With more than 1,000 restaurants, Auckland dishes up a huge array of dining experiences, from small ethnic eateries to five-star cuisine.

But the city is most famous for its distinctive Pacific Rim cuisine, blending Pacific and Asian flavours and using the freshest home-grown ingredients.

Parnell

La Cigale French-Style Farmers' Market
Saturday, 8am - 1pm
Each Saturday the French-Style Farmers' Market takes place at the car park beside French store La Cigale in Parnell. The emphasis is on seasonal fruit and vegetables (organic or spray free whenever possible), artesian bread, cheese, confectioneries, oils, spices and homemade preserves. Also on site is freshly made Paella, hot rotisserie chickens, smoked sausages, salmon and more. It's a great place to pick up supplies for a weekend picnic.

Contact details: 66 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, www.lacigale.co.nz

Chocolate Boutique Cafe
The Chocolate Boutique café specialises in handmade chocolates and confectionery. Choose from more than 100 gourmet chocolates, truffles, liqueur, non liqueur, nutty rochers and pralines. Includes both local and imported chocolates.

Contact details: Shop one, 323 Parnell Road, tel 377 8550, www.chocolateboutique.co.nz

Pandoro Panetteria
Pandoro, which started as a small artesan bakery in Parnell, has now expanded to become an Auckland-wide favourite. Products include more than 200 varieties of freshly baked breads, cakes and pastries, inspired by traditional bread recipes from around the world. All products are made on site.

Contact details: 427 Parnell Road, tel 358 1962

Newmarket

Zarbo Delicatessen
A large delicatessen and food store, with an enormous selection of gourmet products and takeaway food. Zarbo has a comprehensive range of custom-made dressings, marinades, rubs and chutneys, and they also bake bread daily and offer authentic bagels. The busy café offers a wide selection of freshly prepared food, coffee, tea and a wine list.

Contact details: 24 Morrow St, Newmarket, tel: 09 520 2721, www.zarbo.co.nz

Mt Eden

Sabato
Jacqui and Philip Dixon established Sabato in 1993 to supply artisan quality ingredients from Europe direct to New Zealand's finest restaurant and food enthusiasts. They source fine foods from Italy, Spain and France and supplement them with great New Zealand products. Most of their suppliers are small (often family run) businesses that use traditional methods of production to create outstanding products. Tasting the products and a coffee while you shop is encouraged.

Contact details: 57 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, tel: 64 9 630 8751, www.sabato.co.nz

Downtown Auckland

The City Farmers' Market
Saturday, 8.30am - 12.30pm
The City Farmers' Market operates in the centre of Auckland's Britomart precinct every Saturday morning and brings a bounty of regional produce to town for Aucklanders. Every weekend fresh, seasonal, quality fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat, olives and olive oils, condiments, coffee and artisan breads are brought to town - direct from local growers, farmers and makers. The market is the inspiration of a couple of young kiwi entrepreneurs who returned home from Amsterdam to find they missed the magic of the markets in Europe and wanted Auckland City to enjoy the pleasure of fresh local ingredients and meeting the people behind the produce.

Contact details: Cnr Galway and Gore Streets, Britomart Precinct, www.cityfarmersmarket.co.nz

The Family Barrow Supermarket
Tucked away in the corner of Downtown Shopping Centre, the 'barrow' is popular with inner city apartment and hotel guests. The boutique store offers a wide range of local and international wines, gourmet cheese, processed meats and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Contact details: 11-19 Customs Street West, Downtown Shopping Centre, tel: 09 377 6851

Foodtown Supermarket
The new Foodtown Supermarket in downtown Auckland caters to the large community of apartment dwellers living in the vicinity. The supermarket stocks a large variety of wine as well as fresh meat and cheese, fresh seafood and ready-made gourmet meals.

Contact details: 76 Quay Street, Downtown Auckland, tel: 307 9034

Auckland Fish Market
The Auckland Fish Market encompasses four areas: the fish auction, seafood cooking school, retail market and office space areas. The cooking school focuses on themes ranging from Asian Pacific to Mediterranean, whilst the retail market has an extensive selection of fresh seafood. There is also an onsite greengrocer, deli and gourmet food store.

Contact details: Cnr Daldy St & Madden St, Freemans Bay, tel: 379 1490, www.aucklandfishmarket.co.nz

Ponsonby

Rocket Kitchen
Rocket Kitchen has an on-site food retail store as well as savoury items, cakes, desserts and a wide range of contemporary take-out cuisine. The company also runs a niche catering business.

Contact details: 234a Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, tel: 360 8834, www.rocketkitchen.co.nz

Brown Sugar Kitchen
Scrumptious cakes and both traditional and contemporary fare make this a must stop for cake lovers. Club sandwiches, filled bread and savory brioche are also available along with Belgium biscuits and old favourites like melting moments and tea bread.

Contact details: 267 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, tel: 09 360 0593

The article Food shopping in Auckland originally appeared on 999 Today