Oct 22, 2013 Cheap Eats
Totó (photo: Ken Downie/Metro)
Tanpopo Ramen
13 Anzac Ave, CBD
Energetic ramen master Michio Kurihara and his team produce 26 different kinds of gorgeously silken-rich ramen, with plenty of extra toppings. Close to Vector Arena, this is the perfect pre-show pitstop.
Japanese
Tanuki’s Cave 
319b Queen St, CBD
There are still few things half so pleasant in Auckland as ducking down the stairs of Tanuki’s Cave, just up from Q Theatre, and perching at the central bar to drink a bit of sake and sample your way through a handful of simple, flavourful, exquisitely prepared dishes.
Japanese
Tasty Noodles
1/919 Dominion Rd, Balmoral
In the increasingly competitive hand-pulled-noodle market, Tasty Noodles makes some of the best. Whether in a rich beef soup or cold with chicken and “sour and spicy” sauce, these substantial but tender ribbons (the artisan noodle option will set you back an extra dollar per dish) are so hard to resist.
Northern Chinese
Tasty Takeaway
898 New North Rd, Mt Albert
AKA Little Fatty. While the menu here is large (and a little hard for Westerners to decipher), it’s really all about the shengjian bao, doughy fried buns filled with minced pork and hot, gelatinous stock. A common Shanghai breakfast food, four of these delicious morsels cost just $4.
Shanghai Chinese
Thai Cuisine
942 New North Rd, Mt Albert
There’s a consistently high standard at Thai Cuisine that keeps the Mt Albert locals coming back. The menu is huge, the décor bright and cheerful and the prices more than reasonable.
Thai
Thai Peninsula
80 Gunner Drive, Te Atatu Peninsula
A warm and friendly local, kitted out quite formally, with a short menu (a good sign, we always like to think) focused on Thai curries and soups. Flavours are bold and fresh. We’re rather partial to the tod mun goong (prawn cakes).
Thai
Thai Yum Food Hut (photo: Ken Downie/Metro)
Thai Yum Food Hut
23 Birkenhead Ave, Birkenhead
You’d be hard pressed to find better Thai food than this on the Shore, and it’s lovingly presented at a great price too. Limited seating — most customers order takeout.
Thai
That’s Amore
Level 2, 42 High St, CBD
Forty-three different toppings, last time we counted, and all of them genuine Neapolitan options. A great little restaurant/takeout place in
the CBD.
Pizzas
Tiffin
598 New North Rd, Kingsland
Charming service, quite formally styled furniture and fittings, a lovely sombre colour scheme, and vibrantly tasty North Indian classics.
North Indian
Top Cafe (photo: Ken Downie/Metro)
Top Cafe
7/30 Upper Queen St, Newton
There are people who tell us they’ve got offside with the owners here and been chased out of the shop. Be warned. Those people now cannot buy some of the most outstanding dumplings in town.
Chinese
Totó Pizza
51-53 Nelson St, CBD
A mainstay of office lunches and after-work drinks across the CBD, and no wonder. Everyone loves these giant slabs of crispy-based, generously topped pizza, and everyone has their favourite. A metre is 20 pieces: enough for five hungry mouths.
Pizzas
Turkish Cuisine
193 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
Kebab shops usually look good, and so often don’t quite deliver. Turkish Cuisine does it the other way round. It’s overlit and uninviting — do not eat there on a date — but the food is great. Kebabs as big and tasty and fresh as they always ought to be.
Turkish
Turo-Turo
26 Mayfair Place, Glen Innes
Filipino food! Turo-Turo has a huge menu, with shrimp paste featuring strongly, along with strips of meat, fresh vegetables and rice. Pinakbet, with comes with soup as well, is a startlingly good example.
Filipino
See also
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “A” to “C”
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “D” to “J”
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “K” to “M”
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “N” to “R”
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “S”
The 100 Best Cheap Eats in Auckland 2013 – “V” to “Z”
