Okay, for starters, this is the best name for a pizza store, ever. The owner/operator is a total sweetheart. And the pizza is inexpensive, and fabulous. It’s a bit greasier and chewier than the average pizza, but I mean that in a good way – it’s unique and a delicious hangover cure. If you can’t decide what toppings you want, the owner is happy to surprise you – "I’ll make you something you’ll like." which he has done, with success, several times. And whatever dessert he has on offer when you’re there – get it. It is never a bad decision.

Pizza Fresco is delicious, but not super budget unless you get in there for the lunch special or during the Pizza of the Day window, which I recommend that you do. Everything I’ve had from pizza fresco has been delicious, and they have a lot of unique "around the world" pizzas. The field mushroom and tokyo are my faves.

For late-night eats Chargrill is one of my favourite places to go – and the burgers and kebabs are nice but I LOVE the pizza. The margharita + pepperoni is shockingly good for a kebab shop.

Also the best pizza in Auckland. The pepperoni pizza is AMAZING – the pepperoni is thick and yet still crispy. It’s just insanely good. I’ve tried a few other pizzas and pasta dishes (all delicious!) but I just keep coming back for the glorious pepperoni pizza.

Videon is awesome. There’s a $10 membership fee and rentals aren’t super cheap, but the selection is drool-worthy and it’s just a cinema-lovers dream.

There are a few great little cinemas in Auckland, but Capitol is my favourite.  They choose fantastic indie and foreign films, the interior is luxurious, the aisles are wide and the seats are comfortable... it’s the sort of cinema that makes you feel like you probably should have dressed up a little nicer, in a good way. All that and the unassuming entry (which I walked right past the first time I went here) makes me feel like I’m totally hip and/or in the know when I attend a showing here. :b

This place is AMAZING. And it’s massive. And amazing. It’s absolutely jam packed with bric a brac of the finest quality and variety, and everything is quite reasonably priced.

A rather prim little shop, specialising in vintage teacups and ceramics but there is also quite a good variety of random bric-a-brac. It’s not open very often, but it’s definitely worth a trip.

Fresh World is pretty good, everything you expect from a good fruit and vege shop, and if you’re going to countdown next door for groceries it’s definitely worth it to pick up your produce at Fresh World instead. Plus the murals outside are super awesome.

This is my favourite cafe. The meals are huge and $15 or less, the coffee is fantastic, and the courtyard in the back is cosy and bright.

The Bakers Cottage has pretty amazing sweets, but I’m always impressed by their selection of lunch foods – the sandwiches are huge and fancy as, and only ~$5, and they also have a fabulous selection of seasonal lunch dishes. In winter they have soups and warm pasta dishes, but summer is best because they have heaps of the most amazing salads. Like, ever. One of my favourite places to grab a table outside and enjoy lunch with a friend.

Shaky Isles has a hipster vibe, cute baristas, and fabulous coffee. The flat whites are good, the iced mocha is a real treat, and the food is best in the biz if you’re looking for breakfast to go with your coffee. And they have free Wi-Fi!

Roasted Addiqtion is a long-time fave of mine. I love the comfy couches and the relaxed atmosphere. The food is fantastic and the coffee is always yum, but I usually go for a pot of tea – they have a great selection of loose leaf tea, and they give you the pot along with a timer so you know how long to let it steep before pouring a cup.

Crave is adorable and tucked away along the border of Kingsland/Morningside. The coffee is great, the food is delicious, and the inside is really interesting – lots of unique seating and it’s organised so it feels kinda like you’re having a casual brunch in your living room, even when it’s busy. They also feature art from local artists, so there’s always something interesting to look at (and buy, if you fall in love)