BHB Fisheries has been my staple takeaway shop for over 15 years. Don't let its humble store front and creaky screen door fool you; BHB Fisheries is the bastion of quality fish n chips for miles around.

Muzza's Pies is a family-owned pie shop which hand-makes their products from 3am every single day. The quality and homeliness of their pies are impeccable, and with an average price point of $4.00, Muzza's has no parallel in Auckland.

Bake & Beans is an independent Indian bakery on Dominion Road. They create all of their products from scratch yet maintain a factory level of consistency. They also bake their own cakes and have made-to-order options - the perfect place to get a custom birthday cake created. I recommend getting a butter chicken or lamb mince and cheese pie - $4.00.

If you drive past in the evening and see hordes of people queued outside the Sandringham shops, it's almost certainly for this Indian cuisine. Paradise serves impeccable, authentic food at very reasonable prices, and I don't hesitate in making the 15-minute drive to pick up a sizeable $10 biryani dish just for my lunch. There are two aspects to Paradise Indian: the restaurant and the takeaway. The former does not take telephone bookings - people are seated on a first-come first-served basis. However, if you are buying as a takeaway make sure to phone the takeaway and place your order in advance so that your food will be ready when you arrive.

A day trip to Mangere exclusively to eat an assortment of pancakes, ice cream, and fresh strawberries can be easily justified when you're visiting The Strawberry Farm. Be aware that they accept cash only, with no EFTPOS available.