Non Solo Pizza

Parnell is my old stomping ground, so I was pretty excited to head there for a lazy Friday afternoon lunch, especially because we were going to Non Solo Pizza; a beloved Parnell institution.

Oozing with Italian flair and style, NSP is perfect for a long lunch, where in summer you can enjoy the beautiful courtyard bathed in dappled sun, or huddled around the fires inside in winter.

We dove straight in to the menu and started with some bruschetta to tide over the ravenous late lunch hunger (at this stage I was about to eat the tablecloth), and of course a few Peronis to match.

We all ordered a main, but at NSP I think the best way to eat is to share a whole lot of the smaller antipasto dishes, with a main or two for the table. I couldn't resist the pasta, so I happily ordered a big bowl of beef and spinach ravioli, in a beautiful veal jus with sage, parmesan and truffle. Lucy ordered the same, and it was fair to say we were almost licking our bowls at the end it was so good.

Among the other orders were the proscuitto wrapped pork loin, and a few of the famous NSP pizzas, which all went down with a big tick of approval.

I may be biased towards this old favourite haunt, but I've never had a bad dish, or a bad time at NSP, and the popularity of the famous restaurant speaks for itself. The best time to go is definitely on a warm summer afternoon, but if you can't wait that long then head on down for a cozy winter fireside meal.

Rosie

On opening week, Georgia, Emma and I whisked ourselves over to Parnell on a sunny Saturday afternoon to try out the newest, coolest cafe in the 'burbs. Aptly named for it's position perched opposite the famous Rose Gardens, Rosie is a new venture from the Hip Group team who have given us Ortolana, Richmond Road Cafe, and Takapuna Beach Cafe, to name a few.

The cafe occupies the spot where Rosehip Cafe used to reside, and the transformation of the small space is genius. Light pours into the little cafe, with patrons spilling onto the footpath.

We tried the delicious beetroot and goats cheese salad, which tasted every bit as beautiful as it looked, along with the mouth watering spatchcock served on a bed of kale and spelt. Both dishes were outstanding, and the refined and balanced meal was a perfect late afternoon lunch.

Rosie is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and if the other Hip Group ventures are anything to go by I can only guess the breakfast menu would be a show stopper too. Whatever time you go, make sure you try some of the beautiful Milse desserts, which warrant a visit themselves.

The girls and I all loved Rosie, and agreed that it is breath of fresh air for a beloved, but sometimes forgotten corner of Parnell.

P.S. This story was initially commissioned for The Denizen. Check out the original here
 

La Cigale French Markets

Back in the day when Parnell was my stomping ground, I made it down to the French Markets almost every weekend, but these days I'm living on the other side of town, and ashamedly haven't been in a few months. Luckily, I found an excuse to go when I discovered that Georgia had never been. I took it upon myself to show her the ropes, and show her what she's been missing out on.

The French Markets are hosted by La Cigale on Saturday and Sunday, and are hidden away down the bottom of Parnell (just follow the nike-wearing, dog-walking, coffee-holding crowd, and you'll find your way there). The place is absolutely heaving with food stalls, live music, the smell of sizzling hot chorizo and the noise of grinding coffee beans. They even have their own creperie!

 After negotiating a slightly dodgy car park, and tripping over a few dogs, we made a beeline for The Organic Mechanic, an awesome smoothie stall my friend Graedon and a few other guys run. The Organic Mechanic are all about healthy living (and free hugs!), and their vegan, dairy free, gluten free, super health charged smoothies are just what you need to kick-start your weekend.

We tasted all of the different smoothies, but in the end we both went with the blueberry 'King Kong' which was amazing, and so incredibly filling!

Smoothies in hand, we wandered about the markets gazing at all the goodies each stall had on offer. There is an amazing array of food; from fresh ice-cream, to cured meats, to pastries, french cheese, scallops, whitebait, fresh pasta, macaroons, and even treats for your canine friends- and that's just to name a few! The variety of stalls at the French Markets is really fantastic, and there are quite a few which you don't find anywhere else in Auckland.

Not only are the stalls great though, the fresh produce at the markets is good value and good quality, and La Cigale itself is a fantastic cafe with a gorgeous selection of homeware on offer inside.

After grabbing some food to nibble on, and some treats to take home, we were almost ready to leave. We took one more lap around the place, and with our bodies fueled up on the best of market food scooted off to enjoy the rest of the beautiful weekend.