Thirty Nine — 39 Ponsonby to regulars — is a cafe and bar on Ponsonby Road that has been looking after its neighbourhood since 1996. Built by and for hospitality people, it works as equal parts cocktail bar, late-night kitchen, function venue and community stage, and was nominated for Outstanding Local at the 2024 Lewisham Awards. The drinks list leans on a Negroni named by Metro Magazine as one of Auckland's best and a Black Forest Espresso Martini the house calls legendary, alongside signatures like 39's Revival and In Fair Verona.
The kitchen keeps things generous and unfussy: sharing plates, burgers and bar food designed to help the conversation last longer, with chimichurri threading through much of the menu. Expect the Chef's Platter built to your tastes, the Ponsonburger-born Tangy BBQ Chimichurri Chicken Burger, triple cheese balls, Dutch croquettes and crispy cauliflower — all served until 1am.
Beyond the bar sits a hidden covered and heated courtyard, a cosy speakeasy-style corner furnished with the owners' grandparents' couches, and garden spaces for functions of up to 50 guests, with no hire fee or hidden costs. Poetry slams, comedy sets and live music share the calendar with quiet weeknight catch-ups — and the door is always open.
There's a stretch of Ponsonby Road where the night seems to run a little longer, and Thirty Nine sits right in the middle of it. Known to just about everyone as 39, this cafe and bar has been holding court at number 39 since 1996, built by hospitality people, for hospitality people. Nearly three decades later, its promise hasn't changed: legendary cocktails, shared plates, functions and live entertainment, delivered with genuine hospitality in the heart of Ponsonby. That staying power hasn't gone unnoticed — the venue was nominated for Outstanding Local at the 2024 Lewisham Awards, the industry's own nod to the places that look after their people best.
Some drinks become shorthand for the bar that makes them. At 39, that list is short and proud: the Black Forest Espresso Martini, which regulars simply call legendary, and a Negroni that Metro Magazine named among Auckland's best. Beyond those two, the list rewards exploring — 39's Revival pairs gin and Cointreau with peach elderflower, citrus and a whisper of absinthe, while In Fair Verona is made for pairing with something crispy and salty. If cocktails aren't the mood, there's always a cold tap beer and a quiet corner to swap ideas in.
At Thirty Nine, food has never been the main event — people are. The kitchen's job is to help the conversation last longer, which is why the menu is built around sharing: generous plates designed to be reached across the table for. The winter menu draws on hospitality traditions from around the world with bold flavours, simple cooking and no fuss.
There's the Best Hash in Ponsonby and lemon pepper fries with mustard aioli; capsicum hummus with pan-fried flatbread and chimichurri butter flatbread; pan-fried broccolini with chimichurri butter and hummus; crispy cauliflower florets tossed in a smoky, tangy glaze; boneless fried chicken with chimichurri mayo; and Dutch croquettes — a nod to heritage — served with grain mustard. Triple cheese balls, double crumbed and finished with caramel, honey and sriracha, were supposedly built for sharing and rarely survive that long.
Chimichurri is the house's signature ingredient, showing up in the butters, the sauces, the slaw and alongside the broccolini. It even anchors the Tangy BBQ Chimichurri Chicken Burger — crispy marinated chicken and crunchy slaw on a seeded brioche — created for Ponsonby's famous Ponsonburger celebration and now firmly established as a Thirty Nine favourite. Can't decide? Order the Chef's Platter, tell the kitchen your likes, dislikes and dietary requirements, and they'll build a platter that feeds two hungry people or four lighter appetites. Crucially, the late night kitchen serves all of this until 1am.
The venue splits into four spaces, each with its own character. The inside bar puts you front row for some of Auckland's best bartenders at work. The Cosy Corner — all grandparents' couches and hidden-speakeasy charm — is a regulars' favourite for date nights and small celebrations. The Lower Outdoor Garden is rustic, relaxed and full of character, ideal for shared dining and birthdays with up to 25 guests. Out back, the hidden Upper Outdoor Garden Bar is covered and heated, available year-round for events and exclusive bookings of up to 50. Function planners get a blank canvas, bespoke catering and, notably, no hire fee or hidden costs.
39 is as much a cultural room as a drinking one. Fiery poetry slams, late-night comedy sets and live music all share the calendar with quiet catch-ups over tap beer, and the house motto — bridging communities since 1996, where ideas meet action — is taken seriously. Drop in on a whim and you might catch a show; plan ahead and you can book the room for your own night. Either way, the door is always open: Tuesday to Sunday from 4pm until late, with enquiries through bookings@thirtynine.co.nz or 09-376 5008.