I have eaten here a handful of times and the owner is lovely. He is very professional and quick to…read morefind us a table in the full restaurant. The most recent time I went I had the fish of the day and my friend had a pizza and unfortunately I was not very impressed with the food. The previous times I have eaten here and had tried several of the pasta dishes I was not disappointed but also was not raving about it afterwards. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea as every time I have gone here, it is always busy with the locals. Although the ambiance was great, the wine was good and service prompt, I think next time I would face the drive into town for something else

Who would have known this sensational restaurant was located in the middle of the suburban areas,…read moreThe Gardens. Absolutely fantastic Italian! I came here the other night for the first time after having heard many great things; I was not disappointed. We started our dining experience with some garlic bread, YUM! It was delicious. Very large, it comes out like a pizza, with 8 substantial size slices. Next we shared some fabulous calamari, cooked to perfection; and deep friend camembert, AMAZING! Our mains did not fail to live up to our starter and entrees. The mains were massive meals that all came with potatoes and veges. This restaurant has a wonderful feel about it. The staff are incredibly accommodating and really want to make sure you're getting the dining experience you deserve. I have to rate this place a solid 5 out of 5! I will certainly be coming back to try the pastas, pizzas and desserts!!

What a lovely place! Located on the corner of cavendish drive, opposite AUT south campus (AUT…read morerepresent!), Trattoria is one of Manukau city's hidden gems. We discovered it through the Auckland entertainment book for 2017. The cafe has 2 entrances is - one beside the deck and one along further by the other shops. We walked in to a lovely setup with tables, chairs and a very clean white floor. The area is well taken care of and also offers outside seating (and inside outside) for those who prefer the fresh air. Quiet music is played from the radio. Now onto the food... the coffee was EXQUISITE! I love a good mocha and mine was the perfect balance of chocolate and coffee. Mum had a latte, which she loved also. As for the meals, my eyes went straight to the blueberry pancakes (which come with cream, seasonal fruit, bacon and maple syrup). Mum had the trattoria grill (eggs, bacon, sourdough bread,spinach, mushrooms, potato balls, Italian sausage and roasted tomato). The girls that ran it were lovely too. Highly recommended!

Has been very very good and average on different visits. Has nice breakfasts. Have tried the pasta…read morewhich could have done with a little more sauce and burgers and they catered for a large group really well. Perhaps just a bit more consistency would raise the standard. Have noticed that it doesn't appear to be as patronised as it used to be so wonder why. Would definitely give it another go. Could really do with some more mediterranean flavours in South Auckland.

This place is amazing. The chef Maria is absolutely a fantastic cook. Food is great! Everything is…read morefreshly cooked. Easily my favour Italian restaurant.

My boyfriend and I got taken away here, we sat outside in the rain as they made it as we weren't…read moreoffered anywhere to sit and wait. I had the spaghetti Bol and my boyfriend had the lasagna. We both decided it would have been cheaper and taste the same as going to the next door countdown and buying a microwave meal.

Pizza was AMAZING totally worth it and a reasonable price, pasta was a little disappointing as the…read morechicken was a little creepy. (Grissley and in perfect cubes) but the pizza was amazing I would go back there again for that!

OMG. I love this place!!! It is so cute. We came here yesterday when it was pouring down. Not that…read moremany people inside. They sell lots of different products that you would not often see in central Auckland. I think the guy serving everyone had had a rough day as he didn't seem very cheery. Service was still good though but a happy face would have made it top notch. I ordered a soy hot chocolate which was yum but I guess you can't really mess that up. He had a long black which was made very well. I ordered the curry of the day (Thai chicken) and it was ok, I have had better as the chicken was dry and the courgette flavour was strong, quite fusion. He had their big breakfast which apparently was a lot nicer than any other one he had back in Auckland. I thought they are all the same hahaha. When leaving was I tempted to try their cabinet food so I got a cheesecake brownie and a strawberry brownie to take away. LOVED IT. He usually doesn't like sweet food (like most guys) but he loved it too! Kitchen closes at 2.30pm but cabinet food goes until close. I would highly recommend this cafe and then you could stop by clevedon coast oysters before or after = perfect day

So you've gone on your country drive down south and you're feeling parched. Perhaps you are on the…read morehunt for fresh veges, fruit or a jar of jam? Well, Ciao Bella has both a nice, homey looking country cafe with an Italian twist, as well as all your farmer's market needs. They hold the Italian Country Market here every weekend, but don't hesitate to venture here another day. They also have the most amazing bathroom, covered in multi-coloured tiles. Feels like an acid trip from the 60s. Basically, it's a breath of fresh air on your journey to Clevedon or beyond.

Delcious food.... loved the seafood platter (mussels prawns scallops squid on top of spaghetti with…read morea marinara type sauce except better. ...) hubby had the steak was tasty with mushroom an peppercorn sauce... they have a good kids menu (fun desserts) and my daughter loved the chicken fettuccine. .. waitresses were friendly but arrogant young male waiter spoke to us Like we were not worth his time.... rushed our service to serve the more well dressed despite that the mains were awesome and we enjoyed a yummy antipasto platter for starters ... was not really impressed with cheesecake or the chocolate cake . good range of pizzas available as well would go back again just for the seafood platter ....

I can truly say that Goode Brothers Botany is not a place that I will ever want to take my family…read moreagain to enjoy any meal. It was my partners birthday today and she was not impressed with the overall customer service , neither was I .. including our kids. The stack of side plates that was brought to us had a few clean ones on the top and the others below were used side plates that were not washed ( disgusting ) . All we got was a " sorry" the next was a dirty fork , again " sorry ." My partners mum is vegetarian and specifically requested a pasta with mushrooms and no meat ... She found bacon pieces in her meal. On requesting for the manager i was just given a sorry and that I would not be charged for that meal. The kids had ordered strawberry ice cream with their meal as that was the options given .. at the end of the kids meal when they requested for their ice cream then only were they told that there was no strawberry ice cream available . This was at 12:45.??? We had taken a cake along to enjoy after lunch and have a little party , unfortunately it was a pit of with their overall service and filthy crockery . My bill was around $170 ... the entire experience in my view was a disaster .

Don't get the pizza. It would be nicer and cheaper to get it from Pizza Hut. The pizza is plain…read more The service is quick but you have to look at the waiter for like 15 minutes for them to realize them. The kitchen is always noisy but the restaurant is empty on a weeknight.

I am a fan of Windross House. It reminds of something from The Notebook movie. That serene setting…read morewith that tranquility, calmness and ultimate elegance to it. This is the place you take either your grandmother for Sunday brunch, your girlfriends for afternoon tea, or your future in laws for dinner. Take someone here and they will think highly of you and your taste in fine dining. The establishment sits on a massive property overlooking surrounding greenery. The restaurant is a rustic, beautifully maintained, villa with recently remodelled interiors. There is also a wrap around balcony, and this makes more epic dining inside and out. The menu is quite impressive. Filled with classic meat, salad and pasta dishes, so there isn't that much creativity but they deliver in taste and presentation. There is also a vast selection, and importantly plenty to choose for vegetarians. I am not sure where the cuisine influence comes from though because it goes from avocado shrimp to unpronounceable italian? / spanish? dishes. Still the ingredients and taste make it amazing. In all, a beautiful place to go to, and definitely worth a visit.

You ask the locals what their poshest dining experience has been, and many of them will recommend…read moreThe Windross. It's like stepping into Anne of Green Gables, or some similar tale of an old-fashioned heroine. It has beautiful wooden floor boards and an air of elegance to it. It helps that this is right next to the beach, adding a sort of extra flare to it. The food, is of course, so delectably yummy. Not many places serve veal, but there you have it at the Windross. Also, it is an Italian menu, so be prepared for a lovely pasta and olive overload.

A small (Indian?) pizza company out east that is very different from your regular Dominos or Pizza…read moreHut etc. they do deliveries or pick ups. No seating inside but there are picnic tables outside. Service is good and pizza is amazinggggg. Their most popular pizza is the BUTTER CHICKEN PIZZA. yes... The pizza and butter chicken made a beautiful baby and it's too legit to be true. A crispy yet soft thick base, slathered in butter chicken and topped with melted cheese.... Need I say more? We also tried their Mexican pizza which was delicious too. Spicy and full of flavour. Totally different from the usual pizza flavours. Wedges are normal wedges that you usually get but still tasty. Chicken tenders were yum but they're like the supermarkets ones? other than that I'm super duper stoked with these guys!

This place has a huge variety of pizzas available…read more Also this place is great value for money averaging $15 for a large pizza. I would recommend the meat lovers and the chicken tropical pizzas (the last has the nice addition of mango). Be aware that in the weekend this place is slammed in the evenings so ring ahead!