Karangahape Road (locally known as K'Rd) – especially the block between Queen Street and Pitt Street - is both great fun and architecturally very interesting. It's an eclectic collection of funky cafes, second-hand/vintage clothing stores (some of it very cheap) and good eateries, in an architecturally interesting street that has somehow managed not to be "updated" or "capitalised", let alone knocked down for offices or condos. On this block is St Kevin's Arcade, an Art Deco masterpiece that houses (amongst other things) a cruelty-free shop and the Alleluya Cafe, which has big sunny windows overlooking Myers Park. At the end of St Kevin's Arcade there are steps down to Myers Park, from where one can take a very pleasant walk back towards the Town Hall area. On the opposite side of the street is a food court with various Asian selections, and in the back of it is the Lim Chhour Chinese grocery where you can buy fruit and veg at about half the price of supermarkets, along with anything you could want in Chinese food. It's open quite late, too. There is also a couple of small Indian restaurants (nothing posh along this street) one of which has fabulous Indian desserts to take out. There is also the Revel cafe, a very funky hole in the wall with excellent coffee and tables outside for smokers and diesel-fume lovers.
Anyone interested in architecture (and local history) should try to pick up the free booklet on K'Rd available (if you're lucky) from the stands just inside the front door of the Auckland City Library, which will add much to your enjoyment of K'Rd. I never miss visiting here every time I visit Auckland - it's one of the best things it has to offer.