Dominion Road, Auckland

Dominion Road runs almost dead straight south from central Auckland for about six kilometres, and for much of that length it is where the city eats. The densest stretch sits between Valley Road and the Balmoral shops: hand-pulled noodles, Sichuan and Shanghainese kitchens, Malaysian and Hong Kong style cafes, Vietnamese, Korean and hotpot, most of them small, brightly lit and full. Prices are low by Auckland standards and the portions are not delicate. A few blocks west, Sandringham Road carries the South Asian equivalent, with sweet shops and dosa counters. Buses run the length of Dominion Road frequently, which is the sensible way to do it, since parking is the hard part.

History

The road began in the late 1840s as a path made by the Cornish settler John Walters to link his farm to Eden Terrace, and for much of its early life it was called Mt Roskill Road. It was renamed in 1907 to mark New Zealand becoming a Dominion, and was extended south in the 1920s (Wikipedia, Dominion Road).

The main sights

• The Balmoral intersection - the densest concentration of restaurants along the road.
• Hand-pulled noodles and dumplings - the northern Chinese kitchens the street is known for.
• Southeast Asian counters - Malaysian, Vietnamese and Hong Kong style places along the strip.
• Sandringham Road - the parallel South Asian street a few blocks west.

When to go

Evenings from about six are when the street is at full strength, with queues at the busiest places by seven on Friday and Saturday. Weekday lunches are calmer and cheaper. Many kitchens run later than most of Auckland. Lunar New Year in late January or February brings street events and considerable crowds along the strip.

What to expect

This is a busy arterial road with traffic, not a pedestrian food street, and it looks unremarkable in daylight. Parking is restricted at peak hours and hard the rest of the time. Places open and close constantly, so specific recommendations age within months. Interiors are plain, service is fast rather than warm, and the best kitchens are often the least promising-looking.

Nearby

Mount Eden's volcanic cone and village shops are a short detour east; the city centre is fifteen minutes by bus.

Key facts