If we weren't a chef and restaurateur, Lesley Chandra might well be scoring on a different field. The owner of Ponsonby’s Sidart nearly pursued a career in rugby. As a winger he had to be nimble, clever, calm, persistent, and forward-thinking – and these are all qualities Lesley brings to the day-to-day running of his restaurant. Rugby was the dream for Lesley until…

Lillius is an oasis … It’s situated on one of the city’s busiest intersections, at the top of Khyber Pass, but the moment you slip through the door into the restaurant, the outside world appears to pause. The dining room is the perfect balance of plush and serene with its velvet booths, lush rich colour scheme…

When she turned to making hot cross buns to help see her business through the icy choke of Covid three years ago, self-taught baker Yael Shochat of Ima Cuisine sparked a city-wide frenzy for this seasonal baked good that has grown to fever pitch. 

Bon Kornwit and his partner Yok Rangsiwa opened Kiin in 2018 primarily as a way to give Yok’s father Somkiat Chatthai – a chef with decades of experience – his own kitchen to cook in. Bon’s family hails from Udon Thani and he grew up enjoying Isaan cuisine – this, along with Somkiat’s Central Thailand…

A hospo couple have swapped city lights for suburban days, and more recently, nights. Jordan and Sarah McDonald’s eatery Duo in Birkenhead Point is growing a reputation for consistent fare that ticks boxes for diners seeking both classic cafe fare and something a little, or a lot, more interesting…

We’ve been tracking the process of KOL opening. The latest venture from Sid and Chand Sahrawat, KOL resides in a historic corner villa on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road. It boasts a cocktail-driven experience with cooking over fire at the heart of the affair, and Indian flavours and ingredients adeptly woven throughout…

Chef Jason Kim has introduced an elevated Korean dining experience to Milford – and if his vision comes to fruition, Tokki will be the foundation for a much broader Korean accent on the local scene….

Soon Kiwis won’t need to pack the passport to get a MoVida fix – Auckland’s Savor Group and Frank Camorra have partnered to open an Auckland outpost of his Melbourne institution, with harbourside views to boot…

Roast duck can be enjoyed at a plethora of places across the isthmus, but roast duck prepared in the traditional Beijing style is far rarer – perhaps only two restaurants in Tāmaki Makaurau can lay claim to serving true Beijing…

It’s easy to pass by the frontage of Hesari Bakery and not have a clue as to what’s inside. The signal is the roller door; if that’s open, there’s fresh bread to be had along with a friendly hello from baker and owner Ali Hossaini, who wears safety glasses, a light dusting of flour…

At Lazy Susan HQ we get excited when a new restaurant opens offering a style of food not common here. And when that food is also really darned delicious, we rejoice. Nasi Kandar fits that brief. A business born from the pandemic, it has plugged a gap in the market brilliantly…

The menu at Eden Noodles is extensive, but well-honed and executed with consistent precision. Behind the offering is a talented, hard-working woman, Eden Noodles co-owner Xiao Ping, also known as Tina. Tina was raised in a riverside village by the mountains…