Auckland-based actor Dylan Underwood. Photo / Supplied
In this Herald on Sunday series, we ask well-known Aucklanders for their favourite spots in the city. This week, actor Dylan Underwood takes us on a tour of his top places.
Favourite beach?
My favourite beach would have to be Pt Chev Beach. I’m Mt Albert based so it’s really good to include as part of a nice long walk on a weekend, especially since it’s got relaxed, family vibes. If you want a particularly cool spot for a picnic though, there’s a stairway beyond the fields at the park nearby that takes you down to the rocks that are right on the water, there’s an amazing view of the harbour bridge down there.
Favourite brunch spot?
I like taking a coffee or a small picnic up Ōwairaka/Mt Albert. It’s quite an incline if you’re walking up there, but there’s a decent-sized car park near the base of the mountain to make things easier. Then you can walk either to the archery or soccer field or all the way to the summit where you can just about see all of Auckland, great vibes for a brunch, in my opinion. Or if I’m feeling particularly hungry I’d go to Dear Jane to get some of their fried chicken.
Favourite restaurant for dinner with friends?
If I’m going to dinner I’m keen for something slightly fancy; there are heaps of places in Ponsonby that are great for it but the spot I like in particular is Pane e Vino. Casual vibes, classic Italian cuisine, lovely brick building, just a delightful experience throughout. Since it’s quite central as well, you can go from there down Ponsonby Rd to Duck Island to get a delicious icecream for dessert - that’s if you haven’t had a rich tiramisu from Pane e Vino already.
Favourite place to take a visitor to?
I love the classic sights of the Auckland Museum or zoo, I do feel like they are things anyone visiting could go and see and be guaranteed a good time because the museum always has an interesting installation to look at and the zoo has recently improved its facilities so that you can get an even closer look at the animals and learn even more about them. But if you do have a car and can get out that way, Piha is such a nice beach spot to take a visitor to. The rips are intense, but the landscape is beautiful and worth seeing, so just be safe out there.
Favourite spot to finish a night out?
You simply can’t beat Sly at the end of a night, like after seeing a gig on Karangahape Rd or seeing a show at Q or Basement Theatre. It’s the coolest bar I’ve been to, a speakeasy cocktail bar with the most delicious and reasonably priced drinks I’ve ever had, and it has a secret door. If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.
Favourite place to get coffee?
The best coffees I’ve found are at Handpicked Coffee Roaster on New North Rd, Spilt Milk, which is next to the Countdown (soon to be Woolworths) in Pt Chev, Gray’s on Dominion Rd and for something more central, Receptionist Coffee on High St. Good coffee thankfully isn’t too hard to come by in Auckland, but these places in particular just knock it out of the park for me - the service I’ve received is always top notch too.
Favourite fish-and-chip shop?
Being from Mt Albert you can’t go past Big Boy Takeaway opposite the Rocket Park for the best fish and chips around. Friendly service and awesome food, but the chips… the chips, in particular, are always something special, there’s something about lemon pepper on hot chips that just makes me happy to be alive.
Favourite trail for a hike?
I will admit my level of knowledge on hikes in Auckland is pretty low, however, I know that heaps of the mountains that are scattered around Auckland offer wonderful walks with amazing views of the whole city. In terms of difficulty levels to walk them, they’re all pretty user-friendly because a lot of them have parking available nearby, so you can choose to drive in and just walk the mountain or take them as a challenge during the middle of a long walk.
Favourite venue for a gig?
There are so many amazing venues for gigs in Auckland. Wine Cellar and Whammy Bar are the ones I go to most frequently for new music and just an awesome night out with friends. The Power Station is fantastic for a middle-of-the-road-sized gig that’s an awesome level of intimate but also hyped with the number of people you can squish in there, and the other standout for me is Neck of the Woods for some really interesting performances.
Favourite place to find a bargain?
There are so many wonderful op shops across Auckland but the ones I go to most often are the Salvation Army or Red Cross op shops on Dominion Rd or the Save Mart in Northcote. The service has always been friendly and I think I’ve found about half of my wardrobe from these spots. A little further along Dominion Road is Junk and Disorderly; this little warehouse has got so many amazing pieces of second-hand furniture that if a visitor ever wanted to make Auckland their home, or a local is looking to spruce up their place, they could decorate their new spot with a bunch of awesome and well-priced knick-knacks!