When Sky City's much-trumpeted Sugar Club opened in August, the reviews were not as overwhelmingly favourable as the restaurant's impresario Peter Gordon might have liked.

The menu was a mix of tweaked brunch classics (benedicts, pancakes and omelettes) and an alluring array of less common dishes that we were keen to try, such as eggs cocotte and bubble and squeak.

At last there's somewhere exciting to dine down at North Wharf in the Wynyard Quarter.

No need to travel to the Louisiana bayou to experience New Orleans cuisine.

The brains behind popular inner city pie house Scratch Bakers, have opened a new, environmentally-friendly cafe.

Taste buds are spoilt for choice with top chef’s tasting menu approach.

An old favourite in Ponsonby shows the secret of its staying power — excellence.

Mt Eden’s Molten has shunned the quest for unusual fare and sticks to dependable favourites.

This was my second visit to Pintxos.

Ima’s homespun ambience offers a relaxed, cheerful evening among friends.

"So you're getting in early before it all turns crazy," the waitress said. Her fixed smile was at odds with the slightly panic-stricken look in her eyes.

Expect to squabble over the pork terrine at this cute French cafe.

Nici Wickes stays up late to join the hungry revellers soaking up the atmosphere and food at a Ponsonby Rd diner.

An Asian eatery in Ponsonby serves up the taste — and pace — of thrilling Bangkok.

Nici Wickes discovers quality and service at The French Cafe are still top notch

Under-estimating the dining treasure in Auckland’s suburbs can be a huge gaffe, as we discovered.

I hadn't been to Gina's since the 1990s, when the restaurant was a few doors further up from where it is now on Symonds St.

I can't stand the use of the term "the 1800s". Almost invariably, people who use it mean the period between 1800 and 1899, which is irritatingly imprecise.