Auckland Restaurants

Princes Wharf and adjoining Viaduct Quay, an easy stroll from the city's major thoroughfare, Queen Street, offer dozens of eateries in every style from cheap-and-cheerful to superposh. High Street, running parallel to Queen Street on the Albert Park side of town, is a busy café and restaurant strip. Vulcan Lane, between Queen and High streets, has some pleasant bars. Asian immigrants have created a market for a slew of cheap noodle and sushi bars throughout the inner city; the more crowded, the better.

Outside the city center, the top restaurant areas are a 10-minute bus or cab ride away on Ponsonby and Parnell roads. Dominion and Mt. Eden roads in the city, as well as Hurstmere Road in the seaside suburb of Takapuna (just over the Harbour Bridge) are also worth exploring. The mix is eclectic—Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and Thai eateries sit alongside casual taverns, pizzerias, and high-end restaurants.

Peak dinnertime in Auckland is between 8 and 9, with some kitchens staying open until at least 10 pm. Many restaurants, particularly in Ponsonby and Parnell, serve food all day; some have a limited menu between 3 and 6 pm or close between services. On Sunday and Monday, check whether a place is open. Only in the most formal restaurants (and there are not many of those) do men need to wear a jacket. Some restaurants have started charging a 15% surcharge on public holidays.