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I’ve started so many fun nights out here and indulged in many a long lunch with many a glass or three of Astrolab to help the afternoon slip by. The buzz and atmosphere are unbeatable in my opinion, even if the food does miss the mark on the odd rare occasion.

Some of my tried and tested favourites are the Antipasto platter – perfect with a cold glass of Dog Point Sav outside in summer. The pizzas are delicious with a thin crispy base and I can never go past their Scampi Tail Linguini or Caprese salad with fresh buffalo mozzarella (from Clevedon apparently), salty prosciutto and rich red vine-ripened tomatoes.

Situated right in the heart of Ponsonby Road, the outdoor seating makes for excellent people watching –come here to see and be seen. But you do not need to be wealthy, expensively dressed or an Auckland celeb to dine here and feel welcome. The wait staff are fabulous, dharling, very attentive and add a whole new level of entertainment to a meal – with one even having  favourite parking sign out front which he loves to dance around  to entertain the footpath diners.

Inside you can have a drink at the bar on a Friday night or settle in to one of the many dark, sexy corners. A guaranteed good night out.