231 Archers Rd, Wairau Valley<\/p>\n
This new neighbourhood bistro, serving a wide range of European fare, is run by Fran and Aaron Mazza-Carson (who also developed Ada and Pie Rollas) and catered by chef Alfie Ingham (who has previously cooked for Ada, Hugo\u2019s Bistro and Cassia). The spot is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also boasts a cabinet full of treats. The dinner menu is ruled by seasonal inspirations \u2013 for autumn, Agn\u00e8s is spotlighting mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and pumpkin. There are more consistent mainstays too: the burger, named after the restaurant, features a juicy patty seasoned with raclette, mustard and onions. The bistro\u2019s interior is polished, but also warm and relaxing enough for a casual drop-in. It offers some interest with gingham booth seating and vases of flowers. <\/p>\n
98 Hinemoa St, Birkenhead<\/p>\n
Servings at Sfera Trattoria. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n
This fresh neighbourhood restaurant is managed by the team behind Karangahape Rd\u2019s Candela (which shuttered last July), and three figures who ran the spot when it was Clarence Road Eatery. On the menu is contemporary Italian cuisine, which is most clearly realised in the plating \u2013 servings are arranged into neat stacks, often atop fresh cheese, and sauce is plated precisely. You\u2019ll find seafood enlivened with lemon, plenty of seasonal vegetables and melty pizza slices, served in a stylish dining room. <\/p>\n
124 Queen St, Northcote Point<\/p>\n
Return’s dining room in Ponsonby. Photo \/ Babiche Martens<\/p>\n
Tablecloths are a rarity within Auckland\u2019s dining scene, but at Return they are bright white and ultra-crisp. The restaurant is run by chef Matt Lambert and his wife, hospitality veteran Barbara \u2013 who previously racked up Michelin stars at The Musket Room in New York. The announcement that the Michelin Guide would be landing in Aotearoa provided plenty of motivation, Lambert told Viva shortly before opening. Return is open for both a la carte and set menu service, offering reimagined fish and chips, centring New Zealand produce and showcasing nose-to-tail dining. <\/p>\n
165 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby<\/p>\n
The crudo on the menu at Mother cafe. Photo \/ Babiche Martens<\/p>\n
While Mother opened its doors in September last year, its wine bar began in earnest over the summer months. Spilling out onto the footpath in Grey Lynn, the hot spot offers the opportunity for long evenings from Wednesday to Sunday. The menu includes fluffy bread made in-house, crudo, fried squid and seasonal vegetables, with cocktails and local and international pours. <\/p>\n
403 Richmond Rd, Westmere<\/p>\n
Rhu<\/a> is known for an inventive and precise kitchen. Now, the team have further expanded their reach within Parnell. A new venture, called Roe, has joined the food complex at 269. It takes its cue from classic fish and chip shops, with over-the-counter service that can be enjoyed in the courtyard on a sunny day. On the menu, alongside fish and chips, you\u2019ll find pretzels, sashimi, soft serve and oysters, bringing the precision of the bigger kitchen to the smaller space. <\/p>\n Birkenhead has enjoyed generous smashburger servings since 2022. Now, Real Burger has opened a second location in Ponsonby, bringing another burger joint to the inner city (the storefront will catch your eye with its bold blue lettering). Real Burger is run by brothers George and Michael Blackmore, who enjoy keeping both the menu and their ingredients simple. You\u2019ll find beef, chicken and plant-based burgers, and each is propped up with fresh additions \u2013 the potato buns, pickles and sweet onions are all prepared from scratch in-house. <\/p>\n 84 Ponsonby Rd, Grey Lynn<\/p>\n Cafes <\/p>\n After a run of well-populated pop-ups, Maru Matcha has put down more permanent roots in Newmarket. The spot is secretive, accessed through a pale blue door that blends in to the surrounding wall. Alongside simple matcha lattes, the menu also offers more extravagant brews mixed with sea salt maple, Earl Grey-infused milk, coconut water, brown sugar syrup and banana pudding cream. The interior is muted, save for a bucket of coloured pencils on a stainless steel bench. The cosy space is open from Wednesday to Sunday. <\/p>\n A powder blue coffee machine greets patrons strolling into this huge and long-awaited opening on Karangahape Rd. Hardcore Republic seems at a glance to be easily categorised as a cafe, but it also houses gallery, retail and work spaces. Currently, Caitlin Snell accessories and Everyday Solitude cards are on display, along with artworks by Georgie Johnson. The fit-out is sleek and simple \u2013 the roomy dining room is furnished with dark woods, plenty of steel and some particularly photogenic star tables. On the menu, there\u2019s topped toast, pastries and plenty of caffeine. <\/p>\n 510 Karangahape Rd, Auckland central <\/p>\n This coffee and matcha spot first made a name for itself on Kitchener St, nestled near the city\u2019s biggest student campuses and within the arts precinct. It\u2019s often crowded, with patrons spilling out onto a porch and lending their energy to the street. Now, Kompass has opened a second location on Fanshawe St. Designed to service a more corporate clientele, the cafe is located within the ground floor of an office building \u2013 bringing a real warmth to the space. Coffee, tea, matcha and hojicha are all on the menu, alongside the einsp\u00e4nner (Viennese coffee) options Kompass is perhaps best known for. Cookies in the cabinet are an appropriate morning tea pick-me-up. <\/p>\n 22 Fanshawe St, Auckland central <\/p>\n Hefty sandwiches are on the menu at this Kingsland deli \u2013 each combination is encased in thick slices of Beabea\u2019s focaccia or sourdough. Fillings include prosciutto, burratta, pesto, caramelised onion and bacon jam, hot honey and more. The coffee list is abbreviated, but features a tasty-looking \u2018baby Illa\u2019 \u2013 cold-brew topped with vanilla sweet cream. <\/p>\n 507 New North Rd, Kingsland<\/p>\n After building a fan base through their food truck servings and Huapai location<\/a>, Aldrin and Laura Tabora have brought their Filipino food to the inner city. Hapunan is running a lunch and dinner window service, delivering an abbreviated menu including adobo del diablo, lumpia and pares tokwa. It\u2019s a chance for more central-set diners to try dishes celebrated by Iconic Eats<\/a>, without making the journey far west. <\/p>\n 2a Anzac Ave, Auckland central<\/p>\n This speedy spot is looking to give new meaning to the term \u2018power lunch\u2019. Omo is serving leafy and vegetable-filled bowls with Korean influence to corporate crowds on Shortland St \u2013 think bibimbap, bulgogi bowls and kimchi fried rice. Alongside these lunch offerings, which start from $15.50, Omo serves up matcha and fizzy fruit drinks (including grapefruit, peach and lemon). If you can stop in for a longer break, there are small tables with stools to accommodate \u2013 a nice chance to enjoy the fit-out, which includes glossy, green tiles and big, bright windows. <\/p>\n 71 Shortland St, Auckland central <\/p>\n More food and drink <\/p>\n More on dining out in 2026. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The food scene in T\u0101maki Makaurau Auckland is constantly changing. Here are some of this year\u2019s most exciting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":439694,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[51,3952,3390,1882,14229,71728,156,30949,528,564,191,6048,3025,111,139,69,47902,2539,1439,17509,544,1961,6047,379,1530],"class_list":["post-439693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-auckland","tag-aucklands","tag-best","tag-cafe","tag-changing","tag-constantly","tag-entertainment","tag-exciting","tag-far","tag-food","tag-here","tag-makaurau","tag-most","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-openings","tag-restaurant","tag-scene","tag-so","tag-some","tag-this","tag-tmaki","tag-year","tag-years"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439693\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/439694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} Table settings at Maru’s House.<\/p>\n
Caffeine hits from Kompass Coffee.<\/p>\n
Tinola fried chicken from Hapunan. Photo \/ Babiche Martens<\/p>\n