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.

Really wonderful food. I was impressed. The snapper was delicious, the roasted corn it was…read moreresting on was sweet n flavorful w a hint of spice that I loved. The grilled focaccia was delicious! And the martini w passion fruit--excellent. I sat in this little alleyway w 3-4 tables. Nice sea breeze. Go to this restaurant. You will enjoy it!

Convenient, easy location to find with a cozy interior…read more Service was amazing. Waiter was very helpful when I asked questions about dishes and when I ordered something, he made sure I knew what I was ordering. I ordered the Short Rib Agnolotti.. Think of a really soft piece of short rib in a pasta shell, very similar to ravioli. We also ordered the bruschetta, spaghetti, and risotto and those options are also really great, but that Agnolotti was the star of the show. Keep in mind, this is a pre COVID-19 review and I still cannot get over how delicious this meal was. I absolutely cannot wait to go back and introduce more friends to the best pasta of my life.

I had heard through the grapevine that this was just the best ever pizza found on the North Shore…read more So of course I pestered my partner to take us there for a takeout pizza mid week. I arrived around five thirty and the popular pizzeria had a few guests eating pasta on the front outdoor seating area. The owner who bakes all the pizza's himself is a friendly and humorous Greek man, and was only too happy to point out the fave choices of pizza for us first time visitors. The Top picks were Greco, a delicious topping of lamb, red onion, olives, peppers, tzatziki, basil and parsley (My first pick also). And the Quattro Stagioni which had Salami, Ham, Prawns and Mushroom, this was sensational (my second pick). As it was the premiere visit, we opted for the two small pizzas, costing both under 18 dollars each, and let me tell you, I thought I could have eaten a pizza to myself, however the servings were so great that I only managed about 2 pieces each. Beautiful pizza base , and the toppings are just divino divine! I will be back as soon as I can, to try more pizza flavours, and a pasta dish for sure.

Just need some good food during the interim of taking care of my mother in law in the NS hospital…read more We ordered one Divino Pizza and one Divino Pasta for three of us. The pizza and pasta are eally nice and far beyond my expectations (I preferred pasta a bit more). Got refreshed and continue facing whatever they are in the real life.

Excellent pizza, truly Neapolitan taste, the dough is made authentically. I was transported back to…read moreNaples. The salads are good too, the staff are very friendly. The restaurant is small but cozy. Use Google Maps for directions. Apple Maps will send you to their old address and leave you frustrated.

Great pizza and pasta place. The pasta is fresh and delicious. Very popular so recommend a…read morereservation. Very well priced as well. Dinner * Extra mozzarella pizza (Excellent) * Bolognese baked pasta (Excellent)

Food was fabulous. All three of the dishes were great. One pizza, two pasta's! Well worth it. Only…read morecomplaint is the chairs are super uncomfortable making us not want to linger or have desert. We were full however... We may go back tomorrow night.

Everything you'd want in a small, Italian, family run restaurant. You can tell the three…read moregenerations who work here put a lot of effort into serving great quality, traditional italian food. The servings are generous and the flavours are bold and robust. Not to mention, they have a fantastic wood-fired oven that pumps out perfectly imperfect pizzas and calzones - great for takeaways! We came here for dinner recently with the extended family and it was an absolute treat. Whilst the majority of the table went for the veal, I opted for the linguine with prawns, chilli, garlic, lemon and olive oil. Such a classic combination but an absolute winner in my book. The pasta was cooked al dente and the chillii /garlic/lemon ratio was spot on. My dad raves about this place and after our most recent visit, it's not hard to see why!

food great but rushed out at the end while there were still empty tables. bought the bill while we…read morewere still eating dessert. spent over $200 for 2 people and rushed out like we'd gone for takealways . nice food

Love nature? Love olive oil? Me too. Visiting Rangihoua Estate was one of the coolest things I've…read moreever done, and the beauty here was breathtaking. I cook with olive oil almost every day, so I was most excited about learning how it's made and watching it happen right in front of me. Everyone here was so knowledgable and helpful, and I learned lots of great tips for what to look for in a good olive oil. After watching the production process, we were able to try several varieties of Rangihoua olive oil with bread, and it was interesting to make tasting notes (similar to how you make them for wine.) We ended up taking a few bottles back to the US, as well as this amazing herb spread they created. We found out after we purchased that they ship to the US for free, which would have been a lot easier than trying to get it back ourselves, but it was worth it. After we spent time inside learning about the oils, we were able to wander the grounds which was an absolutely beautiful experience. We saw olives growing everywhere, and the nature was jaw-dropping (though we were in New Zealand, so...) We saw ponds, ducks, and hundreds of flowers. I truly could have spent the day there! Thanks to everyone at Rangihoua Estate for a perfect New Zealand afternoon.

Got the opportunity to visit this estate while on a tour. This was our first stop for the day. We…read morestarted the tour with an informational video, showing the work that goes into harvesting the olives. It was also cool to find out that the oils we got to sample were award winning. My favorite extra virgin olive oil was Picaul.

Absolutely wonderful. First dinner in Auckland and it was a winner. Our server was Valentine...she…read morewas excellent. We ordered way too much food...it just looked so good. We ordered: Wood Fired King Prawn. The King Prawn arrived and it was beautiful and very large. It was served with a black peppered pancetta and a gremolata sauce of which both enhanced the grilled prawn. Not a drop was left. Mamma D's East Coast Beef Meatballs. They were big and filling. Some of the best meatballs served in restaurant. I thought they were packed a little tight. I loosely form mine when tends to ensure tenderness. The sauce was perfect and they went well the side dishes. Cacio & Pepe was served and it was the prettiest we had ever seen and probably the best we have ever had. Put it right up there with those served in Roma. Polenta - another winner and beautiful. It also went well with the meatballs. Creamy and delicious just wish we could have eaten the whole dish or had a kitchen where we were staying...that good. Baduzzi was hopping the night we were there. So glad that we had reservations...highly recommend booking.

Balduzzi is a spot I've been to twice. It's in Wynard Quarter in a cozy spot near the ASC building…read more It's even got an Italian three wheeled truck outside. The owner is from Italy and the care shows. The pastas are great and the highlight are the meatballs. They are huge so beware but delicious. We were yearly too full after the great bread to even think about the pasta but they were both great. There are two parts to the restaurant but we liked the patio area outside. Overall a nice spot for both lunch and dinner.

The Oyster Inn is a totally fine option located in the main village close to the ferry (~5 min bus…read moreride). We ordered the grilled broccolini and cos salad, Mac and cheese, fish and chips, and half a dozen oysters. The oysters were massive, maybe the largest I've ever eaten, which was interesting because our waiter described them as medium sized lol. The food was decent and with huge portion sizes - in retrospect we could have skipped the Mac and cheese. Our food was quite slow to come out to a point where we had to speed through the rest of our visit to make the ferry in time. This plus the average food made it a totally ok stop, but I'd likely pass if I visit the island again.

Super great great Little island love the menu. The people that work. There were great places really…read morecute. It's right in the middle of town doubt many people are gonna make it to this place cause specifically to get to. Make the attempt is worthwhile. Don't forget to have an espresso and dessert too bye

We walked into the bistro ready to have a terrific dinner experience based on their website photos…read moreand the warm, inviting appearance as we walked up. The ambiance was nice and felt like a cozy ski lodge. However, the hostess wasn't exactly warm or charming. She seemed to have a bit of a control issue. When we moved one of the 2 chairs at the 4-top to another side of the table, she expressed her displeasure and stated that we had to make sure that we gave the table next to us enough space, but there was definitely enough room for a small pony to walk through. The server was pretentious. The vibe we got was that he was busy with something else and could barely be bothered to share the specials and take our order. Because we weren't getting a great vibe, we decided just to order overpriced drinks instead of drinks and overpriced food. Do NOT order the old fashioned unless you like them super sweet. My husband is a fan of old fashioneds and had never had a ridiculously sugary drink as this before. The espresso martini was okay. Definitely not worth $26 though. This place is definitely overrated.

One of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever experienced was eating dinner at Mudbrick. The view is…read moredivine, and the garden feels so quaint and picturesque that I was completely wowed. It's nice coming here for the ambience alone! They have two or three course dining options and I went with the two course plus a bread order which ended up being the perfect amount of food. The dishes were surprisingly innovative for being a winery restaurant, and I really appreciated the pairings they suggested with each dish. I especially liked their Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot options. It's definitely pricey, but I am glad I got to try dinner here. Only catch is that it's quite difficult to get a car back home - we had dinner at 7:30 pm and it was a bit harrowing getting a taxi. The hotel will help call for you but our driver double booked himself for extra business so we stood outside almost half an hour in the dark. Regardless, the restaurant itself was great and worth the trip.