Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Auckland restaurant for dinner ~~ not tooooo far from airport?

We have booked our return flight from Queenstown back to Auckland with a 4-5 hour window between the two. It would be nice to take a taxi and have an early dinner before catching the AKL-LAX flight (7:40 pm). Arrive in Auckland @ 3:15, hopefully won't have to re-check bags for LAX flight. I would guess we would need to return to the airport by 6:15-6:30. So we have almost 3 hours to work with.

Would appreciate restaurant recommendations :)

Hmm, this is a tricky one... :)

Will this be a weekday or during the weekend? If a weekday, I'm not sure it's worth going into town. Traffic can be a problem.

Restaurants may not be open at around 4pm, so you're looking at cafes so the food range may be limited. Even with cafes, you're looking at the 'leftovers' for the day...

AKL International terminal has a decent food court (wide variety, but also wide quality). Real locals, (calling Kiwi Flyer), may have some suggestions on nearby areas, I'm not aware of anything near there, I just drive by each time without stopping.

It IS a weekday (Wed) :( Hopefully someone has a suggestion. I don't want to kill that many hours wandering around the airport ;) If a nice restaurant isn't available, then maybe a casual restaurant???

We have booked our return flight from Queenstown back to Auckland with a 4-5 hour window between the two. It would be nice to take a taxi and have an early dinner before catching the AKL-LAX flight (7:40 pm). Arrive in Auckland @ 3:15, hopefully won't have to re-check bags for LAX flight. I would guess we would need to return to the airport by 6:15-6:30. So we have almost 3 hours to work with.


First off I presume you will check in at Queenstown - get boarding pass and check the bags through to LAX (or onward destination if have another flight). If so then 6:40 will be the latest you want to be back at the airport by (can take a while to clear immigration at that hour). If not (eg different airlines ZQN-AKL and AKL-LAX) then when land in AKL walk or take the inter-terminal bus to international terminal and check in first, then see about dinner. That way you know how much time you have, and also wont be heading back to the airport in the middle of rush hour.

Hmm, this is a tricky one... :)

Will this be a weekday or during the weekend? If a weekday, I'm not sure it's worth going into town. Traffic can be a problem.

Restaurants may not be open at around 4pm, so you're looking at cafes so the food range may be limited. Even with cafes, you're looking at the 'leftovers' for the day...

AKL International terminal has a decent food court (wide variety, but also wide quality). Real locals, (calling Kiwi Flyer), may have some suggestions on nearby areas, I'm not aware of anything near there, I just drive by each time without stopping.

Weekday or weekend, I think not really enough time for a relaxing dinner in the central city. There's nothing near the airport, but there should be some in Manukau or Onehunga (pick one of these as they're not in the same direction), about 15 minutes drive away (allow 30 minutes at rush hour). Failing that, there's a cafe airside which is new (havent tried it) and also a food-court landside - both these in the international terminal.

Lastly, if you have access to either Qantas or Air NZ lounge (through status or flying business class), they do have snacks and nibbles, and lots to drink, but not really a replacement for a meal - more something to hold off the pangs until dinner on board the flight.

Added - I agree with leumas. At 4pm its tough finding any restaurants or even decent cafe food.

If I'm lucky, I won't have to re-check in @ AKL. I ended up with a Qantas flight from Queenstown to AKL and am also Qantas for AKL-LAX. They should hopefully give me boarding passes and check the luggage through.

Do not have lounge access at the airport.

Will look into Manukau or Onehunga.

Thanks :)

As has been posted; 'tis tough to find a place that will feed you at that time of the afternoon.

I believe the best you could do at Onehunga/Manukau at around 4:30pm would be a cafe style meal; no different from what you can get for the Airport.

The food hall (http://www.auckland-airport.co.nz/Shopping/cafes.php?shop_id=4) or the cafe is your best bet; I've had a nice curry or two in the food hall, it is not too expensive.

You could also try the 'pub' (http://www.auckland-airport.co.nz/Shopping/cafes.php?shop_id=8) upstairs; it looks alright but I've never used it. Airside, there's a cafe on the new departures level; but again I have not tried it.

Mangere Bridge township/village is closer and there are a few good cafes, especially an asian one where you will be able to get a reasonable meal.

Onehunga has the same but is further away, and Manukau has only the Mall food court or the pubs.

(I just returned from AKL on Sat. and was all through that area visiting family.)