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Karangahape
Inclusive, diverse and welcoming, the Karangahape Road community is proud to be rainbow friendly with multiple businesses displaying Pride Pledge flags. The community works hard to make everyone feel welcome and safe, with many bars specifically catering to the Rainbow community. As a result, it is a colorful edgy place to visit where people feel welcome and safe to be themselves while having fun.
Multiple hospitality options are offered along Karangahape Road where a number of acclaimed Metro Top 50 Auckland Restaurants sit alongside other diverse eating places, from the simplicity of Sri Pinang to the cheekiness of Caluzzi. Have a relaxing ale or wine in one of the many bars before dinner, then visit iconic bars such as the Whammy Bar and Anthology Lounge for music and entertainment. For caffeine addicts, there are many inviting cafes with divine coffee and mouth-watering breakfasts or snacks.
The oldest street in Auckland, Karangahape Road is rich in Māori and European history. The ridge, Te Ara o Karangahape (The Path of Karangahape), is part of a Māori pre-European walking route to the Manukau Harbour Many heritage buildings now grace the street, some over 150 years old, adding a historic grandeur hard to find elsewhere. Pitt St Methodist Church, Hopetoun Alpha and St Kevin’s Arcade are examples of a street that carries its heritage proudly. Look out also for the distinctive Polynesian influence of Moata Samoa House and the juxtaposition of the more recent history of the red-light district.
Purchase something special by rummaging through the unique New Zealand made products and quality treasures on offer in small artisan stores, retro shops and op shops around Karangahape Road and quirky Cross Street Market. Karangahape Road artisans pride themselves on creating beautiful, accessible objects and crafts you’ll be awed by, while vintage shop owners create worlds of yesteryear where you can browse, reminisce and buy. There is a strong emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly products and an eclectic community proudly embracing the bohemian vintage look for Karangahape Road.
With over 30 phenomenal art galleries located around the Karangahape Road area, you have plenty of opportunity to visit public galleries, dealer galleries, artist run spaces and auction houses. The vibrancy of such a community spills out onto the streets with stylish street murals and brightly painted street furniture dotting the surroundings. Other works of art, such as the Light Pole sculpture, are also an integral part of the environment and a further nod to the eclectic mix of art on Karangahape Road.
Iconic Karangahape Road is well-known across New Zealand for its bohemian, colourful style and inclusive community that is proudly Rainbow friendly. The area has organically grown to become one of the country’s leading art-events spaces, home to over 30 art galleries and workshops. Many award-winning restaurants and bars, including five of Metro’s nominated Top 50 Restaurants dot the road, alongside well-known fashion designers, vintage retailers and bespoke Kiwi artisan stores. The night life thrives after dark, with popular music venues and a range of bars. A charming blend of heritage and new, of grunge and retro, of shopping and entertainment, Karangahape Road is embracing and inclusive and accepting of all diversity. Something for everyone who loves the unique!