For more Auckland food news and reviews, including the Metro Top 50 Restaurants in Auckland for 2014, see metroeats.co.nz.
By Catherine McGregor and Simon Wilson. Photos by Ken Downie.
1. Ambitious, affordable eateries
It’s how we like to eat: informally, with super-personable, super-efficient service and food you just can’t get enough of. While lots of restaurants around town struggle, at places where they aim really high while keeping it casual there are packs of customers waiting to get in. The celeb stars leading the trend are Al Brown with Depot Eatery & Oyster Bar" href="/uploads/Metro/2014/01/depot-eatery-oyster-bar-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Depot and Federal Deli and Michael Van de Elzen with The Food Truck, but many others are also in the game, including Coco’s Cantina " href="/uploads/Metro/2014/01/cocos-cantina-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Coco’s Cantina, Blue Breeze Inn, Mexico, Orleans, Ortolana, St Heliers Bay Cafe & Bistro and The Hamptons (Clooney’s summer 2012/13 operation on Shortland St).
In the Spring 2025 issue of Metro: Find out where to eat now in Tāmaki Makaurau with our top 50 restaurants, plus all the winners from Metro Restaurant of the Year. Henry Oliver picks at the seams of the remaking of the New Zealand fashion scene. Matthew Hooton puts the exceptional talent for Kiwi whinging on blast and Tess Nichol recounts her ongoing efforts not to pay attention to everything. Plus Anna Rankin pens a love letter to the 20th Century, a short story from Saraid de Silva and Bob Harvey assists the walls of Hotel DeBrett in talking. Oh, and last, but not least, it’s the end of an era.
