Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. With striking beaches, volcanic islands and a thriving hospitality scene, there’s no better way to experience Aotearoa’s most populous space than through its vibrant culinary landscape. From hole-in-the-wall Italian to a Korean record store serving the best pét-nat in the city, this list is sure to cover all bases.
As always, cool is such a subjective term, but we're basing this on VIBE. Of course, the place must have great food and a certain je ne sais quoi. If you know, you know – you know? Sure, some of these aren't well-kept secrets – but that's not part of our criteria, is it? Check out our curated pickings below.
1. Roses Dining Room
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Best for: Hopeless romantics
Open: Wednesday–Friday
Run by effortlessly cool creative couple Karl Bayly and Ophelia Harradine, Roses truly is an if-you-know-you-know type of place. A wine-bar-come-dining-room, the space hosts an array of guest chefs and winemakers offering a different spread every week. It's intimate but with a chic crowd. Every meal at Roses feels like a sacred celebration.
2. Pici
Best for: Wine snobs and first dates.
Open: Wednesday–Sunday
This Karangahape Road hot spot (K Road if you don’t want to sound like a tourist) celebrates organic viticulture and fresh pasta. Pici offers top-tier dining on casual terms with a banging happy hour in a comfortable, somewhat snug setting. The outdoor tables are situated right in the middle of St Kevin arcade and guarantee some interesting people watching, inside is crowded and chaotic in all the best ways. Try every dish, they are designed to share and perfect for two – but be sure to save room for a slice of the olive oil cheesecake.
Tip: If you book an outdoor table, take a coat, the arcade makes for a bit of a wind tunnel.
3. Coco’s Cantina
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Best for: Happy hour and fans of Nick Cave
Open: Tuesda –Saturday
Coco’s has the best happy hour in town featuring daily pasta specials and $7 Prosecco with a very generous pour. The polenta chips are a must-order and good to line the gut, as happy hour almost always turns into a big night out. Fans of Nick Cave can (literally) worship him if they grab one of the front tables, which sit beneath a painted stained-glass window featuring ‘St Nick’. If you miss out, don’t fret he’s also featured on the drinks menu.
Tip: Sydneysiders, this is Auckland’s Café Freda’s. I always go early and snag a table in the sun, after too many glasses of wine and maybe a few martinis hit the K Road gay bars and dance until the early hours.
4. Pasta and Cuore
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Best for: Long lunches and romantic dinners
Open: Tuesday–Saturday
A total hidden gem tucked behind a small storefront in Mount Eden Village, Pasta and Cuore offers fresh, handmade pasta with a killer wine list. On a nice day, sit outside in the leafy courtyard and enjoy a leisurely lunch. In winter head upstairs to the dining room and work your way through their selection of reds. The interior is casual but chic with a great view of the pasta counter.
5. Lebanese Grocer
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Best for: Messy desk lunch and gifts for foodie friends
Open: Tuesday – Sunday
A delicious one-stop shop, Lebanese Grocer offers everything from glossy baklava to canned chickpeas. The menu changes daily but always features a shawarma special, falafel and punchy tubs of tabbouli. Rose water, Durra pickles, olive oil and various other pantry items can be purchased, and head chef Elie Assaf offers catering for events. On a sunny day, this is the perfect takeaway to scoff in the park with friends.
6. No.7
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Best for: Flirting over a nightcap
Open: Monday – Saturday
From Monday to Thursday, No.7 is open for coffee, tuna melts and other snacks. On Friday and Saturday nights, they stay open until 2 am with natural wine on tap and an epic cocktail list. This is a sexy bar with a cool crowd that likes to dance.
8. Alma
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Best for: Small bites and people watching
Open: Everyday
Britomart is home to some of the best restaurants and bars in Tāmaki ,and Alma is a standout. A sleek Spanish eatery celebrating charred share plates, Alma is beautiful but unfussy. This is the perfect spot to swing into for a quick glass of wine and piece of anchovy toast on a Friday afternoon. There is a large indoor table for groups, but this is the perfect place to sit solo and people watch.
Tip: Next door you will find Maggie Marilyn’s store alongside Deadly Ponies and Fabric, so be sure to allow some time for shopping.
9. Tanpopo Ramen
Best for: Dinner the day before payday
Open: Tuesday – Sunday
Too cool to have an Instagram, Tanpopo is cheap and delicious. Tucked away on Anzac Avenue in the heart of the CBD, this is the perfect place to hit solo with a book and slurp some of the best ramen in the city.
Tip: If visiting in the summertime, take a walk through Britomart Square after dinner and pick up a couple of macarons from Mian. Even better take them to the Viaduct and enjoy as the sun sets over the sea.
