Sunnynook is a quiet residential station on the Northern Busway, sitting between Smales Farm and Constellation. Just 5 minutes' walk away, Link Drive in Wairau Valley is home to a cluster of excellent Asian restaurants — a well-known local dining destination on the North Shore. Sunnynook Park, also 5 minutes from the station, is a spacious community park with a playground, wide perimeter path and the Sunnynook Community Centre.
🚌 The NX1 and NX2 Northern Express run through Sunnynook every 3–5 minutes at peak times. No timetable needed — just arrive and the next bus will come.
Link Drive Asian Dining
Link Drive in Wairau Valley, a 5-minute walk from the station, is one of the North Shore's best-kept dining secrets — a cluster of authentic Asian restaurants tucked into an industrial area.
"The best Thai in NZ!!!" A cosy, family-run Thai restaurant with authentic flavours and generous portions at excellent prices. The Thai basil chicken, cashew chicken stir fry and rich, flavourful curries are standouts. "Every dish was bursting with authentic, vibrant Thai flavours." Licensed, with parking out front. Great for families — the owners moved tables to accommodate a group of 8 without hesitation. Closed Mondays.
Tue–Sun 11:30am–2:30pm & 5–9pm · Closed Mon
"One of my new favourite Vietnamese restaurants — the food itself was mind-blowing, bringing me back to Vietnam." Signature beef pho, grilled lemongrass pork on rice, and spicy beef noodle soup with generous portions and well-seasoned flavours. Friendly staff who seat you promptly and bring water straight away. "Efficient and friendly service with a comforting vibe." Closed Tuesdays.
Mon & Wed–Sun 11am–3pm & 5–9pm · Closed Tue
"One of my favourite places in Auckland for soup dumplings!" Authentic Chinese comfort food at excellent value — original soup dumplings (xiao long bao), shepherd's purse wonton soup, scallion oil noodles and braised pork. "Everything was just under $150 including 4 soft drinks, it fed 4 hungry people and we all had leftovers." Generous portions, simple but deeply tasty food. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.
Mon–Sun 11am–2:30pm & 5–9pm (Tue from 10:30am)
"Fantastic Korean — a must try!" The spicy stir-fried pork is "the best I've had in a very long time" and the crispy garlic soy chicken is equally outstanding. Kimchi served as a side is delicious. A family-style Korean restaurant with generous portions and friendly owners. "A hidden gem — come and try, you won't be disappointed." Licensed. Closed Sundays.
Mon–Sat 11:30am–3pm & 5–9pm · Closed Sun
"Honestly the best Indian food we've had in 16 years in Auckland." Rogan Josh with incredibly tender meat, butter chicken ("way better dining in"), garlic naan, biryani and exceptional chai. "The chef even went out of their way to make something off the menu — and aced it." Bright, clean and welcoming interior. Licensed. Great for date nights and families. Open 7 days.
Daily 11:30am–2:30pm & 4:30–10pm (Fri–Sat until 10:30pm)
Korean BBQ and comfort food with a lunch buffet that offers surprisingly high quality. "A lot of varieties, each meal was handmade and came out warm — simply surprised at the quality for the reasonable price." Cold noodles, soups and BBQ mains. "Definitely a place to experience Korean food if you haven't tried yet." Closed Wednesdays.
Mon–Tue & Thu–Sun 11:30am–3pm & 4:30–10pm · Closed Wed
A lively hawker-style food court — "reminds me of hawker centres in Singapore" — with multiple Asian operators under one roof. Standout stalls include: Viet Malay (Vietnamese and Malaysian rice and noodle dishes), The Grill (Korean dumpling soup with flavourful broth and huge dumplings — "amazing"), Sushi 101 (fresh $1 sushi rolls), a Thai stall (spring rolls, curries), a Filipino stall and a Chinese hot pot operator. Toilets on site. Affordable prices throughout — good for groups who can't agree on cuisine, or for sampling several at once. Alcohol available. Open 7 days from 11am.
Daily 11am–9pmLink Drive — Retail & Entertainment
Beyond the restaurants, Link Drive has a cinema, laser tag, and one of the best concentrations of op shops on the North Shore.
A full-format HOYTS cinema on Link Drive — multiple screens, recliner LazyBoy seats, alcohol available at the bar, and a small arcade area for kids. Great for a rainy day school holiday outing by busway. A small arcade is located inside the foyer. Open daily from 9:45am until last session ends (around 11:30pm). Book online at hoyts.co.nz for best prices.
Daily 9:45am–11:30pm · Book online for best prices
"Epic!" A highly-rated laser tag venue that's a go-to for birthday parties and rainy-day fun. Multiple game format options, an arcade, and staff who "really go the extra mile." "Took the kids here one school holiday day and now keep going back." Packages include unlimited arcade games, and iced water is supplied after the game. Great value for families. Open daily 10am–9pm.
Daily 10am–9pm · Bookings recommended for parties
Link Drive Op Shops
Link Drive has one of the best clusters of op shops on the North Shore — four charity stores within metres of each other at 18 Link Drive: Hato Hone St John (large range of clothing, shoes, books, furniture and homewares, Mon–Sun 9am–4:30pm), Red Cross (clothing, books and homewares, Mon–Sun 9am–5pm), Habitat for Humanity ReStore (homeware, furniture, building materials and clothing, Mon–Sat 9am–5pm) and the Zero Waste Charity Store (sustainability-focused, excellent prices, Mon–Sat). All proceeds go to their respective charitable causes.
All stores generally Mon–Sat 9am–5pm · Check individual stores for Sun hoursSunnynook Park
A spacious suburban park with a playground, community centre and wide walking paths — 5 minutes from the station.
A well-maintained suburban park in the heart of Sunnynook — a great spot for a stroll, a kick about or a casual afternoon out. A wide, flat path runs around the perimeter making it ideal for walking, jogging, cycling and scootering. Sports fields in the centre host local football, rugby and other activities. The park connects to the playground and the community centre, making it a genuine hub for the local community. Free, open 24 hours.
Open 24 hours · Free
"This is a gem!" A well-equipped playground with a spinning rope structure, skate bowl, climbing equipment and a variety of activities for children up to about 12. Drinking fountain and toilets on site. Wide flat paths alongside are ideal for bikes and scooters. "Really cool playground — the rope spinning thing was so much fun!" The park is generally quiet on weekday mornings making it a great school holiday destination by busway. Free, open 24 hours.
Open 24 hours · Free · Toilets on site
A well-managed community facility adjacent to Sunnynook Park — a range of rooms for hire, regular community classes (including qigong, a popular Wednesday morning walking group, Heartbeat meetups and more), meeting spaces and free parking. "A lovely, well-managed little community centre with different-sized rooms and many community and business activities." Contact the centre manager for room hire enquiries.
Mon–Fri during business hours · Event hours varyBus Routes
Northern Busway services
| Route | Serves | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| NX1 | Hibiscus Coast / Albany → Waitematā (city) via all busway stations | Every 3–5 min peak |
| NX2 | Hibiscus Coast / Albany → City Universities (Wellesley St) via all busway stations | Frequent |
| 83 | Massey University (Albany) → Takapuna via Albany, Browns Bay, Mairangi Bay & busway | Frequent |
| 866 | Albany → Newmarket via all busway stations, Ponsonby Rd, K Rd & Auckland City Hospital | Connector |
Connecting local bus routes
The connecting bus stop is on Sunnynook Road, approximately 2 minutes' walk from the busway station.
| Route | Serves | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 907 | Constellation Station → Campbells Bay via Target Rd, Sunnynook Rd & Sunnynook Station | Connector |
⚠️ Ratings and hours can change. Always check venues' own websites or Google Maps for current hours. Bus route information sourced from Auckland Transport — always check at.govt.nz for current timetables.