Dining By The Landmarks: Ponsonby

The Eiffel Tower, Sydney Harbour, Big Ben. A remarkable landmark always defines a remarkable city. In our latest series, Dining By The Landmarks, we'll give you the lowdown on where to grab the best table to take in amazing landmarks, locations and landscapes.  

This week, we’re highlighting Auckland and its ‘hippest strip’, Ponsonby. Not technically a landmark, Ponsonby is so revered by its residents that it may as well have landmark status. Here's why.

So, what’s the deal?

Ponsonby delivers all the diversity and depth that you would expect from any inner-city suburb plus much, much more. Just 2 kilometres from the Auckland CBD, Ponsonby is where mainstream and alternative collide, where low-brow meets high-brow and where designer fashion cosies up to weekend markets. Ponsonby is a fertile breeding ground for creative and culinary types and offers shopping, art galleries, architecture, music and of course, a cutting-edge restaurant, bar and café scene. Once considered the wrong side of the tracks, the gentrification of Ponsonby has given rise to one of the hippest and most entertaining suburbs in New Zealand.

The transformation of Ponsonby

Ponsonby was once one of Auckland’s most ‘colourful' neighbourhoods. And by colourful, we’re pretty sure they mean it was a dive. Right up until the 1980s, Ponsonby was home to run down buildings, a criminal element and the odd red light establishment. But its charming display of character villas soon caught the attention of inner-city dwellers who started flocking there in droves. Soon the place was overrun with hybrid cars and indoor-outdoor flow.

Today, Ponsonby's reputation is less about dodgy dealings and more about award-winning lattes and designer beards.

Architecture: The heart of Ponsonby

The architecture of Ponsonby boasts some of the best examples of 19th-century workers cottages, Edwardian villas and 1920s bungalows in Auckland. While some are still in the original state, most have been renovated with a modern twist. The Ponsonby Post Office is an impressive example of Edwardian architecture and Renall Street in its entirety is marked as a special heritage area. For many, it is the architecture that gives Ponsonby its iconic character.

A dining out delight

If you like getting social, then Ponsonby is the place for you. There is a never-ending supply of bars, cafés and restaurants showcasing both the old stalwarts and the bright young things of the dining scene.

Here are some of our faves.

In the heart of things, head to Ponsonby Road for a delicious selection of dining out options.  The Kitchen by Mr Toms is the sleek brother of the iconic Mr Toms and the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the high street. Boy & Bird is championing organic fresh food and flavours and making it available for dine-in or takeaway. Also on Ponsonby Road, you’ll find Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant where you can savour the melting pot that is Malaysian cuisine. Revelry is joyfully breaking the mould with its east meets west; chic meets bohemian style. And when you need your dose of Tom Yum head to Sawadee Thai, one of Auckland’s favourites for over 20 years.

On Richmond Road, step into Lokanta for simple, home-cooked and delicious Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean dishes.

Ponsonby’s heritage aesthetic mixes seamlessly with its cutting-edge lineup of bars, bistros, coffee houses, fashion boutiques and galleries to create a rich flavour.