Smales Farm adds outdoor dining precinct to its North Shore commercial hub

Britomart did it with The Pavilions, Sylvia Park did it with The Grove, LynnMall did it with Bricklane and now a North Shore commercial hub is doing it - opening a dedicated hospitality precinct with a range of restaurants, cafes and bars.

The Goodside is a new collection of eateries at Smales Farm, Takapuna, which has its official opening on Saturday.

Goodside is beside The B:HIVE at Smales Farm.

Boutique hospitality operators are opening at the growing office park precinct between Taharota Rd and Northcote Rd where a newly-landscaped area puts the emphasis on outdoor dining.

The hospitality precinct is by Izzard Design.

Vodafone moved to Smales Farm from the CBD and Sovereign House in the office park has won major architectural awards.

"Before the turn of the century, the over 10ha piece of land was just a boring old cattle farm next to the highway. Over the next 10 years, various high-end offices and the Northern Express busway station cropped up on the land. Come 1 December, another massive addition will be made to the plot, Goodside, a new dining district and events hub for the North Shore," Smales Farm says of its latest project.

Paul Gunn, Smales Farm chief executive, said some of the restaurant and cafe operators had not moved north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge before so the new dining precinct offered something quite different for the area.

An outdoor fireplace, private dining areas and a series of pavilion-style structures have been built in the newly landscaped zone.

A company statement said businesses in The Goodside are:

• A bagel-centric cafe Goodness Gracious, opening its third outlet;
• Ripe Deli from Grey Lynn's Richmond Rd, selling salads, coffee, baking and other offerings;
• &Sushi's first store north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge;
• Fantail & Turtle Bar and Eatery, selling 30 craft beers and with an on-site brewery;
• European-style restaurant The Grange;
• Asian fusion restaurant Soho, with Thai-style offerings;
• Shake Out, a new burger brand;
• A monthly special pop-up store.

The Goodside has been developed behind The B:HIVE, the office block fronting Taharota Rd, between The Avenue and The Boulevard.

Sugar at Chelsea Bay opened recently at Birkenhead. That new bakery and eatery is on Colonial Rd and is proving popular with locals.