Where to Get Cheap Food in Auckland
We know the best way to save money on food while backpacking in New Zealand is to cook in your hostel. But sometimes, either you just can’t be bothered or the smells of food around the city is too inviting, especially in Auckland. New Zealand’s largest city has one of the best selections of cafes, restaurants, takeaways and street food the country has to offer. What’s more, there are some great cheap eats in Auckland!
Whether you’re looking for a quick yummy snack from your favourite backpacker bar or want some oriental culinary delights, Auckland will have something to serve! You can pick up some cheap food in all different styles from all over the world in Auckland – not just your standard Kiwi fish and chips. So pick up a burger, stuff your face with dumplings, or slurp down a lunchtime curry in City of Sails!
For some inspiration for your own cooking, take a look at our Travel Recipes and Food sections.
5 Foodie Experiences in Auckland
Before we get onto the cheap stuff, check out all these ways you can have a culinary experience in Auckland:
- Taste some delicious treats at the La Cigale French Market, 69 St Georges Bay Road, every Saturday 8am-1.30pm and Sunday 9am-1.30pm
- Take a wine-tasting tour of Waiheke Island, whether you do it yourself by bike or let a tour company do the driving
- Take a tour of Auckland’s culinary highlights with The Big Foody tour
- Have a craft beer experience at Brothers Beer, 90 Wellesley Street West, and take a tour of the brewery at Hallertau Brewery, 1171 Coatesville-Riverhead Highway
- Taste all sorts of international flavours at one of the five Auckland Night Markets. (Botany Town Centre under Hoyts, Wednesday, 5pm-11pm; Henderson under Kmart, Thursday, 5.30pm-11pm; Papatoetoe under KMart, Friday, 5.30pm-12am; Pakuranga under The Warehouse, Saturday, 5.30pm-12am; and Glenfield Mall under Countdown, Sunday. 5.30-11pm).
For more details on these experiences and more, check out the 8 Things to Do in Auckland for Foodies.
Cheap Eats in Auckland – $10 and Under
Backpacker Deals in Auckland
When you’re looking for the ultimate dirt-cheap food in Auckland, look no further than the backpacker bars. Hello Sunshine, Level 6 ACB Base, Elliott Street, offers $10 Sunshine Platter, $5 nachos, $4 wedges, $4 toasted sandwiches, $4 onion rings, $10 BBQ and drink… Need we talk about all their nightly deals too?! Head next door to Habana Joes, Elliott Street, for more bar snacks such as $10 1/2 kilo chicken wings, $8.50 pizza, $10 chilli nachos and more! On Fort Street, go to The Camel Bar for quick hangover cures like $8 poutine, $8 samosas and spring rolls, and more.
Cheap Street Snacks in Auckland
No.1 Pancake, Corner Lorne Street and Wellesley Street, serves some mean Korean-style pancakes, both sweet and savoury for around $4.50 each. For some traditional French crepes, try Le Garde Manger, 466 Queen Street, for the $9.50 egg and cheese crepe. Get a “cheap as” PBJ bagel from Best Ugly Bagel, 90 Wellesley Street West, for just $6. Have a pork belly gua bao at Chinoiserie, 4 Owairaka Avenue, for $8.
The Cheapest Hearty Meals in Auckland
Check out Coreano, 130 Ponsonby Rd, for their $10 kimchi fries topped with pulled pork, cheese, sour cream, onion, etc. etc. Try out the Vegetarian combo plate at Mukunda’s, 268 Karangahape Road, with a generous serving of dhal soup, veggie curry, pakora and rice with chutney and halava dessert for $8.50. Often said to be the best burger in town, check out Better Burger, 31 Galway Street for burgers starting at $5.50. When it comes to keeping meals cheap, vegetarian is the way to go and Shubh, 520 Sandringham Road, is a great example with $5 vege curry and rice!
Fast Food in Auckland
We’ll keep it short: you know about the $5 pizzas from Domino’s and Pizza Hut, right? Every fast food restaurant you can think of, you can probably find it in Auckland.
An when you are feeling full, start doing some of the 14 Free or Cheap Things to Do in Auckland.
Cheap Eats in Auckland – $11-$20
Where to Get a Cheap Lunch in Auckland
You can always rely on an Indian restaurant for a good lunchtime deal. Check out Sri Pinang, 356 Karangahape Road, for the $11 chicken curry laksa. Alternatively, treat yourself to butter chicken at Paradise Indian Food, 591 Sandringham Road, all day for $15.
There is also a great offering from the $12 lunch menu at Shakespeare Hotel and Brewery, 61 Albert Street, with meals such as fish and chips.
Grab a po’boy sandwich from Miss Clawdy, 12 Jellicoe Street, for around $12. Fort Street Union, Fort Street, is extremely affordable with everything on their lunch menu for $14 – salads, fish and chips, wraps, steak sandwiches … and most come with a side of something.
Where to Pick Up a Cheap Asian Meal in Auckland
Pick up a rice donburi at Renkon, found in several locations around the city – 10 Durham St. East, 211 Parnell Road, 47 Ponsonby Road, 65 Pitt Street, 18 Anzac Street – for around $12. Have some of the Big Fish Eatery‘s, 710 Great South Road, range of sushi with six pieces being $11. Pick up a ramen bowl from Ramen Takara, 4 Anzac Road, for around $15. You can pick up a decent Kiwi meal of pie, drink and cake from The Baker’s Cottage, 2 New Bond Street, for around $15. A bowl of kimchi stew from Biwon Korean Barbecue, 29 Link Drive, will only set you back $15.
Stuff yourself with a 25-pack of pork, chive and prawn dumplings for $14 at Love Dumplings, 155 Symonds Street.
To find out about more things to do in Auckland’s inner suburbs, check out our Auckland Suburbs Guide.
Cheap Eats in Auckland – $21-$30
Well, we could talk all day about the $21-$30 food offerings around Auckland. You are spoiled for choice. But, if you’re really uninspired, start with these: Have a browse around Elliott Stables on Elliot Street. Filling meals in the $21-$30 can be found in the collective of restaurants serving Italian, seafood, cajun chicken, Caribbean, Spanish, Mediterranean, charcoal grill, cafe food, sushi, crepes and burgers!
O’Hagen’s Irish Pub, 103 Customs Street West, often run specials like a gourmet pie and pint for $22. For hearty meats, check out Longroom‘s, 114 Ponsonby Road, individual plates menu for $21-$30 offerings. For a real Italian pizza, check out That’s Amore, 2m/1 Courthouse Lane, for regular pizzas around $21.
More About Cheap Eats in Auckland
You’re going to do more in Auckland than just eat, right? Check out this other handy stuff!
Author
Laura S.
This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in New Zealand over 10 years ago and with a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to travel New Zealand. She knows Aotearoa inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience New Zealand’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides and is the co-host of NZ Pocket Guide’s live New Zealand travel Q&As on YouTube.