains some comfortable and airy double rooms that offer good value.

2 High Street
Tel: (09) 377 2389.
Price: $-$$

Kiwi International Hotel
This modest albeit perfectly adequate hotel is located in the middle of the city, only a 25-minute drive from the airport. The Kiwi International Hotel contains a bar and restaurant, laundry, 24-hour reception, off-street parking, conference facilities and 120 comfortable and functional rooms with their own en-suite facilities. Although the dcor is rather lacking in character and the interior gives the impression of an ageing warren, there is sufficient compensation in the number and quality of the facilities on offer, the eagerness of the staff, the variety of accommodation available and the surprisingly low daily or long-term rates.

411 Queen Street
Tel: (09) 379 6487 or 0800 100 411.
Website: www.kiwihotel.co.nz
Price: $$ (including GST and breakfast).

The Great Ponsonby B&B
The friendliest and most comfortable accommodation away from the city centre, housed in a restored 1898 villa. On entering the hall guests seem to form the impression that they have discovered buried treasure, just two quiet minutes' walk away from the Ponsonby Road and 10 minutes' drive from Downtown. The sunny lounge makes spectacular use of bold ocean tones, native timber and Pacific Art works, the rooms are all spacious with en-suite bathrooms, phones, Internet access and Sky TV. Business facilities are available on request and the breakfasts are truly mouthwatering.

30 Ponsonby Terrace, Ponsonby
Tel: (09) 376 5989.
Website: www.greatpons.co.nz
Price: $$$ (including GST and breakfast)

Peace & Plenty Inn
Without exaggeration, this is one of the finest B&Bs in the entire country, with sumptuous, restored kauri-timber floors that feel like silk beneath bare feet, leading to exquisite en-suite rooms filled with fresh flowers, antique furniture and sherry or port decanters. There is a delightful verandah for breakfast (weather permitting) and the meal itself is an event of major proportions and large, healthy and hearty portions. It is served by an ultra-friendly couple, who offer sailing trips around the bay on their boat.

6 Flagstaff Terrace
Tel: (09) 445 2925.
Website: www.peaceandplenty.co.nz
Price: $$$ (including GST and breakfast)

St Georges Bay Lodge
This B&B is situated in a beautiful Victorian villa in the airy and quiet suburb of Parnell, just a short ferry ride from the city centre. The white-board villa was built in the 1890s and boasts the original sash windows, turned verandah posts (supporting verdant green climbing plants) and a conservatory leading out onto a wooden balcony that overlooks Auckland's city centre from across the bay. The house is full of native timber furniture and original Kiwi artworks. There are three en-suite rooms of glorious comfort and elegance and the breakfasts (full English or Continental) are to die for.

43 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell
Tel: (09) 303 1050.
Price: $$$ (including GST and breakfast)