I was a bit suspicious because of the name. Federal? I eventually realized that is the name of the…read morestreet they are located on. It was open at the time I was in the area and it did look inviting. I perused the menu and decided to give it a try. Walking in I saw the old-fashioned furnishings, metal chairs, display cases, wall shelves, big bar in the middle all in a long and narrow room. Yessss, this looks lie something out of the 50s and I like it. After a long hard look at the menu I opted for the Salami platter... Strangely enough there wasn't salami, but more like a smoked ham, prosciutto like meat. It tasted great, so what's in a name. Delicious heirloom tomatoes, capers, salami impersonator, cream cheese, capers, pickles and your choice of bread. I had chosen crumpets and regretted that . Not because they weren't delicious, because they were so yummy, but they were also so buttery that I couldn't get the cream cheese to stick and everything I tried to put on the crumpet just slid right off them. I got the bottomless cup of coffee and I must say, this is really good coffee and the refills kept coming also. I love the atmosphere in here and there are so many great choices on the menu. If I ever come back tot Auckland, I will definitely stop by this place again.

Busy place with a lot of indoor seating and limited outdoor tables. Service was good, never had to…read morewait. It's a popular place and they were crowded but we didn't have to wait for a table. There was plenty of food for each order. My wife had a street dog and fries and I had a Ruben. They were pretty decent. I wasn't as happy with the fries. They were like the bottom of a pile and mostly little pieces with very few full length slices. Prices were extremely reasonable. I would definitely eat there again.

My daughter wanted some more "Americanized" food while we were visiting. Vons is in the Elliott…read moreStables food court. Food came out quickly and piping hot! The chicken is white meat and well seasoned served with fries "chips" and a nice small salad. Very tasty!

While I did not try anything from this restaurant, my friend who took me to the upscale food court…read morethis restaurant is located in kept telling me that out of all the offerings, she ALWAYS hits up Bonz because their Cajun fried chicken is what dreams are made of. If you say so! The chicken did look friend to perfection and if you have ever been curious as to what heaven smells like, then you must take a whiff of this chicken, that includes you too VEGANS!

Great place to start the night on the Viaduct, had a few drinks before heading out to other places…read more Nice view as well.

Great lunch burger and beer special. Location was perfect to enjoy a delicious burger, fries, and…read morebeer.

I was looking for a quick portable snack and stopped at Sal's. Can it be proper New York pizza?…read moreWe'll never know as I waited in the queue while the one worker behind the counter struggled mightily to serve customers. He was not doing very well, needing at least another helper. Come on back when there's no queue and you should do well. [Review 524 of 2024 - 170 in New Zealand - 21556 overall]

Legit NYC style pizza? Being from NY, I am always weary when I see a sign purporting to have…read more"Authentic NY Style Pizza". Every pizza shop back home in Colorado says this and I have yet to find one that actually does. That said, finding legit NY pizza in the exact opposite side of the planet is fantastic! Cheesy, with a just the right amount of grease! I've never found pizza outside of NY that has the exact chewy cheesiness that NY pizza has and this in no exception, but it's still good. Is it EXACTLY like a NY slice? No. Is it dang close? Yup! And good enough for this Queens boy to enjoy.

Probably the best Pizza I've had in New Zealand. Great service, friendly vibe, lovely discovery…read moreworth every penny.

If there is anything I like more than a good steak, it's a good piece of pizza & this is why I…read moredecided to come to Sal's Authentic New York Pizza. Speaking to the owner of the Parnell Store he tells me about his passion & desire to be his own boss and working with Pizza. Until recently Sal's Pizza was a family operation and not up for franchise. This has now slowly changed with the sale of Parnell & more recently the opening of their new store in Hamilton. I am told about how all their ingredients are shipped from New York and nothing is left to chance here, and If I do not like their pizza he will refund my money back every penny (at this point I thought about whether correcting him & telling him we don't do penny's here) but I thought better off since he will be cooking me a fresh pizza.. I've seen what happens on Gordon's Ramsay - Kitchen Nightmares when you talk back to the chef ;-). But I hardly doubt he would ever do something like I have seen on TV. I am presented with the menu in front of me of large 18″ Pizza's or by the slice.. with a cabinet of other foods to go with it, Garlic Knots, Pepperoni Pinwheels, buffalo wings & mozzarella sticks all of which look delicious! since I'm with a group of friends we decide to go for a large half pepperoni half italian meatball with a pitcher of beer to help wash it down, with a size of mozzarella sticks & buffalo wings. The wings & the mozzarella came out first followed by the beer. One thing I have noticed about this place is the decor - styled in New Yorker theme red brick & big screen tv's with NBA Live on ESPN. A good choice to come here during lunch I reckon. They really understand their customers needs. Pizza + Beer + Sport = WIN The pizza came out not long after we finished out wings & mozzarella, we were amazed at the size of this thing.. I am told they do eating competitions for the quickest person to finish a whole 18″ pizza, I am told a good time somewhere in the 30min mark. But I don't see how I could possibly do that - even after 5 mins the pizza is still incredibly hot to bite into. As you see from the photo, this pizza is awesome! taste wise - on a totally a different level than what you find with the likes of Hells & Domino's. I wouldn't even put them in the same league as them. This enjoyment does come with a price 4 times as much as a large Pizza from any other place out there. Is it worth it?? - I think so! The atmosphere as I mentioned before is styled for guys - who love their pizza with their beer while watching sports. Perhaps one night a week they should have lazy boys around the store pointed towards the big screen & charge people $40 for entry which grants them pizza & beer while watching the game.. could be a nice little earner for them. From the 18″ Pizza with three guys we managed to finish off most of the Pizza, I say most as I've left the crusts behind.. but I'm told I would be disqualified if I was in the competition as you have to eat the entire pizza, crusts & all. wow.. After all that I don't think I could move an inch & would gladly sit back for the next hour & watch the sport while the food settles down.. but alas I must get back to work. I now leave you with the following thoughts; Food 4/5 - Best Pizza out - although the sight of seeing oil dripping off, is a tad bit off-putting. Service 5/5 - Friendly & courtious Price - 3/5 $24 for an 18″ Pizza or $9 for 2 Slices.. Atmosphere -5/5 - Where are my lazy boy's?! Like i said before Pizza + Beer + Sports = WIN Overall 4.5/5 - I'm calling it.. Best Pizza Place out.. Hamilton.. prepare to be blown away.. You no longer will have to put up with average pizza from other places.. But with anything this will cost you in the end.

Spent the whole day walking around. Stopped by here to rest on one of their many sofas and enjoy…read moresome food and drink. The fried chicken and salad were definitely good and crispy. I could eat another one of those salads. It gave me life and some energy to continue the walk to the top of Mt. Eden. Laid back vibe. If you need help, they'll be at the bar/counter to take your order or answer any questions.

The Southern BBQ trend continues…read more.. I'm a fan of this new venue from the boys at Brothers. The vibe is the same but It's much larger than their City Works Depot venue and is kitted out with a full brewery and an authentic Texas BBQ. They've also got a killer outdoor courtyard with festoon lights - it's reminds me heeeeaps of Rainey St in Austin (google it). As for the food, it's pretty on point. It sounds like they did a couple of research trips to the States and it totally shows. Basically you choose you meat(s), add the trimmings (collard greens, burnt end beans, mac 'n cheese, tater tots, pickles, slaw and maybe a couple of others...) and sauces (there's too many to name). It's served canteen style out of bain maries - so pretty casual. All of the meat was pretty good but the standout for me was the pastrami, which was coated in a dry spice rub and deliciously tender. The pickles were also a highlight. They do all their own pickling and they're the perfect mix of sour/salty/sweet. When we went they didn't yet have their liquor license so it was soft drinks all round. I'm looking forward to a return visit complete with a crafty brew.

Popa's pretzels is a hole-in-the-wall style snackery, offering pretzels in all varieties and…read moreflavours. It's perfect if you're hungry but just want a snack and not a full meal. They have regular pretzels, pretzels with fillings and now pretzel pies, pretzel sandwiches, hot dog pretzels and pretzel banh mi. That's a lot of different ways to serve a pretzel. On my first visit I got the cream cheese& zaatar filled pretzel and it was so good I haven't been able to bring myself to try any of the others although I have sampled the apple & cinnamon and custard & berries which were also both really tasty. It seems I only go to Popa's when I'm in a savoury mood. Next time I think I will try the marmite & cheese, that sounds good. At $4.50 for a filled pretzel it's pretty good value.

Citizen Park is like a quirky, modern, all American diner. There are glowing neon signs, gingham…read morehalf curtains across the windows, giants shelves of kitschy Americana (think football helmets and model planes) and of course, baskets full of mustard and ketchup. Maybe it's because I've just moved home from America but I absolutely love it! We came here on a Sunny Sunday arvo to catch up with friends over a few quiets. The outdoor area here is huuuge and with several long tables with bench seats it is the perfect place to catch up with a group. It must also be said they have done a great job of making the outdoor area as sheltered as possible and they even have a retractable roof for when it inevitably starts raining (this is Auckland after all!). As for the drinks, both us girls where in the mood for a refreshingly, cold beer and opted for a jar of the Monteith's Pilsner ($8). I thought the list was pretty reasonable in both price and variety although I do think they could do with a few more boutique beers on the list as opposed to the usual mass produced varieties. The boys on the other hand were nursing rather significant hangovers and were in need of a drink of the non-alcoholic variety. ASAP. They ended up settling on a Sweet Alice; a strong cup of Kokako filtered coffee with condensed milk on the side. Heaping the rather generous serving of condensed milk into their coffee both of them seemed pretty chuffed with their decision. All in all this is a very pleasant way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon and I am looking forward to coming back soon to try their rather tasty looking menu.

I came here for the first time the other night, had been meaning to, always looks so inviting, the…read morebig brass gates to the private park for citizens dining under the strings of lights. It was, I liked it, plus they have outdoor heating. Often it can be hard finding places that accommodate groups of citizens, you can here. Large tables and a menu meant for sharing (depends how close your citizen friends are), Citizen Park would be perfect. Cool bar, good enough selection of drinks, they do coffee too. Don't be shocked when you see the beer missing from the menu, it isn't on there so ask the lovely wait staff. Gluten free options are available. Based on my experience you can request variations to menu items to fit your dietary requirements. I was impressed with my salad which not only looked good but tasted amazing. Greens with thin sliced mango, cherry tomatoes, micro greens and walnuts with a vinaigrette. Friendly staff, good surroundings, indoor and outdoor seating options and a decent menu. I'll be back, with a bigger crowd.

The Tapestry! What a grand little set up for the Pullman Hotel! Fine white linen table cloth…read moredining with comfortable cushion seating too. Fancy with it's subtle and geometric decor everywhere; Especially with the set of wine bottles lining the wall in the rear of the restaurant. It's a fairly vibrant place to dine I'd say. Now, you're probably wondering why this place didn't nearly earn my fourth or fifth star. Well, here's the breakdown: ~ Something they offer from the Omni Bar (a bar in the hotel lounge area with the same small bites menu), is what they call "The Classics". They consider this their all-day, all-night, type of menu. Here you can choose the Pullman Signature hot dog, Wagyu burger, Fish and Chips, a Margherita pizza, Fries and truffle mayo, and the Kumara wedges. ~ First, we started with the Cheese Plate ($23 nzd). Not bad not bad, but nothing spectacular. I mean, it's a cheese plate. These were cheeses from New Zealand and elsewhere, as well as slices of fruit pate, crackers, and a croissant-like little twisted bread sticks. Perfect with our wine they recommended. ~ Second we ordered the Kumara Wedges ($9.50 nzd). These were basically sweet potato wedges that I just wasn't a fan of. We were told they were good, but I just didn't care for them. Too healthy for me I guess. But I can see how others would love them. ~ On a different night, we ordered the Fish & Chips ($24 nzd) which had a nice thick crispy batter. And as for the fish itself, fresh and meaty! Decent for fish & chips. There were only four fish pieces, but biting into them with a glass of sauvignon blanc just made for a fabulous combo. For the main, in which we shared, we ordered the Sticky pressed Waikato Pork, with sour herbs and a chili-lime dressing ($18 nzd). Now when this was first presented, it looked tender and scrumptious. Only with that first bite, my mouth cringed with salt. One bite after the next, salty. Ate some of the herb salad, salty again. I had to keep drinking water just to dilute the taste. As for the service, we liked our waitress as she was cordial and pleasant, but she forgot a few minor things. Not a huge deal to me, but I would partly blame her slowness due to lack of help. She was the only one managing five tables, until the second shift arrived. Then other waitresses help her out and attended to our table. Overall, the place is acceptable, but the portion/price ratio was a bit above the average. Maybe if I met the master chef I'd think differently, but for now it's just not a place I find myself jumping up and down to want to eat at again at.

Located inside the Pullman Hotel, this small restaurant offers decadent Continental fare right in…read morethe heart of downtown Auckland. Being on a coast you can imagine that many of the offerings include fish or shellfish. My group sampled the oysters-- which were fresh but a little more briny than my taste. The Tom Yum soup-- which became over the course of the meal increasingly too sour to eat. The tuna was visually beautiful, but I found the preparation dry and flavorless. The gnocchi was by far the best dish, pillowy without being heavy, in a complex, but not overpowering sauce. For 5 people the lunch came out to almost $200, and considering the bottle of wine we ordered I consider this a value. I would return.

I thought the fries were awesome! They have three different sizes and the prices were reasonable…read more My fries were well seasoned and crispy! Just how I like them. There is a lot of variety, so you can get exactly what you want. I tried to go back while in Auckland, but never made it. I do recommend this place. Sorry, no pictures. My hands were too greasy and I dropped my phone (lol, I'm kidding...)

I really wanted to like this place but I was terribly unimpressed. We got here late but there were…read moreno other diners. So we ordered two Chick'n and Fries Munch Boxes and a chocolate shake. I was surprised at how long our order took but FINALLY we retrieved out food from the counter and dug in. The Chick'n was disappointingly dry!!! I was hoping the fries would be similar to Belgian frites, but no, these were kinda basic thick cut french fries, no more, no less. The shake was good, though.