Win-Win
Long-time Ponsonby Rd resident The Whiskey has expanded next door, opening up a cocktail bar with a "retro" vibe. Win-Win aims to bring the energy and atmosphere of Las Vegas to the city, and has a creative drinks menu - 'Smoke & Mirrors' blends Gracias a Dios mezcal with fresh watermelon, lime juice and Maraschino liqueur, while 'Shot Gun Sipper' pairs Bulleit bourbon with peach liqueur, angostura and habaero bitters. Several of the cocktails are on tap, and also available are snacks from jellyologist Jessica Mantis and sweet or savoury popcorn.
- 212 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, open 5pm to late Wednesday to Sunday. Visit Winwin.co.nz
Brothers Brewery
Craft beer favourites Brothers Brewery continue to riding the frothy brown wave in New Zealand and have opened another outpost, this time at the slick Orakei Bay Village development. Following on from their City Works Depot and Mt Eden incarnations, they've continued with the eclectic decor and working brewery feel, and are serving up 18 craft beers on tap alongside a tasty menu of gourmet burgers and more.
- 228 Orakei Rd, Remuera, open 12-10pm Tuesday to Sunday. Visit Brothersbeer.co.nz
Queens Cafe Bistro
The restaurant space on the second level of Queen St's historic Queens Arcade is prime real estate in Auckland - located right in the heart of the CBD, it is in the rare position of having a balcony. The latest eatery to call it home is Queens Cafe Bistro, which is offering contemporary European cuisine cooked with seasonal local produce. The food looks good, and the contemporary fitout looks fit for royalty.
- 34 Queen St, Auckland Central. Visit Queenscafebistro.co.nz
Pastrami & Rye
Ellerslie residents are pretty stoked with its new gourmet sandwich shop and delicatessen Pastrami & Rye, and so they should be - this place is a game-changer for the suburb. Serving up New York-style, choose-your-own deli sammies on French bread, you can also get fresh juices, Supreme coffee, Bluebells Cupcakes, and meals to go including muesli cups, rotisserie chickens, veges and salads. We also love the natty Prohibition-era get-up of the staff.
- 112 Main Highway, Ellerslie
The Junction Eatery
Birkenhead 's new all-day The Junction Eatery, helmed by head chef Eder Marinho, has a big emphasis on locally sourced free-range and organic produce. A sample of the dinner menu right now: baby beetroot with garden carrots and marinated feta on a kale and quinoa salad with hazelnut and tamarind dressing ($19.50), and braised lamb sliders with minted chilli and aioli slaw, tapioca fried onions and fresh coriander ($20).
- 39 Birkenhead Ave, Birkenhead
IN OTHER NEWS ...
Shanghai Lil's is on the move again, to the Las Vegas Strip Club building on K Rd. Onehunga's storied Carnegie Library building, which has housed a cafe for the past few years, is being refurbished and will open soon as a brand new eatery. And keep an eye out for an exciting new addition to Three Lamps, which will be named for a very famous London institution.
