Oozing with flavour and dripping with tasty goodness, you can’t beat a delicious feast of fromage. Here are some of our favourite cheese dishes on the menu in Auckland.
1. Gypsy Caravan
The pan-fried ouzo cheese with lemon, sourdough, seeds and honey ($17) at Gypsy Caravan is to die for. Dramatically set on fire right before you, the sweetness of the honey pairs with the savoury notes of the cheese to create a tangy taste sensation.
— Lot 3, 130 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby
2. Lokanta
Don't miss the the Flaming Saganaki at Grey Lynn's Lokanta, which specialises in Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. The dish's pan-fried haloumi arrives in a skillet under blue, ouzo-fuelled flames and is a perfectly singed oblong laid on a garlicky baguette cut to the exact same size and covered with sweet roasted capsicums ($17).
— 137A Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn
3. Fish Smith
Sure, the fish and chips are always great, but neighbourhood favourite FishSmith is also beloved for its delicious crumbed haloumi — crunchy on the outside with gooey cheese inside.
— 200 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay
4. Matakana Market Kitchen
Head north to Matakana for the Welsh rarebit on the menu at charming Matakana Market Kitchen, one of the fanciest versions of cheese on toast you'll find anywhere. Comprised of Puhoi cheddar cheese, Leigh beer and piccalilli, the rarebit is served with bacon, apply and Worchester sauce dressing ($17.50).
— 2 Matakana Valley Rd, Matakana
5. L'atelier du Fromage
The roasted duck breast ham on the lunch menu at Newmarket cafe L'atelier du Fromage is brined for three hours, poached in duck fat and grilled a la plancha. It comes with three different types of goat's cheese from the Loire area (slices of St Maure and aged Crottin grated on top), goat's curd, turnip, fennel, carrot and leek, and is topped with fig vinegar dressing and vadouvan curry crumbs ($21.50).
— 3-5 McColl St, Newmarket
6. Crepes A Go Go
Cute eatery Crepes A Go Go at Ponsonby Central has a few cheesy options on its savoury menu; we particularly like its Paris for Ever crepe, served with free-farmed ham and cheese ($11), and the Rustique made with Santa Rosa smoked chicken, cheese and mushrooms ($13). The crepes themselves are made from buckwheat, which is gluten, sugar and dairy-free, meaning you can go overboard on the cheese hit.
— Ponsonby Central
7. The Engine Room
The Engine Room's twice-baked goat's cheese souffle has become an Auckland classic — rich and indulgent, this is a cheesy dish worth crossing the bridge for.
— 115 Queen St, Northcote Pt
8. Toastie Bros
There's nothing more comforting than biting into a piping hot cheese toastie bursting with tasty ingredients and popping with flavour. A new stall at Britomart's Saturday farmers' market is Toastie Bros, which offers four different styles of sandwich. Our pick is the Bacon Bro, which comes with bacon, gouda cheese, rocket, caramelised onion and mustard.
— Saturdays, Takutai Square, Britomart
