Overview
Inspired by central city Auckland's yearly program of food activations and intriguing dining events, the suburb of Ponsonby is now getting its own month-long food celebration. The first-ever Eat Drink Love Ponsonby is scheduled to take place across multiple venues from 15 July until 16 August, 2019, showcasing the area's obsession with food and drink.
More than 50 of the neighbourhood's venues have jumped onboard and will be serving up dish and drink pairings at the fixed price points of $25 and under, $25 to $50 and $55+. In addition to the special menus, a selection of visiting international chefs and mixologists will pop up for a variety of workshops, tastings, progressive dinners and one-off events.
Highlights include the collaboration dinner between Manish Mehrotra of New Deli's Indian Accent restaurant and Sidart's Sid Sahrawat. Across two nights, Sid and Manish will join forces to create a six-course tasting menu, with each chef responsible for three canapés and three main dishes.
2010 New Zealander of the Year Anna Hansen will also bring her acclaimed restaurant The Modern Pantry to Ponsonby Road Bistro. Alongside head chef Sarah Conway, and with wines paired Helen Masters from Atarangi Winery, she will be serving innovative dishes like slow-cooked octopus, crab doughnuts and marinated venison loin.
Also dropping by for the occasion: award-winning New York mixologist Sother Teague will be mixing drinks in the backroom of Ponsonby Social Club with matched appetisers from chef Nathan Houpapa; chefs Sophie Beaton and Alfie Ingham will be offering an indulgent family-style feast focused around premium aged NZ beef; plus London mixologist Matt Whiley and New Zealand's Philip Spector will come together to present a five-course cocktail degustation starring foraged ingredients.
Elsewhere, late-night institution Longroom is presenting a series of Champagne tasting masterclasses to show off France's most prominent Champagne houses, and Ponsonby Central's Sapphire Room will offer a lineup of demos, workshops, tastings and makings. Visitors can expect everything from Middle Eastern cooking lessons with the team from Fatimas to a high cheese tasting, a water and wine experience and workshops covering curry, Japanese kintsugi, homemade tacos and sourdough pizza.
Eat Drink Love Ponsonby will take place from 15 July until 16 August, 2019. See the festival website for the full lineup and more information.
Top image: Eric Medsker.