Word of mouth
Coffee pit stop ALLPRESS ROASTERY
8 Drake Street, Freemans Bay allpressespresso.com
You’d never find Allpress Espresso’s Freemans Bay café and roastery unless you knew where to look – and that’s how the locals like it. Since it was founded in the city in the 1980s, Allpress’s brand of understated cool – and excellent espresso – has spread across the globe but the Drake Street outpost remains its spiritual home (there’s another branch in the suburb of Ponsonby). Try single origin filter or the famed Rangitoto blend named after a volcanic island in the harbour.
Breakfast meeting HUGO’S BISTRO
67 Shortland Street hugosbistro.co.nz
This sleek space in the legal hub of upper Shortland Street in the city has just the right vibe for breakfast with a colleague or prospective client. Perch at the marble bar and watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen or sink into one of the comfortable booths. Feeling virtuous? Order the famous three-grain porridge with spiced roast pear and pistachio crunch. If not, the Toulouse sausage burger with a fried egg, gouda and tomato jam will set you up for the day.
Dining alone QUEEN’S RISE 125 Queen Street queensrise.co.nz
If the idea of asking for a table for one fills you with dread then hip laneway dining precinct Queen’s Rise is for you. Behind a historic façade in the CBD, 11 eateries share a buzzy space. At the neon-lit Lowbrow, order the signature fried chicken while enjoying the work of local graffiti artist Haser. Or try New
Zealand lamb cutlets with pickled courgette, a mint salsa verde and buffalo-yoghurt labne at Grace.
Business dinner OSTRO 52 Tyler Street seafarers.co.nz
New Zealanders are an informal bunch so a business dinner can be a more laid-back affair. On the second floor of the waterfront Seafarers building, Ostro is impressive without being starchy. Helmed by renowned chef Josh Emett, it has expansive views of the harbour, which is best seen at night when the working port is mostly quiet. Charming staff serve classic bistro fare such as lobster and snapper pie, and beef Wellington paired with sides, including Brussels sprouts sprinkled with bacon, raisins and hazelnuts, and doused in Pedro Ximénez sherry.
Drinks with clients GIN ROOM 12 Vulcan Lane +64 9 377 1821
On the first floor of the Queen’s Ferry Hotel building in an innercity laneway, this speakeasystyle bar offers a huge number of premium gins (almost 100 at last count). Order a Perks of Being an Elderflower cocktail (Hendrick’s gin, St-Germain liqueur, Aperol and lemon) or sample one of the boutique local gins paired with excellent Quina-Fina tonic made in New Zealand using cinchona tree bark from Ecuador.