For me, the best brunch in Auckland is actually Yum Cha at Grand Harbour, near the Viaduct. It’s where you can sit down and instantly begin to eat as trolleys laden with plates of dim sum of every kind, BBQ pork, seared beans, glazed duck … are paraded like supermodels on a catwalk.
Favourite restaurant for dinner with friends?
Now that’s an impossible question for a chef and Auckland is blessed with so many good choices it’s like asking your mum which child they prefer… and while they always say they like and love equally, we all suspect there is a favourite… Farina on Ponsonby Rd.
Favourite place to take a visitor to?
I’ve just changed and have a brand new favourite, Queens Rooftop at Commercial Bay, a restaurant and bar on lower Queen St that will take your breath away, I’m not going to say too much because it would be like sharing the best part of a book or movie … go discover an absolute joyful gem that celebrates our city.
Favourite spot to finish a night out?
No matter where we’ve been, that’s an easy one, the perfect spot is at home in bed.
Favourite place to get coffee?
My wife and I have a ritual, we visit Daily Bread along with half of Auckland, however our other absolute favourite is French Rendez-vous Cafe, located next to the PumpHouse Theatre on Lake Pupuke and comes not only with wake-me-up coffee, freshly baked croissants and crepes but with wildlife in the form of dozens of black swans, coots, tūi and zero crowds, the slightly hidden location means few know it’s even there.
Favourite fish-and-chip shop?
My wife is vegetarian and so as a loving partner, her favourite non-fish and chips night is to order a delivery from a fabulous Indian restaurant, The Devonport Indian Hub.
Favourite trail for a hike?
Ever wondered what life on an alien planet is like? Catch the ferry to Rangitoto Island, to experience it here on earth. From a distance, it looks lush and verdant, close up Auckland’s dormant and youngest volcano is 600 years old. That said, little prepares for what greets you upon landing at the wharf and walking an hour up to the summit, through jagged fields of lava and a huge forest of pohutukawas growing from cracks in the black basalt. For something completely unexpected visit the lava caves and tunnels, you’ll feel like you have indeed landed into an episode of Star Trek.
Favourite venue for a gig?
Together with most of Auckland we recently sang along with Coldplay, while belting out their hits, the stage show itself was next-level entertainment, filled with so many spectacular moments and surprises … glasses where you’ll see coloured hearts every time you look at a light, a million paper stars falling from the sky, to wristbands that light up and pulse with the beat of the music, and free buses all the way home, it has to be Eden Park.
Favourite place to find a bargain?
Avondale Sunday market has a strong Polynesian and Asian blend, it’s one of the few that still feels like a vintage Kiwi flea market, with a huge array of stalls filled with fresh produce, clothes, crafts, and treasures needing a new home. Love it!
Mark Gregory is the founding trustee of DineAid, which exists to facilitate food people (the hospitality industry) to feed people experiencing food insecurity via City Mission food banks and the DineAid annual Christmas appeal. Mark has also recently launched a cook book and YouTube cooking series, Christmas at the Castle. Dineaid.org.nz / christmasatthecastle.online.
