Hidden laneways and hubs reward those who wander off the main drag of Remuera Rd.<\/p>\n
Remuera is blessed with a village centre that boasts everything you could need, within a short walking distance, as well as several smaller hubs. Throughout, there are many great food and drink finds. <\/p>\n
\n 4&20
\n bakery\n <\/p>\n
4&20 Bakery.<\/p>\n
Food that\u2019s slow to make but fast to get your hands on is what Deborah Chait and Andy Tse make at their bakery and delicatessen, named for their son\u2019s favourite nursery rhyme when he was young. There are no feather-filled pies here, thankfully, but plenty of sourdough, pastries, sandwiches, and a wildly popular hummus made with just three ingredients. The excellent sourdough is two days in the making, but disappears all too easily in a fraction of that time. <\/p>\n
3a Clonbern Rd, 4and20.co.nz <\/p>\n
Jack Lum & Co. <\/p>\n
Jack Lum & Co.’s fruits.<\/p>\n
A fixture in Remuera for more than half a century, this greengrocer is the model all should aspire to: produce is displayed with care and at its peak: no rock-hard fruit, squished skins or wilted leaves sullying the shelves. Just walking through the door inspires you to eat a rainbow, and with prices this reasonable, most of the gold can stay in the pot. <\/p>\n
3 Clonbern Rd, Instagram.com\/jacklumremuera<\/p>\n
Esfiha & Co. <\/p>\n
Esfiha & Co.<\/p>\n
Arab immigrants brought flatbreads to Brazil, where they were given local twists (including lashings of cream cheese) and became known as \u201cesfiha\u201d, the eponymous dish of this laneway spot, between the main street and the New World carpark. Try esfiha with various toppings, alongside main courses and sandwiches.<\/p>\n
371 Remuera Rd, Instagram.com\/esfiha.co_<\/p>\n
Artisan Cheese & Grocer <\/p>\n
The shelves at Artisan Cheese & Grocer.<\/p>\n
In this Aladdin\u2019s cave, you\u2019ll find a wide range of cheeses, charcuterie and other European goods, alongside daily Wild Wheat bread, and fresh fruit and vegetables. It\u2019s a great one-stop shop, whether you\u2019re entertaining or just needing inspiration for a weeknight meal. <\/p>\n
Roti Bros <\/p>\n
Roti Bros.<\/p>\n
\u201cPies made with flaky roti pastry\u201d: need more be said? Roti Bros started as a food truck, which was probably a deciding factor in many people buying tickets to certain festivals (I had my first \u2013 Thai beef \u2013 at Splore Festival). To be able to get them at the same place every day of the week except Monday (important information \u2013 an unfulfilled pie craving is a terrible thing to suffer) is quite glorious. <\/p>\n
388 Remuera Rd, Rotibros.co.nz <\/p>\n
1050 Precinct <\/p>\n
1050 Precinct.<\/p>\n
This cleverly designed hospitality and retail hub translates the form of a traditional village into contemporary architecture \u2013 laneways, arcades and courtyards meet old and new brickwork, natural wooden joinery, generous glazing, elegant shop fits, and plenty of greenery. The precinct boasts several great places to park up with an appetite – Brown\u2019s Eatery & Store, Tosca, Spiga, and Pie & Pinot, all profiled in more detail below. <\/p>\n
Brown\u2019s Eatery & Store <\/p>\n
Brown’s Eatery & Store.<\/p>\n
This elegant cafe offers distinct spaces depending on your needs. The street-fronting main space is bustling and lively; a communal French farm table provides a focal point, and shelves on one side offer tasteful homewares to peruse and buy. In the sheltered rear courtyard, a second dining area offers a calm retreat looking out to the precinct\u2019s laneways. The cafe menu is out and out classic, and cabinet items tick all the nostalgic favourites \u2013 the date scones are particularly delicious. <\/p>\n
409 Remuera Rd, Brownseateryandstore.co.nz <\/p>\n
Tosca <\/p>\n
Tosca.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re hankering to be in Anywhere, Italy, the lovely wee espresso bar Tosca might just satisfy your hankering without the spendy plane ticket. If you\u2019re more green than bean, they do a moreish matcha and a mean green smoothie and, inspired by trends over in Australia, they\u2019ve just added the Matcha Cloud to the menu \u2013 coconut water served over iced topped with matcha cream cold foam.<\/p>\n
405 Remuera Rd, Instagram.com\/tosca_remuera <\/p>\n
Spiga <\/p>\n
Fabrizio at Spiga.<\/p>\n
Continuing on the Italian theme, Spiga is a proper hidden gem \u2013 up there with the best Italian restaurants in the city. Being tucked away in one of the central spots of the precinct, you rather get the feeling you\u2019re in someone\u2019s home dining room (a far less chaotic dining room than in my own home). Husband and wife team Fabrizio and Taryne Napolitano source premium ingredients, including prosciutto, fior de latte mozzarella, pasta, and even flour for the pizzas from small-scale producers in Fabrizio\u2019s native Italy. <\/p>\n
A must-try is Spiga\u2019s inventive take on cacio e pepe, where the cheese and pepper isn\u2019t a sauce but a lush filling for silky ravioli parcels (the pasta for these features coffee and licorice), served with local scampi and orange zest. The Sunday roast offering changes with the seasons. Right now, a summer version features salt-crusted fish and porchetta with salads and other sides, while in winter you can expect classics like osso bucco and porchetta with hearty trimmings. The roast is $48 and you can add bottomless drinks for another $45, or a glass of Laurent Perrier for $25 if you\u2019re more inclined to stick to one extra nice one. <\/p>\n
1\/415 Remuera Rd, Spiga.co.nz <\/p>\n
Spiga Pantry <\/p>\n
Recreate the Spiga experience at home.<\/p>\n
Across the laneway, you can buy all sorts of delicacies to try to recreate the Spiga experience at home. You\u2019ll find lots of things featured on the menu, including sauces, handmade pastas, freshly baked focaccia, lasagne (including vege option). You can also pick up jars of confit garlic, truffled goodies from Italy, cheese, charcuterie and handy cooking tools for trying your hand at pasta and more.<\/p>\n
SHOP 1\/E\/415 Remuera Rd, Spigapantry.co.nz <\/p>\n
Pie & Pinot <\/p>\n
Pie & Pinot.<\/p>\n
Aotearoa loves a pie but there aren\u2019t many places you can settle down with one in nice surroundings, with a glass of something that\u2019s not sweet and fizzy. Pie & Pinot specialises in the obvious, with eight artisan examples gracing the menu, ranging from a classic mince and cheese, to spiced goat curry, and lobster and monkfish. Bangers and mash are on offer, too, and not only is the place licensed, it does an excellent happy hour each afternoon \u2013 could it tick any more boxes? <\/p>\n
405B Remuera Rd, Pieandpinot.co.nz <\/p>\n
Off the main beat <\/p>\n
It\u2019s well worth diving down side streets to find these gems. <\/p>\n
Fine O Wine <\/p>\n
Fine O Wine.<\/p>\n
It does what it says on the tin very well \u2013 you\u2019ll find plenty of fine wines, including many low-intervention and organic drops at this Victoria Ave shop. Also rare single malt and Japanese whiskys, sake and just about anything else you\u2019d like to imbibe. <\/p>\n
168 Victoria Ave, Fineowine.co.nz <\/p>\n
The Kosher Deli <\/p>\n
The Kosher Deli.<\/p>\n
Home to the best bagels in the city \u2013 Sam\u2019s Bagels \u2013 this deli\u2019s baking line-up also includes fresh challah on weekends, sourdough and focaccia. You can enjoy freshly topped bagels at the cafe, or grab all you need to make them at home, with a range of toppings like spicy tuna and chive cream cheese, and jars of housemade pickles. In true deli style, salads, proteins like baked sides of salmon and fish goujons, and whole baked cheesecakes mean you can easily pull together a stellar dinner party. They also make a range of catering platters. <\/p>\n
1 Ranui Rd, Kosherdeli.co.nz <\/p>\n
Beno <\/p>\n
Beno.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lovely laidback feel to this corner cafe. The back room is especially peaceful and, with the Wi-Fi code generously on display, is a great place to park up and work for a bit. <\/p>\n
120 Upland Rd, Instagram.com\/benocaferemuera <\/p>\n
Knead on Benson <\/p>\n
Knead on Benson, one of Remuera’s top foodie spots.<\/p>\n
Bakery and cafe, neighbourhood hub, welcomer of dogs and their humans, provider of a generous 50% discount for emergency services workers (relax, there\u2019s no incident unfolding, just plenty of peckish police queueing): Knead on Benson is always abuzz with action. The cabinet selection includes classics that never leave, like comforting chicken mayo on fivegrain loaf, and rotating seasonal items, like this summer\u2019s ortolana \u2013 a savoury danish topped with ricotta, dainty roasted baby vegetables, and herbs and flowers from the garden patch the team are nurturing out the back. Hooray for flat whites served in the right-size cup (just shy of 6oz), so it\u2019s not just milk with a hint of bean. <\/p>\n
76 Benson Rd, Kneadonbenson.co.nz <\/p>\n
Morell <\/p>\n
Morell.<\/p>\n
Lucky neighbourhood to have this wonderful modern bistro as a local. Owners Sarah (front of house) and Daniel (head chef) Morini established the restaurant in 2017 and have garnered a loyal following. The couple\u2019s M\u0101ori and Italian heritage shines in both the manaakitanga and what\u2019s on the plate \u2013 dishes like spanner crab & prawn tagliatelle, and a showstopper surf \u2018n\u2019 turf. <\/p>\n
91-95 Upland Rd, Morell.co.nz <\/p>\n
Upland Rd Shops <\/p>\n
The Corner in Remuera has reopened after a full refurbishment.<\/p>\n
The Corner<\/p>\n
Ten years after opening, Upland Rd shops\u2019 favourite local The Corner has just reopened after a thorough refresh of the interior by Ctrl Space and new menu that has benefited from the midas touch of culinary wunderkind Melie Ferrier. Don\u2019t miss Melie\u2019s signature Lumache alla Vodka, which takes the viral vodka pasta trend and ups the ante with prawn and \u2018nduja. <\/p>\n
604 Remuera Rd, Thecornerremuera.co.nz<\/p>\n
Colestown Chocolate <\/p>\n
Colestown Chocolate.<\/p>\n
Everything here is made on-site in the spotless kitchen using Belgian Callebut chocolate: jewel-like bon bons, bars, slabs, and hot chocolate kits. You can build bon bon boxes of different sizes \u2013 there are dozens of flavours to choose from, each with a unique design. They also make cakes to order. <\/p>\n
575 Remuera Rd, Colestown.co.nz <\/p>\n
Ipoh <\/p>\n
Ipoh.<\/p>\n
Satisfying Malaysian cravings since 2019, Ipoh\u2019s menu offers classics such as smoky char kuey teow, coconut-rich laksa lemak and silky Hainanese chicken. <\/p>\n
598 Remuera Rd, Ipohmalaysiancuisine.co.nz <\/p>\n
Haru <\/p>\n
Haru.<\/p>\n
A good way to totally relax at this elegant Japanese joint is to let the ordering be done for you. Opt for a teishoku (set meal) \u2013 just pick whatever protein you\u2019re in the mood for and it will arrive, cooked to perfection, along with eight side dishes, as well as miso soup, all presented beautifully for your eyes and your camera. <\/p>\n
596 Remuera Rd, Harueatery.co.nz <\/p>\n
More neighbourhood guides<\/p>\n