I know the fastest way to get from Ponsonby to Orakei at any given time of day. School rush? No problem. After work jams? I got this. With so many new openings going down at Orakei Bay Village as of late, learning the best possible route has been imperative. Certainly, a specialised piece of knowledge, but one that is going to continue to come in useful with the launch of the village’s newest addition, Bird on a Wire.

The third restaurant for the free range chook specialists, the team has taken what was once a rumpety old garden shed and turned it into a genuinely nice place to eat — no mean feat considering the state of the ivy-cloaked hovel they took over. With plenty of natural wood, olive green walls, splashes of mosaic tiling and beautiful strip lighting along one wall, it’s simply but strikingly done. And while the covered, festooned patio enjoys views out across Hobson Bay, it’s the inclusion of a basin bang smack in the middle of the dining room (for fried chicken sullied hands) that really deserves a shoutout.

Open to dine in or takeaway for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Bird on a Wire Orakei will be serving up all its much-loved salads, burgers, schnitzels and favourites seven days a week. With full rotisserie chickens of course available too, time-pressed patrons will be pleased to hear they can also order via the BOAW app. Located on the bottom side of Orakei Bay Village (look for the Plant Barn driveway), it’s a welcome addition to the area.