Monica Galetti's Auckland: My Kind of Town What do you miss most when you're away? The native oysters from the nearby islands. They're farmed differently from those we get in Britain - more like mussels - and they taste much stronger than British ones. The shells are also smoother and quite beautiful, but you need to eat them in Auckland to appreciate the difference. For fresh oysters in relaxed surroundings try The Depot Restaurant and Oyster Bar (9 363 7048; eatatdepot.co.nz). What's the first thing you do? If it's a nice day I go for a walk along the waterfront by the city's Viaduct Harbour (9 373 4141; viaduct.co.nz), which is a great place to have a drink, relax and watch the boats bobbing on the marina. The Soul Bar (9 356 7249; soulbar.co.nz) is my favourite spot. I always stay at the Sky City Hotel (9 363 6000; skycityauckland.co.nz) because it's within walking distance of the city's best bars and restaurants. It's a beautiful modern building with a fantastic spa and very child-friendly too. The Lime Bar (9 360 7167; 167 Ponsonby Road) in the Ponsonby district is great for cocktails. Where are your favourite places for lunch? The Grill by Sean Connolly (9 363 7067; skycityauckland.co.nz/restaurants/the-grill) next door to the Sky City Hotel. It's quite upmarket and more like a brasserie but the food is very relaxed. You can get a nice soup or a great steak. I also like Café Hanoi (9 302 3478; cafehanoi.co.nz), which serves top class Vietnamese cuisine and Coco's Cantina (9 300 7582; cocoscantina.co.nz) is fun. The last time I returned to Auckland, I hosted a dinner with the chef Ben Bailey at his resturant The Grove (9 368 4129; thegroverestaurant.co.nz), one of the city's best restaurants. Ben uses a local fisherman who brings fresh fish to the restaurant daily and sources everything as locally as possible. It's a shame to be in a such a great country and to buy produce from outside the port when you've got such great resources on your doorstep. Where would you send a first time visitor? Mount Eden Village (mounteden.co.nz), located at the foot of an exctinct volcano, is worth a visit. Devonport (devonport.co.nz) is very pretty and Waiwera (9 427 8800; waiwera.co.nz) has some hot thermal pools to explore. For tranquility, great beaches and wineries I'd recommend taking the ferry to Waiheke and staying for a couple of nights. Where would you tell them to avoid? The public transport outside of the city and The Rainbow's End Fun Park, which is run down and not worth a day trip. Auckland's a big city but they don't have an underground system. Buses or taxis are your only options and taxis are not cheap in Auckland. Your best bet might be to hire a rental car. Handbag or moneybelt? Handbag. I feel safe in Auckland but it's best to be careful in any city. There's the odd pickpocket like anywhere else but if you're street-smart, you'll be okay. Some of the best vineyards in New Zealand are nearby so take a day trip to one and pick up a bottle of something you won't be able to find easily in Britain. My husband's a sommelier and the last time we were there, we brought back some beautiful wine from the Stony Ridge Vineyard (9 372 8822; stonyridge.co.nz). I didn't like Christchurch when I visited a long time ago. I had been camping on the outskirts of some gorgeous little towns throughout the South Island. But when I arrived in Christchurch, I just didn't like it nor find it to be very friendly. Monica Galetti is a judge on 'MasterChef: The Professionals' airing on BBC Two John Key's Queenstown: My Kind of Town Christchurch's 'cardboard' cathedral opens Top of the Lake: why Glenorchy is the real star New Zealand: the wild solace of the Hillary Trail Wellington, New Zealand: readers' tips