Gerome is the latest newcomer to Parnell’s dining scene, occupying the space where the famous Iguacu used to be. This new restaurant is serving up beautiful modern Greek food, matched with an elegant dining experience and friendly and attentive service. Three of us dined here last week for a special birthday, and we were very impressed.
I am in love with most of the Hip Group eateries, including Milse, The Store, Ortolana and Amano, so it is no surprise that I am now loving Rosie, a busy cafe and restaurant located near the Parnell Rose Gardens. Rosie has been around for quite a while now (almost three years!), so I am a bit late to the party. Having just moved nearby, I thought it high time I check out this popular eatery. So far, I have really enjoyed their coffee, their specialty Valrhona house hot chocolate and more recently, their brunch fare. Their food menu is European based, with all their produce either locally sourced or grown on the owners’ farm in Kumeu. Most of the dishes are not your usual brunch fare, so it is the perfect time to step outside the box and try something different. You will find dishes such as roast peach panacotta, smoked fish omelette, homemade crumpets, lamb and kumara sausage with poached egg, stuffed eggplant and chargrilled scampi. We particularly enjoyed the following: – Sprouted bread with smashed egg, courgette and …
When I think of food heaven, I think of doughnuts oozing with jam and cream, decadent slices filled with a thick layer of caramel, dense and fudgy chocolate brownies, freshly baked cookies, cakes piped with meringue, white chocolate truffles, fresh salads, Ciabatta sandwiches with salmon and avocado, breakfast baps, and last but not least, beautifully presented plates of brunch fare, my favourites being French toast, pancakes and eggs done various ways. And now, thanks to owners Fran Mazza (an amazing pastry chef) and Aaron Carson (former owners of Hello Friends + Allies), a beautiful new cafe has opened up in Parnell, namely Winona Forever, which will transport you to ultimate foodie heaven and I guarantee you will never want to leave. We visited on the weekend, and the cafe was bustling with people. We headed to the main counter to be seated and at this point, I had gone into foodie shock. My eyes lit up, my mouth dropped open and out came the camera, because each slice, doughnut, cake, roll, brioche, scone, cookie and …
If you are looking for something fun to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning and which involves lots of delicious food, then I highly recommend checking out La Cigale French Market in Parnell. It is undoubtedly the best market in Auckland. Here’s a taste of what you may come across at La Cigale: – Delicious coffee, macarons and croissants just out of the oven – Rotisserie chickens, gooey croque monsieurs, breakfast buns and other savoury delights – Delectable tarts (my favourite being the Frangipani tart with rhubarb and pistachio) and eclairs from Amadine – Freshly made juices, plus smoothies from The Organic Mechanic – Muesli and chia seed bowls from The Vital Bowl – Various international foods like paella, crepes and gozleme – Freshly baked bread, smoked fish, fruit and vegetables – Tasty dips, Turkish bread, wraps and fresh dates – And you probably wouldn’t believe it but there is a stand near the entrance selling every dog treat you can imagine! The market can get quite crowded, so I recommend coming here as early as possible – my favourite time being …
georgieats 