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!

This place is outstanding. Friendly staff and delicious food. I had a pizza followed by Summer…read moreBerry Crème Bruleé.

Excellent Indian food and a super experience due to the attentive staff. We returned a second time…read moreand again the Indian food was excellent (we had roti and chicken three ways: tikka, biryani, madras). They also have an extensive European food menu, a kids menu and fabulous Swiss ice cream (we are Canadian and just had the best maple-walnut ice cream). What a great place!

Il Piccolo has long had a presence in the Eastern Suburbs, previously being located down near…read moreKohimarama Beach and now up to Waimarie Street in Glendowie (much more convenient for me personally). The pristine interior of the restaurant is immediately striking. This seems to emanate throughout the food, with sharp, full flavours. I tend to order the Quattro pizza which has plenty of topping and a hearty base. There is a great range of choice of both pizzas and pastas alike. I usually go for the Spaghetti Di Mare, as I am a mega fan of seafood and this pasta was quite delicious. Parking is as easy as can be. There is a small indoor area for dining in, however the abundance of suitable earby locations encourages takeaways such as St Heliers Beach, the top of Glover Park, Karaka Bay or the top of Cliff Road.

Great local pizza takeaway! It's not prego ponsonby but it's decent Italian pizza cooked by an…read moreItalian the correct way. No more chain pizzas if you live in the eastern bays and want a quick takeaway pizza at a decent price, good bottle shop couple of doors down to.

A good Italian restaurant is at Half Moon Bay Marina. Fittingly named Mezza Luna (Half Moon),…read morelocated next to Grangers Taphouse & Kitchen. I love the teal decor booth seats and throws. Shame the booth I booked dampened the beginning of my night by being given to someone else that was said to have 2 more guests than us and ended up being 3 people short but not before I made the very young Manager (seriously looked like he was barely out of nappies) to swap me back to where I had asked for in my booking a month in advance. Don't mess with a lady with a very sore injured back. I read in an earlier article that the produce is all local with things like flour imported and everything is made on site. The Ragu and handkerchief Taglitelle I had was very good and seemed homemade. The pizza my friend had looked good although I like my toppings a little more closer to the edge than they were. I wasn't too chuffed on my scallops. My friend agreed they were lacking something. Too much citrus and not enough crunch or other elements on the plate. The wine list was good and of course there is chianti from Tuscany on the menu. Twice now though I have been there and the staff are very young and I don't think very knowledgeable, different to when they first opened. Finally, dessert finishes on a good note too with a perfectly cooked and gooey Chocolate fondant with banana smear and ice cream. The Tiramisu looked pretty in a glass. Overall I think the food is good and I would consider going back in the summer when I can enjoy the alfresco dining and summer menu also. They always have great mid-week deals on Facebook and all you can eat pizza nights so go and check them out. Buon appetito!

This place is way off the beaten trail for someone from the shore. Being right next to the marina…read morein Half Moon Bay, I would like to have seen it in the daytime too. The restaurant has a casual beachy feel with a mix of tables and seating arrangements. There's also an adjoining bar for pre-dinner drinks. I ordered the duck ravioli, which really was good, and the chocolate molten pudding for dessert. Great for the locals, and maybe a good day trip if travelling by ferry from the city, but probably too much of a drive for a revisit.

Casa Tua is a thriving Italian restaurant in the main Farm Cove shops - it's pretty much the life…read moreof this little group of shops that otherwise consists of a dairy, a fish and chip shop, a bottle store, and a dress shop. Casa Tua recently expanded to take over the area where the pharmacy previously was, and the business always seems to be booming. It's a popular place for larger groups and has a lively, noisy atmosphere. I've only ever had takeaways from here, which was pizza, and I can't say it was amazing. On the other hand, it was about a million times better than most takeaway pizza places. It's about on par with Hell I reckon, although completely different - Casa Tua offers a much more traditional, thinner based pizza, with a more conservative range of toppings. There's nothing better than simple food done well, but still, I was a little underwhelmed. I'd still be keen to check it out for a dine-in experience though.

Our party of four enjoyed a fantastic meal at this local authentic Italian restaurant…read more There's an extensive menu with all the Italian favourite you'd expect to see. Pizza of course - the proper Italian kind with the crispy thin base and simple toppings. Rich delicious sounding ragu but we couldn't go past the authentic chicken masala with its rich creamy slightly sweet sauce and the crispy pork belly served on a medley of farm cut roasted vegetables. The servings are generous but not enormous. The food was tasty and delicious and our waitress was delightful and attentive. The atmosphere is vibrant and buzzing if perhaps a little noisy, but it's an authentic experience and one which I intend to repeat!

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.