Runway Restaurant

Set beside Auckland Airport in Mangere, Runway Restaurant offers a calm, cosy refuge from the rush. Warm hospitality sets the tone, with a dining room made for unhurried catch-ups, easy pre-flight suppers and relaxed arrivals, all wrapped in a welcoming neighbourhood feel.

The kitchen leans into modern comfort with European accents and New Zealand sensibility. Early bites might bring house focaccia with tomato Olivani or margherita arancini glossed with basil pesto and parmesan. For something heartier, think beer-battered snapper and chips with tartare and lemon, or a beef scotch fillet settled on potato rösti and finished with steak Diane sauce. Those after a swift classic can turn to a gourmet beef burger layered with bacon, red onion jam, pickles and aioli, or a chicken Caesar salad complete with anchovies and a soft-boiled egg.

Sweet plates keep spirits high: a raspberry and lemon posset brightened by orange almond bites and freeze-dried mandarin, or tiramisu with biscotti and pistachio praline. Friendly service, familiar flavours and an easygoing mood make Runway Restaurant a dependable stop before take-off, after touch-down, or whenever appetite lands. Book a table, follow your nose, and let good taste taxi you to the gate.