What is the best restaurant to eat at in Auckland?
I've been to a few now and my favourite so far is still SPQR on Ponsonby Road. The vibe and the food are great. The close second is Vivace in High Street in the CBD - again a nice vibe and really good bites.
Other nice eats are Dine, Totos, Bollywood, GPK... the list could go on.
What's your fav? Any recommendations?
SPQR has always come across as too bourgeois for me, then again that applies for much of the rest of Ponsonby Road too!
Simla is a great little Indian restaurant on the edge of Mt Eden village with absolutely excellent korma, though admittedly I haven't been there in a couple of months.
Sansui is a Japanese restaurant downtown to which I took the other half: bloody expensive (for a very filling three course dinner for two it set me back nearly 200 dollars) but it was worth it for the atmosphere and the absolutely excellent cuisine (and Asahi too!). Soh is great restaurant (Korean) that is in Newmarket, nice atmosphere there, good food etc. I always enjoy Mikano (by the waterfront/port/helipad).
Posted by: Oliver | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 12:54 AM
Whites/Chibo/SPQR/then whatever.
Posted by: tim barclay | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 06:53 AM
Gordon Ramsey said that 99.9% of the haute cuisine restaurants in the world are rubbish, though the .1% that are not are worth the journey. Taking him at his word, I have eaten in a michelin two star in France and would have to say that all the "up-market" NZ restaurants with the possible exceptions of the French cafe and White at the Hilton are rubbish for the money. So I stick to the mid-range places, BYO's and the like where I can make noise with several friends. And if I want haute cuisine I get my dear old mum to cook a roast anfd my sister to make her famous trifle.
Satya in Karangahape road is the best Indian in Auckland without a doubt. The last time we ate there the table next to us was occupied by Sir Edmund Hillary and Peta Mathias was getting takeaways!
Its hard to go past Bouchon in Kingsland as a fantastic little French bistro. Fabulous. Also in Kingsland, the noisey and lively Canton cafe is about the best Chinese you will encounter.
The GPK in Dominion road is superior to the one in Ponsonby.
A female friend of mine swears by Prego, but I am not so sure - but we always have fun there.
There is a block of three or four Japanese restaurants near the comedy club at the top of Queen street that are excellent, I particularly like Tanukis (the cave and the street level are both good) where you can get giant half litres of foaming beer to accompany your food.
Posted by: Tom S | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 08:50 AM
I'm always disapointed with GPK, both on Dominion Road and in Takapuna.
Dine by Peter Gordan isn't half bad, and the prices are reasonable.
Posted by: Jeremy | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 12:15 PM
My fave is Number 5, which is near Symonds Street, not everyone's cup of tea, but it certainly is mine!
Posted by: Carl Anderson | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 03:04 PM
Dine by Peter Gordon is very very very uneven if my experience is anything. Loved the decor particularly the lighting which I thought was just perfect brightness, I would go again just for that, but the food and service I will have to forget.
Posted by: tim barclay | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 07:41 PM
Italian - Toto.
Thai - The Thai House on Ponsonby Rd. There's alos one in Mt Eden vilage I've forgotten the name of which was super.
Chinese - I agree with Tom. Up the stairs we went and it was fantastic.
Indian - Bollywood closelt followed by Satya (I agree with Tom again - oh dear!)
Posted by: Gooner | Monday, 12 June 2006 at 08:56 PM
Jordan,
Perhaps a chain you've tried overseas - Wagamama. They have a few outlets in Auckland and I have been a few times with my girlfriend. Recommended for funky cuisine.
Posted by: Damian | Wednesday, 25 July 2007 at 12:52 AM