I’d have to say Humbug Cafe, a hidden gem in the foothills above New Lynn, on the way up to Titirangi. It’s not far from where I live; there’s good-looking, ever-so-slightly surly staff, and great food and coffee.
Favourite restaurant for dinner with friends?
I love the Fed. It’s busy, relaxed, and has a superb menu. The staff are resplendent in green crimplene and the latkes are to die for.
Favourite place to take a visitor to?
There are a few, but I often tend to take visitors up Maungawhau. The views over the city and the strange emptiness of the crater make it a powerful place, especially on a stormy day.
Favourite place to get coffee?
Cosa, in Glen Eden. It’s a small, bustling neighbourhood cafe. When it’s raining, as it often does out West, clouds of welcoming steam come out of the door when someone opens it.
Favourite fish-and-chip shop?
The Fishmonger – in St Heliers, as I mentioned earlier. The walls are festooned with lots of pictures of full meals, in alarmingly bright colours, but I stick with the fish and chips; they’re very good.
Favourite trail for a hike?
I love walking up Rangitoto. Sometimes my old mate Harry Sinclair and I head up there. The landscape is austere and forbidding; it’s a great place to imagine new things.
Favourite venue for a gig?
There are a bunch of great gigs in Auckland, and I’ve played in all of them, I think. The Powerstation has a special place in my heart; from sweaty shows with Blam Blam Blam, where the PA was threatening to fall over, to anthemic nights with the Mutton Birds, and then the joy of filling the room, when we toured my latest album, with my band The Others.
Favourite place to find a bargain?
The Delta Ave Hospice shop in New Lynn. I’m trying to divest myself of stuff, so a lot of it ends up there. Trouble is, I often come out with more.
Anchor Me: The Don McGlashan Story, a documentary by Shirley Horrocks, releases in cinemas across the country from January 15.