Ponsonby

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  • U9607JLsandraw
    30 contributions
    Ponsoby
    This is a beautiful city in the North Island of New Zealand with lots of nice restaurants, shops and old buildings. Lots of Kiwi craft and arts can be found here. It is worth while to spend a day walking through the streets of Ponsonby. Nice boutique shops to visit as well.
    Visited September 2019
    Written February 11, 2020
  • ogerkan
    New York City, New York4,723 contributions
    Great neighborhood to explore
    Great neighborhood with many shops, bars & restaurants. Shops range from vintage to designer with all types of dining options on offer. Love the Gallery with the guy who made the spaceship art. If they did not weigh 20 lbs each, probably would have brought one back to NYC.
    Visited February 2020
    Written March 22, 2020
  • Highho
    6 contributions
    Loved Ponsonby
    The most happening place in Auckland, full of cafes, restaurants and people sitting at tables in the street at all hours of the day and night. I dont think anyone has breakfast at home.There is even a Starbucks but it is not popular with the locals who much prefer their delicious coffee. It is a great place to stay as it is a million times more interesting than the down town area which is a bit shabby. Easy to get around as there is a bus that passes along the main road every ten minutes or so.
    Written September 19, 2006
  • Goose
    Newcastle, Australia311 contributions
    Trendy and full of boutiques and restaurants
    We stayed in Ponsonby for 2 nights. It's a very trendy neighborhood with one long main drag and lots of bars/restaurants hidden down alleys. There is a large variety of shops, with a heavy focus on fashion and beauty. There are equal number of boutiques and big brand names. To walk the entire street and do some shopping will take you half the day if you stop for a coffee. It also boasts lots of places to eat and drink. Easily over 100 places. There again is a wide variety, from cheap fish and chips shops to super expensive fine dining. Whatever cuisine you want and whatever your tastes are, you will find something to satisfy. The jewel of the street is Ponsonby Central...a medium size covered shopping mall that looks like a train station. Inside you'll find lots of places to eat, grocer, butcher, cheeses, wine, etc. If you are a tourist and have limited time... just go here. Our favourite restaurant was Miss Moonshine, a southern American place hidden down a lane on the other side of Ponsonby Central. If you love your whiskey like me, be sure to find Cork.
    Visited November 2017
    Traveled with family
    Written November 3, 2017
  • TravelVal
    Phoenix, Arizona834 contributions
    Ponsonby was Not What We Expected
    Ponsonby was okay - nice for a stroll, antique shopping or people-watching, a cocktail or a bite to eat but it was seriously much less charming than I expected. There is really nothing charming about it. We stayed in this 'area' of Auckland to be near something special but it was just a long road with a lot of shops and bars/restaurants. Expensive drinks everywhere we went. Just a lot of people gathering but nothing really going on. I don't know if I would specifically vacation near there again.
    Visited March 2014
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 2, 2014
  • medusazul
    Montevideo, Uruguay78 contributions
    Ponsonby
    Ponsonby is the most interesting, safe and relaxed area of the city. Excellent as a base for other areas of the city, this historical neighborhood has more Victorian style houses than any other part of the Southern Hemisphere. It is the food area of Auckland and Aucklanders go there to dine. There are bars, restaurants, cafes, fantastic bakeries, sophisticated boutiques, funky shops & galleries and the area is proud to be “gay friendly”. A real bohemian environment. Live music is from Wednesday to Sunday at various places. We had a great night listening to acoustic music at One 2 One on Ponsonby Rd. and it obviously has a regular group of fans there. We dropped in for a drag show at Sister Dorothy’s. They danced onto the road so passers by stopped to watch. It was fun. We had been returning from The Ponsonby, a beautiful, Victorian ex-post office where we had delicious plates of garlic mussles. There are movies and songs about Ponsonby Rd, and even guided walks that tell of this colorful heritage. The Link Bus runs every 10 minutes so you can be at the Auckland Museum, the harbor or any other highlight of the city in a few minutes. At one end of Ponsonby is Karangahape Road, once the red zone of the city, today owns the title for having the most edgy night life. Walking along this street is an interesting thing to do, and a link between Ponsonby Road and Queen Street and is a a walking route to the museum. We LOVED the museum. We are from Uruguay and there was even a bell from the “Achilles” that was in the battle of the River Plate” Just a short walk down the hill from Ponsonby is Shanghai Lil’s, a bar & lounge themed on the mysterious and baroque 1930’s Shanghai. We had delicious cocktails listening to 80yr old Billy playing jazz piano. Mine was Madam Chang. It has an ecclectic collection of furniture which meant we all had a different type of chair to sit on. One was a carved, Chinese, black hardwood chair & my partner had an overstuffed armchair. One of Auckland’s special places. We stayed at the Great Ponsonby Arthotel so all of this was in walking distance.
    Written February 1, 2009
  • tim chang
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates218 contributions
    A good place to visit
    Lots of coffee shops and interesting places to visit. There is a chocolate store that has great character. A good place to spend about an hour.
    Visited July 2018
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 2, 2018
  • Vbgarrett
    15 contributions
    Hip Suburb of Auckland
    Brilliant village so close to centre of Auckland. Outstanding food, coffee, vintage shopping and night life.
    Visited August 2017
    Written August 28, 2017
  • Bchgrl9
    Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California1,105 contributions
    EZ, Walkable Area to Tour via BUS
    It was easy to ride the bus there for $3.50 from the pier & Hilton after a 2 week cruise. My friend needed her nails done, and then we shopped the eclectic stores as we walked the area. Food, fashion, history, and eye candy are all available.
    Visited February 2017
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 2, 2017
  • bigred88
    Sydney, Australia236 contributions
    Lots to see but 'ask a local' as well.
    We were visiting Ponsonby after quite a long break. It was raining heavily so we weren't encouraged to walk along the length of Ponsonby Road.it was with a heavy heart that I decided we would go on to another shopping area nearby. Fortunately I spoke to a lovely young girl who wrote out a number of 'must see shops' in a new area of Ponsonby. She told me that Ponsonby had changed considerably in the last five years. Using her list I found Ponsonby Central and the beautiful new shops in Mackelvie St.Then we found a great cafe in Blake Street and the shop of shops nearby 'Scotties'. You have to think like a local to get the best out of Ponsonby , so ask a local for advice. New Zealanders are very friendly.
    Visited September 2016
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 18, 2016
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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Goose
Newcastle, Australia311 contributions
Nov 2017 • Family
We stayed in Ponsonby for 2 nights. It's a very trendy neighborhood with one long main drag and lots of bars/restaurants hidden down alleys.

There is a large variety of shops, with a heavy focus on fashion and beauty. There are equal number of boutiques and big brand names. To walk the entire street and do some shopping will take you half the day if you stop for a coffee.

It also boasts lots of places to eat and drink. Easily over 100 places. There again is a wide variety, from cheap fish and chips shops to super expensive fine dining. Whatever cuisine you want and whatever your tastes are, you will find something to satisfy.

The jewel of the street is Ponsonby Central...a medium size covered shopping mall that looks like a train station. Inside you'll find lots of places to eat, grocer, butcher, cheeses, wine, etc. If you are a tourist and have limited time... just go here.

Our favourite restaurant was Miss Moonshine, a southern American place hidden down a lane on the other side of Ponsonby Central. If you love your whiskey like me, be sure to find Cork.
Written November 3, 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.

TravelVal
Phoenix, AZ834 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
Ponsonby was okay - nice for a stroll, antique shopping or people-watching, a cocktail or a bite to eat but it was seriously much less charming than I expected. There is really nothing charming about it. We stayed in this 'area' of Auckland to be near something special but it was just a long road with a lot of shops and bars/restaurants. Expensive drinks everywhere we went. Just a lot of people gathering but nothing really going on. I don't know if I would specifically vacation near there again.
Written April 2, 2014
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.

medusazul
Montevideo, Uruguay78 contributions
Ponsonby is the most interesting, safe and relaxed area of the city.
Excellent as a base for other areas of the city, this historical neighborhood has more Victorian style houses than any other part of the Southern Hemisphere. It is the food area of Auckland and Aucklanders go there to dine. There are bars, restaurants, cafes, fantastic bakeries, sophisticated boutiques, funky shops & galleries and the area is proud to be “gay friendly”. A real bohemian environment.

Live music is from Wednesday to Sunday at various places.
We had a great night listening to acoustic music at One 2 One on Ponsonby Rd. and it obviously has a regular group of fans there. We dropped in for a drag show at Sister Dorothy’s. They danced onto the road so passers by stopped to watch. It was fun.

We had been returning from The Ponsonby, a beautiful, Victorian ex-post office where we had delicious plates of garlic mussles.

There are movies and songs about Ponsonby Rd, and even guided walks that tell of this colorful heritage. The Link Bus runs every 10 minutes so you can be at the Auckland Museum, the harbor or any other highlight of the city in a few minutes.

At one end of Ponsonby is Karangahape Road, once the red zone of the city, today owns the title for having the most edgy night life. Walking along this street is an interesting thing to do, and a link between Ponsonby Road and Queen Street and is a a walking route to the museum. We LOVED the museum. We are from Uruguay and there was even a bell from the “Achilles” that was in the battle of the River Plate”

Just a short walk down the hill from Ponsonby is Shanghai Lil’s, a bar & lounge themed on the mysterious and baroque 1930’s Shanghai. We had delicious cocktails listening to 80yr old Billy playing jazz piano. Mine was Madam Chang. It has an ecclectic collection of furniture which meant we all had a different type of chair to sit on. One was a carved, Chinese, black hardwood chair & my partner had an overstuffed armchair. One of Auckland’s special places.

We stayed at the Great Ponsonby Arthotel so all of this was in walking distance.
Written February 1, 2009
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.

tim chang
Dubai, United Arab Emirates218 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Lots of coffee shops and interesting places to visit. There is a chocolate store that has great character. A good place to spend about an hour.
Written August 3, 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.

Vbgarrett
15 contributions
Aug 2017
Brilliant village so close to centre of Auckland. Outstanding food, coffee, vintage shopping and night life.
Written August 29, 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.

Bchgrl9
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA1,105 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
It was easy to ride the bus there for $3.50 from the pier & Hilton after a 2 week cruise. My friend needed her nails done, and then we shopped the eclectic stores as we walked the area. Food, fashion, history, and eye candy are all available.
Written March 2, 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.

bigred88
Sydney, Australia236 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
We were visiting Ponsonby after quite a long break. It was raining heavily so we weren't encouraged to walk along the length of Ponsonby Road.it was with a heavy heart that I decided we would go on to another shopping area nearby. Fortunately I spoke to a lovely young girl who wrote out a number of 'must see shops' in a new area of Ponsonby. She told me that Ponsonby had changed considerably in the last five years. Using her list I found Ponsonby Central and the beautiful new shops in Mackelvie St.Then we found a great cafe in Blake Street and the shop of shops nearby 'Scotties'. You have to think like a local to get the best out of Ponsonby , so ask a local for advice. New Zealanders are very friendly.
Written October 19, 2016
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.

Sdl90034
Los Angeles, CA25 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
This little area of town was such a pleasure to visit. We went window shopping. Stopped at a couple of places to nibble and get a glass of wine. There is place where there is about 15 restaurants in one area and it had an Argentinian restaurant there that was fabulous. Can't remember the name.
Written June 21, 2016
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.

davidcapstick40
Auckland, New Zealand743 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
Ponsonby is one of the nicer places to shop in Auckland. Better than Queen street, and different to Newmarket, which is also great for shopping.
All types of shops, clothing, bedding, make-up, homeware to name a few.
Some are overpriced, but so are "most" of Auckland boutique shops.
Favourites for me are "Millys Kitchen" "Lululemon" and the fabulous "Women's Bookshop" a wonderful independent bookshop!

Loads of cafes, One 2 One being my favourite, as well as Cezanne, but there are so many to choose from.

Restaurants? Spoilt for choice!
Blue Breeze, Prego. Moo Chow Chow, Mekong baby to mention a few.
Also visit Ponsonby Central - filled with stores, eateries, great bakery and other delights.

Be aware that parking is a nightmare though!
Written June 8, 2016
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.

3CTravelers
62 contributions
Jan 2016 • Family
Important for future travelers to note that most of Ponsonby Street is closed from December 31 to January 4th, or even further. We were not aware of this, and after traveling in from >10 hours, it was disappointing to see so much closed in Auckland. No ones fault but our own, but no where did we see this as advice in advance
Written January 2, 2016
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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