“If you’re around over the break we should catch up for lunch.”
It’s a refrain that echoes across end of year drinks, soon to be followed by, “If we can find anywhere that’s actually open!”
Those of us who stick around Tāmaki Makaurau for summer know that dining options can be slim, with many of the city’s restaurants and cafes closing and others adjusting their opening hours. We’re not complaining - hospo workers deserve a holiday too.
But to save you from the disappointment of rocking up to your go-to eatery only to find that the coffee machine has been powered off for the year, we rang around a few of our favourite spots and asked them what their summer hours are. Head to your tried and true, or venture out and discover somewhere new.
Our favourites that are staying open:
Amano 68 Tyler Street, Britomart
Closed December 25. Open all other days
Bambina 268 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby
Closed December 25, 26, 31 - January 1
Open December 27 - 30
Bandung 119 Parnell Road, Parnell
Closed December 25 -26, January 1 - 2
Open all other days
Best Ugly Bagels City Works Depot, Corner Wellesley and Nelson Streets and Commercial Bay, Lower Albert Street
Closed December 25
Open all other days
3A York Street, Newmarket
Open December 26
Closed December 25, 27 - reopens January 6
Blue Rose 414 Sandringham Road, Sandringham
Closed December 25, January 1 and 2. Open between and after as normal
The Candy Shop 2/8 Osborne Street, Newmarket
Closed December 25, evening of December 30 and January 1, 2
Cazador Deli 864 Dominion Road, Balmoral
Closed December 25-27 and January 1-3
Coffee Pen 6 Basque Road, Eden Terrace
Open (9 am-12 pm) December 26 - January 6 and (8 am- 1 pm) January 7-12
1210 Great North Road, Pt Chevalier, 108 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby, 13 Galway Street Britomart, 43 Eversleigh Road, Belmont, 8/10 Morrow Street Newmarket
Closed December 25-26 and January 1-2
33 Federal Street, CBD
Closed December 22 - January 8
Dear Jervois 234 Jervois Road, Herne Bay
Closed December 25-26 December, January 1
Grays 771 Dominion Road, Mount Eden
Open regular hours (closed Mondays)
Kind 16 McDonald Street, Morningside
Closed December 25-26 and January 1
Little Bird Kitchen 1 Summer Street, Ponsonby
Closed December 25, 26 and 31. Open all other days 8am - 4pm
Odettes 90 Wellesley Street, CBD
Closed December 25
Ozone Coffee Roasters 1/18 Westmoreland Street West, Grey Lynn
Closed December 25 - 27
Open December 28 - January 14
Postal Service 537 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Closed December 25 - 26
Rosie 82 Gladstone Road, Parnell
Closed December 25 - 26
Williams Eatery g03/86 Daldy Street, Wynyard Quarter
Closed December 25 - 26 and January 1 - 2
Open all other days 8am - 2:30pm
Back soon:
Benedicts 1/30 St Benedicts Street, Eden Terrace
Last day December 22 - reopens January 10
Bestie St Kevins Arcade, 179-183 Karangahape Road
Last day December 23 reopens January 8
Burnt Butter 62 Rosebank Road, Avondale
Last day December 23 - reopens January 10
Crave 6 Morningside Drive, Morningside
Last day December 24 - reopens January 4
Daily Daily 452 Karangahape Road
Last day December 23 - reopens January 8
Duo Eatery 138 Hinemoa Street, Birkenhead
Last brunch December 23 - reopens January 5
Last dinner December 17 - reopens January 10
Florets 596 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
Last day December 23 - reopens January 17
Fort Greene 327 Karangahape Road, Karangahape Rd Precinct
Last day December 24 - reopens January 26
Hare and the Turtle 1/63 Windsor Road, New Windsor
Last day December 22 - reopens January 10
Hill House Cafe Nathan Homestead 70 Hill Road, Manurewa
Last day December 23 - reopens January 9
Homeland 11 Westhaven Drive, Wynyard Quarter
Last day December 24 - reopens January 5
Honey Bones 480 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn
Last day December 22 - reopens January 12
Honey Sundays 203 Jervois Road, Herne Bay
Last day December 24 - reopens January 15
Humbug Cafe 32 Rua Road, Glen Eden
Last day December 23 - reopens January 4
Mibo G05/155 Beaumont Street, Wynyard Quarter and G11/30 Enfield Street, Mt Eden
Last day December 22 - reopens January 12
Neil 2/29 Neil Avenue, Te Atatū Peninsula
Last day December 22 - reopens January 10