Where to Eat in Auckland Part 2

A few months ago I wrote about international fast food chains present in Auckland. I was supposed to follow it up with another post on local fast food chains, but other things kept me pre-occupied. So here finally is my second list of where to eat in Auckland. In no particular order:

  a. Burger Fuel
  b. Burger Wisconsin
  c. Mexicali
  d. Sal's
  e. Fritz's Wieners
  f.  St. Pierre's Sushi
  g. Tank
  h. Others: Hansan, Elliot Stables, Tony's

New Zealand has its own share of home-grown fast food joints. I frequent these when I am bored eating at Mcdonalds or Pizza Hut.

Burger Fuel

First on the list is Burger Fuel. It is a local hamburger fast food chain. Think of it as Brothers Burger back home in Manila. They're supposed to be designer burgers and therefore a bit more expensive than Mcdonalds and Burger King.

Nothing really special. Parang Brother Burger lang.

It is what it is. It tastes like a Brothers Burger burger. One thing different is that Kiwis like to put guacamole (AKA avocado) in almost anything, including burgers. So, go to Burger Fuel if you want to taste avocado in your burger.

They have Burger Fuel all over Auckland. They have one in Metro center on Queen Street, and another one along Customs Street near Britomart. A standard burger combo would set you back about NZ$12.

Burger Wisconsin

Another local burger with avocado. Wala naman lasa.

Interestingly, the other local burger chain is named after an American State. Burger Wisconsin is another hamburger fast food restaurant. It too is like Brothers Burger, but slightly 'more designer'--if there is such a term, and ergo more expensive.

Burger Wisconsin outlets are fewer than Burger Fuel. In fact, there is no Burger Wisconsin in the CBD. I had to take the bus to Ponsonby to sample their burger. The other closest store would be at Onehunga. Although the burgers taste better than Burger Fuel, it is not worth the effort (and the bus fare) to go to a Burger Wisconsin branch. Eat here only if you are in the area.

A standard burger combo will set you back around NZ$16.

Mexicali

There used to be two Tex-Mex fast food joints in the city, but California Burrito closed shop late 2013, leaving Mexicali the last man standing. I love tacos and burritos, and Mexicali does not disappoint. Meals are a bit more expensive than Mcdonalds value meals, but I eat here when I'm bored with burgers. The tacos  and burritos taste fresh. It's like Chihuahua in Greenbelt 3. The mini burrito costs NZ$9.95 while a regular burrito is NZ$12.99. The mini one is enough for me. Plus they have a frequent customer card that actually comes in handy. You earn points every time you buy and after some time you get enough to pay for a taco. And they award you with a free burrito on your birth month. Sweet deal if you ask me.

There are two Mexicalis in the CBD. One is located at the Viaduct center near Quay Street. While the other one is along K Road. Both are about a 10 minute walk from City Campus, but the trip is worth it.

Sal's Pizza

My friend Grace and Sal's Pepperoni and Cheese half-and-half pizza.

Above tacos and burritos, I love pizza. And Sal's makes delicious pizza. It's like Sbarro but better--much, much better. At a time when Shakey's and Pizza Hut scrimp on tomato sauce, Sal's does the opposite--smothering the pizza with lots of juicy and tangy tomato sauce before laying the cheese. And while Sbarro tends to undercook its pizzas, Sal's makes sure their pizzas are just right and crispy. 

A slice of Sal's cheese pizza is NZ$4, while a pepperoni would set you back NZ$5. If you're eating as a group, better order a whole pizza since it will come out cheaper.

Sal's began to spread like mushrooms in 2013. There's a Sal's across the Civic Centre on Queen Street. There's another on Commerce Street. And the one I frequent is near Parnell, just a 5 minute walk from Unilodge or Carlaw Park.

Fritz's Wieners

If you like sausages, then this is where Fritz's Wieners comes in. They serve European sausages in kiosks scattered around the city (there's one along Elliot Street, near the reverse bungee jump; and another along the viaduct centre).

They keep it really simple. There's a mild sausage and there's a spicy sausage. And you can ask them to put fried onions and/or sauerkraut to your sandwich. They retail for NZ$7. I have one when I'm in a hurry.

St. Pierre's Sushi

For some reason, Kiwis love sushi. They have independent mom & pop sushi stores all over the city. But there is a chain named St. Pierre, and I go here if I want to eat sushi. 

I have to say, even if they're only kiosks, they make good sushi--way, way better than the ones sold by their counterparts in Manila like Teriyaki Boy and the like. St. Pierre makes the sushi right in front of you, and I think with the freshest ingredients because the product tastes fresh. The cheapest value pack (4 rolls) will cost you NZ$4.99. My personal favorite is salmon and avocado. Mmmmm, yummy. Just thinking about it makes me want to hop on a plane back to Auckland. For those who don't like their lunch in a seaweed roll, St. Pierre also sells Teriyaki Chicken on rice and Miso soup.

You won't have a problem looking for a St. Pierre shop around the city. Just look for the bright yellow sign.

Tank

Tank is not really fast food, but it is homegrown. It is the Kiwi's version of Jamba Juice or Big Chill. There's nothing else to say, really, except that the drinks are expensive. NZ$5 for a small cup?! Too expensive for juice. But if healthy is your thing, I'm just saying, they have Tank over here.

Other Local Restaurants

Hansan

Again, Hansan is not technically fast food, but I'll write about it since we are talking about where to eat in Auckland. It's like Pho Hoa or Pho 24. If you want to eat pho or vietnamese rice noodle soup, I recommend Hansan. They have big servings, which you can actually split in two if you want to. Tastes authentic, even though the operators are Korean and not Vietnamese. A bowl of piping hot raw beef pho will cost you NZ$12. There are other combinations. My favorite is the beef steak and pho combination because I only finish one steak and take home the other for dinner.

There is a Hansan branch on Kitchener Street just across Albert Park. It's very near City Campus.

Elliot Stables

Not fast food, but another alternative to eat in town is Elliot Stables. It's actually more of a food court than a restaurant. It's an upscale food court serving different types of food. They have artisanal pizza and european sausages to name a few. 

Tony's

New Zealand is famous for its meat. So you have a lot of steak houses around the city, but they are expensive. A standard steak meal will set you back around NZ$35. The cheapest set I found was a lunch special at Tony's Steak & Seafood on Wellesley Street. The special included rump steak, coleslaw and chips for NZ$16. Believe me this is the cheapest. Pretty good, but if I were you, you're better off cooking your own steak. You can buy two pieces of Angus rump steak for less than NZ$10 at Countdown, which could last you two dinners!

There are two Tony's Steak restaurants in the CBD. The lunch special I talked about is at the one located on Wellesley Street. The other Tony's is on Lorne Street.

So there's my list. If you cook at home, all the better. You will save a lot. But from time to time, do eat outside and sample what Auckland restaurants and fast food joints have to offer.

Happy Eating!