Silverdale and surrounds is targeted for new development, and an area that was once destined to…read morebecome an industrial wasteland has now been transformed to be quite an inviting residential development. Obviously some thought was given to the layout of the new developments, and we've already seen the rise of a show stopping Pak & Save, a new housing estate and a Northern Arena, which includes swimming pools, a gym and a coffee shop. The big winners in all this development are the residents of the surrounding areas, with many small shops opening, and fabulous restaurants or tea rooms to enjoy. The pride and joy is the Silverdale Centre; home to a Noel Leeming, ANZ and NZB banks and many small and inviting shops. Considering the distance between Albany and Silverdale, just the lack of congestion on the roads, is already making this centre a favourite.

Growing up I never really spent much time out west, but over the last few years I've slowly become…read moremore and more familiar with what is out there. But it was only really recently that I discovered the outlet mall at Westgate. Located right behind the Westgate shopping centre, this little strip of stores includes the likes of Bendon, a Nike factory store, an all-things-USA shop, and Jet Couture to name a few. The Nike and Bendon stores were two places I was ecstatic to find. Both had a wide selection of products available and everything was pretty reasonably priced. If it is outlet shopping you're after, I would still definitely recommend trying Dressmart in Onehunga first, but if you're already out west and just need new running shoes, lingerie or boardies then the Westgate Outlet will be able to take care of you without breaking your bank! Tip: There's plenty of free parking available both at Westgate shopping mall and in front of the outlet strip!

If you have time to walk around aimlessly looking then Westgate mall is the place for you. I…read moreactually can't even call it a mall it's more like a disorganised shopping centre with everything scattered all over the place. It can be stressful if you are after a certain something and you have to walk around but if you are looking for nothing in particular and are after some retail therapy then this is the place for you. Of the top of my head the shopping outlet has the warehouse, farmers, bendon and shanton. All the shops you find at a Westfield mall just with cheaper prices.

At the end of the Western motorway is this rather odd mall I actually hesitate to call a mall. It's…read morean interesting, rectangularish strip of shops (mostly chain stores), cafes, takeaways, a bar, a medical centre and another Event movie theatre. Can't say I've spent a lot of time here, but when I have done, it's actually been pretty good. Ample parking and you can see all the shops there are, so can't get lost really. There's also a nice park at the back of it. I remember grabbing some food from the Hollywood Bakery and venturing out with my friends on a cloudy day to picnic there. Unfortunately, the ultra violet rays were not that friendly, causing me to get a tad burnt and crispy. Woops.

After visiting Costco, I walked about 15 minutes to the nearby Northwest Shopping Center in…read moreWestgate. The mall has a Woolworths supermarket, which is prevalent throughout New Zealand, as well as a few restaurants and other stores. I mainly went in for groceries. One thing to note: in the Westgate area, grocery stores cannot sell alcohol due to local licensing laws, so if you want beer or spirits, you'll need to go to a liquor store. This restriction doesn't apply in Auckland's CBD. Parking is easy with a large lot above and around the mall. While at Woolworths, I noticed a long line outside, which turned out to be for a Justice of the Peace offering free services during certain hours--helpful for locals who need them. Overall, Northwest Shopping Center is convenient if you're nearby and need groceries or a few shops. It's clean, easy to navigate, and has ample parking.

We were in the Westgate area for Costco and decided to check Woolworths i It's located inside the…read moreNorthwest Shopping Mall, which you can walk through to get there. Woolworths is one of the biggest supermarket chains in New Zealand, so we wanted to check it out--mainly to see how much golden kiwis cost here, since this is where they originated. We've been buying them back home in Houston and were curious about the local price. Golden kiwis are delicious, for those who haven't tried. The store was bright, clean, and easy to navigate. The produce section was well stocked, and the golden kiwis looked really fresh--priced a bit lower than what we usually pay in the US but not as cheap as a decade ago :) They also had a nice variety of local fruits and snacks we don't typically see at home. Overall, it was a pleasant stop--convenient location, friendly staff, and plenty of parking. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area and want to see what everyday grocery shopping looks like in New Zealand. The mall itself looks like a typical mall in the US with one exception: the information desk has a helpful attendant! I rarely see an information desk unless it's like the Galleria!

Waitakere Mega Centre has KMart, Briscoes, Rebel Sport and a range of outlets and retailers that…read morehave suited my needs on many occasion. There is access to an ASB ATM on site. Brilliant. The installation of a few more payment machines at KMart, could be reviewed. I would stop off there more often, if I could pay and leave, as quickly as I arrived. Other than that suggestion, I appreciate that I can obtain a car park nearby and I enjoy Waitakere's decent customer service, which is efficient and often hearty. Kind regards, Maria Cooper

A rather dreary little shopping mall just across from the main Westfield mall in Henderson. I guess…read morethe only thing that would lure you here are some of the stores such as Kathmandu, Trade Aid and the Cheesecake Shop. I guess if you wanted something from these, you can drive in and out as parking is usually available. The only spot to have a coffee is BBs cafe and the last time I went there, it smelt badly of raw onion. I probably would have got a coffee there as I have got it here before and it's ok but the smell in the shop drove me out of there. The Long John Silver shop does a good fish and chips at a reasonable price and there's a Subway if you want a sandwich. The whole vibe of the place is depressing in a West Auckland sort of way - overweight people with sour faces puffing on cigarettes. It's the sort of place you pick up your cake from the Cheesecake shop and drive straight out of there again.

Oh the clearance shed! This place right here is bargain heaven, it is the place you find all the so…read morecalled rejects st a ridiculous price. You can buy makeup, cds, dvds, books, pillows, sheets, electronics and bean bags! It's s place you find everything that you didn't think you needed. If you are ever stuck for a present the clearance shed is the place to go. I blame this place for the countless pilates, yoga ane aerobics dvds that I have. At the same time I owe this place a massive thanks for helping me with my Bob Marley collection. These cds are usually $5-$10 at clearance shed. Plus if any unwanted or unexpected guests invite themselves over and you don't have any clean linen, you now know where to go.

One of the best malls I have been into, don't listen to any of the other reviews, whether it's the…read moreunique $2 shops or the maccas 20 second walk away it never ceases to be awe inspiring. If I could give it 10 stars I would, highly recommend :)

Over the year the mall is going down hill. All the big labels have moved out - recent victim…read moreAmazon surf shop. Nearly the whole place is filled with 2 dollar shop there's like 5 in this mall. Come on are you serious. I hope the revamp soon because I'm only coming here for farmers, jb hifi and the very occasional food court.

I drove across Auckland on a Saturday to meet some friends, visit the Mall, look around the shops,…read morehave lunch, watch a movie and have dinner and in return I got a parking fine. No wonder the Mall was over half empty, when this is how they treat their customers.

King pow Thai prawn salad is all lettuce, bean sprouts and carrots very disappointed. The prawns…read morewere sliced down the middle to make it look like more. Not worth $9.50. Service was ok, a young boy with no smile.