Restaurant Guide
The following is a list of some restaurants in the central part of
Auckland. Those marked BYO (bring-your-own) allow you to take wine or
beer, otherwise they are licensed (LIC) and you will have to buy drink
from them (at grossly inflated prices). Tipping is not an obligatory
practice in New Zealand (yet), but good service is often rewarded with
10-15% of the bill. The price guide gives a rough indication of the
average main:
- $ under $10
- $$ between $10 and $15
- $$$ between $15 and $25
- $$$$ over $25
Asian
-
Green Elephant, Lorne Street (by Library) (BYO/LIC)
$$$
good Thai food, nice outside courtyard
-
Sunworld, Wakefield St (LIC)
$$
huge Chinese hypermart, popular for lunch (yum cha)
-
Chinatown, Lorne St
$$
excellent yum cha
-
Palace restaurant, Wellesly St E (in pagoddas building)
$$
yum cha, dinner
-
Continental Noodle House, Durham St
$
very cheap food, good for lunches
-
Korean Fast Foods, Queen St
$
takeaways only
-
Heng Kee Foodstall & Takeaway (BYO), Queen St (opp. Myers Park)
$
doesn't look flash, but superb food, spec. Chinese steamboat
-
Mai Thai, Victoria St West (BYO)
$$-$$$
good Thai food, but warning: prices exclusive of GST
-
New Orient, Strand Arcade
$$$
award-winning food, good Sunday yum cha
Lebanese
- Yeeros, Victoria St East
$
would-you-believe $4.50 for a decent meal?
Italian
- Papa Luigi's Pizza and Pasta
$
good pizzas, best pizza bread around, only 5 tables
-
Pizza Pizza, Elliot St (opposite Atrium)
$
good value, $5 personal Pizza with free drink
-
Little Italy Victoria St E
$$
on the way to the Casino
Vegetarian
- Simple Cottage, High St (BYO)
$$
-
Gopal's Pure Vegetarian Restaurant, Queen St
$
indian-style, alternative, cheap, closes early, free herbal tea
-
Soup Plantation Albert St
$$
vego smorgasbord
Japanese
- Cafe Rikka, Queen St
$$$
best sushi bar in town, usually queue to get in at 6pm
New Zealand
- City Art Gallery, Kitchener St
$
light lunches only, nice on balcony, take in some culcha
-
Tony's Steakhouse, Lorne St (LIC)
$$$
great food, real hum dinger steaks
-
Angus Steak House, Albert/Swanson St (BYO/LIC)
$$$
cheaper than Tony's, but very good
-
Mongolian Barbeque Garden Restaurant, Queen St (LIC)
$$$
novelty value, choose own raw meat for BBQ'ing
-
Kermadec, Cnr Quay/Hobson St (LIC/BYO)
$$$
astounding seafood, rec. NY Times, outlook over viaduct basin
Food Halls
- Countrywide Centre, Queen St
about 7 stalls
-
The Atrium, Elliot St
about 8 stalls
-
Asian Food Hall, Albert St
about 10 stalls
Middle Eastern
- Le Haim, Elliot St
$$
Russian/Persian food, good for lunch
-
Middle East Cafe, Wellesley St West
$
an Auckland institution, often standing room only but very very good
-
Midnight Express, Victoria St (LIC/BYO)
$$
cheap dinners
-
Sultan's Table, Victoria St West (BYO)
$$
right across the road from Midnight Express
-
Cafe Harem, O'Connell St (BYO)
$-$$
simple, rustic place, nice food
-
Caravanserai, Queen St/Mayoral Dr (BYO)
$
Turkish, cheap and cheerful
French
- Le Brie, O'Connell/Chancery St (LIC/BTO)
$$$
French provincial, classy
Mexican
- Mexican Cafe, Victoria St West (LIC/BYO)
$$
Pretty basic surroundings, but convincing Mexican food
Indian
- Poppadom, Custom St (LIC/BYO)
$$
best Indian food in the inner city.