Auckland Travel Guide

New Zealand  #3 in Best Cheap Winter Vacations
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What to Eat in Auckland

Kiwi cuisine is all about fresh, local fare. In Auckland, expect to find top-notch seafood, plenty of lamb and a handful of signature desserts. Local seafood offerings include green-lipped mussels, fish and chips, whitebait fritters and bluff oysters. You'll also find roast lamb on most Auckland menus. And for dessert, you can't go wrong with a scoop of hokey pokey (vanilla with pieces of honeycomb) ice cream or a slice of Pavlova (a meringue-based treat topped with fruit and named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova).

Everything from casual pubs to fine dining establishments can be found in Auckland. Specialty cuisines (think: Indian, Japanese and French) are also prevalent throughout the city. Kazuya Restaurant, The Grove Restaurant and One Tree Grill Restaurant are just a few traveler favorites for upscale meals, while eateries like Azabu and Ela Cuisine impress diners with their reasonably priced ethnic dishes. Other standout eateries – such as the Sky Tower's The Sugar Club, Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar, Best Ugly Bagels and Federal Delicatessen – are linked to celebrity chefs like Peter Gordon and Al Brown.

If you're 18 or older, save time to sample some of the City of Sails' world-renowned wine. Bordeaux-style red wine and chardonnay are the most commonly produced wines in Auckland's three wine regions: Waiheke Island, Matakana and Kumeu.

Find the Best Restaurants in Auckland

  • #1
    Le Bistro Des Gourmets
    #1 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 5 based on 80 reviewsTripAdvisor (80)
    $ - $$ | French, European
    237 Parnell Road, Auckland Central, Auckland 1052 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #2
    Fondou Cafe
    #2 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 5 based on 128 reviewsTripAdvisor (128)
    $ | Cafe, New Zealand
    157 Hobson Street Unit G17, Auckland City Hotel, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #3
    Paris Butter
    #3 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 429 reviewsTripAdvisor (429)
    $ - $$ | French, European, New Zealand
    166 Jervois Road Herne Bay, Auckland Central, Auckland 1011 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #4
    The Grove
    #4 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 1603 reviewsTripAdvisor (1603)
    $$ | European, New Zealand
    St Patrick's Square, Wyndham St, Auckland Central, Auckland 1001 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #5
    Culprit.
    #5 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 321 reviewsTripAdvisor (321)
    $ - $$ | New Zealand, International, Contemporary
    12 Wyndham Street Level 1, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #6
    Cooke's
    #6 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 5 based on 106 reviewsTripAdvisor (106)
    $ - $$ | European
    58-60 Queen Street Hotel Grand Windsor MGallery by Sofitel, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #7
    One Tree Grill
    #7 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 1331 reviewsTripAdvisor (1331)
    $$ | Steakhouse, European, New Zealand
    9 Pah Rd Epsom, Auckland Central, Auckland 1023 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #8
    SidArt
    #8 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 5 based on 862 reviewsTripAdvisor (862)
    $$ | International, European, New Zealand
    Level 1 Lamps Plaza, 3 283 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby, Auckland Central, Auckland 1011 New Zealand
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  • #9
    Kazuya
    #9 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 5 based on 395 reviewsTripAdvisor (395)
    $$ | International, Contemporary
    193 Symonds Street Eden Terrace, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #10
    Ela Cuisine
    #10 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 605 reviewsTripAdvisor (605)
    $ - $$ | Seafood, Indian, Healthy
    41 Elliott Street Shop M17, Elliott Stables, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #1
    Tokyo Bay
    #1 of 120 Places to Eat in Takapuna
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 346 reviewsTripAdvisor (346)
    $ - $$ | Seafood, Sushi, Japanese, Asian
    20 The Strand Takapuna Beach, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #1
    Casita Miro
    #1 of 9 Places to Eat in Onetangi
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 1164 reviewsTripAdvisor (1164)
    $ - $$ | Mediterranean, European, Spanish, Wine Bar, New Zealand
    3 Brown Road, Onetangi, Auckland, Waiheke Island 1081 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #11
    Sails Restaurant
    #11 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 475 reviewsTripAdvisor (475)
    $$ | Seafood, Grill, New Zealand
    103-113 Westhaven Drive - Westhaven Marina St Mary's Bay, Auckland Central, Auckland 1011 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #12
    Sid at The French Cafe
    #12 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 1292 reviewsTripAdvisor (1292)
    $$ | French, European, New Zealand
    210 Symonds Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #2
    Tantalus Estate Restaurant
    #2 of 75 Places to Eat in Waiheke Island
    TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5 based on 115 reviewsTripAdvisor (115)
    $$ | European, New Zealand
    70 -72 Onetangi Road, Auckland, Waiheke Island 1971 New Zealand
    Read More »
  • #13
    Madriz Spanish Tapas Bar
    #13 of 2,562 Places to Eat in Auckland Central