Auckland Restaurant Tips by worldkiwi

Restaurant Name: Langkawi Restaurant.

Langkawi is a small restaurant in the North Shore suburb of Milford. The best time to go is the week, as on the weekend they seem to be run off their feet and you might have to wait a while for your meal. Service is not always as quick as you would like.

Favorite Dish: Rendang has to be my favourite. Some of the chicken dishes can be a bit disappointing.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: 122 Kitchener Road, Milford
Directions: If you're driving, take the northern motorway to Takapuna and go north from there. Kitchener intersects with East Coast Bays Road as well (coming from the north).

Restaurant Name: Restaurant Aubergine.

Aubergine offers impressive food and good service. The restaurant is probably better described as providing Mediterranean cuisine, than just simply Italian. It is in the heart of Takapuna's restaurant strip on Hurstmere Road. I had a great meal there earlier this year and can thoroughly recommend it.

Favorite Dish: Anything with olive oil, garlic, and herbs!

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (09) 489 3104.
Address: 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna.
Directions: Takapuna is the commercial heart of the North Shore and is easy to get to on bus or by car from Auckland.

Restaurant Name: CinCin on Quay.

The best thing about CinCin on Quay (pronounced Chin chin), is the setting. This is one of Auckland's upper market restaurants. Personally, I thought it was a bit over rated. I went there for lunch with workmates and we had a very snooty waiter. When I asked for a steak knife I was made to feel like a philistine! They didn't have one and the fact I asked seemed to make the waiter incredulous! As for the steak, it was expensive, small and had some grissle in it! Nice view though.

Favorite Dish: If you want a delicious steak, at a good price, go to Zavito Cafe and Bar in Mairangi Bay, on Auckland's North Shore - big meal, good price, and delicious.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Address: In the beautiful old Ferry Building on Quay Street

Restaurant Name: Zavito Cafe and Bar.

Zavito is a secret gem, tucked away in suburban Mairangi Bay, on Auckland's North Shore. It's a short stroll to the beach and if you are travelling around on bus, there's a bus stop less than 100m from the place so you can get there and away easily to and from the city centre.
The chef here should be on a big retainer. The food is divine and the service smart but casual. The prices are very reasonable and the atmosphere is always great. There's a nice bar and if you go in the day you can sit outside.

Favorite Dish: The steak in a red wine and ginger sauce on a large forest mushroom. Yum. There's lots of other mouthwatering temptations on the menu too.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: (09) 478 4080
Address: 404 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay
Directions: Auckland's North Shore, in the seaside area known as East Coast Bays.

Restaurant Name: Long Bay Restaurant (LBR on the Beach)

The Long Bay Restaurant is in Long Bay on Auckland's North Shore. It is actually in the Long Bay Regional Park and is right on the beach. There is a wonderful deck on which you can have a table and dine with the a Pacific panorama in front of you. I dined there on a balmy early autumn night in March 2004. The food is delicious.

Favorite Dish: I had the fish dish of the day - Hapuka Steak... melt in your mouth delicacy! For desert I had a huge piece of apple cake with cream cheese filling.... yum!

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Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: Long Bay Regional Park.
Directions: You'll need a map of Auckland to find out how to get to Long Bay Regional Park. There are buses to Torbay and from there it's about a 30 minute walk downhill.

Restaurant Name: Khun Pun

Khun Pun is a new Thai restaurant in Albany on Auckland's North Shore. Albany is a terribly designed place and you need a car to get around it. Khun Pun is currently rather isolated and alone in the big empty HSBC Centre on Corinthian Drive.
The food here is VERY good, even if the service is a little indifferent at times.

Favorite Dish: The Tom Kha soup as a starter is so authentic, you'd think it's just been flown in from Thailand. Delicious!!

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (in Auckland) 448 5757
Address: 7 Corinthian Drive, Albany
Directions: Take the northern motorway from Auckland central and exit at Oteha Valley Road. Turn left and head to the new Albany town centre... more soon... (my map is out of date!)

Restaurant Name: Waterfront Café

This busy and laid-back restaurant is situated in the heart of downtown Auckland's waterfront restaurant area.
At a July 2005 mid-winter get-together there we all had excellent dinners that were prepared well and speedily.
The restaurant is a good place to meet before a night on the town, but not really a place for a quiet chat. There is a long bar in the restaurant and indoor-outdoor seating.

Favorite Dish: I can recommend the sirloin steak in mushroom sauce. It comes with nicely roasted vegetables and somewhat incongruosly (for the middle of winter), a green salad.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: 09 - 3599914
Address: Maritime Museum Complex, Viaduct Harbour
Directions: Downtown Auckland, right on the waterfront adjacent to the Viaduct Harbour
Website: http://www.thewaterfrontcafe.co.nz

Restaurant Name: The Wine Box Cafe.

This little restaurant on the main road through old Albany, on the North Shore, doesn't look much from the road and my photo is even less flattering! However, inside you will receive outstanding service and enjoy excellent food and wine in a very comfortable and cosy setting. I only discovered this restaurant in 2005 and it has been well known in Auckland for some time before that. Unfortunately, it was for sale the last time I visited in September 2005.
There is plenty of parking behind the restaurant.
I have to menton the service just one more time. On both occasions I've been there, I was part of a large group. The restaurant managed to serve us all at the same time and we were allowed to pay individually. There were no stuff-ups, no fuss... just efficient, friendly service.

Favorite Dish: On both visits, I enjoyed the delectable eye fillet steak - medium rare.

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Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Middle of old Albany on SH17.

Restaurant Name: Art Ducko

Art Ducko is situated in Waiake on Auckland's North Shore. The restaurant is opposite the beach and there are fantastic views from just about any seat in the place! The menu is quite pricey, but the food is well prepared and well presented. The desserts are served up as a real treat, both to the eye and the palate. The service is very good.
One drawback to this place is that the wine menu is limited. There is only one variety of red served by the glass, so if you like Merlot, you have to buy the whole bottle!
The theme of the restaurant is most definitely ducks! They're everywhere. There's plenty on the menu beside duck though.

Favorite Dish: I had the venison steak when I went in September 2005. The steak was prepared excellently, bu unfortunately in January I had been spoilt by experiencing wild venison steaks and the flavour of this particular piece of meat just didn't compare.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Directions: It's the only commercial building in Waiake, so you can't miss it. Waiake is the next bay north of Browns Bay on Auckland's North Shore.

Restaurant Name: Mecca Cafe - Devonport.

Mecca Cafe is located on Victoria Street in Devonport, in the Esplanade Hotel building. This is a good place to get a coffee before beginning a walking tour of this historic part of Auckland. Service is very quick and professional.


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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Victoria Street, Devonport
Directions: Cross the road from the ferry terminal. You can't miss the Esplanade Hotel.