A taste of France without leaving town in New Zealand

"The French Café is one of Auckland oldest, much loved and much awarded dining establishments. Serving up stellar modern French cuisine, the restaurant offers a nine-course chef’s tasting, a six course tasting that includes a vegetarian option, and an a la carte menu that has been carefully designed to be enjoyed in four courses."

"Merlot on O’Connell Street in the CBD serves up a great hearty red - naturally - but also has one of the best lunch menus in the area when you are in the mood for something warm and hearty. My pick is the lunch special menu, which gives you around six yummy options, all priced at $20.00. The Mini Ploughman’s lunch with chicken terrine, cheese and pickles comes highly recommended, with the next best option being the Scotch fillet with warm roasted vegetable salad. Delicious."

"La Cantine du Torchon on Ponsonby Road is great for the inner Francophiles out there, with authentic cuisine and great wine served at rather good prices and with atmosphere to boot. Dinner options include hearty Cassoulet and Boeuf Bourgignon, whilst for lunch they serve the perfect galette and warming onion soup with lashings of cheese. Bon appetit indeed."