Italian restaurant in New Zealand

“Holy!!!! A coast hidden gem!! Went for dinner, started with the cheese and garlic bread, must be home made dough because I could not get enough of it, then had the tarragon chicken, I’ve been dreaming about it ever since, absolutely mouth watering. staff were absolutely amazing, the smiles they give, you cannot help to smile. Decided to come back to try their breakfast today and what can’t they do, coffee 10/10 and I had the smashed avocado, would go back every morning if I could. If I could give it 10 stars I would!!!!”

“Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow I am always amazed by the service, Tony (front of house) is absolutely amazing, How do you remember customers names even after weeks!? Definitely feel very appreciated as a customer, Great service is so hard to find anywhere nowadays. The food is also fantastic, Have to try all the great flavour on the menu. Great authentic Italian pizza, Al Volo customer for life A++”

“Amazing pizza and staff, always come here as it’s consistently good and everyone is always very friendly”

“Delicious. Would go back just for the desserts. Very friendly attentive staff.”

“The food was absolutely amazing especially the lasagna, the place has such a warm and homely vibe, feels like coming home. The two Italian aunties who own the place are incredibly kind and friendly, and every dish is served with a warm smile and of course we’ll definitely be coming back again!!”

“I'm giving Portofino 5 stars all around as we absolutely loved the food, service, and atmosphere during our holiday in New Zealand. It was so good that we visited them again before we left...twice in one week for dinner! I definitely recommend dining at Portofino. All of the food we ordered were great from the Lasagna Al Forno, Fettuccine Di Pollon, Vegetarian Fettuccine Vegetarian, Cannelloni Casanostra. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. They even offered and opened the window and had fresh air while enjoying our meals. We forgot to take pictures of our food the first time we dined in...that's how great it was! The pictures below are of what we ordered on our second visit!”

“My husband and I ate our late lunch here. I ordered Salmon and Capers Pasta, and it was soooooo good! It was creamy and I love how it balances with the capers My husband ordered Spaghetti Carbonara and it was so delicious as well! Will definitely try their pizza next time.”

“I love this place!!! It may be on a main road but the atmosphere inside the courtyard walls is beautiful…. a feel of Italy. We were greeted warmly and found a lovely seat in the sun where we thoroughly enjoyed the coffee and delicious food brought to us. I ordered the beef burger without buns and my son had the fish salad… both were spot on! I can’t wait to come back on an evening and enjoy the courtyard, with the festoon lights and a glass of wine with another Del meal!”

“Absolutely delicious pasta! This Italian restaurant serves incredibly authentic dishes — the flavours are rich and spot on. The pasta was one of the best I’ve ever had. The environment is lovely, and the background music adds a great vibe to the whole dining experience. Also, the chicken cutlet was huge and perfectly cooked! Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a true taste of Italy.”

“Nice penne Arrabbiata. They don’t have wireless payment facility so bring cash or card, not just phone!”

“We were lucky enough to walk in with no reservation and grab a table outside in the sun tonight for dinner. The food was all incredible, so fast and so yummy. All the staff were great, super friendly and helpful! Will definitely be back again ☺️”

“We were served by Sarit, he was friendly and generous. The food came quickly and tasted good. My 4 year old loved the cheese pizza and watching football on the TV.”

“Service was positive her name is Simran her hospitality and friendly service made me feel happy by her greetings and the positive service she provided. We are sorry to see her go as this is her last night. In future may we have positive and vibrant staff like Simran. Thank you lovely for being positive each time we come to pizza hut Papakura.”

“Beautiful food, delicious drinks and lovely service! Such hospitable staff and a quick turn around time. The atmosphere is awesome, it’s a really beautiful space too. Could not recommend more!!”

“This was my first time dining at Loretta and dining at a restetaunt in general, as I get incredibly nervous eating out due to my allergies, but it was a fantastic experience!!! The staff were so lovely and accommodating towards my allergies – Ruby and Anna were incredible – tripple checking everything to make sure it's safe. Overall, amazing service from the kitchen for accommodating my allergies amongst all the other tables. The food was also fabulous, would highly recommend! Thank you for such a lovely experience ”

“Stumbled upon this place for lunch today - it’s located at one end of the Willis Lane development. It’s comfortable enough although not the cosiest spot atmosphere-wise BUT the service was lovely, speedy, and the food was delicious. I ordered this pesto pasta (sorry, can’t remember the exact name) and it was not only beautiful but was only $13 as part of the lunch time pasta special. Will be back for sure, really enjoyable and amazing value.”

“We had a really beautiful lunch at the Japanese restaurant upstairs here. The food was beautifully presented and the flavours were exquisite - and super fresh! The menu has a good range and the staff were very friendly. The set meals are quite generous. Go hungry or share, which is what we did. 5 stars.”

“Been here many times. Excellent pizza, and their hot chocolates are a spiritual experience - best in Wellington. Absolute must for anyone whether you're a local or from elsewhere!”

“Mediterranean Foods Wellington has the best pizza in Wellington, hands down. The linguine is absolutely to die for, and every visit has been matched with genuinely friendly, welcoming staff. The place has such a good vibe — warm, lively, and the kind of spot you can proudly bring friends or family who are visiting from out of town. A definite favourite and an easy 5 stars. Highly recommend!”

“Absolutely loved this restaurant! There was a 12$ special from 4 to 6PM the night we went. The service was exceptional and there was such a nice atmosphere. The pasta plate did not deceive and I would strongly recommend this restaurant.”

“I have travelled the world. I have been to Europe and I have tasted my uncles home cooked pizza. I have been to Milan and I have been to France. I will say only one thing. The creamy pineapple pizza stands undefeated and very much unchallenged. Who else could try? Miss u crème fraiche”

“As a former NYer, this place nails it. About as far as you can get from NYC and the flavor is spot on. They put the slices back in the oven so the crust is nice and crispy. I would pull 1/4 point if I could for not having shakers of garlic powder or Jamaican beef parties on the menu.”

“Great pizza right on the beach. Genuinely the best pizza I've had in Wellington, the ingredients are super high quality and the staff are very friendly. Great place to visit if you like supporting small family businesses.”

“I recently tried a prawn curry, and I have to say it was absolutely delicious. The flavors were so well-balanced, with a perfect blend of spices and creamy coconut milk. The prawns were cooked to perfection, tender and juicy in every bite. It's easily one of the best prawn curries I've ever had, and I highly recommend it!”

“Always love going to Longbeach. Such tasty food, awesome vibes and love the garden. Definitely worth a visit any time of day!”

“Delicious meals with good service. Very friendly staff to make customers to enjoy their meal time.”

“Wow it was great better service than we got last week at Logan Brown. The guys are fab and the food was authentic and delicious.Excellent meal thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful. Authentic Italian food. Far better atmosphere than the competition. I had the antipasto platter which was plenty for four and really tasty. Salmon and spinach fettuccine was fab and our guests had a steak and the NY meatballs. Definitely worth a return trip.”

“Definitely my fave place to go for Italian food! The perfect blend of flavours in the pizza that were not over powering but also not boring either. The food was very well prepared, served hot and service was exceptional. Pasta fabulous texture and taste. Calamari is a MUST! Deserts were wonderful too. Overall, loved the food and vibe here and would come back.”

“2 words....Crazy Good! Thanks to our host Anthony, The Chefs and crew for an outstanding Italian experience. Honestly the best Pasta I've tried. This restaurant is another great addition to the Petone food scene on Jackson. Unbelievable food, exceptional service and nice relaxed atmosphere. Thanks, we will be back for more!”

“Had the most lovely first experience at grazie lower Hutt. Didn't know what to expect but the service was excellent, friendly and not over the top. My partner and I shared two starters- calamari and truffle butter flatbread and wow was not expecting such generous portions. The calamari was light and perfectly cooked and a hidden treat of fried zucchini at the bottom were so delicious I would love to be able to order just a bowl of those! I had the mushroom and leek fettuccine with toasted pistachios for main. It was very indulgent and delicious, my only criticism would be it was a tad too creamy but I think that's a preference thing and after the big starters it wrecked me a bit. My partner really enjoyed the brisket Cannelloni. We had no room for dessert but looked great! Not a cheap place but I feel the quality and portion size makes it worth it. Will definitely return for another special date night ❣️”