Al Forno
(Italian, Pizzeria, Seafood)Nothing like shaking up the usual slew of cafe offerings or pedestrian pub food along the Takapuna strip with an Italian restaurant - and an amazing one, at that! Al Forno Restaurant is slightly overshadowed by the big-name Italian places all around Auckland, especially - yes - across the harbour bridge. However, Takapuna locals know better than to mourn the lack of a good Italian place in Takapuna thanks to Al Forno and its owners Maria & Emilio.

(The wood fired pizzas and Maria's house made tiramisu helps, too.) The Elephant Wrestler
(Gastro Pub Food, Pub Food)We'd be lying if we said that we weren't sad to see The Copper Room and Goode Brothers close its doors for good, but we do think that the opening of The Elephant Wrestler in place of these two Takapuna locals does help to nurse the pain a fair bit. It's been a while since we've had a good bar or pub open here in beachy Takapuna, so the arrival of The Elephant Wrestler is well received. This Takapuna restaurant makes it it's motto to be your 'larger than life local,' and with the reputation as the only official Heineken bar in New Zealand and with no less than 6 wide screen TVs planned to screen every single Rugby World Cup 2011 game, I'd say that The Elephant Wrestler is well on its way to living and breathing that motto. Marvel Grill
(Modern European, New Zealand, South American)Sure, the newly opened Marvel Grill down at Auckland's shiny Wynyard Quarter may be garnering a lot of hype for its open, stripped down yet incredibly comfortable fittings (and we haven't even gotten to the food yet), but none of this would have been possible without the Takapuna flagship we're immensely proud of ourselves - Marvel Grill. Although this venture of Wendy Sutherland and Alisdair Gribben's had only just been opened in 2010, the place has been gaining traction for its serious meat approaches. Taking it seriously doesn't begin to describe the Marvel Grill dedication to meat, with its own in-house butcher and cuts of meat for customers to hand pick on their own. Couple this food seriousness with their stellar service and you've got a Takapuna restaurant institution that - we're certain - will be here for many more years to come. Thyme Restaurant (formerly The Dining Room)
(New Zealand)The recently re-branded Thyme Restaurant (previously The Dining Room) by the Spencer on Byron Hotel takes the usually casual dining styles of the beach goers on Takapuna to a whole new elevated level. Don't mistaken this Takapuna restaurant as stand-offish, though; Thyme Restaurant is open for good ol' breakfast and even will be broadcasting the Rugby World Cup games at the hotel bar, for those fathers worried about not making it back to a wide screen in time, after dinner. There is another bonus for the Takapuna based parents, too - kids dine for free when accompanied by a paying adult for all three meals of the day. With a deal like that in family-friendly Takapuna, we're sold! Wildfire Takapuna
(South American)No need to go all the way to central Auckland across the harbour bridge for a positively meaty binge, now with Wildfire Churrascaria also available in Takapuna of the North Shore! The food at Wildfire Churrascaria isn't particularly gourmet or fancy - but that is the hallmark of the all-encompassing Wildfire appeal. Their signature all-you-can-eat churrasco dining will appeal to anything from the comfort eaters to even the pickiest diners.