Summer is Auckland’s time to shine, with standout beaches perfectly paired with top nearby eateries. Just don’t drink and swim.
St Heliers – Water Boy
In Auckland’s eastern bays, St Heliers offers a decent swim at high tide, or head around the corner to the secluded (and nudist-friendly) Ladies Bay.
A stone’s throw away is Water Boy, a good-looking new pub from the team behind The Corner in Remuera. The design by CTRL Space is slick but breezy, with the best seats in the house looking out to sea with a counter to lean a cold one on. The venue offers live sport, music and a menu by chef Jono Lewington (ex-Barulho) featuring kingfish tiradito, wild venison and kawakawa sausage pizza, and classic whitebait fritters. Expect champagne and oysters, pitchers of beer, and a beach-club feel perfect for a post-swim hang.
Aryeh, at Piha. Photo / Babiche Martens
Piha – Aryeh
Piha has always been an iconic destination for its wild surf, Lion Rock and waterfall walks, and now it has a dining destination to draw visitors too. Open since late 2023 and led by chef/owner Lucas Parkinson, Aryeh has beach and bush views and offers seasonal, produce-led dishes with a focus on organic ingredients and sustainable seafood. The sunny outdoor deck serves a more relaxed menu than the main dining room, with options like fish and chips, mussels and chicken wings. Diners in boardies and jandals are more than welcome. The ideal pit stop either side of a swim, especially on weekends when it’s open for lunch and dinner.
Waiwera beach. Photo / Doug Sherring
Waiwera – The Puhoi Pub
Waiwera’s old water park might have made it famous, but it’s also home to a beautiful estuary sheltered by a bush-covered headland. At high tide, the water is deep and glassy, perfect for a swim, float or paddle. For those feeling sporty, you can reach it via the bush track from Wenderholm Regional Park, which is a steep but rewarding climb with endless coastal views. Afterwards, make your way to the historic Puhoi Pub for a cold drink and a classic pub lunch. It’s the kind of place where sandy feet and salty hair are all part of the charm.
Rothko has successfully created a city-standard restaurant with the rustic appeal of a country escape. Photo / Rebecca Zephyr Thomas
Tāwharanui – Rothko
Arguably the best beach within driving distance of Auckland, Tāwharanui is blessed with white sand, crystal-clear water and little bays for exploring. A regional park, it also has scenic walking trails to make the most of. Pairing a swim at Tāwharanui with a long lunch at Rothko, which is located within Sculptureum’s pristine gardens in Matakana, makes for the perfect day out. The restaurant is led by head chef Neil Sapitula, who draws on his Filipino heritage for the sharing menu, which specialises in quality produce cooked over an open fire.
Muriwai Deli. Photo / Babiche Martens
Muriwai – Muriwai Deli
One of West Auckland’s black-sand beaches, known for its surf breaks, gannet colony and wild beauty, Muriwai is magic for a swim and a wave. A 40-minute drive from Auckland city, its food options are limited, which makes the Muriwai Deli a welcome find. Set on a tree-covered hillside with glimpses of the ocean, it serves great coffee and cabinet treats, from pastries to pies and sandwiches. The deli’s doughnuts are legendary, filled with flavours like ginger-kiss cheesecake and Oreo chocolate cream. Come Friday and Saturday evenings, it transforms into a relaxed bar with a rotating menu, and if the surf’s good, don’t be surprised if it’s spontaneously closed.
Andiamo in Herne Bay had a makeover this year. Photo / Supplied
Herne Bay – Andiamo
When the conditions are right, Herne Bay’s urban beaches are perfect for a quick after-work swim. Just up the road, Andiamo Bar & Dining Room has reopened with a refreshed, more relaxed vibe, but we’d still suggest getting changed out of your togs first. The Jervois Rd institution now has an expanded bar area for casual drinks, a bookable private nook, and a twinkling outdoor canopy. Head chef Canada Loucks has kept menu favourites like fried calamari, macaroni and cacio e pepe, and introduced spring pea ravioli and seven-layer lasagna. Whether you’re popping in for a Caprese Martini or in for a multi-course session, Andiamo is the mainstay neighbourhood spot it always was.
Man O’ War’s restaurant and tasting room. Man O’ War Bay – Man O’ War winery
Sure, Waiheke has its fair share of white-sand beaches, but none are as easy to reach as Man O’ War Bay, with a direct ferry service from downtown Auckland via Explore. Home to Man O’ War winery, a day trip here makes for the ideal swim-and-eat combo. Time the tides and weather right and this beach on the eastern side of the island is a calm, secluded spot for a dip. Settle in beneath olive trees at the Tasting Room for a long lunch of wood-fired pizzas, Middle Eastern-leaning plates like smoky lamb skewers with flatbread or harissa-spiced chicken with bulgur and preserved lemon, and a lineup of estate wines.
Sawmill Brewery & Smoko Room in Matakana. Photo / Supplied
Omaha – Sawmill Brewery
Just an hour north of Auckland, Omaha is a long, golden beach with calm surf, clear water and plenty of space to lay a towel. After a swim, head 10 minutes down the road to Sawmill Brewery in Matakana, a local favourite for good reason. Set in a converted timber mill surrounded by bucolic green fields, the brewery’s laid-back restaurant serves seasonal sharing plates designed to pair with its excellent craft beers. Expect woodfired flatbreads, house-made charcuterie, fresh salads and slow-cooked meats, best enjoyed outdoors with a tasting paddle and the sea breeze still in your hair.
Milford beach. Photo / Alex Burton
Milford Beach – Mibo Bakery
Milford Beach is one of the North Shore’s calmer, more sheltered spots, with gentle water and views across to Rangitoto. It also happens to sit in one of Auckland’s best little dining pockets. Just a short stroll away you’ll find Olle, an inventive Korean fusion restaurant; Cave a Vin, a relaxed French wine bar with a blackboard menu of interesting bottles; and the family-friendly Milford Hotel, a local go-to for share plates, pizza and cocktails in the sun. It’s also newly home to the lovely Mibo Bakery, famous for its golden pastries and Flight coffee.
Shakespear Regional Park. Photo / Natalie Slade
Te Haruhi Bay – The Beer Spot
At the tip of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, Shakespear Regional Park feels a world away from the city, with pockets of native bush, farmland and a variety of swimming bays. After exploring the walking tracks or relaxing on the sand at its biggest beach, Te Haruhi Bay, head back toward Whangaparāoa for a pint at The Beer Spot, where 40 taps pour a rotating lineup of local craft brews. Pair your drink with something comforting from the resident food truck, and consider it a reward for all the exploration.
Takapuna Surf Club. Photo / Babiche Martens
Takapuna Beach – Takapuna Surf Club
Takapuna Surf Club was designed specifically with post-swim eats in mind, inspired by Aussie surf clubs where casual dining meets community spirit. After a morning in the water at Takapuna Beach (or a bit further up the coast at the quieter Minnehaha), head up to the first-floor rooftop for views of the Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto. The menu features pitch-perfect clubroom classics with a twist, from chicken parmigiana and beer-battered fish and chips to hand-stretched pizza from a Valoriani Igloo oven. With frosty craft beers, cocktails and a kids’ games area, the club balances relaxed beach vibes with serious fun, making it a perfect post-swim stop.
The new Hallertau Clevedon brewery and restaurant. Photo / Supplied
More beach and eats to enjoy…
Murray’s Bay – La Spiaggia
How does a takeaway Diavola pizza with a side of tiramisu from La Spiaggia enjoyed on the shady grass beside Murray’s Bay sound? Thought so.
Mataitai Beach – Hallertau Clevedon
A tiny, secluded beach in Waitawa Regional Park, Mataitai is also a 16-minute drive to Hallertau Clevedon, a haven of crafties, woodfired pizzas and small plates.
Browns Bay – Ramen Takara
Browns Bay on the North Shore is another little foodie pocket with a few eats on offer, including one of the best places for pasta – Palato – and steaming bowls of noodles at Ramen Takara.
Pt Chev Beach – Daily Bread
Pt Chev Beach is a community gathering spot when the tide’s in and the sun’s out. May we suggest a pizza from Francesca’s, or a coffee and pie from Daily Bread to enjoy beneath a pōhutukawa?
Cheltenham Beach – Dulcie
Cheltenham Beach and the coves around North Head are Auckland’s answer to the Italian coast on a good day (just squint a little bit), and a short walk away is the sophisticated brunch and lunch spot Dulcie, blessed with views over Torpedo Bay to the city.
Wade out into the water at Torbay Beach, then head to Burger Burger for a cold beer and some curly fries within easy walking distance of the sand.
Bucklands Beach – Bucks Bistro
What Bucklands Beach lacks in swimming perfection, it makes up for with Bucks Bistro, a light-filled local celebrating seafood, where the signature platter goes down well with a glass in hand and a sea breeze.
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