It’s been said before and it will most definitely be said again: the past year has been one that we could never have planned for - and the pandemic’s impact on the global hospitality scene has been monumental.
Favourite restaurants have been forced to close due to lost revenue, whilst others have pivoted (to use a well-worn cliché) to a whole new business model. Things have definitely changed, but hope is on the horizon with new openings a plenty and much deliciousness to be had.
In order to celebrate and highlight our own local hospitality heroes, we asked some of our favourite local people to name their top picks from around our inner central neighbourhood. Read on, take note, and get planning that next date now.
Chlöe Swarbrick, MP for Central Auckland and member of the Green Party of Aotearoa
Conch has been a staple for me over the last few years: the staff are phenomenal and the food underrated. There’s good craft beer on tap and great outdoor cubbies in which to catch up with mates.
Allpress Espresso always nails the perfect cuppa. Pat and the team will always look after you!
Beau, one of the new kids on the block, has managed to weather the Covid storm and much-mythicized first year in hospo with a dedicated community of loyalists. Diva and the team offer quick wit with natural wine recommendations. Their space from the outdoor frontage on Ponsonby Road through to the minimalist indoors and sunny (and thankfully covered, given the weather changes coming) backyard is legendary for mini events.
OPEN café at the top of Karangahape Road, next to the petrol station has just debuted ‘mugly,’ to reduce single-use wastage from coffee cups, and have an awesome worker-ownership-stakeholder model. Also, their collaboration with the likes of Awhina Mai Tatou Katoa to provide a space to cook and bring together the community, including rough sleepers, for a classic boil-up is just so cool.
I also have to shout out the unapologetically staunch Coco’s Cantina sisters, Renee and Damaris, for the community they’ve built around beautiful pasta, pizza and Italian-inspired fare.
Melanie Roger, owner of Melanie Roger Gallery
I love Postal Service Café. You’ll find me there most mornings getting my daily long black... or two.
Wise Boys craft the best vegan burgers in Ponsonby (possibly the world), whilst Megan May’s take on plant-based food that strips it right back to the raw ingredients at Little Bird is always inspiring. She doesn’t try to create meat alternatives, instead creates innovative flavour juxtapositions and freshness that leave you feeling healthy.
Ramen Takura is a favourite for its slurpy bowls of noodles and yummy sides. We always share, and they are happy to make small adjustments for vegetarians and vegans. Ask for a booth out the back if you can – the best seats in the house.
Lokanta on Richmond Road is my favourite little ‘go-to’ local eatery - totally unpretentious and always delicious.
Further afield I love Cotto. Why make pasta when they do the most perfect version – and Gemmayze Street on Karangahape Road. The Jeeb menu at the latter is one of my favourite ways to eat, with the staff bringing plates of deliciousness to share. It’s a great way to try lots of flavours and without the need to even think about your order!
Tāne Tomoana, super stylist and creative director for Dry & Tea
One of the biggest positives of living in the greater Ponsonby area is the culinary fare on offer to suit all tastes and budgets. With trends lending themselves to more of a hustle and bustle, loud atmospheric dining setting with shared plates and large groups, Ponsonby is perfect for your next night out, and the options are endless.
For a special night, I absolutely love Sidart. Chef Sid has gone beyond art on a plate and creates food that is even more bold and colourful than before. A true dining experience!
For an easy casual evening out I can’t go past Lilian in West Lynn and Ada in The Convent Hotel. Both are new additions to the area but instant superstars! Breakfast and brunch is always at Ozone Coffee Roasters.
My go-to for cheap and cheerful eats is Uncle Man on Karangahape Road for amazing Malaysian and the best roti in town. And a lazy Sunday always lends itself to a pie or a roll - and a Powerade – from the iconic Busy Oven Bakery on Richmond Road.
The dishes that are rocking my world at the moment are the simple woodfired bread at Lilian (I usually order another) and the scampi, scallop, smoked eel, panipuri at Sidart - it is a vibe!
Poi Eruera who is a veteran of the Ponsonby food scene and currently at Odette’s Eatery is definitely my favourite hospo person, along with the fabulous Chand Sahrawat.
Kristine Crabb, designer, Gloria
We don’t eat out that much as I love to cook, and the kids prefer staying in, but I also love an excuse to go out.
My favourite right now is Ockhee. The aesthetic is so fresh and clean, and the fare is unique and satisfying in a soul food kinda way. There is a real chic and welcoming energy there and everything I have tried is divine. I love that they add new dishes to the menu regularly, too. The seaweed noodle salad is next level in texture and flavour, and the one dish I’m dying to try is Traditional Korean Royal Porridge, made with fresh handpicked chestnuts. It can’t get any better the that!
I love Prego too; it always feels great going there and I love the low-key people watching. The cibo is always on point, as are the fabulous people who run the joint.
We also love Bestie Cafe in St Kevin’s Arcade on Karangahape Road, and we are so excited for its new Ponsonby cafe. I find their menu really fresh with inspiring takes on classic fare, always served with lovely hospitality and much deliciousness.
I’ve only been once to their first night, but I’m keen to hang more at Soap Dancehall in Beresford Square - cool music, dancing and cheap drinks, beautiful folks…
Kirsty Gregg, personal trainer at re:ab on Selbourne
We live nearby and can’t get enough of Hidden Village in Ponsonby Central. Their tofu pancakes and coconut salad are amazing! Also at Ponsonby Central, MamaZing kombucha is out of this world!
I love Ockhee for the Chun Sa Chae noodle salad and zucchini chips, and always Orphan’s Kitchen for breakfast. It has great coffee, crazy cake-like crumpets served with their own roof top honey; and I have to mention the always awesome service.
Azabu is a favourite for the best cabbage in town and their legendary tuna tostada, whilst Andiamo’s mocktails are perfect on a sun-drenched afternoon.
Tom Sainsbury, actor and comedian
I go to Josy Cafe on Williamson Avenue all the time. It’s just so wonderfully unpretentious. You go there and have a coffee and have a work meeting or a catch up with a friend, and then just chill with an avocado and tomato bagel. They also do an amazing vegan buddha bowl.
Khu Khu on Ponsonby Road is my restaurant (and Uber Eats venue) of choice. The staff are so sweet, and the plant-based food is amazing. I recommend the ‘oyster’ stir-fry. I don’t know what’s in that sauce but it’s out of control good.
Whenever I want to impress someone I take them to Est. 1901 for cocktails. It’s got really cute decor; you can sit in a little booth, order the full array of elegant drinks and then get down to some good conversation. We really enjoyed the ‘Empress’ cocktail last time we went.
Vicki Taylor, designer, Taylor and owner of The Shelter
On a weekday morning - be it a work meeting or just a transition into a work headspace - a coffee (or and kawakawa tea) at Orphans Kitchen is the perfect way to greet the day.
My all-time dinner favourite has to be Azabu. I love sitting at the bar overlooking the kitchen with Mark and watching those amazing chefs create their magic.
And for a relaxed night with my nowadays not- so-little boys, Taisho Japanese on Jervois Road is a family favourite.
Farina is the only choice for when I need a taste of real Italian fare - especially as Italy itself has not been possible! I love the easy greeting you get as a local, and while all of the food is just amazing, the sardines are a must.
I love Ada at The Convent Hotel from the decor to the food, and although I haven’t been to Daphne’s Taverna as yet, it’s next on my list. I can’t wait to see what the amazing Clare and Joost have created this time.
We love weekend breakfasts at Buoy Cafe at Westhaven marina on a beautiful sunny morning – eating great food nestled amongst the boats is such a treat. Ginette really is a Ponsonby icon.
And for Sunday afternoon drinks with friends we meet at Annabel’s wine bar. It’s such a wonderful neighbourhood addition and an easy walking distance from home.
It sounds like I eat out far too much, which we probably do, but that’s why we love Ponsonby!
Ross M. Thorby, mayor of Franklin Road
Well…where to start? My day, like most Ponsonbyites, revolves around my favourite cafes, and my breakfast coffee is always at Dizengoff. There are always plenty of papers to read.
My next morning coffee will be at Little Garden at the top of Franklin Road; Leila must be the most popular manager on the strip!
My afternoon coffee is always Foxtrot Parlour at Ponsonby Central - where everybody knows your name – and my regular go-to for dinner is Midnight Gardener for its superb dumplings and margaritas.
Kara Sweney, owner of Yoga Ground and PR consultant
My go-to for catch ups after yoga or meetings with clients for my PR job is always Ozone. It’s such a lovely space and there is a really friendly atmosphere there. The real clincher though is the kahawai on toast. I literally order it 9/10 times I go there. I’ll diverge on the odd occasion to the banana bread, but as a savoury girl that deal is sealed by the salted butter.
I’m so delighted and excited about having Ada and The Convent Hotel in our neighbourhood. It is quite a unique addition to the Auckland scene and Ada is my absolute favourite destination now, for so many reasons: amazing building and fit-out, delicious menu, great service and an awesome evening vibe. The Endive with hazelnut brown butter is my top pick on the current menu. So yummy! I don’t want it to end. And I can never go past the pork belly.
Kathryn Wilson, shoe designer
We love Daphne’s Taverna, which is officially our new local as we can walk there from home. The taramasalata is a favourite.
Extra dirty martinis from Prego are a must, especially when it comes to getting us through an early kid’s dinner on a Sunday!
An early morning walk through nearby Western Park with our dog Toby Ray is usually followed by a takeaway coffee from Longshot. We get our fresh bread during the week from Daily Bread, and we often indulge in weekend baguettes from Hook.
SPQR is always the go-to for a girls long lunch in the sunshine, or earlier in the day when I’m feeling healthy, a breakfast date at Little Bird for the sprouted bread with mushrooms is essential. Yum! (HELENE RAVLICH)
#ponsonbynews #iloveponsonby #ponsonby #auckland #aucklandshippestrip #onlyponsonby #ponsonbyroad #Greylynn #freemansbay #westmere #ponsonby #hernebay #stmarysbay #archhill #family #friends #coxsbay #KathrynWilson #allpress #spqr #conch #beau #opencafe #cocascantina #postalservice #melanierogergallery #wiseboys #littlebird #ramentakura #lokanta #cotto #gemmayze #TāneTomoana #sidart #ozone #ada #lillian #odettes #pregoponsonby #kristinecrabb #ockhee #cibo #bestie #reab #azabu #josy #khukhuveganthai #1901 #vickitaylor #theshelter #orphanskitchen #taisho #farina #buoycafe