Auckland’s best under $20 eats, according to chefs and culinary students

Hugo’s Bistro – chef Alex Llewellyn and culinary student Fable Karimipour

Llewellyn: Sushi-Ya Sushi, Birkenhead. I get an avocado nigiri, a mushroom nigiri, and a couple of little chicken katsu rolls. I’m against salmon farming practices so I no longer buy, or cook with, salmon.

Karimipour: Xi’an Food Bar. Personally, my favourite item is the hand-pulled noodles with braised beef for only $15.50. It’s an incredible portion for the price with tender meat and tasty broth, and the added benefit of being able to see your noodles pulled before you makes the whole experience feel fancy for cheap. At such a good price and with such incredible flavours, it’s my go-to for a winter night. My only fear is that by writing about it, I won’t be able to get a seat.

Dumplings in spicy sauce from a crowd favourite, Eden Noodles Cafe.

Advieh – chef Gareth Stewart and culinary student Alisa Jantharasaman

Stewart: Pork and chive dumplings, chilli sauce, extra hot from Eden Noodles, Commercial Bay.

Jantharasaman: Master Pig Pork Rice (multiple locations) does a really good beef brisket noodle soup for $16.80 and for an extra $2 you can get unlimited soft drink refills. It’s a great deal, especially because the portions are generous.

Onemata – chef Rob Hope-Ede and culinary student Kasmira Moodley

Hope-Ede: The $15.50 hand-pulled noodles with cumin lamb from Xi’an Food Bar in Northcote.

Moodley: Ajisen Ramen in East Auckland. It’s $25, but I like getting their beef kimchi spicy ramen.

Depot – chef Al Brown and culinary student Maggie Bullock

Brown: “Mousetrap” (Swiss melt) bagel, at Best Ugly Bagels – $10.90.

Bullock: Eden Noodles’ noodles with beef mince and long beans (spicy). This is my go-to lunch when I’m at uni and getting a large size usually means I can get an extra snack from it later. (Multiple locations including Wellesley St E).

Soul Bar and Bistro – chef Gavin Doyle and culinary student Alexandria Clarke

Butter chicken pie from Beabea’s Bakery – best paired with a canele and a coffee, according to one top Auckland chef.

Doyle: I’m a very happy man after a quick stop at Beabea’s Bakery, Westmere. A butter chicken pie, a canele and a flat white. Hard to beat.

Clarke: Definitely the souvlaki chicken kebab wrap with aioli and sweet chilli from Kebabs on Maskell (St Heliers). An insanely delicious kebab packed full of flavour for only $17, or you can get the rice meal version which honestly is big enough to be a meal for two, for only $20.

A selection of dishes from Kebabs on Maskell, as reccomended by “next on the pass” Auckland Restaurant Month participant, Alexandria Clarke. Photo / @kebabs_on_maskell

Ahi – chef Ben Bayly and culinary student Georgia Breeze

Bayly: Commercial Bay’s HNT (“hammer and tongs”) Kitchen. A great variety of [gluten-free] meals and snacks under $20.

HNT Kitchen in Commercial Bay is chef Ben Bayly’s pick for an under $20 eat.

Breeze: The Panda Rolling Running Pot on Lorne St. My favourite place when it’s winter or I have a university break. It’s a hot pot-style train with tonnes of different yummy ingredients and all for really great prices. My favourite combination is the mushroom broth with beef slices and bok choy. Such a great comfort meal.

Esther – chef Ellie Corfe and culinary student Chamee Ratnayake

Corfe: One of my favourite spots is Elliott Stables. It has a great selection of under $20 eats. My favourite is the Angry Bird bao from Bao Baby Bao.

A Vietnamese classic from Newmarket’s Mrs 3 Banh Mi. Photo / @mrs3.banhmi

Ratnayake: Auckland has so many great affordable eats. O & Bowl (Newmarket and New Lynn) would probably be my pick – their small donburi bowls are around $15, and the quality is incredible. Mrs 3 Banh Mi (Newmarket) is a very close second.

Restaurant Month, organised by Auckland’s Heart of the City and focussed on the central city dining scene, starts on August 1. For a full list of events, visit heartofthecity.co.nz

Kim Knight writes about food. She has a Masters in Gastronomy from AUT and her current under $20 favourite is a shitake mushroom rice paper roll and a cup of pho from Hello Mister.