Ever since half of Cazador’s dining room was transformed into a daytime deli after the 2020 lockdown, it’s become one of our most frequented cafes in the city. That we keep coming back, we think, has a lot to do with their pies, but it’s also the consistently great coffee, the generously stocked cabinet and the ultra-friendly people behind the counter. There’s also something special about a cafe that doubles as a grocery, especially when it’s stocked with treasures like bottles of sherry, bags of squid-ink fusilli, truffle salt, olive oils, tinned fish, fresh eggs and crusty loaves of bread. With so much goodness on offer, it’s easy to linger at the counter a little longer than you anticipated, scanning, deliberating and ruminating. Whatever you decide on, it’s bound to be perfect to cart away to a picnic or as provisions for a road trip. And if you’ve got time to stay, do try to nab one of those emerald-green tables out front and enjoy the oddly charming view of the constant stream of vehicles rumbling down Dominion Rd. Who knew traffic could be so delightful?

While you’re in the area: Vintage at Gray’s, Auckland Indian Sweets & Snacks