Tasting the Main Street (Avondale)

Join us on a tasting walk along the main street of Avondale with Melissa Laing and Whau the People. Sample the wide range of great food on offer while joining a conversation about the future of everyday food in Aotearoa.

Avondale’s main street is dotted with small eateries, each one a microcosm of food and social history. The owners of each food outlet serve kai with love. Kai that emerged, in its current form, in the last 300 years. From the evolution of tea houses in Southern China, and taquerias in Mexico in the late 1700s, the fish and chips that developed on the streets of Britain and Banh Mi that fused Vietnamese and French cuisine in the mid 1800s, to the popular American smash burger and Pacifica lamb flaps that have their roots in the mid 20th century.

All of these food traditions are surprisingly young, still innovating and adapting to changing tastes, ways of working and ever increasing cross cultural influence. What might they be like in the future?

The walk is led by local artist and food enthusiast Melissa Laing and accompanied by musician Gerhard Lottermoser. Melissa was the driving force behind the Urban Walking Festival, a co-creator of the Whau Arts Festival Fishy Parade and the creator of the mobile Pooch Portrait Studio. She enjoys creating opportunities for people to come together and share communal experiences.

Beginning at Green Jade and finishing at the Taphouse, this guided tasting journey is an opportunity to discover new flavours, connect with your community, and see Avondale with fresh taste buds. Whether you’re new to Avondale, or have called 828 home for years, you're likely to discover something new.

Because spaces are limited, please let us know 24 hours in advance if you are no longer able to attend.

Tasting the Main Street is made possible with the support of the Auckland Urban Development Office