So, this place is a cozy wee nook in Ponsonby Central but my, my, it has some very spectacular Spanish/Mexican food! I had the clam, squid and chorizo paella and broccolini to share with my squeeze, and a killer virgin margarita, and we both left full and happy. The interior is fabulous and the atmosphere buzzing. Go there now.

Great, chill place for a first date. Lots of noise and distraction but you can still cosy up! Try the pulled pork sandwiches or the Welsh Rarebit. Much better, ambiance wise, than getting a curry down the road.

Go on a road trip with your boo, sleep at a rest stop and then head to LS in the morning. The big breakfast will more than reward you for your adventures in roughing it, plus you will have just had a killer weekend of driving, exploring and bonding!

Your new squeeze will think you're the biggest hipster once you show him or her this wonderful hidden gem. Hot thermal pools, fish and chips, booze and your new paramour in their togs - brilliant!

Mexico is pretty awesome for a date or double date. The drinks are killer, the tacos are out of this world and the fried chicken is a must eat! All this for around $20-30 pp depending on how much you drink? Amazing.

I love this place. Really reasonably priced and the food is delicious. The teriaki tofu is fantastic, I have it every time. Nice cosy restaurant. Small and intimate.

Cheap, cheerful and GOOD food. Portions are enormous and you can easily share between two. BYO. Sometimes there is a wait for a table but it's worth it!

Always good food here. Lots of choice and a nice cosy atmosphere. Great garden for summer and lots of gigs.

Staff are always friendly and give you a proper Italian welcome. Dishes are freshly made and it's never a problem to adapt your choice and leave out an ingredient. Great wine selection and you can BYO as well. I've been here numerous times and have never been disappointed.

So many options here! Lots of little dishes to share and enjoy. Great atmosphere and the perfect place to begin your night out with great food and drink.

Call me crazy but I love going out for an evening ride and then going off for dinner. It's different and always provides some laughs

After an evening ride this is the place for a little treat and a great beer. Food is average but the overall experience of the ride followed by a great beer makes for a perfect night

I love going to SPQR, it has the most amazing wine list by the glass and we always drink too much, watch people, and laugh like we were on a first date. Obviously, the food is also top notch.

Fun for a date, or with the kids

Jervois is by far the best Steak in Auckland. For a fun protein filled night out we always find ourselves at Jervois! Great wine list and very good staff. 

Ronnie is a fat cat, he is quite a character and is part of 121. Jazz night on Fridays is a great feature plus there is all day breakfast goodness for those who love breakfast foods for dinner.

The size of mains is filling and great value for money at $14/$15 - perfect for students who are looking to fill up on healthy food. This Korean cafe also serves fresh sushi. Spicy salmon don and chicken noodles in creamy sauce.

Fresh Japanese excellence. The best thing about this place is their kanda sushi and the fact they have an all you can eat option for a great price.

the atmosphere is perfect for intimate conversations and the dessert menu is as great as their main menu! (Chilli chocolate cake)

the ping pong tables! fun to be had with friends or with a date in a casual bar atmosphere with sky city tower in the backdrop

cozy little Italian joint., great for a date and BYO too

Love the lights. Love everything about this place. great food and excellent service

Love this little wine bar, just off the motorway and amazing food.

Always a good night at La Zeppa, great food and nice big deck for summer sunday sessions with live music

We really enjoyed The Wine Box, it has a warm and friendly atmosphere and the food is excellent. We'll definitely be back.

Main meals for around $30, the quality of the food is outstanding. We had an amazing evening here, the atmosphere is cosy, lighting is warm and noise level is fine for a good conversation. The place is a little out of sight, I wish more people knew about it.

Oooh yummy smoky grilled burgers! I finally decided to try Burger Fuel and these are the best burgers I've ever had. And I only had the Hamburginis. I know where I'm getting my next burgers!

We has a great mini date here after a movie - really really good little bites of food! Our waiter dealt admirably with a complete overload of patrons. The atmosphere was warm and happy, the only thing I didn't like was the rather high noise level.

This place is cozy and comfortable and the music is not so loud that it prevents talking.

THis place really inspire me a lot.

relaxing and awesome place.

amazing view. inspire me on every occasion.

Exhibitions change regularly so you can always go a few times a year at least for a rainy inside date. And they have good night events too with live music and food and eats.

The Pink Floyd night show was pretty cool!

Just delicious food in a fun atmosphere. Chuck in some yum margaritas and you have a great date restaurant.

Sunday nights undercover from the rain in the car park, browse the great street vendors for yummy tastes

Everything at Milse looks and tastes dreamy. It’s super busy, often with a long waiting list (for good reason) but you can get the gelato sticks and some other treats to go - a perfect accompaniment to wandering around Britomart’s twinkly fairy lights if you’re there at night. My pick is the salted caramel gelato, so nomm! The perfect mouthwatering balance of sweet and salty. If you do get to sit in you can choose from the amazing a la carte menu, with some quite adventurous flavours, and an open view to the kitchen which makes for a really fun atmosphere.

The red velvet cupcakes are totally scrumptious - the perfect treat if you need a sugar fix. Petal’s presentation is half its charm, with each cupcake lavishly iced in pretty poppy colours in yummy flavours. Getting or giving a box of these as a present is always fun!

This place is suave and you definitely feel like you’ve been transported out of Auckland the minute you get in the door. I’ve always had excellent service here and it’s always buzzing with people. Try the oreo doughboys (deep fried oreos) with a side of vanilla shake. Makes for a super fun night when paired with an alcoholic vanilla or chocolate shake!

There is no better way to spend a weekend morning than wandering La Cigale with a coffee in hand deciding which fresh out of the oven pastry to try. I can never seem to go past the delicious almond croissants, they are so light and happy-making. Yummy juices, paella, crepes, vege market - there really is something for everyone. A perfect way to wile away a lazy morning.

A local institution, this place is fitted out diner styles and has a really fun atmosphere. Great for a classic ice cream sundae or shake - especially if you want a late night sugar fix!

If I want a whole load of healthy nutrients, lots of tasty food and I don’t have much money to spend on it, this is my number one place to go! The $6 lunch is the best, you get a little bit of everything, including dessert!!

Best vege burger I have ever had. For serious. Really unusual type of vege burger, I think that’s what makes it so great. It’s some kind of seed and grain patty, delicious. Also the deep fried pickles are so amazing! And it’s open…. late!! :D

The Thai food here is so freaking good. And so cheap! They have a huuuuuge selection of vegetarian dishes, the most I’ve seen probably anywhere in Auckland! Almost too many! Haha. The vege Tom Yum soup is amazing too.

Don’t be fooled by the shabby decor, dinner here is a taste-bud sensation! Yes, the staff are very friendly and the seating is comfy, but it’s the food itself that takes the prize. I’d highly recommend the Dahi Puri, pictured. It’s a hard, crispy shell with potato inside, topped with yoghurt, tamarind paste, chutney, fresh herbs and ground spices and oh my god is it delicious. I also love their Dosa, a thin pancake with crispy edges, with curry inside, rolled up and served in slices. So yummy! Good prices and you can even BYO wine, like we did! Loads of great vegetarian options! Get into some scrummy South Indian cuisine!

AMAZING DUMPLINGS!!! Great selection of vegetarian options. There are two different kinds of aubergine they do and both are inconceivably tasty. Are they wizards? I suspect yes. Every time I’ve been here we’ve had to order more aubergine because all the meat-eaters kept eating it! Beware though, if you order a plate of dumplings, do not let the price fool you into thinking it will be a small amount! This place is cheap and you will get a mound of dumplings. They are really good and I have eaten so much every time I’ve gone here cos it’s all just so hard to resist! The décor ain’t so glam, but they do have those nifty lazy susan tables and extra seating available upstairs. The star of this show is defo the food though!

So many things to love about this cute american style diner. High on my list is their amazing milkshakes. I recommend pairing their vanilla thickshake with their deep fried oreos - so decadent.

If you’re looking for an amazing milkshake - look no further than Ollies. This bastion of dairy deliciousness shines out over the royal oak roundabout - taunting me every time I drive past. You can combine their exhaustive list of ice cream flavours to make some delightful concoctions.

These guys make some pretty mean milkshakes. I have to admit that the twee factor of having them served in a mason jar is kind of a huge selling point for me!

The masters of milkshakes. They always different flavours - up to and including cornflakes! Yep, you heard right. These guys aren’t messing around.

Looking for a late night milkshake fix? Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to Denny’s and order an oreo shake. Hot damn - you will not be disappointed.

It Spins!! Eeeek while your eating…How amazing is that? The view!! Oh my its breathtakingly beautiful Food…Speechless just wow oh wow Dessert..literally drool while for my hubby to hurry up and finish taking a photo so I can eat it with the plate lol. Almost. Customer Service…Friendly and always checking on us for drinks refill or asking if we need anything else. Small talk here and there which was appreciative that they were trying to get to know us :). Prices…Not bad $32 each but because they had a special online. I bought it $45 for three course meal. So we were lucky but $32 aint so bad either

A fancy version of most buffet places Ive been to like Valentines, Gengis, Happy Days etc. Fresh food. Fresh Sea food. Freshly made..sushi, curry, meat, salad, you name it. The restaurant itself was simple but elegant. Chairs and tables are assigned in rows but big enough space in between for privacy and buffet area its like a fancy back kitchen where you have to walk there to get your meal. There are chefs at each station awaiting for you to pick whatever you want then hand it to them to cook it while you browse around some more to pick and choose the rest of your feast lol. It is a bit pricey but to me its worth it :)

I love coffee and I love trying different coffee flavours. Everyone makes them differently. When I used to stay out south Auckland I found a place that made coffee exactly the way I like it in Botany. Then we moved to the center of Auckland, I couldnt go there everyday to get my coffee as often as I like to. So I started hunting for another starbucks near where I live and couldnt find one. Til a friend of mine told me about the Starbucks at St lukes but I told her Ive already been there and wasnt a fan. She said go again you might be served by someone different. So we did. She was right. I told the lady how hard it is to find good coffee. She then ask how do I want it which its something no one ever ask me before. So I told her and now I go there almost everyday, three times a day. She is always there and we became good friends over a cup of coffee :)