When hunger strikes and you’re after a bite to eat, take your pick from the laid-back eateries of Ōwairaka. Soak in the relaxed urban village atmosphere and simply cycle or walk to your choice of local cafés and boutique eateries. Fancy a caffeine fix? Head down tree-lined Hendon Avenue to Young George for your local morning coffee, and grab a toasted sandwich too. Soak in a little bit of local atmosphere at Two Little Chickens Café, head to The Roll with friends for a fun meal, to Taco Loco Cantina for tasty tacos, or to one of the many other delicious and diverse eateries in the neighbourhood.
Young George Café
Head down tree-lined Hendon Ave from home to super-local hidden gem Young George café for your local morning coffee, and enjoy a toasted sandwich while you’re there. Make this spot your firm local fixture, from a grab-and-go caffeine fix to a leisurely weekend meal. Young George aims to provide a welcoming space to sit in the sun, and come together while their kids draw with chalk on the pavement. The small café offers great coffee, and fancy toasted sandwiches – think cheese with jalapeño chutney – and is the perfect place to have a chat with the locals you’ll meet here. The food offering is succinct but delicious, with a current focus on the sandwich. Sink your teeth into one of these signature sandos with tasty and original fillings. The locals reckon you need to add a chilli fried egg to whatever your order is. Enjoy the Japanese chicken katsu sando, or the “Hundy Gram” – a beef cheeseburger grilled sandwich. An intimate indoor space serving Atomic Coffee, the café hosts events such as burger nights at times. The team takes their music very seriously, so enjoy some great beats as you wait for your beverage of choice. With a fit-out by the owners using up-cycled, second-hand furniture and cookware, the café’s interior fits with the team’s values of recycling and reusing as much as possible.
Dear Jane Café
Bringing good vibes to the hood of Mt Albert is Dear Jane Café’s ethos. With a bustling kitchen that’s open every day of the week from early in the morning, the cheery team has something to satisfy everyone. Early morning dog walkers and workers on the hunt for a caffeine fix, those in search of a spot for a leisurely drink and a bite, or a daytime meeting over a coffee, are all catered for. With a sunny, airy indoor situation to enjoy, and pretty prints on the walls, this is a light and lovely neighbourhood café to suit everyone. Take a seat on the comfy banquette seating, or at the bar to keep an eye on the barista action. When it comes to the menu, enjoy the classics, as well as Asian-fusion-inspired dishes – there are treats like vegan fried corn fritters, classic breakfast offerings, burgers, fried chicken, and plenty of smoothie options. Dear Jane Café was created with nearby young families and locals working from home in mind.
Bar Martin
A neighbourhood bar and wine shop, Bar Martin is the perfect spot for to enjoy a local drop with friends in Auckland’s inner west. Conveniently open Tuesday to Sunday, the olive tree courtyard setting with communal tables lends itself to an urban Tuscan vibe in this local watering hole that emphasises and encourages community. Seat yourself in the sun, or find a spot in the stylish interior furnished with tasteful wooden accents. Pick from an aperitif, a digestif, the extensive wine menu, or plenty of chilled non-alcoholic options, and the eats menu which takes the form of delicious share-style bar snacks. Select from tasty options including warm marinated olives, roasted cauliflower, burrata with capers and chilli, one of the sourdough breads with accompaniments. If you’re a bit hungrier, options like the potato gratin, unmissable meatballs, or pork pie with pickle are set to fill you up. This charming spot is kid and dog-friendly.
Wild Wheat Bakery
Wild Wheat Bakery is the only stop you’ll need to make for local speciality bread. These artisan and sourdough bread specialists have outposts dotted around Auckland, and Ōwairaka residents are lucky enough to be close to one. Wild Wheat produces a varied range of sourdough and European-style breads, along with rustic, delicious pastries and savoury items. No additives or preservatives are used, with plenty of time and effort put in to create great-tasting bread that is also good for you. The bakery also supplies hundreds of top restaurants and stores across Tāmaki Makaurau with their quality breads. The breads are the perfect choice for sandwiches, platters, or just simply to enjoy by themselves with a little butter and chutney. Pick from a plethora of standout favourites such as the beetroot sourdough loaf, sprouted lentil sourdough, a heavy German-style rye, or items to grab and go including sandwiches, sausage rolls, doughnuts, pain aux raisins, tarts, muffins, and croissants.
Taco Loco Cantina
Bienvenidos Amigos! Look no further than Taco Loco Cantina for tasty tacos and a deliciously authentic immersive Mexican meal experience. This traditional Mexican offering with a range of street food to devour is just over the road from Two Little Chickens Café and The Roll, situated in a local foodie cluster on the corner of Ōwairaka Avenue and Mt Albert Road. Book a spot to eat with your amigos, and enjoy a colourful dining experience with vibrant wall murals and lush foliage. Pick from their popular taco range, or grab something else from the menu including deep-fried burritos, chimichangas, tostadas, fajitas, and enchiladas. Wash it down with a chilled Mexican beverage from the varied drinks list. The team also caters for private events, off-site catering with their food truck. Hola!
The Roll
Eat up at The Roll with bao buns, rice and noodle dishes, banh mi, among the many offerings at this delicious boutique southeast Asian fusion street food restaurant. Fast and fun, crowded and cool, plus well priced with a relaxed vibe thanks to the iconic dragon mural, the place is always bustling. The takeaway orders are always flying out the door, too. A local institution since 2014 trailblazing the Auckland scene for Asian fusion street food, The Roll is situated at the vibrant foodie intersection alongside Two Little Chickens Café and Taco Loco Cantina in Ōwairaka. The Roll blends traditional Asian ingredients with a contemporary twist. Enjoy an adventure for your taste buds with innovative flavours and a top-notch drinks list.
Two Little Chickens Café
Serving the local community and located right next door to The Rolls is Two Little Chickens Café, bringing modern and flavourful café food for all your breakfast and brunch needs. Start your morning off with something delicious from the menu or pick from the many mouth-watering cabinet options. Sit in the sunny spot out the front and people-watch as you enjoy some delicious fare. By night, enjoy a relaxed evening experience with various tasting plates and pizzas designed to be shared.
Frat’s Pizza
Authentically simple sourdough pizzas are on the menu at the friendly neighbourhood spot Frat’s Bar and Pizza. The name Frats is short for ‘fratelli’, meaning ‘brothers’ in Italian – perfect for the three good mates who run this bustling joint. Offering dine-in and takeaway pizzas with an array of unique and delicious toppings, enjoy a fresh take on an iconic cuisine. As an owner-operated pizzeria run by friends, the team offers a laid-back and welcoming dining experience but takes a more serious approach when it comes to their high-quality ingredients. Top local ingredients are carefully sourced from local suppliers and paired with hand-made in-house ingredients, such as the team’s own sausages and bacon. Pick from menu items like prawn and corn, broccoli and smoked pancetta, and chicken and mushroom, piled on a popular sourdough base to give a crunchy yet pillowy satisfying slice that’s a cross between the Neapolitan and New York styles.
Shefco Baklawa Café
For something truly authentic and delicious, Lebanese cuisine is on offer not far from Ōwairaka on Stoddard Rd. Bring a group of friends and enjoy selecting from enticing flatbreads and dips at Shefco Baklawa Café; don’t be fooled into judging the mouth-watering cuisine by the deceptively simple facade. Tantalise your tastebuds with the array of Middle Eastern dining options on offer, from smooth freshly-made hummus to falafel, mana’ish (a flatbread typically topped with thyme, cheese or ground meat), or Baba Ghannouge. Finish your meal with baklava freshly made in-house and Lebanese coffee for dessert. Take a box of baklava home to enjoy more of the tasty pastry syrupy nut dessert later.
Muzza’s Pies
Not far away on Richardson Road, is the home of Muzza’s Pies. Muzza’s is an Auckland institution for old school pies, and has been operating in the same spot since 1997. Hotly debated as the location of some of the best pies in Auckland, Muzza’s Pies is the place to go for a bite for those who truly appreciate a good pie. Plus, the friendly team are always up for a chat. Pies are made with flaky pastry filled with all sorts of flavours. Find your preferred pie, whether that be steak and cheese, butter chicken, bacon and egg, mexican, chicken and apricot, chilli beef and sour cream, fruit flavours, custard, or even a hangi-flavoured pie. There is a wide array of other flavours to choose from, freshly made daily, and piping hot.
