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 Autumn 2024 issue of Metro we celebrate the best of Tāmaki Makaurau — 100 great things about life in Auckland, including our favourite florist, furniture store, cocktail, basketball court, tree, make-out spot, influencer, and psychic. The issue also includes the Metro Wine Awards, the battle over music technology company Serato, the end of The Pantograph Punch, the Billy Apple archives, a visit to Armenia, viral indie musician Lontalius, the state of fine dining, and the time we bombed West Auckland to kill a moth. Plus restaurants, movies, politics, astrology, and more.
