Parnell
Historic Sites • Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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Saved from demolition by the efforts of one individual, this restored historic village has specialty and antique shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants and is a trendy nightspot.
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  • patrickperbkk
    1,220 contributions
    Lovely Suburb!
    I really love the area, especially the Parnell Village, it's beautiful, trendy, and up market. Also, it's a great atmosphere with a mixture of locals and visitors. There are many interesting shops, cafes and restaurants. Of course, we had afternoon coffee and dinner there. Love it!
    Visited March 2020
    Written April 2, 2020
  • Jacqueline S
    35 contributions
    Disappointing
    Jan 8th and we visited Parnell, we were told it was full of little touristy shops selling local Kiwi things. Other than the Fantail down Elephant walk there was virtually nothing, the amount of shops that were still closed for the festive holidays was really disappointing. There were quite a few restaurants and cafes open but not a shop anymore to buy just an ice cream or a Gelato. You are a city that attracts cruise ships and many tourists, cannot imagine what they must think of Parnell these days, it used to be Sooooo good
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written January 7, 2023
  • ITRT
    38,544 contributions
    New Zealand's First Suburb
    A visit to Parnell Village will surprise you to know it was once a Bohemian paradise. Today it is gentrified and known for its wonderful restaurants, charming cafes, and expensive shops. Parnell was established as New Zealand’s first suburb in 1841. It is filled with many ivy-covered buildings and narrow brick lanes. Worth taking the time to explore this delightful village.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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577 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
265
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422iana
Dunedin, New Zealand3,102 contributions
Jan 2021 • Family
Generally seen as an upmarket area and is close to the CBD of Auckland withe the Museum and the Park in the way. Often used to stop at the Chocolate Botique, but didn't on this visit. Check out the parks and plenty of places to go out for dinner.
Written February 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathy
573 contributions
Feb 2020
Spending a day in Parnell Village was the perfect way to end our two-month vacation in New Zealand. The quaint little shops and galleries in this beautifully designed suburb were fun to explore and the large variety of cafes and restaurants offered an unlimited variety of delicious cuisines. What a great discovery! We will definitely be back.
Written May 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AEM967
Auckland Central, New Zealand710 contributions
Jun 2012 • Solo
Parnell Village is a stretch of shops, restaurants, and cafes in the residential area of Parnell, one of the oldest suburbs in Auckland. It is located about halfway between the CBD and Newmarket. The main road is made up of Parnell Road (leading to Newmarket which eventually turns into Broadway) and Parnell Rise, which if you follow down the hill leads you into the city centre. Parnell shops is a very pretty, well-manicured area, with a very interesting history behind it. The backstreet footpaths are paved with cobblestones and hide some interesting shops and cafes. Along with some high-end (mostly women's) clothing stores, there are also many small boutique art galleries, antique shops, jewellers, hairdressers, and high-quality souvenir type shops. There are also one or two bars and a pub (I wouldn't recommend Parnell as a place to go out drinking at night, more of a daytime thing or a dinner destination). Also remember the shops and restaurants are not open 24/7, it is only a small shopping area, don't expect the restaurants to seat you for dinner if you come in at 11pm on a Monday (although you may be lucky).

If you are a visitor to Auckland I would recommend a stop in Parnell on your way to/from the Auckland museum/Domain area. Either start at the bottom of Parnell Rise, work your way up towards Parnell Road, checking out all the things Parnell has on offer, stop for a bite to eat or a drink. See the cathedral located at the top of the shops on the corner of St Stephens Ave and Parnell Road (you may also want to venture down to the Parnell Rose Garden if the roses are in flower). Continue along Parnell Road towards Newmarket and turn right down Domain Drive which takes you into the Domain (a beautiful park) with the museum in the middle of it. Or do the opposite, start at the Domain/museum and work your way down Parnell.
Written June 28, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gogoriley
Auckland Central, New Zealand1 contribution
We were fortunate to discover a rare treat in Parnell. Kiwa Art at 279 Parnell road has only been open a week or so but the quality of the Maori and Pacific art and craft is fantastic with a good supply of hand made wood carvings and excellent greenstone the national stone of New Zealand.If you are interested in traditional Maori art is is a must visit.Prices are reasonable too.
Written November 8, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jackie A
Auckland Central, New Zealand78 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
To see Parnell at it's best, go on foot. Start at the roundabout by the Olympic Pool in Newmarket and walk north along Parnell Rd, admiring the interior design shops and quirky little stores or cafes until you get to the old Blind Institute, the elegant brick building on your left now called Jubilee House. Pop in and discover the best little Library in town and you can use the nice clean toilets there too. Carry on walking and, if you have time, detour to your left down leafy Domain Drive to explore the Auckland Domain, one of the city's best parks, containing the iconic Museum, the Wintergarden, the duck ponds and numerous rambling walks.

Back on Parnell Rd, don't go past the recently consecrated Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral on the corner of Parnell Rd and St Stephens Ave. Even if churches are not your thing, be sure to admire the dramatic stained glass windows, the new glass Selwyn Chapel with its gold leaf ceiling, or pop into historic St Mary's on the same site.

If you stay on the right hand side of Parnell Rd you will pass one or two large and impressive art galleries or cross over to the other side for lunch at the myriad cafes and restaurants that line the street, being sure not to miss NSP. Ladies, there's a great array of designer clothes shops, a wonderful shop selling NZ-made leather handbags that are reasonably priced and an iconic knitwear boutique called Woolly For You. Just in case the men are missing out, pop in Hattitude for the latest in men's headgear.

Don't be tempted to walk past the little lanes and alleyways all down this street. The best little businesses seem to be tucked away in the back and offer everything from gelato, gifts and creative arts. Further down the street the banks are clustered together with a number of travel agencies before you get to another section almost entirely dedicated to eating and drinking.

As you head down the hill there are two restful parks on your right - Heard Park (with public toilets) and Fraser Park, both good places to sit and rest. From here you have several options. You could walk back up the hill or get the bus up to the top or walk to the bottom of Parnell Rd before turning right onto the Strand and along until it joins Gladstone Rd. A gentle amble up Gladstone Rd takes you to the Rose Gardens which are always worth spending time in with wonderful views of the harbour. Over the road from the roses is the best cafe in Parnell called Rosie's. It opens at 6.30am and closes when all the dinner guests go come. Don't miss it - the food and the coffee are wonderful, the service is excellent and there's plenty of daily newspapers to read.
Written November 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paula G
Mount Vernon, IL15 contributions
Mar 2015 • Family
Found a Chocolate Boutique where I had a Chocolate Shot with a little chocolate covered marshmallow fish. It was a lot of fun looking through the huge variety of chocolate there.
Written April 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynn S
Calabasas, CA41 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
We went there for lunch the two days we stayed in Parnell. Our waiter, Shiva remembered us the second day, and was very warm and welcoming. They have a lunch special - a fabulous 3 course lunch for $20 - delicious and beautifully prepared! Lunch time extends to 2:00, and we were able to sit on the patio in this delightful, trendy neighborhood. One day we had fish as our main course, the next day lamb. The first course is salad or soup, and the lunch ends with an artistic presentation of a yummy dessert. Wine or beer is also included.
Written March 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

02rabbit
Auckland Central, New Zealand312 contributions
Oct 2012 • Family
Parnell is a beautiful place, it has plenty of nice restaurants, coffee places and some shops. It is an upmarket area so expect higher prices. They have a few spas offering massages & facials as well. Great place for lunch on a sunny day, then coffee or ice-cream afterwards.
Written October 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eor O
Auckland, New Zealand255 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
A great place to visit if you don't have a lot of time but want to soak up some of the victorian charm of this village - lovely shops, great eating places, great places to buy original Kiwi art and souvenirs that are not made in China.
Written May 15, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aminali83
New Delhi, India181 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
Parnell is dotted with quirky cafes, quaint restaurants and interesting shopping outlets. We went there for a meal and actually spent an entire day just hopping from a cafe to another.
There are a lot of outlets here and we wouldn't like to say which were the best. I will only talk about the ones I tried.
Non Solo Pizza has to be the busiest and most authentic Italian dining experience in Parnell. The restaurant is usually full so reservation is recommended and rounding off your meal with their Tiramisu is a must.
Woodpecker had to be the find of our tour in Auckland. American BBQ influenced Asian cuisine was simply one to die for. The staff is friendly and extremely courteous. We loved every bite of our meal here.
Everest Diner is an amazing Indian Nepalese dining option that you can go for if you crave Indian food. Our friends dined here and were raving about the food. Wish we had tried it too as they had really amazing things to say about it.
The cafes, grocery stores and coffee shops dot the entire Parnell stretch. As I said earlier, we went for just a stroll and actually ended up spending the entire day at this charming street.
Written January 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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