Seven New Auckland Eateries to Put in Your Diary
From a cafe-gallery serving savoury waffles to modern Māori-inspired kai and a refurbished European bistro in Ponsonby.
The year might be getting on, but Auckland is still seeing plenty of new restaurants, cafes and bars open of late. It seems every week we're ranting and raving about the next newbie, bringing its own proposed offering/theming/novelty viral food item to this fine city of ours. Here's a useful little list for you to get excited about, in case you're despondent over having eaten at every Auckland venue ever. Take heart, there's plenty more where that came from.
MUTUAL FRIENDS, NEWMARKET
After being part of Mount Eden's Olly, Nick Fury, Bryan Anderson and Sean Bone wanted to expand on their experience while capturing a similar vibe to the cafe and gallery. The pair suggest their new opening Mutual Friends is a grown up version. Found at the front of Qb Studios' new shared office space in Newmarket, the cafe offers a contemporary, industrial-style fit-out which accompanies Allpress coffee and an ever-changing cabinet stocked with plenty of vegan/vegetarian options and their signature savoury waffles. The peri peri chicken has already proved a popular option. The pair also plan to curate art through the shared office space with a focus on local up and coming artists. "Working with other independent and local Auckland businesses has always been important to us, we hope to create a community vibe and bring something fresh and exciting to Newmarket."
AUGUSTUS BISTRO, PONSONBY
After being tipped into liquidation, Ponsonby restaurant Augustus Bistro has been taken over by the owners of Waiheke Island's Mudbrick Vineyard and Archive Bar and Bistro. Now in the hands of Robyn and Nick Jones — who purchased Mudbrick back in 1992 — the bones of the historic Ponsonby post office and the Parisian-style fit-out will remain while the couple add a few tweaks to make it "a locals' favourite". Award-winning chef Logan Coath will bring the new concept to life with an "European Italian" focused menu. The space also now has a bar area, a New York-style coffee booth in the entrance foyer and the pair have obtained a license to put tables out on the street.
LIKE WAFFLE, AUCKLAND CBD
Occupying a black container opposite Auckland public library, Like Waffle is a takeaway eatery offering eclectic Thai street food. A novel way of avoiding disposable takeaway containers heading to the landfill, the eatery offers menu items served in various forms of waffle. You'll find crispy fried chicken served in a waffle cone, pad thai and and deep-fried bananas overflowing from waffle bowls, and even your average flat white served in an edible, chocolate-topped creation.
DANTES PIZZERIA, BROWNS BAY
Located in Ponsonby, Takapuna, Queen Street and now Browns Bay, Dantes is a pizzeria certified by Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, a movement which aims to promote and protect the magic that is Pizza Napoletana. With a national prize-winning pizza chef and four consecutive titles as Metro magazine's 'Best Pizza', Dante's must be doing something right. Their dough rests for four days before being placed for 90 seconds into the traditional wood-fired oven that hums at a breezy 400ºC. The straightforward menu offers six simple options with ingredients all sourced direct from the motherland.
KAGE, KINGSLAND
Kingsland's original Shaky Isles location has been transformed into a fusion eatery specialising a range of Asia-Pacific hawker-style food. Led by Chef Ronnie Singh, Kage serves up everything from loaded Malaysian roti to steamed bao, burgers and several kinds of sticky ribs. For those looking to make the most of sun-soaked outdoor area, the cocktail menu boasts a tropical fish bowl fit for four people.
PUHA & PAKEHA, GREY LYNN
Māori fusion food truck Pūhā & Pākehā has found a permanent home in Grey Lynn's old Surrey Dairy. Established by husband and wife team Jarrad and Belinda Mckay, the eatery's kaupapa is to bring native New Zealand ingredients to the forefront via Māori-inspired dishes. Diners can expect some of the most popular dishes from the caravan at the new opening, such as tua tua fritters with kina chilli chive mayo, kūmara and coconut bites, and the popular Aotearoa reuben sandwich. Those with a sweet tooth can also expect desserts including a kawakawa meringue, rēwena bread trifle and a fried bread ice cream sandwich with mānuka caramel sauce.
FREE BIRD, MASSEY
If you happen to be in the region of Massey's Northwest Shopping Centre, a visit to Free Bird will grease your wheels for an afternoon of bargain hunting. Put your diet on hold; the staunch US-style diner offers hefty servings of buttermilk southern fried chicken, smokey pork ribs, tater tots, fried McClure's pickles and cold beer. And yes, it's named after Lynyrd Skynyrd's 70s power ballad.
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