Jess Durling is a creative who channels her energies into resourceful design, DIY, furniture restoration and home renovation. When she needs a break from her place, she loves to hang out in the city and check out Auckland's best places to eat and shop. "On a sunny day, Takutai Square is where you want to be," she says. Here, she gives us a rundown on her favourite Britomart spots.
Downtown Auckland has some of the city's best restaurants and cafes. What are your favourite food spots in Britomart?
JESS DURLING A few of my favourite spots to eat at Britomart would be kingi, Daily Bread and Ortolana. The whole experience at kingi is always on point. The restaurant feels like a celebration of what makes New Zealand seafood and dining culture so unique. Nothing pretentious, but always a bit special; food sourced and made with integrity and unparalleled freshness.
You can't go wrong with a visit to Daily Bread. It's a bakery at heart, but they've nailed the casual cafe vibe. It's my favourite spot for a casual catch-up with friends. I literally dream about the hazelnut chocolate croissant...it's insanely delicious!
Ortolana has a warm, welcoming energy that makes it feel like you've arrived home...that is, if that home was impeccably well-designed and utterly stunning. I love that the restaurant can cater to everything including morning meetings, weekend brunches, coffee and scones, long lunches, slow afternoons or large group bookings. What's not to love?
Downtown Auckland also has plenty of great places to shop. What are some of your favourite shopping destinations?
JESS I would choose local New Zealand brands Deadly Ponies and Karen Walker. Deadly Ponies do leather handbags and accessories like no one else in New Zealand. They do approachable luxury exceptionally well and can always be relied on for quality. In fact, the very first designer piece I bought with my paycheck in my early 20s was a Deadly Ponies handbag.
Karen Walker always has some gems, whether it be clothing, jewellery or iconic sunglasses. It's a shopping destination that shouldn't be missed!
Where would you recommend for a cute date spot?
JESS Miann would make an excellent date spot! Or in my case, the best place to go to get an ultra-special sweet treat for my kids. Their reaction when I opened the box to show them the perfect little red apple that was in fact an edible cake was priceless, a core memory for us all.
Photography by Geoffery Matautia.
