The Auckland Village Locals Don't Want You to Know About

If you live in Ellerslie, you already know something most Aucklanders don't.

While the rest of the city rushes past on the motorway, you've got one of Auckland's best-kept secrets right on your doorstep - a proper village with real character, incredible food, and businesses that have been part of the community for decades.

This is for the locals who love it here, and for everyone else who's been missing out. Consider this your insider's guide to everything that makes Ellerslie Village worth the trip.

A Village Worth Discovering

There's something very, very special about Ellerslie. In fact, if you want a great family adventure then you should plan your next family day out to discover exactly what Ellerslie Village has to offer.

From the Auckland CBD it's just a 13 minute drive by car, or an 18 minute train journey from Britomart to the Ellerslie railway station. And it's just a leisurely walk from the station to the heart of Ellerslie, while there's plenty of free parking available if you travel by car. You can park streetside or we recommend the two-hour free parking in the carpark next to O'Dowd's Irish Bar & Eatery on Roberts Street.

A number of the businesses in the village are family run and over the years have built up a very loyal customer base from within the local area and from the greater Auckland area. Typical of these businesses is Aladdin Rugs, owned by Majid Bayat and Danielle Wharton. Majid's father Mohammed had a passion for fine rugs which he had inherited from his father. He founded the business to sell hand-knotted Persian rugs but Majid and Danielle have expanded to include a wide range of designer rugs and modern floor coverings. Mohammed's portrait is proudly hung on the wall behind the reception area.

"Each rug carries not just beauty, but history," says Majid. "We aim to share decades of knowledge with a modern approach. It's about sharing a piece of our heritage with our customers."

The local jewellery shop, Ellerslie Jewellers, has been run by John and Penny Rennell since 2000, providing a wide range of bespoke luxury jewellery, watches, and trophies. John, himself a noted jeweller who has worked 50 years in the industry, has also served as Chairman of the Ellerslie Business Association. He is also now working with his daughter Annick, herself a talented designer and jeweller. Their business is noted for having provided the trophies for the Auckland Racing Club and the prestigious Halberg Awards.

And there's so much more to explore beyond the food. Wanting to be pampered? There are hairdressers and barbershops, skin and body clinics, Thai massage, and fashion outlet stores such as Verge and Loobie's Story to achieve a stylish new look. For those who love finding a bargain there's a really good choice of shops such as the Dove Hospice Shop and Shop for Mercy - which not only give you the chance to pick up amazing bargains but your purchase also goes towards helping a number of great causes.

If it's an early start then first up has to be a visit to one of the local cafes, and there are so many to choose from. There are the well-known cafes such as Columbus and Melba, there's Dear Deer where they roast their own coffee beans in a state-of-the-art coffee roaster, and other great little local cafes such as Little Elephants and Little Luscious, all offering a leisurely brunch or a tasty lunch. Or if you're in a hurry and want to eat on the run the Richoux Patisserie serves up an amazing range of pies, including their award-winning vegan pie. The last time we visited Richoux the line of hungry pie-lovers was out the door at lunchtime - understandable given such mouth-watering options as a classic mince and cheese, or more exotic pies such as chicken, cranberry and camembert.

A Little Bit of History

It's hard to imagine that in the mid-1800s all this was just farmland. An enterprising Scottish gentleman Robert Graham purchased two big blocks of land which bordered Great South Road and Penrose Road. His wish was that the 270 hectare property be called Elderslie after his family home in Scotland, but due to some mix-up it instead became known as Ellerslie. Over the years the farmland was slowly converted into what became known as the Ellerslie Zoological Gardens. A bridle track ran up towards Remuera Road and Robert Graham and his wife regularly rode their horses up to Remuera where Robert's brother lived.

The Gardens eventually became the Ellerslie Racecourse with horse racing starting in 1857 and continuing to this day. A highlight for the racing fraternity in 1953 was the attendance of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

One of the greatest drawcards for Ellerslie is the huge choice of eateries offering an incredibly diverse range of cuisines. Of course there are the popular names such as Hell Pizza and Burger Fuel but sit down restaurants are in abundance. There's the casual atmosphere of venues such as O'Dowd's Irish Pub and the Union Post where you can watch the latest All Blacks game, or there's the small but mighty Charlie Baxter's - a very cosy and intimate bar decorated with a ton of vintage memorabilia including a stag head and with a cosy outdoor area at the rear.

For a family night out there's a fantastic choice of ethnic eateries covering everything from Mexican and Japanese to Chinese, Indian and Thai. And if you are unable to head out to Ellerslie for dinner then don't forget that you can always order home delivery - some local eateries such as Saneh's Thai Restaurant do their own delivery, or there is always Uber Eats.

Here's our guide to some of the must try's in Ellerslie right now.

Bianca

Definitely one of the most stylish restaurants is Bianca, voted in the Top 10 Auckland eateries by the New Zealand Herald's Viva magazine. Hayden Phiskie had made a name for himself at Cotto and Ada before opening Bianca. Hayden certainly has the pedigree as a terrific chef, having worked for a number of leading restaurants overseas, including Michelin-starred restaurants. Bianca's décor is minimalist and very modern with views of the open kitchen where the chefs prepare the very memorable Italian-inspired cuisine. They make all their own pasta, sauces and breads and the emphasis is on fresh seasonal ingredients. Imagine Rotolo (an Italian pasta dish) with spinach, ricotta and pork sausage ragu, or the Cappelletti which is a traditional stuffed pasta which Bianca's chefs team with prawn, mussels, chilli, garlic and lemon. We have raved to friends about the delicious goat's cheese dumplings with beurre blanc and chives, and another favourite, the beef short rib with pickled green tomatoes and pinenuts. Amazing! To finish try the Tiramisu which they make to order. Because it seats just 36 diners you choose from sittings at 5pm, 6.30pm or 8.15pm but make sure you book early.

Unit 4, 2 Robert St, Ellerslie. Email info@biancapasta.co.nz Mon from 4.30pm, Tues-Sat 11am-10pm.

Sanehs Thai Restaurant

This Thai restaurant is definitely one of our firm favourites, and also one of the most popular eateries in Ellerslie for both locals and visitors. It's named after Saneh Phanphinit who started cooking for her family of seven in Thailand when she was just nine years old. She has run Sanehs since 2016 with her partner Chris Berghan, converting a former Pilates studio into a haven of aromatic dishes. Her son has worked in the restaurant and at our last visit her niece Yeewa was helping out in the kitchen. With its big photo mural of the grand palace in Bangkok, and the wonderful aroma of a big range of Thai dishes, Sanehs gives you a very genuine journey into aromatic Thai cuisine.

There's an amazing 88 dishes on the takeaway menu but our favourite - and according to Saneh the most popular dish on the menu - is the Thai green curry with your choice of chicken, lamb, pork, beef or a choice of seafoods. It's delicious teamed with one of their Thai beers! Also memorable is the Pad Kra Tiem which is a deep-fried whole snapper with a garlic, pepper sauce and vegetables. Sanehs also does free delivery within 5kms and the waiting time is just 20 minutes.

83 Main Highway, Ellerslie. Tel 09 579 9447. Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, nightly 5-10pm.

Mr Tanaka's Yakitori Hut

For a great night of food, fun and laughter it's well worth a visit to Mr Tanaka's Yakitori Hut. It's very different to most of Auckland's Japanese restaurants, promoting itself as being all about booze, food and fun. It's definitely a very vibrant and captivating affair with a private karaoke room out the back with a myriad of colourful Chinese umbrellas hanging from the ceiling. A bar separates the karaoke room from the two dining areas at the front of the restaurant so it's perfect if you're a large group or want to hold a function. Mr Tanaka's owners, Hess and Robert Vertogen, describe their fare as izakaya-style dining with yakitori skewers cooked over coals. But there is also sushi and fresh sashimi along with a big range of share plates, plus signature dishes like the Kingfish with charred corn and miso beurre blanc. It's very popular on Wednesdays when dumplings are just $1 each. It's very family-friendly with weekends and public holidays free for children with a separate kids' menu. If you're in a real party mood then you can't go past a shot of sake or one of their killer cocktails. We also give Mr Tanaka's full points for a big range of gluten-free dishes.

120 Main Highway, Ellerslie. Tel 09 216 8914. Mon-Wed 11.30am-10pm, Thurs-Sat 11.30am-late, Sun 11.30am-10pm.

Union Post

In the heart of Ellerslie Village this beautifully restored two-storey pub restaurant used to be the village post office. These days it's an excellent casual eating house with typical modern pub fare and a good range of drinks including cocktails. There's a bit of everything at Union Post. Servings are generous, the kitchen team doesn't keep you waiting for very well-prepared fare, and the young staff are efficient and friendly. For a venue to catch up with friends it's perfect. They cater for all tastes - Sunday is roast night with all the trimmings, while Monday is two-for-one pizzas. The menu offers a wide range of modern pub fare: fried buttermilk chicken, venison sliders, crispy calamari, pizzas such as the Cheeky Brie, the Texan BBQ and a classic Margherita, and mains including confit pork belly, grass-fed Angus Scotch steak, and panfried gnocchi. We've dropped in here regularly and we've never been disappointed so we suggest you put it on your recommended list just like we have. It's one of the busier eateries in Ellerslie so it's worth booking a table on nowbookit.com.

124 Main Highway, Ellerslie. Tel 09 579 2303. Daily from midday to late.

More Ellerslie Eats Coming Soon

We are adding more in-depth insights into other great Ellerslie food outlets so come back to our website soon to catch up on the latest Ellerslie Eats. We urge you to come and enjoy all that Ellerslie Village offers.