4 Best Restaurants in Auckland, New Zealand

The sustainable, rustic, Italian-inspired food at this restaurant and bakery has won the approval of Aucklanders, who keep the wood-beamed, open space bustling from breakfast through lunch and dinner. It's in the heart of the city's commerce zone, so breakfast and lunch are packed with the suited set who are not too concerned about price, and dinner hours stay busy with a menu that offers chargrilled fish, slow-roasted lamb, and an array of salads and vegetables. The lengthy wine list has prices from moderate to expensive, but for a special occasion, who's counting?

It's no mean feat being the longest-running restaurant in Ponsonby (it opened in 1986), where the locals and their guests are both fussy and loyal. The excellent, broad Italian menu includes wood-fired pizzas and good pasta, and the fish of the day, served in many ways, is worth trying. Prego is extremely noisy, so don't go there for an intimate chat, though you may find the courtyard quieter. It is always full; a wait is likely, but the expert staff will usher you to the bar. The wine list is comprehensive.

If you've had a busy day and want to roll on and be surrounded by animated diners, this casual place is for you. The food—the name means "Not Only Pizza"—can be ordered individually or with bowls to be shared by the table. Lunchtimes are busy when people head for a table in the Italian-style courtyard. There's always pizza with traditional toppings, and the green salad is excellent. Many people treat this as their local when they want more than takeout and less than fine dining..

A flight of dimly lighted stairs leads down to this buzzing, informal Japanese yakitori and sake bar; there's also sushi. The oblong bar is usually jammed with film-festival types, the young art and fashion crowd, or classical music lovers eating before a concert in the nearby Town Hall. Order small plates of Japanese food and choose from more than 20 types of sake by the glass.