Parnell has plenty on offer, from a thriving hospitality scene to immersive arts and cultural experiences! Many of Parnell’s iconic destinations have been ranked by Urban List in their ‘Best Of’ series—have a look at who’s been rated.
Introducing deep-fried momo, a Nepalese dumpling you’ll want to down by the plateful. Get your mitts on these, and a succulent array of other Nepalese-Indian fusion morsels like Aloo Chop and veg Manchuria at Everest Dine, a Parnell restaurant that dishes up a modern twist on traditional cuisine and vegan platters. Thirsty? Sip an Everestini.
Play real-life Little Einsteins with a trip to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Checking out the resident mummy is a must, as is a thorough exploration of the Weird & Wonderful gallery.
Nothing beats a walk through the Wintergardens (where else can you see carnivorous plants and giant water lilies?) followed by a picnic in the Domain either lakeside or in the rotunda, with geese, ducks, and other feathered friends for company.
You’ll find some of the best contemporary art Auckland has to offer at Parnell Gallery, which has been operating since 1976. It is perfectly placed to exhibit both art and Auckland’s fabulous scenery.
Overlooking the city, with Rangitoto in the distance and art on every wall, you can’t help but feel inspired. The gallery holds monthly shows in their dedicated exhibition space centring on paintings, sculptures and prints from predominantly NZ artists. Dick Frizzell, Otis Frizzell, Shane Hansen and Gretchen Albrecht are just a few of the big names that have been displayed here. After rewarding your eyes, reward your stomach with something from one of the area’s many incredible restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Insider Intel:
- Free entry
What began as a pop-up chocolate shop in 1996 is now part of the Parnell Road fabric—Chocolate Boutique Café is a Tāmaki Makaurau institution, offering handmade chocolates and a dedicated hot chocolate service. From a selection of melted chocolate in steamed milk (a.k.a. Submarino Range options with white, milk, dark, bittersweet, butterscotch and peppermint chocolate), to a chocolate pot for two (literally a jug of melted chocolate with a side of liquid cream) or a chocolate shot for one. They also have thick hot chocolates (a.k.a. Denso Range) in Italian, Chilli or Mexican-style hot chocolates—they’re dense with an old school whipped cream topping, as well as a chocolate fish on the side for good measure.
Tip: Get the smaller size so you can indulge in freshly-baked waffles to share. Expect to be rolling out of this post-hot-choc.
Insider Intel:
- They also have soy or oat milks available, as well as extra cream.
- You can add flavourings to your Denso hot chocolate like Irish Creme, strawberry, hazelnut and even more chocolate.
What’s a bakery without patisserie? We’re talking elegant French pastries, both savoury and sweet. The cabinets at VANIYÉ have all your laminated pastry, hand-rolled baguette and beautiful French and Asian-inspired petit cakes. Chef-owner Sonia incorporates delicate Asian flavours into her patisserie, like a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth matcha sable, to mouthwatering combinations such as their gluten-free sesame sponge with coconut mousse and mango coulis, alongside French patisserie classics like the thousand layer millefeuille with Tahitian vanilla pastry cream. Don’t forget to get yourself a cinnamon custard roll with your coffee, too.
Parnell’s The Paddington has a medieval-meets-industrial vibe with wooden pillars, tiled walls, numerous light fixtures and a warm ambience. Broadcasting everything from rugby and soccer to UFC, their bartenders get up seriously early to accommodate all sorts of sport-crazed fanatics. The menu mainly focuses on the classics like fish and chips, bangers and mash, buttermilk chicken and burgers. The drinks list is heavy on the spirits, featuring 20 Scottish whiskeys and more than 10 American whiskeys, a wide range of other spirits plus plenty of tap beer.
Insider Intel:
- Big on the English Premier League, The Paddington is known as a Chelsea supporter hang-out, so if you’re a fan of the blue lions this is the place for you.
Head into the golden sandy oasis that is 269 Parnell, and make a beeline for Roe. Having just opened last month from the team at Rhu, you’ll know they have a knack for doing classics right—elevated and dialled in with attention to all the textures and layers, and in this case, to make the ultimate fish sando of sando dreams.
From a shatteringly crisp tempura batter encasing freshly filleted fish, refreshing crunch of finely chopped lettuce and creamy, tangy, house tartare sauce between freshly-baked milk bread—it’s everything you’d ever want in a fish sando. Don’t leave without a soft pretzel in soft serve with fish caramel too.
