5ways to enjoy FOOD & ART IN AUCKLAND
Sub-editor Jennifer Reynolds explores her hometown
Having lived in Auckland my entire life, I was curious to see how visitors experience the City of Sails. So I played tourist to try out some of my town’s exciting offerings.
1 Room with a view
In the heart of the city on Princes Wharf, with spacious suites and panoramic harbour views, the Hilton Auckland was the perfect central base for my group’s weekend adventure. Located near the ferry terminal, it’s ideal if you want to head on a day trip to Waiheke, but it’s also within walking distance from most shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. Aptly named given its location, the hotel’s restaurant FISH sources fresh seafood each day from the morning’s catch. For dinner, we were seated by the fireplace, which was lovely on a slightly chilly night. After a starter of oysters – my first! – we had a tasting of three local rieslings, accompanied by some delectable chilli and coconut clams.
2 Walk, then eat
Friday began bright and early when the girls and I met lovely Elle from The Big Foody. Her company hosts a variety of tasty tours around the city, and ours was based in and around Queen Street. The first stop was Miller’s Coffee, a roastery tucked away off Karangahape Road. This gem is the passion project of owner Craig, who told us his story as we sipped on the delicious blend, unchanged since 1988. Following this caffeine hit, we headed along to historic St Kevin’s Arcade, where we sampled 100% plant-based pastries and danishes from family-owned bakery Tart.
3 Cheese and more
After having our fill of sweet treats and strolling through Myers Park, we made our way to Scarecrow on Victoria St – a stylish café, urban farmers’ market and florist all rolled into one, focused on locally sourced, organic fare. Here we tasted a range of their offerings, my favourite being the fruit toastflavoured peanut butter. Next was a stop at The Kapiti Store, where we had a lot of cheese and were even treated to a cheese toastie made in store! Last was lunch at Culprit on Wyndham St, a dining room with a low-key atmosphere and a creative menu, including purple kumara soup and liver parfait with doughnuts! I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting a creative way to experience the city.
4 A touch of culture
After napping off our food comas, we hopped in the car and headed to Matakana. About an hour north of the city, this picturesque region is home to Sculptureum – gardens and galleries housing some amazing works of art. Owners Anthony and Sandra Grant created this space to display their extensive personal collection of local and international pieces, and the gardens are filled with winding paths that lead you on a weird and wonderful journey. My favourite area was the Pink Snail Garden, which contains large, brightly coloured animal sculptures including rabbits, meerkats and, of course, snails.
5 Feast on this
Art isn’t the only thing to be found at Sculptureum – there’s also on-site restaurant Rothko. We were lucky enough to be there for a feast featuring guest chef James Pask from Whitebait in Wellington. The menu was all seafood and all amazing, but the highlight was the locally caught salt-baked snapper – heaven!