Island Eating - Our Food Spot Picks in Auckland
When you've got a craving for your fave Pacific Island dishes but don't have time to make it or don't know how to make it - don't worry - we've got you!
We did the hard job of driving out to some of Auckland’s most popular Island food stores to try out their dishes and let you know where to get what.
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Let's get behind our Pasifika owned small businesses & support them by shopping local.
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CENTRAL
Blue Rose in Sandringham
The best palce to get Koko Samoa cake and palusami pies is definitely Blue Rose! You will NOT regret it.
Owned by Lenny Stevens & Robbie Kainuku
Location: 414 Sandringham Road, Sandringham.
Call 09 846-1579
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Sweet & Me Onehunga
Fijian owned and run, Sweet & Me specialises in cakes, sweets & island style desserts like Fijian Pineapple Pie, Koko Samoa eclairs, Cassava Cake, Lolo Buns/Pagi Popo and more ...
Location 235 Church Street, Onehunga
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Metita Sky City
Samoan cuisine - but fine dining! Samoan chef Michael Meredith has reimagined Samoan Cuisine for your fine dining experience.
Location 90 Federal Street, Auckland
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EAST AUCKLAND
Lisa's Kitchen
A Tongan restaurant in the heart of Glen Innes providing Pigs head, Lu Sipi, Kina, Tukumisi, Cawaki. Head down for your Tongan Feed Fix
Location: 201D Apirana Ave, Glen Innes
SOUTH AUCKLAND
The Alexander Cafe
Run by Otara locals Lama Saga, Tuava'a Lefono & Rick Quinlan they recently opened late last year and offer beautiful healthy cuisine for the community.
No 'Island Food' on the menu but they do have a mean 'Pisupo toastie' and if you're looking for a healthy alternative with yummy sweet treats in the heart of South Auckland, look no further.
They also run the Prepped Meals Auckland for all you healthy, body builder guys/girls over on this page here
Location: 4/100 Alexander Crescent, Otara
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Island BBQ
You know us islanders all love a good BBQ and these guys do a mean BBQ - ribs, chicken, steak, lamb and more. We tried a ribs and chicken BBQ plate and the ribs were cooked perfectly - literally falling off the bone!
Their BBQ plates are all cooked to order so there is a little bit of a wait but the BBQ is well worth the wait!
Location: 269 East Tamaki Road, Otara, NZ
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Pinati's
Of course we had to get keke pua'a and german buns. 10/10 deliciousness as usual. THANK YOU Pinati's.
Location: Queen St Otahuhu which is a block back from the main strip of Otahuhu Shops.
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Phone: (09) 276-7075
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Tanz Ktchn
Three words - Cook Islands doughnuts! They have a great selection of Cook Islands favourites - hot doughnuts, banana poke, maniota uki, mayonaise (Kuki potato salad) cooked taro as well as chop suey & rice or steak on rice with mushroom sauce.
Location: 3 shops down in the block of shops on Piako Street in Otara
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Faledekeke
A family run business made up of a team of sisters and their Mama. They have a strong passion for baking sweet treats and cakes.
Tue - Fri: 8am - 5.30pm
Sat: 8am - 3pm
Location: 9/108 Great South Road, Takanini
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275 Kai
Recommended to us by a few people who had enjoyed their delicious burgers - we went to check it out and found they also do island dishes as well from Thursdays to Sundays.
Located in the Vine Street block of shops in Mangere they open from 2pm.
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Sanbell's Kitchen Otara
We were told the Samoan Sapasui (Chop Suey) is really good here & after trying it for ourselves we can confirm the goodness. They also sell a selection of Samoan dishes.
Location: Otara shopping Centre, facing Bairds Road.
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Tasu's TakeOut
We were recommended these guys by one of our Cook Islands Twitter followers.
Location: 3 Mason Ave, Otahuhu
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Lee Heng (Parker's Polynesian Food) in Mangere
We ordered a tray filled with sapasui, bean stir fry, potatoe curry, fa'alifu taro (boiled taro in coconut cream) and for something sweet we had a pot of suafa'i. Everything was DELICIOUS 10/10 for every dish.
Location: The block of shops on the corner of Imrie & Fresian Drive in Mangere - 47 Imrie Ave.
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Address: 47 Imrie Ave, Mangere
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Evelina's Polynesian Food in Clendon & Otara
Evalina's had a wide range of delicious island food to chose from. They had everything from chop suey and baked taro, to whole cooked fish and fa'alifu fa'i (banana with coconut cream).
We orderded a baked taro, palusami, fai'ai ēleni, and a pineapple pie. The pie was definitely the group favourite - perfect flavour and the ratio of crust to custard was on point.
As well as cooked food they also offered Samoan music CD's, DVDs, lavalavas and jandals. Oka is sold only on Sundays.
Clendon location - The back strip of shops behind 'The Warehouse' in Clendon Park shopping Centre.
Otara location - 1st or 2nd shop on the strip of shops facing East Tamaki Road at the Otara Shopping Centre
Open - Wednesday to Sunday 8am to 6pm
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Ulutoa and Sons in Otahuhu + Avondale
All things sweet!! Ulutoa and Sons provided us with some tasty treats in the form of panikeke's, fa'ausi (sweet taro in caremalised sugar), coconut masi (coconut biscuits) and a pineapple pai fala (half moon pie) . The winner was definitely the fa'ausi - great texture and flavour.
They also sold the same hot island food that Parkers Polynesian & Evalinas sold and had a mini store inside that sold tins of ēleni, Bongo chips, vermecilli, pisupo, coconut cream, soy sauce etc ...
Otahuhu location: On Mangere Road just past the Favona lights and opposite Otahuhu High school.
Avondale location: About 3 shops down from Cain Tattoos on Great North Road.
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** From the last time we checked out the island eating places in South Auckland we were recommended 3x Tongan owned & managed restaurants in Otahuhu.
Try them out here if you're in the area **
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Eight Roses Cafe & Buffet
Location: Unit 13/ 225 Great South Road - In the block of shops, to the left just after the roundabout by the Otahuhu Police Station.
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Polynesian Taste
Location: 285 Great South Road
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WEST AUCKLAND
Latte tei Cafe
Owned and run by Lisa Tanielu Ah Fook who is Niuean.
The cafe came about during Lockdown Level 3 in May 2020. She saw an opportunity in her local area of Glen Eden to open a coffee shop and decided it was time to stop working for someone else and use her own experience to benefit her community and family.
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Address: Unit 2/271 West Coast Road, Glen Eden
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