Verona Cafe, Auckland

Verona is an institution on Karangahape Road, offering some of the best contemporary cuisine to be found in town. The decor is inner city, eclectic cool. There are booths as well as small cafe tables. The clientele runs from "K'Road" locals to passing weirdos and advertising industry types looking for a cool place to meet. All ingredients used at Verona are organic when possible. The menu is always interesting and changes often--pumpkin, feta and sun-dried tomato fritters with creamy watercress sauce (NZD16); salmon fillet pan-fried on risotto nero (NZD23); rib-eye steak on roasted garlic mash with field mushroom jus (NZD23.50).