Come Tuesday, May 1st, the well-traversed streets of Ponsonby will once again be transformed into a food lover’s paradise as the much-anticipated Eat Drink Love Ponsonby restaurant festival returns for its fifth year.
Running from the 1st until the 28th of May, the month-long event promises to showcase the best of Ponsonby Road’s culinary melting pot of cuisines, spanning from Bangkok to Bali, Mexico to Malaysia, India to Italy — and beyond. This year, a record-breaking number of establishments are set to take part, with bars, cafes, restaurants and casual eateries all coming together to offer patrons an array of seriously tantalising culinary experiences — with options for every budget and palate.
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From casual burger joints and pizzerias to fine dining establishments, Eat Drink Love Ponsonby offers food and beverage options that cater to everyone, with three price categories to choose from. Delve into the ‘$30 and Under’ category, featuring gourmet burgers, tasty tapas, epic brunches, express lunches, pasta, gelato, Banh Mi, cocktails and more. The ‘$30 to $50’ category spans a vast array of cuisines, too, from Italian to Nikkei, Thai, Japanese and European, with a slightly more elevated offering. But for those looking for something extra special, the ‘$50 and Over’ category is sure to impress, with lunch and dinner menus that showcase hero or signature dishes from some of the best establishments Ponsonby has to offer.
With 65 participating bars and eateries, festival-goers will be spoilt for choice. From Azabu, The Blue Breeze Inn, Daphne’s Taverna and Farina, Inca Ponsonby, Kol, Orphan’s Kitchen and newcomer Tobi, the line-up features a wide array of cuisine that promises to satisfy every craving. Inca’s Night of Comedy, for example, promises an unforgettable evening of delicious cuisine and uproarious comedy, as INCA chef Nic Watt and Japanese-Australian comedy sensation Takashi Wakasugi come together for an exclusive event, with a four course set menu and welcome cocktail, perfectly complemented by 45 minutes of side-splitting comedy from the talented Takashi Wakasugi. The comedy doesn’t stop here, either, with more than 10 NZ International Comedy Festival shows taking place at Ponsonby’s home of improv, the Covert Theatre, complete with pre-theatre dining offers from popular nearby venues.
Elsewhere, Azbu Ponsonby is offering a set menu showcasing some of the Japanese mainstay’s favourites and a new style temaki sushi. Choose from a selection of tostadas, ceviche, temaki sushi, dumplings and larger plates, available at either lunch or dinner. And down the other end of the street, Prego, forever the family favourite, is offering free face painting for mini diners during weekend lunches.
The newest addition, and one we’re perhaps most excited to experience, is the brunch section which rounds out the 2024 festival offering, reinforcing Ponsonby as so much more than a lunch, dinner or drinks destination, shining a spotlight on its array of impressive breakfast and brunch venues, too.
The festival culminates on Tuesday, May 28, with PonsonBurger — a one day only offering that will see the precinct pay homage to International Burger Day. More than 25 venues will proudly unveil their finest iterations of the classic, promising a tantalising array of flavours and culinary delights — keep an eye out for the full list of venues and menus, revealed on May 8th.
When speaking about the festival, Ponsonby Business Association General Manager Viv Rosenberg states her delight with the record number of participating venues for the 2024 festival, up more than 30% on 2023.
“There’s a reason Ponsonby was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods globally in Time Out in 2023 – there really is something for everyone, from our impressive Ponsonby Central precinct to our popular International Food Court and everything in between for dinner, drinks, live music, comedy, cinema, from intimate dining to larger gatherings.”
She adds, “We are delighted with not only the record number of registrations this year but with the quality of the offers across every category, and the introduction of PonsonBurger, our grand finale.”
So mark your calendars — Eat Drink Love Ponsonby 2024 is an event that should not be missed. For more information on the festival and its participating establishments (along with their delicious menus), click here.
