Upstairs in the heart of New Lynn, above BlackSalt Bar, Totara Event Centre is a party hall and event centre for up to 140 guests. It is set up for birthdays, hens nights, engagement parties, cocktail evenings, ghazal nights, networking events and conferences. Venue hire can include décor customised to a theme, and the catering runs to Indian, Polynesian and continental dishes. The website gives examples such as an Indian spiced beef curry, a classic butter chicken, and a glazed champagne ham with mustard and pineapple sauce. Packages can bundle venue hire, catering, décor and planning, with a team that handles logistics and coordination on the day.
The hall sits on the corner of Great North Road and Totara Avenue, and the website says there is free parking on site. It is run in collaboration with BlackSalt and Indian Lounge Restaurant in Mt Eden, which explains why Indian food sits at the centre of the catering menu. For a function room, a hall in the middle of a town centre keeps the event close to the shops and services of New Lynn, and free parking makes the trip easier for guests. Our pick in New Lynn for a party that comes with its own catering and décor.