Nice range of candy there but the service was not it. I stopped coming here but the last time I…read morecame here, the owners were eyeing us down like Hawkes when I was just browsing. I got a small bag of lollies but when I went to pay, the owner just swapped the bag of lollies I grabbed for a different bag at the back of the counter. the lady at the counter told me it was fresher and refused to give me the original bag I picked.

Thirsty from all your shopping, need a sugar pick me up then head on over to Sweet Station. This…read moresugar paradise is located opposite the sushi place and stocks a wide range of candy, drinks and snack foods. If you're with kids and they won't shut up, go buy them some candy, get them chupa chups or something. So much gum and chocolate. It may be tiny but they make the most of the space. Need gum or mints after lunch they have that too or if you buy something they actually give you a mint. Don't trust the food court here but really hungry and won't leave until you've found a bargain? Then they have chips, crackers, yoghurts and cookies, in fact it is almost like a little dairy. Tip: there is no customer service help desk in Dress Smart but if you can't locate a store buy something and ask and they will point you in the right direction.

Sugary treats, sweet delights, goody-goody-gumdrops!!! What to write about a confectionary store…read morethat I have frequented on more than one occasion... well, they are in New Lynn Mall, close to the door when coming in from the train station side, which I am sure proves problematic for many families if they need to leave that way, passing by in hope the ankle biters don't see the colourful lollies on display, wise and evil planning by The Sweet Factory owners. The shop also have a ample range of gifts already wrapped waiting to surprise a new owner, ample considering it is really only a very small store, I am guessing you couldn't fit more than five customers in there all at once. Go take some friends and try it for for yourselves, prove my theory wrong!

This place is ridiculous, with sweets of all kinds gathered for a sugar mind blow…read more Try pass your kids along this shop and you will fail miserably. The shop although tiny, is set up so that every little and big sweet is on full display. This makes it incredibly difficult to bypass it without purchasing a little something, or a lot of something. I like it because they have a great selection of foreign sweets too, which can sometimes be hard to come by. What I don't like is that it is a little on the expensive side for my liking, and of course the fact that all the sweets are terrible for your health! Also, you can't really tell what it is that you are purchasing, because not all the products have their ingredients listed on the packaging, and some sweets don't even have packaging (gross).

I dare you to try and wrap your mouth around one of the Giant lollipops they stock here. At $12,…read moreit's probably the most you should probably spend on a lollipop but totally worth it for the challenge alone. 'The Old Lolly Shop' in Takapuna may be one of the last of its kind in Auckland, stocking all of your kiwi favourites, like spearmint leaves, humbugs, chocolate fish and lots more. They have their very own instore 'Lollymaker', who you can pop in to see in action. They are available to make handmade lollies to order. You choose the size, shape, colour and flavour. If you book in a group of people, say for a playgroup or school trip , you even have the option to each make your own lollipop. I mean how awesome is that!

I would never have known about this place unless someone else had directed me there and it really…read moreis a bit of a secret. Cheap Lollies. Lots of cheap lollies. And biscuits and chocolates and salty snacks and even random grocery items. This is the physical shop of FBC Confectionery and I'm not sure how it works but they seem to have clearance products of not only popular sweets but also quite a few retro lollies that you don't often see elsewhere these days. Like Lifesavers, Spacemen (not ciggies - confectionery sticks if you will), K-Bars and the like. The prices are crazytown and you need to exercise restraint because you really can GO to crazytown buying up large here. If you need bulk supplies for Easter egg hunts or other events (we had bags of Mixed Lollies circa 1982 for our wedding guests) this is the place to go - you'll save hundreds of dollars.

Yep I'm hooked on this place as are my all my young adult children. So cheap its crazy friendly…read morestaff a little hidden gem great one stop shop for last minute party goodies or just to pick up something special for your bestie or partner also do hampers from time to time love it

I was elated when The Sweetest Little Chocolate Shop opened a new store in Sylvia Park. Not only…read morewas it much closer to home, but personally, it was bigger and better- its a modern take on the charming, original Midcity Arcade store. The service is friendly, patient and very knowledgeable; because of this I can never leave without a box of ten chocolates and a bag of their delicious Russian caramel fudge. The staff really make it an experience and because of this, I've become a regular here. You'll be dying to try all the flavours they provide, and its an extensive list. For someone who already knows what they're after or they're short on time, they do provide a range of pre-packed candies, chocolates and bars to suit any need. My favourites include the almond rocher, coconut snowball truffle and the roasted almond honey truffle- all to die for! Take a few flavours home with you to try- you really won't be disappointed.

We all have that one friend that constantly checks into places on Facebook. Most of the time it…read moreannoys the living crap out of me but once in a while I get to know about cool places that I can enjoy too.One of those places is the sweetest little chocolate shop. My love for chocolate is intense, I crave it and whenever I have it I want more. So when I decided to go to the sweetest little chocolate shop I went nuts and then sat down and enjoyed myself. After a day of power shopping thats all a girl needs, some chocolate.

The concept behind the new Cheltenham Dairy & Milk Bar warms the my cockles of my heart. Sure, I…read morewasn't alive when dairys looked like this but I've seen the photos and been told the stories. My grandparents grew up on the Shore and I can just imagine them heading down to the local Milk Bar for a shake or to pick up some groceries. Nostalgia aside, Cheltenham Dairy & Milk Bar is pretty much a schmancy diary. There's all the usual lollies, ice cream, chips and drink but they've also got a small selection of baked goods (muffins, slices and some sandwiches), Allpress coffee and juices & smoothies as well. I didn't actually spy any milkshakes when I was there but surely they do them! When I popped in it was late afternoon I was in need of refuelling so I ordered their berry smoothie. The serving was large but unfortunately the taste was disappointing. It was incredibly sour and icy. I should've taken it back but I was already on the road when I took my first sip. Suffice to say, I'll be sticking to regular diary products next time. You can't go wrong with a couple of scoops of ice cream right?

I came here after reading about ice cream sandwiches and gosh they did not disappoint at all!! The…read morestaff there was soooo friendly and nice, everyone in the neighbourhood was nice! I got a salted caramel ice cream sandwich which was premade but not soggy at all. Anything but. He offered to make me a new one but I declined as it wasn't necessary. The chocolate dipped graham biscuit was crunchy and the perfect flavours for an ice cream sandwich. The salted caramel ice cream had the perfect amount of salt to sugar ratio (which believe me can go sooooo wrong). And just the marriage of he two was heavenly .... I know... It's so basic and to judge a whole store on something that can be made anywhere. But the environment, staff and the one item I tried was perfection. And those outdoor seatings. Soooo cute.

To be honest this place kind of smells really bad. I don't know why. Maybe because some of the…read morelittle treats they sell are so strange and curious. It probably doesn't matter about the smell, because if you're into this kind of stuff then you're going to go there regardless. It's a specialty Japanese sweets and confectionary shop. They have all kinds of random stuff. I bought a tiny, plastic, golden cat that had a little panel where it's butt was that you can remove. And inside the cats butt is this little chocolate truffle thing that's shaped like a bottle of champagne. So there's that kind of thing. There's also dozens of types of dried ginger and random figgy stuff. Basically just an obscure candy party.

Safka is named perfectly- a simple word meaning "food" in Finnish and a perfect reflection of this…read morestore. An orderly and uncluttered store that stocks imported European treats, primarily Finnish and Dutch sweets. Everything has a small flag indicating its country of origin and an English description so you have an idea of what you are purchasing. The affable staff will guide you through any indecision or offer tips if you are after something in particular. Affordable overseas treats, without the flamboyant store or steep prices. You will be hard pressed to find many of the products sold here around New Zealand and no where as central as this little, genteel store.

Jari Jaakelainen was looking for something to occupy his time, and so he decided to set up a shop…read morethat would remind him of home whilst also helping Scandinavian immigrants to enjoy the foods they miss. Safka was born. Starting out with just Scandinavian food, Jari has expanded his range of foodstuffs to include items from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland and other countries in the area. Craving German bread? Safka has it. What about Finnish and Swedish crispbreads with tart Lingonberry jam? Jari will sort you out. Jari is always in store to help Kiwis choose something new and interesting, and is happy to take orders for people who want the taste of home. If you've never sampled Scandinavian wares before, take home some Ragusa choclate. Oh my golly gosh, it is so nice.

This butchery has been around for decades. As an independent family owned business, Better Butchers…read moreof Mt Eden gives off a friendly, trustworthy, reliable vibe and is a proud part of the Mt Eden community. All their meat is locally grown and the animals receive the best care during this time - you don't have to worry about pigs in cages, and battery chickens here. Quality is what this butchery prides itself on, as evidenced by their good cuts of meat, fresh boned chicken and REAL MEAT SAUSAGES. The Better Butchers of Mt Eden are also well known for their amazing Christmas hams. We get our ham from them every year and are always really impressed with the flavour and quality of the meat, as well as the price! Unlike other butcheries and supermarkets, you actually get what you pay for with Better Butchers. No one I know has ever been let down by these guys, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone after some decent meat - and some friendly banter! Bonus: Not only is this a great butchery but the staff are really welcoming and have a great sense of humour. Every visit is a delight!

So if you've read a few of my other reviews you'll know that I'm a bit fussy about eating meat. I…read moream however also a mother of three and am not ready to discount whole food groups on behalf of everyone else. Known to locals as the Wairiki Butchery (it's on the corner of Mt Eden and Wairiki Roads), I feel lucky to have this place close by. While whole carcasses really do freak me out, I'm a typical hypocritical consumer and meat in its prepared and packaged form does excite the cook in me. I go here often for the Chicken Nibbles, Lean Beef Mince, a log of Eye Fillet for a special occasion and also some really interesting sausages - the Wild Thar are always a hit at my BBQs. There is something about shopping at your local butchery that makes me feel like a small girl with my nana and I think it's so important to support specialty businesses like this. The guys are always so lovely; really helpful and I don't feel stupid asking them for advice on temperatures and timing. A lot of the basics I buy are priced comparatively to supermarkets so if you have the time, it's well worth dropping in here to get your meat. They also have some flash stuff in the fridge (marinades and the like) so it's one stop shopping if you have a dinner panic.