Overview
At exactly 11.59pm on Monday, 27 April, New Zealand will transition from COVID-19 lockdown to Alert Level 3. Last week Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed what that would look like for the country, and while the drop from the highest possible level still means that there is heightened risk and that the virus is not contained, some restrictions have been loosened.
While restaurants, bars and cafes might be closed to dine-in customers, the forthcoming alert level means that local businesses can look at alternative ways of working. This means that some non-essential businesses can offer services like takeaway and contactless delivery as long as social distancing and good hygiene is practised.
Drive-thru services and food delivery apps will be up and running, but we recommend supporting local and approaching eateries directly where you can. Here, we'll keep you updated on all the restaurant-quality eats you can order takeaway, or have delivered to your doorstep.
Cazador.
Baduzzi: Wynyard Quarter's best-known meatballs will soon be available via delivery alongside other favourites like cannelloni, piadina sandwiches, eggplant parmigiana and tiramisu. Baduzzi will be doing their own local deliveries for $10 or contactless pick-up from the restaurant. There will also be two kids options and an Italian Festa to feed four.
Bar Celeste: Who knows when you'll get to sit out the front of this popular K' Road again. The good news is that you can still enjoy the neo-bistro's food at home as part of its new Cantine service. Operating out of Bar Celeste, it will provide "just good cooking," via contactless pick-up and delivery.
Barulho: From next week Parnell's Spanish-inspired eatery will be offering a range of heat and eat tapas, salads and main meals, with pick up from the storefront or $5 delivery to Parnell and the surrounding suburbs. Order by Monday for contactless delivery on Thursday.
Burger Burger: Auckland's much-loved burger joint has launched its own general store in time for the lockdown lift. The company's meal kits include all the deliciousness so diners can recreate BB favourites at home, including your classic beef and cheese burger, charred broccoli and kumara chips.
Canto Canto: Newmarket Hong Kong-style restaurant Canto Canto will be opening from the first day of Alert Level 3. The owners say 95 percent of the menu will be available for deliveries and pick-up, including pan-fried dumplings, fried noodles and steamed vegetables. The restaurant is using online platform Eats365 for ordering.
Cassia: From contemporary Indian restaurant Cassia customers can expect an at-home menu with snacks, entrees, mains, sides and desserts. Favourites on offer include the beef short rib with spinach and mushroom or the lamb seekh kebab curry. All mains are $29, each including rice and naan bread.
Cazador: Balmoral wild game restaurant Cazador is using Level 3 to preview its delicatessen menu for pick-up or delivery. Safely packaged hampers include charcuterie, cheese, bread, dips, crackers and sweets. Orders are available for next day collection, while delivery to Mt Eden and Sandringham is free.
Cibo: Parnell hotspot Cibo is offering a three-course takeaway menu for $75 per person. This will be the only menu available for pickup takeaway between Thursday, 30 April and Saturday, 2 May. Order in West Coast whitebait and sticky date panna cotta. The first 20 preorders will receive Cibo Anzac biscuits.
Coco's Cantina: Coco's may have shared the recipe for their addictive polenta chips, but there's nothing like the real thing. Great news then that the crew will be kicking off dinner service from 5pm on Tuesday, 28 April slinging all the favourites and treats from other K' Road locals.
Culprit: Wyndham Street favourite Culprit is now taking pre-orders for the country moves to Alert Level 3 next week. Pick up three-course deluxe meal kits or heat and eat meals for two — all you need is a plate and utensils. The restaurant is also offering free contactless delivery within three kilometres of its CBD location.
Electric Chicken: Keen to bypass the hectic drive-thru lines at K-Fry? From next week this pint-sized fried chicken joint will be firing up its online ordering service and offering click and collect from Morningside. Mouthwatering chicken sandos await.
Elmos: Until this Ponsonby pizza and burrata bar can open its doors it will be slinging gourmet food boxes with all the ingredients and instructions for any home cook. Each dish has been inspired by Italian and European cuisine. Preorder your Italian food box now for Wednesday delivery.
Farina: Much-loved Italian eatery Farina is planning to have pick-up takeaway orders and delivery operating under Level 3. Our picks are the eggplant parmigiana and pork ragu gnocchi. What this space.
Gemmayze St.
Gemmayze St: This is one for lovers of comforting Lebanses cuisine. From Tuesday, 28 April, Gemmayze St will be re-opening for contactless pre-paid pick-up only. The operating hours are: 12–2pm and 5–9pm, seven days. Think silky hummus, roasted cauliflower, falafel, and whole lamb shoulder.
Giapo: This boutique ice creamery has implemented a raft of changes in line with the downgrade to Level 3. Customers will be able to get their hands on ice cream in two ways via the Giapo app: click and collect, and via contactless delivery. The ice cream will be sold in a limited quantity and time — we're talking 100 cones per day. The menu will offer Giapo's hand-rolled waffle cones, tubs of ice cream to take away, as well as a self-saucing pudding topped with your ice cream of choice.
Ima Cuisine: After a busy Easter slinging their famous hot cross buns, Ima is back at it offering delivery and pick-up. The Middle Eastern restaurant will be changing up its menu weekly, although you can expect the full Ima experience, ready to eat meals, baked goods and snack platters. Orders are to be placed one day prior via email or over the phone.
Jervois Rd Wine Bar & Kitchen: This Herne Bay local will soon be revealing their Level 3 service. Watch this space.
Major Sprout: This much-loved Auckland CBD cafe will be back in business from next week offering contactless pick-up. Put the cereal box back in the cupboard and start dreaming of chargrilled butternut omelettes and buttermilk pancakes.
Miann: Both the Fort Street and Morningside locations of Miann are offering online delivery and click and collect for next week. Hot cross buns, petit gateaux, cheesecakes, macarons, gelato tubs and craft chocolate bars — it's all available to tame that sweet tooth.
Mutual Friends: Missing your daily flat white? The lads from this Newmarket cafe are offering a new daily espresso subscription alongside their food delivery outfit. The service, which will deliver your favourite frothy pick-me-up to your door, will cover Grey Lynn, Ponsonby, Parnell and Newmarket. Subs are $20 for the week — and slots are limited.
My Nourish Kitchen (Soul Bar & Bistro, Euro, Andiamo and Jervois Steak House): From Auckland's Nourish Group comes a new service featuring signature dishes from its lineup of top restaurants. Each food box comes with portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes to complete restaurant-quality meals from the comfort of home. Whip up Andiamo's chicken parmigiana, Euro's smoked Taupō lamb shoulder, Soul's green goddess quinoa bowl and Jervois Steak House's much-loved Taupō scotch filet.
Paris Butter: Herne Bay's first-class French restaurant is offering classics for you to enjoy at home for the next little while. Each day the kitchen will serve up a different menu in the format of sourdough, a main course, and dessert for $39. Order cut-off is noon for each daily menu unless sold out prior. You can choose between contactless pick-up or delivery.
Pasture: Live lobster, bluff oysters, 120-day-aged wagyu and one-year-aged butter make up Ed Verner's Pasture Pantry. The six-seat restaurant will be offering three food boxes suited for a variety of bubble sizes, culinary abilities and price points, as well as a selection of a la carte items (like ice cream). Pasture Pantry is available for contactless pickup every Wednesday and Friday. To find out what each box includes and to reserve, visit the restaurant's Tock site.
Peach's Hot Chicken: For traditional Nashville-style fried chicken there's no one better than Peach's Hot Chicken. The Panmure establishment's online ordering service will be up and running from next week offering a stripped back menu of fried chicken sandos and chicken and waffles.
Phil's Kitchen: The owners of this Kingsland local will be popping over to their sister restaurant to do the cooking for Level 3. The takeaway menu for Phil's Kitchen will run from 12–9pm with click and collect available from Kingsland Social.
Sidart: This elevated Indian restaurant has six dishes on offer, all served with pull-apart garlic bread, saffron rice and dessert for $45 per person. Expect menu items such as the lamb meatballs with almond korma, fish with kerala sauce or tandoori chicken with chettinand sauce.
Sid at the French Cafe: For those after a slice of luxury at home, The French Cafe will offer diners an interpretation of five classic French dishes, such as mushroom and truffle lasagne, beef bourguignon with truffle fries or buck à l 'orange with kumara, soy and ginger. Dishes come with salad, sourdough and dessert for $45 per person.
The Grove: This fine dining restaurant is veering away from its white tablecloth service to comfort food with a highbrow flourish. Co-owner Annette Dearth says this will be like no roast pork belly, beef wellington or sticky toffee pudding Auckland has ever seen. Diners will have the choice of a starter, main and dessert for two for $100 (pick-up or $10 local delivery). Add to that gourmet sarnies and frozen meals.
The Humble Canteen: This new health-focused dining option has turned into an online grocer and alcohol delivery service under lockdown. Pick up fruit and veg, bread and dairy, and pantry supplies. Contactless delivery is offered and the $5 delivery fee will go directly to Everybody Eats.
The Pie Piper/Doornuts: These dessert experts are offering same-day delivery of doughnuts and sweet American pies Wednesday through Sunday in Auckland. The company also offers free delivery with a three-kilometre radius of its stores.
Have you come across one we've missed? Let us know at auckland@concreteplayground.co.nz
Head to the New Zealand Government's Ministry of Health website for the latest COVID-19 advice.
Top image: Josh Griggs, Cassia.