The best one stop shop for those gourmet treats

Great spot for a post shop lunch and coffee in Newmarket

Get lost in this store shopping for gourmet treats

the best place to search for those delicious hard to find wines

Fish Fish has the best fish! Lovely and fresh and really competitively priced - even compared to supermarket prices. If you're thinking of cooking at home you can get supplies here - or if you're feeling lazy you can stay and enjoy some fresh fish prepared with love.

  What busy little shop. We stopped on our way home for an early dinner. I got a fish burger that was definitely a great burger. The fish here is cooked in beer batter and cooked so that its golden and crunchy, Yum

My flatmate had a last minute bail out of cooking dinner as planned. So up she went and got us some healthy takeaways from our local. So healthy yet I am so satisfied!

A good night out on the town is not complete without a visit to the White Lady. Burgers are top notch and you tend to meet some interesting characters along the way 

The pad Thai here I still stand by and say that it's the BEST in Auckland. The portions are huge and I struggle to get through a whole box 

There's the behind the scenes tour. Night tours and overnight stays. It's something you won't get a lot of opportunities to do.

They make it fun and the interaction with the farm animals are always a treat for the children and adults alike. And a nice ice cream can be had there after a hot day. Also the care that is taken to care for the butterflies is awesome.

Their food is enjoyed by the family. The lamb curry is slightly salty, but, they are happy to receive feedback. Friendly service.

Their burgers always have a great taste and fresh. Love their frosty cones, good value for money. And of course a $5 value meal is always a nice treat fro the kids or grandparents.

When I saw this, what a pleasant surprise. It is a must try.

Props to Al Brown! One of my favourite additions to the akl food scene, this place is awesome! The Yodi, with pastrami, pickles, mustard and melted swiss cheese is delish - but my fav has to be the King which really lives up to its name - generous amounts of salmon and cream cheese. The kitchen is open which adds to the cool vibe of this place, you get to peek at the process behind it all.

Hands down my favourite burger place in the city - they get it right every time. The view of the city at night from the Ponsonby joint is amazing - the perfect backdrop to a laid back date. You can build your own burger to get exactly what you want, and they have some sweet vegetarian options too.

Love the Misodare tofu here! They have a shared vibe with the bar next door both in Ponsonby and the CBD so you can grab a drink and they’ll bring your food to you there. Perfect! Great takeaway option too if you want something quick and yum.

The hot dogs here are super yum in great flavours - try the Banh Mi, a Vietnamese style chili and lime chicken one - unusual and delish! Served from a suave looking cart in the industrial/Melbourne vibes Imperial Lane, a very cool late afternoon snack option paired with a beer.

Can’t go wrong with Sal’s! Open late, perfect for an end of the night bite. I love the vegie pizza, and the garlic knots always seem irresistable side option as well. Smells so good and is always piping hot - its hard to hold back and let it cool down a little before tucking in. I’ve burnt the roof of my mouth a few times cos I couldn’t resist!

 On our weekly date, mum and I agreed it had to be Olaf’s. Freshly made artisan breads and the nicest coffee in Mt Eden Village. Today I tried the outstanding raspberry tarte - pure bliss. Highly recommended.

Despite the fact that this place looks super fancy and is home to amazing (yet expensive) artisan products, you can actually get the cheapest milk in Auckland here! That's because they bottle it themselves, I think. Go there for fresh fruit and veges and of course milk!

If you go here, for goodness sake be a bit French about it. Throw the diet out the window and have something absolutely oozing in butter. Not to mention some cheese while you're at it! La Cigale offers French , Italian, Swiss, Spanish, British Cheeses as well as a range of New Zealand Cheeses which is ideal if you're a bit obsessed with cheese as I am. Go on Saturday or Sunday and taste all of the things. Truly delicious.

Foodie things abound in this classy alternative to a supermarket. I love to pore over everything... The cheese expecially holds my interest.

If Pon"snobby" does one thing perfectly, it's gotta be the food. An array of cafes, restaurants and gourmet supply stores litter this very cool new addition to the Ponsonby Rd Strip.

Slice of New York on how pizzas should taste

Good food good company good people

Good Asian food

A hidden area of exotic foods, an up market food court

Best place for dessert

Think 'comfort food' and instantly a hearty roast comes to mind. To set the scene - a roaring fire, the aroma of a joint of meat roasted to succulent perfection, and a range of crunchy roasted potatoes and veg. It's the ultimate winter feast, and when you haven't the time (or the requisite crowd) for attempting a full roast at home, Albany Roast Meals is the way to go. This place is popular year-round for good reason - their roast pork is tender deliciousness on a plate, and with perfectly crisp crackling and a generous serving of gravy.

Carnivores rejoice! Head to Hallertau on Thursdays for their legendary steak night, where for a mere $25 you get a 230g scotch fillet, chips, slaw and a glass of Hallertau beer or wine.

As a Ponsonby institution and beloved favourite, Prego needs no introduction. They've recently undergone a renovation with new chairs, new cutlery, a new outdoor sound system and new gluten-free options. The food remains as delectable as ever, and you can't go past one of their hearty Beef and gorgonzola pie for rib-sticking comfort eats.

This central city gem of a cafe is a hive of activity come lunchtime, where regulars stop by to check out the daily soup, sandwich, salad and shake. I love that I can head here and use their free Wi-Fi while eating beautiful food. The upstairs seating area is a great place to hide away and tuck into a steaming bowl of fragrant soup, which warms both body and soul.

For a sweet finish to your comfort feast, there is no finer choice than a steaming mug of the Chocolate Boutique's famous denso hot chocolate. Containing a whopping 36 ingredients, it is the most intense chocolate experience you'll ever have. It's a classic whatever the weather, but particularly at its best when it's dreary and wet outside.

One of my favourite things is finding a red checkered picnic blanket, a wicker basket and stocking up on the amazing french bread & cheese from the Pyrenees deli. Find a quiet spot on Mt Albert and picnic away - divine.

This quaint french establishment is open 7am-10pm every day - making it perfect for early morning coffee, brunch dates or wines with friends. French wait staff always round off the experience for me. A+

A lovely weekend activity. You can always find some delicious fresh goodies. Best enjoyed with good company.

The pinnacle of fine dining, French-style in our fair city. An excellent place to celebrate special occasions with a touch of class and very happy tummies.

French for ‘The Pantry’ this place is so bloody adorable I swoon every time I walk past. I highly recommend the smoked salmon crepe.

Everyone loves Nando’s! The perfect hangover cure in my opinion. With so many options to choose from and as indecisive as I am it is always a unique form of torture heading to Nando’s. I usually end up getting the supremo chicken breast burger which has the most delicious marinated juicy chicken breast with salad and sauces of your choice. They are well known for their delicious Peri Peri sauce and you can choose if you want lemon and herb, mild, hot or extra hot. At a reasonable cheap price for the high quality of the food Nando’s is always sure to please. You should get the extra hot sauce if you want to be even healthier, this way you will sweat heaps and lose weight.

What a cute little sushi bar located in the fancy suburb of Parnell! Came here for dinner, there was about 10 of us in total and it is imperative you book as this place is always quite busy but you can get things to go. My friend who planned this dinner had been talking about this place for a while so I was keen to see what the buzz was about. You walk down some stone stairs into the restaurant which is quite small and quaint - very cute. Would be great to go on a date here! I got a platter of teriyaki sushi which was great however I wish I had branched out a bit more in my food decision as everyone elses plates looked amazing. They had gotten bento boxes dishes much more creative than my safe zone teriyaki chicken but that’s alright as there is always a next time!!

I recently visited the Takapuna Habitual Fix although there are a few placed around Auckland I believe. This place offers healthy fast food such as salads, smoothies, sandwiches, pitas, wraps, noodles, and so on. I got a caesar salad but in a pita bread and it was so delicious!! They have a fantastic vast menu, heaps to choose from. Took me a while to choose my order! They also have the option to make your own salad or sandwich or whatever which I think is a great idea. The set menu is delicious too however! You can take your food away or eat in store as there are always tables and chairs set up for customers.

So good. Must go. I wish I didnt have a word minimum because that is all that needs to be said. Multiple awards, awesome shop that obviously used to be a petrol station (love how they didnt completely re-do the place), great price for what you get, various options for vegetarians, BEST BURGERS EVER. I got the "Larry" chicken burger and it is now on my eating-out bucket list to try every burger on this menu. Best burger I’ve had yet by far, I have to say the only down side is that I had to choose only one!

I don’t care what anyone says, I love Subway. These days most of the population are generally not the biggest fans for various reasons but I am loyal to the cause. Or I just have low standards, not too sure. My favourite is the Subway melt - turkey, ham and bacon with melted cheese. Mmmmmmm. Clearly not the healthiest thing on the menu but there are definitely low fat options which is what this place is based around. The teriyaki chicken is always delicious and apparently the salads are really good as well but be sure to get extra meat because it didn’t look like they were very generous with the serving, and if you are anything like me then you need the meat. Always good how you can choose everything that goes on it including sauces which I always try overload on at expense of the worker judging me. My love for food is a borderline eating problem.

Specialty bulk food with a focus on organic.

All the basics with an emphasis on Indian, you can't get cheaper than here.

Tucked away off New North Rd, this fabulous bulk food shop is a serious visit for those needing Indian spices.

The local go-to for Indian spices.

What made Avondale famous (beside the spiders). Grab your week's seasonal produce, a kebab and testify with some preachers.

One of those truly great Auckland suburb stores, where you can pick up some truly useful things on the cheap (picnic mats, reflective vests and jackets for cyclists, sarongs, luggage, undies, kids toys) and there’s enough truly weird stuff to make it interesting. This is a great stop for a dress up party - the hats and dresses are primo.

I discovered Flourishing through the cheapeats.co.nz website. They know their Auckland cheap eats, and when Flourishing Cafe reviewed well I knew it was worth a visit. It's amazing value and great quality - a little known fact is that it's the sister restaurant to the incredibly popular Canton Cafe in Kingsland. Like its big sis, Flourishing is BYO and there's no corkage charged, making it an ideal place for a super cheap (under $20/head), super rowdy dinner with mates.

A waterfall in the city? Yes it’s true. Only a five minute walk down a pretty track just off Great North Road (yes really!), this waterfall is a beauty - especially after rain. This is a really secret swimming spot in Auckland central, if you’re brave enough to ignore the ‘Danger’ sign (I’m not). But you can watch the local kids doing huge bombs and back flips, and last time I took the kids here there was a family washing their dog under the waterfall. Not exactly eco-friendly but a funny thing for the kids to see.

Walk into Spice World and you’ll be sniffing in no time - the smell of exotic freshly ground spices surrounds you, but in a lovely fresh way that isn’t overpowering. This unassuming store is a foodie’s dream, especially if you dream of creating authentic Indian-influenced dishes. Instant Indian packet meals are also available here, so you can fake it till you make it. It’s also a budget friendly place with bulk bins selling store cupboard essentials at good prices. Pick up some $1 packs of incense while you are here!

Looking to buy fresh fish out West? This place is the best! An old-school fishmonger, with really fresh fish at a good price, with good advice thrown in for good measure.

Cute atmosphere, good pricing, and tasty food choices. At Food Truck Garage they try to make healthier food using less salt, less sugar and less fat. Their buns are made with spelt flour, sauces are homemade emulsions, fizzy drinks are naturally sweetened and there’s no deep fryer!

Delicious food to accompany a date with your girlfriends! And amazing set-up with the shops.

Mexican with a waterfront view - the way it should be

Delicious Italian cuisine on the new North Wharf waterfront.

This place was the best little hidden gem I’ve ever come across. Gorgeous set-up and beautiful food.