This café is located on a character-rich pedestrian lane between Queen Street and High Street, right in the city centre. A charming establishment, the café features wooden floors, wooden walls and leather-clad booths. Due to its central location, it is a popular meeting place day or night. Occidental Belgian Cafe offers real Belgian beers on tap and great pots of mussels, Belgian style. They are fully licensed and have a good range of other drinks available, including fine coffee.
SPQR was one of the original cafes in Ponsonby and its popularity has stood the test of time. It is now a sophisticated upmarket restaurant and bar rather than a simple café. It has a certain energy; the later it gets the more it seems to buzz. It draws an eclectic crowd; people watching is a treat here. The beautifully presented food is Italian. Some examples from the menu include char-grilled calamari salad with rocket, roast garlic and lemon oil, and seared, rare tuna with smoked tomato, salsa, rocket, balsamic and caroli oil.
The Engine Room Eatery is a small bistro located at Queens Street. This place is converted from a post office by owners Natalia and Carl. The restaurant has a small menu with selective wines to go along with. A blend of traditional and continental taste is offered at this eatery. Some of the famous dishes served are Pavlova, Steak Frittes, Thai Prawn Salad, Pomegranate and Date Salad and handmade Valrhona Chocolate Truffles. It is advisable that you make reservations to avoid waiting.
Prego has style! It is undoubtedly one of the best quality venues in Ponsonby, both for the excellent food and friendly competent service. Elegant in design and style, it achieves a sophisticated but unpretentious air. Terracotta floors extend through to the front courtyard, which is shaded by a large tree and awning. The excellent menu is Italian based: pizza, pasta, grills, salads as well as a rotisserie in the evening. Prego is fully licensed.
Less than a minute down the road from the historic Puhoi pub, stands one of the oldest tea rooms in New Zealand. Puhoi Cottage, almost 100 years old, is also perhaps the oldest tea room in the country serving Devonshire Cream Teas. Gorge on delicious scones, cakes and other savouries like steak pies, chicken and beef rolls, quiche and salads. You also have a choice of other beverages like hot chocolate, coffee and herbal tea. Reach this place either by road or by canoeing down the Puhoi river.
Verona is an institution on Karangahape Road, offering some of the best contemporary cuisine to be found in town. The decor is inner city, eclectic cool. There are booths as well as small cafe tables. The clientele runs from "K'Road" locals to passing weirdos and advertising industry types looking for a cool place to meet. All ingredients used at Verona are organic when possible. The menu is always interesting and changes often.
Helmed by culinary heavyweights, chefs Kyle Street and Jordan MacDonald, Culprit is a gastronomic experience par excellence. An ode to unloved cuts of meat, this restaurant ensures that meals are presentable and even packed with flavor. In collaboration with local farmers and suppliers, all ingredients and produce here are high quality, fresh, and sourced carefully. On offer is an innovative menu that gives local kiwi cuisine a novel contemporary touch, thus resulting in a sensory extravaganza. Drawing from the Yum Cha style of service, a menu is offered for groups of people, so this is a great place to drop in with your tribe.
Fondou Cafe is just the place to come into when you want to treat yourself. A cute cafe in CBD, it has oodles of warmth with bright lights, open brick walls, and rustic charm. Fantastic coffees, a cozy ambiance, and excellent service are some hallmarks to expect at this establishment. The menu here consists of a tasty variety of baked goodies like delicious pastries, savory croissants, cakes, cookies, and a lovely selection of hearty sandwiches. Swing by here for a steaming cup in the mornings, or enjoy breakfast or lunch with your friends sitting by the large windows.
Kazuya Restaurant is an eatery known to be among the best in the city. The chefs here are very careful in using the most natural ingredients to prepare delicious food, that truly serves a treat to the palate. Some of the dishes orbiting the menu include, fish and roasted meats, that are served in three course meals. To accompany the dishes, there is also a long list of wines, that truly enhance the flavors. The eatery has a very homely vibe to it, and it invites you taste some of the best Japanese food in town.
Founded in the year 2012, Tart Bakery is a small family owned bakery and cake shop that offers delectable freshly baked vegan snacks and goodies. Each food item has been prepared using organic products and is free from any type of chemicals or preservatives. One can enjoy their daily specials like their yummy pastries, baked goods or breads, do try their house special cheese scones which is very popular with the locals. All in all, a visit to the bakery will surely bring back your childhood memories as you savor their snacks and goodies along with a cup of coffee.
Nestled in the heart of Mount Eden, Pla Thong Thai is an elegant and stylish restaurant that serves a variety of Thai cuisines and delights. Chef Somsak Jantarose brings to diners a combination of traditional, contemporary and fusion dishes in appetizers, main course and desserts. Popular dishes being their Panang curry and Snappers available in four flavors garlic, basil, chili and chicken mince. Meals can be paired with high quality wines.
Spend an afternoon with a friend or reading a book at this cozy cafe called Pollen. The interiors are simple yet elegant with the minimalist modern decor. Grab a cup of hot creamy coffee with baked goods like cakes, buns, and waffles with delicious toppings. You could also tease your taste buds with the limited fish and meat dishes which are listed on the menu.