Auckland Diner's Diary: May 2015

Central City Bites

• Little and Friday has opened a branch in town. Takeaway food is tranferred from their original Belmont kitchen to their tiny brick Durham Lane Tuckshop four times a day.
• Scratch Bakers now has a large commercial kitchen and spacious seating area in their Scratch Bakers HQ on Graham Street.
• Sunflower Cafe is a basic cafe on Wyndham Street, attracting attention for offering free coffee as an opening special to compete with Hollywood Bakery next door.

Cafe Culture

• The Burbs is a new cafe in the eastern suburb of Farm Cove. First hospitality venture from Saskia Huggard, wife of Mark Huggard behind Dizengoff.
• Ma Cherie is now selling their macarons and pastries, as well as French or Kiwi breakfast options at their shop in Ponsonby.
• Muck Floral and Were Bros is a florist joined with a cafe in Grey Lynn. Food consists of the Were Bros organic sprouted bread with a range of toppings.
• My Little Bakery looks like a great place for pastries and sandwiches in Mount Albert; was previously in Ponsonby.
• [Added 4 June 2015: Cornwall Park Cafe - cafe with a "farm to table" philosphy has finally opened after being burnt down late last year.]
• [Added 10 November 2015: Cafe Macondo - cafe from Anastasis Coffee Roasters in Morningside]

Crepes and Cakes

• Mellow Coffee and Dessert has taken the place of Yogurberry on High Street, serving crepe cake and cold stone ice cream, amongst other sweet treats.
• [Added 15 June 2015: Crepe Zone - Japanese style crepe cafe complete with plastic food models.]
• [Added 2 April 2016: The Candy Apple Wagon - market stall selling next level candy apples, including those coated with pretzels, croutons, marshmallows, M&Ms, and even berries]

Asian Eats

• Ramen Takara has opened a new branch in Ponsonby.
• Zap Thai Restaurants has opened Chom Na on Lorne St, serving Thai food in a basement food court-like setting.
• Shoya is a new Japanese restaurant on Upper Queen St, with a range of items on the menu, including ramen, yakisoba, donburi, sushi, tempura and more.
• Bien has a night time stall on High St, selling okonomiyaki and yakisoba.
• [Added 30 June 2015: Farang Cafe - Thai bistro in Kingsland]
• [Added 30 June 2015: Sha Xian Snack 沙县小吃 - Chinese eatery on Dominion Road with Shaxian delicacies.]
• [Added 2 April 2016: ViKi Cafe - Vietnamese Kitchen in Onehunga]

Western Flavours

• Gourmet Burger and Brew Kitchen - 26 types of burgers available downtown
• La Pescheria - pizzeria on O'Connell Street
• Epolito's Pizzeria - New York style pizza place reopened in Ponsonby; previously in Onehunga from 2005 to December 2013
• El Humero - Colombian style grilled meat in Takapuna
• Red Earth Eatery and Wine Bar - tapas in Papakura
• Sal's NY Pizza - Manukau branch opened

Coming Soon

• Ceremony - cafe in Grafton bringing art and community together, open 2 June.
• Brittany Cafe - French themed cafe on High St
• IMAX complex restaurants: PappaRich (Malaysian), The Glue Pot (pub), Viva (Italian)
• Sal's NY Pizza - Fort Street branch is replacing the Commerce St branch

Closed

• Dot..  in Kingsland
• Cepage on Vulcan Lane
• Hammerheads on Tamaki Drive
• Turkish Cuisine in Mount Eden is now a Pita Pit

Other

Chef Michael Meredith is helping to feed hungry kids in NZ with Eat My Lunch, a subscription service starting June 8, that delivers a nutritious lunch to your work or school, as well as to a child in need.