4 Best Restaurants in Ponsonby, Auckland

One of the area's most popular breakfast and lunch places, Dizengoff serves hearty Jewish (but not kosher) food to an eclectic clientele. The coffee is among the best around, and there is an ever-changing selection of New Zealand art. This place is always busy; avoid weekends unless you get here early for breakfast (no later than 8). The lemon poppy-seed muffins and coffee make an excellent take-out option along with the bagel filled with chicken and red cabbage.

It's no mean feat being the longest-running restaurant in Ponsonby (it opened in 1986), where the locals and their guests are both fussy and loyal. The excellent, broad Italian menu includes wood-fired pizzas and good pasta, and the fish of the day, served in many ways, is worth trying. Prego is extremely noisy, so don't go there for an intimate chat, though you may find the courtyard quieter. It is always full; a wait is likely, but the expert staff will usher you to the bar. The wine list is comprehensive.

The à la carte and tasting menus at Sidart bring modern cooking to a whole new level. The chef, who has roots in Fiji, takes the finest local, seasonal ingredients and combines them in contemporary ways that will delight and astound the most jaded palate. Sweet and savory flavors are combined on beautiful plates with foam, or the finest jus.

One of the best places on Ponsonby Road for people-watching is the outdoor tables at this former motorcycle shop with a minimalist concrete interior. The excellent food is largely Italian, and it's known for its thin-crust pizzas. With the eclectic clientele, the people-watching is just as good inside. The bar cranks up as the sun goes down. On weekend mornings, aspiring celebrities and the "love your work" set can be seen having a late breakfast in public.