Brunch for nine on Sunday for a birthday treat with family. Excellent service, delicious food in a great setting. This family has found a new meeting place. Cheers.
Amazing food, perfect service, nothing is too hard for them. Would recommend to everyone. Coffee is great too ��
Perfect Italian food with an incredible wine list to match! All the staff were super friendly and supremely helpful too.
Had a fantastic dinner for 4 last night. Awesome service, nothing was too much trouble for the team looking after us. Superb fish, whitebait, and a rib-eye that was just huge topped with prawns. Fantastic. We will be going back to try more from that big menu.
I faaarking luv the joint. The owner Slav just rocks. Boooom bada booom.
Fantastic food and service. Was a great place to have Mother's day breakfast, even though it was very busy, we didn't have to wait too long for our food. Delicious!
Best pizza in town, great vibe & excellent service!
We had a wonderful dinner Saturday night the service was exceptional and the food was wonderful.
Staff went out of their way to accomodate our every need.
Very impressed will definetly be back
Absolutely fantastic staff and food was amazing! Our group of 11 thoroughly enjoyed our night out, will definitely be back!
Best customer service at this restaurant, always welcoming and friendly and the food is delicious too! Doesn’t look like much from the outside, it’s a large restaurant in a funny location but it’s worth a visit. Loads to choose on the menu and the service is excellent.
Excellent service, I’ve been here a couple times and the service and food is always up to scratch, my only criticism would be that the menu isn’t very clear on any other gluten free options other than pizza. The express lunch is a good price also for what you get and the quality
Amazing food, king prawns and calamari to start with Caesar Salad and Fish of the day for main. Great wine recommendation and love the service! Had been a while since we had been but reminded us of why we love it. Keep up the good work team x
This is an hidden gem.
The place has character and the service was exceptional. I was looking at the ratings and I do understand for some people the experience is personal but honestly : give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
To be fair the ambiance is beautiful. The dish presentation great and the prices very reasonable.
I absolutely loved the burrata, not so impressed with my fettuccini alla marinara ( the sauce was watery and was lacking in flavour) but other than that everything was good. I could see that my friends were very pleased with the place in general.
It felt like a piece of Italy in the middle of Albany
My friend and I went over the shore for a ride and we came across this establishment. A lovely gentleman greeted us and made us feel welcome. The setting was wonderful and cosy. My partner ordered rib eye with potato stack and green vegetables whereas I ordered the beef cheek cannelloni which was recommended by the gentleman. I don't have anything negative about these dishes. Cannelloni was creamy with the beef cheek melting in your mouth and the sauce was scrumptious. The rib eye was cooked in perfection and so were the greens. The only downside was the sauce had a bitter taste afterwards. Otherwise, everything was amazing.
Caffe E Cucina is damn fine girlfriend. Used to come here when I was younger and it was always fairly good. I recently ordered from here off uber eats and let me tell you sis it was delish. I got the Spaghetti with fettuccini and it was a perfect portion size and was probably the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've ever had. It was full of flavour it was just perfect I enjoyed every mouthful. The order also came super fast and was still really hot. Can't hype this place up enough, need to try this place out hun. x
Top notch restaurant! Amazing food and excellent service! Will definitely be coming back here! I highly recommend this place if it’s an authentic Italian restaurant is what you’re after! Thanks for having us 😁
We went here for dinner last night on a bit of a whim - we were not disappointed. The servers were attentive to our needs and offered good suggestions. The food was delicious (lamb rack for my wife and eye fillet for me, along with anti pasti for primi and the brownie and apple & rhubarb crumble for dolce). We were also impressed that they were able to provide Spritz drinks for us, which weren't on the menu. This has become our new favourite Italian restaurant.
$ 15 for main menu plus coffee. The service is perfect.
Food is a general taste.
I was impressed by the staff who were very helpful.The luxurious atmosphere also allows i to stay for a long time.
Yes! I finally found a great Italian restaurant in Auckland, again. The service was incredibly friendly and responsive. The atmosphere is nice and light and the decor is very tasteful. Most of all, the pizza was an absolute delight. We will definitely be back!
Yummy food for an awesome price!
Really like the meals here, only disappointment was my eggs, when asking not to have runny eggs the waiter seemed confused and I still got given runny eggs, ended up being alright because the meal was just as satisfying with the eggs left to the side.
Came in here for a coffee. Little bit confusing as to whether it is a coffee house or a restaurant..
Regardless of that, the premise is clean with well presented decor and coffee was very nice. Hard to attract the staffs attention when you’re sat outside so had to order coffees twice from the bar but still a beautiful place though :))
Loved the atmosphere and customer service was fantastic. The lamb gnocchi and risotto was definitely worth going back for and panna cotta was delicious!
Went there yesterday with my cousins and the staff was so friendly. I was impressed by the ambiance. I have a few allergies such as gluten, onion and garlic (on a fodmap diet) and they were very accomodating in what I could eat and how to make sure I wouldn't have any reaction to it. Lots of choices, but I went for pizza which I loved. My cousins also said their food was yum. Furthermore, lots of wines to choose from!! Will definitely be coming back.
Love the food! So much so I am scared to try something new but each time I do the meal is equally as good! Amazing service. Can not fault the place.
My family and I went out for my birthday dinner last night, service was AMAZING, the manager and the waiter were fantastic, professional but incredibly humorous. They were more than happy to alter foods to suit everyone, and suggested meals when we were after something in particular to suit someone. All of the meals were delicious, and there were so many to choose from. When we arrived we were asked what the reason for the visit was, and then a birthday dessert for myself was bought out when we ordered desserts.
We had been for a birthday dinner a few years back which was equally as wonderful. I will definitely be back soon!
Best breakfast on the Shore!!! If you get there before 10am the entire breakfast menu is $15 including coffee!!!!
The menu is extensive with an Italian flair. We come here most weekends and have done for years... Every single time the food and service is fabulous!!
The Avocado and Feta Smash and Mushrooms with Eggs and Truffle Oil are outstanding. Large portions of deliciousness!!!!
Coffee is also great!!
Service is friendly and efficient.... And they are always on hand with that massive pepper grinder!!!
Fast friendly service, amazing tasting dishes and good wine knowledge from the waiter - warm inside on a cold night as well - great night had by our party of seven
Yzette Van Der Westhuizen
+4
We were there for an early Sunday dinner (Four of us) and was impressed with the personal approach of the staff and I guess, becuase they were not busy, we got extra special attention including a free glass of Lemoncella each at the end of the meal. The pasta I had was just how I like it, not creamy or with a tomato based sauce, but with olive oil and chillies.The steak and pizza the others had looked good and accordingly to them it was a good meal. Very good wine selection. Will defnitely go back!
Been here a few times and NEVER disappointed! Excellent service, waiters and management have a good sense of humour, food top notch. Good to find authentic Italian dishes on the shore. Highly recommended.
Great experience and good and honest food. After bad experience at other Italian restaurant in Albany I have decided to go to this lovely restaurant. And I don't regret my decision. Excellent service and top class Italian food. Will surely go back again.... Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good food and won't mind paying lil more....
I came here for a date after having had a bad Italian experience elsewhere. So I walked in with high expectations wanting it to be perfect to make up for the last horrible date... and WOW did they deliver! The staff were so friendly and since it was a busy night they came to us a few times apologising for the wait and telling how long long they thought it'd be which i appreciate soo much. The food was amazing and I walked away extremely happy with a full tummy of authentic, delicious Italian food.
Amazing place to go! Been here a few times already and always super friendly and great food. Most definitely my regular place to eat! 10/10 everytime.
Astonishing customer service, astonishing food, astonishing speed, astonishing ambience, absolutely astonishing. Will be back again and again.
We come here often and it is consistently great! Super friendly staff and excellent service. We have been here with kids, with our friends and as just a couple. It suits everyone. We love the prawn entree and the passion fruit and white chocolate cheesecake tonight was yummo! One of those places that is perfect for a quick bite or a night to linger and take your time.
Lunch here today
Had the wagyu burger
Partner had pizza
Perroni beer
Both sensational
Service friendly
This is a must try place
Back here for dinner soon
Dined here for lunch today. The express lunch menu is awesome value with a variety of meal options & a wine, beer or soft drink for $20. I had the four cheese pizza & my sister had the pizza wrap. The food was nice enough & was served promptly. The service was good & very friendly. It was nice that they had an outdoor area to dine in on such a humid day.
A Tale Of Two Tummies
+3.5
I got taken to Caffe E Cucina for another work lunch. When I heard it was a "cafe", I had visions of bacon & eggs and coffee going through my mind - so I was somewhat surprised to be greeted with an assortment of food ranging from woodfire gourmet pizza, oysters, whitebait omelettes and steak. All-in-all, the food ranged from absolutely amazing to surprisingly mediocre, as considering the prices you kinda expect everything to be nothing short of amazing.
The pizza and whitebait were easily the highlights for me. The toppings on the seafood pizza were generous and just worked together superbly. The whitebait was fresh and seasoned perfectly as well. The steak was really disappointing though - it was dry and simply lacked flavour or seasoning. Overall, the food was slightly better than average. I probably wouldn't return of my own accord, as the food doesn't quite justify the price, but if I did get taken back there, I'd stick with the seafood or pizza.
I am easily giving it a five coz the service was amazing! We tried the Pollo Affumicato to share and man were we glad to have shared it coz it's so creamy and filling! The flavour was a perfect blend of light & cheesy with the subtle chicken and bacon coming through. The waiters are also so so friendly and interactive and made it a memorable experience. It's ideal for eating out with groups. I wish there was more room to try the dessert menu but no doubt I'll be coming back for round 2 another time! :)
Great food // Easy going and entertaining hospitality // Good selection of wine
We came here for a birthday lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed it. As soon as you step in the door you're greeted with warm and friendly hospitality. The lads there like to joke around making the place have an easy going yet sophisticated atmosphere. I shared the Pollo Affumicato Pizza and it was delicious, rich and very filling. One was definitely good to share. I would like to come back and have the risotto; eyeing out the food coming out the risotto seems like a popular option there. Definitely will come back, thank you Caffe e Cucina.
Recommend this Italian cafe. I live nearby and whether I'm just popping in for a coffee, sitting down outside enjoying a beautiful dinner with my partner
One of my favourite places! Awesome waiters, never had a bad meal there and they can cater for all tastes (which in my family is saying something). Highly, highly recommended.
Me and my partner had breakfast this morning and it was ok..but nice coffee ..use to be very busy place ..don't know what happen. hope this will do batter.
Absolutely stunning! Such a variety on the menu with the most welcoming staff that are attentive but not annoying :) I had the fettuccine like pasta and let me tell you, it was magnificent!! I left feeling full and very happy! :D
We love dining at E Cucina. The food is always good, for dinner we normally get the bacon wrapped scallops, the surf and turf and then the passionfruit cheesecake. For breakfast their big breakfast and orange/almond pancakes with mascarpone never disappoint. Really good coffee and really friendly staff.
Summerlee Fataoui Schick
+3.5
Me and hubby have been here a good handful of time and have always enjoyed the food and wine. There is one waiter there that can be a bit OTT but everyone else seems fine and quick to serve. Im so sad however that they dont offer gnocci 3 cheese anymore :( it was my favourite dish and even though i have tried their other pastas it just doesnt compare. If they ever bring back the old menu with the cheese gnocci ill be there in a heartbeat.
Been there on what I believe was their opening day a few years ago. Went back a few times since then. Service is quite welcoming and warm. The food is decent but nothing to really rave about. It is good for the price you pay. The ambience is vibrant and really nice when its busy. The last time we were there, we did not enjoy the entrees much but did really like the mains (Steak and pasta). The waiters are good with suggestions and combinations. So I ask them what goes with what and they are generally right. I would recommend this place at least once. Food 3.5/5, Service 4/5, Price 3.5/5, Portion 3.5/5, Location 3.5/5
I liked their food better before they changed their menu! I loved the little sharing plates - the mushrooms were divine! The food is good but can sometimes be overpriced for the quality. Caffe E Cucina is a nice place to get dinner and wine.
Great service but I still wish they hadn't changed the menu! It's also hard to rate because food can be inconsistent in quality...
Great friendly service, food was excellent, a bit pricey, but no regrets. My only issue was it was very noisy due to a private party in the night.
Beautiful setup and atmosphere, perfect for a second or third date- as long as you're willing to spend a little more! The food was delicious and served promptly, but the price was a little hard to swallow.
Breakfast always good, service depends on who is on, any food complaints delt with quickly and efficiently, usually a good experience, friendly staff.
Great Atmosphere and Service !
Went here for lunch today after some months since a work function.
Food was amazing ( Beef Cheek Ragu ) and Oysters Fresh and juicy,
love the attention to detail of good rock salt, tobasco sauce and thick wedge of lemon as other restaurants can be very stingy on the condiments.
Great bunch of guys you can have a laugh with
Highly recommended - will be back with Wife
Cheers
Matt
Today we decided to try the café's express lunch which offers a meal and a glass of wine or beer for $20. There were many appetising options and we decided on the insalada pork belly (served with slices of apple, carrot & soused onions), and the smoked chicken, bacon, Brie and Mascarpone pizza. The pork was deliciously moist and plentiful, and the apple & carrot provided a good contrast in textures. The pizza was topped with very generous servings and was beautiful. The outside setting was nice and relaxed and the service was top quality.
We have been here for the $15 breakfast (meal and coffee) several times and can recommend the meanie beanie, kedgeree, "dinner for breakfast", and the Spanish baked eggs. All servings were substantial. Both the $15 breakfasts and the $20 express lunches are such good value for money and their offerings are much more than just the usual fare. We are definitely considering attending their 5 course degustation Valentine's Day dinner.
Have visited a few times - dinner is always great, top notch food (bit pricey but worth it). They also do a great breakfast special. Service can be a bit so so if they are busy. Have been for lunch and was not so impressed.. Chicken and walnut salad was bland and flavourless, I left most of it. Would definitely return for breakfast or dinner, perhaps not lunch!
What a fantastic meal I've just experienced at such an incredible Italian restaurant the deco just made it all so much better sitting by the wine wall admiring the wines on offer which lead us to an enjoy a bottle of odyssey 2013 Rose, while we enjoyed the tasteful antipasto along with a scrumptious Margherita pizza, to top of a great meal with a dedicant desert of semifreddo accompanied by gorgeous fruity dessert wine the doctor noble. The service received from all the staff was outstanding they were just top notch and always making sure everything was fine,The atmosphere that was created at caffee e cuicina is something out of this world and we will be back was just the most fantastic night.
My Sunday cafe during the winter time where I relaxe and indulge in tranquility of being next to the fireplace listening to the rain pattering against the roof. A long black and a good book is all I need. Perhaps a wood fired pizza too if my son is with me.
You can tell this is a very good restaurant but our experience was mixed. When we arrived, we were just ignored for a while and told by a cranky barman to just "wait over there". Having had already made a booking, I was quite surprised. I had to go and remind another waiter that we had made a booking and were waiting. Once we were seated, the service was great. The food was a bit odd. The bruschetta trio was mediocre and they should definitely mention on the menu that the chicken in the chicken main is a mousse because the texture really disturbed us. My gnocchi was delicious and so was the dessert (I had the rice pudding).
Overall, the experience was pleasant.
Visited Caffe e Cucina 2 weeks ago with my family, after attending a funeral at Schnapper Rock just up the road. We walked in, were greeted, and told to sit anywhere we liked. Was a very cold day so sat outside in the heated area, which was perfect. We were offered menus and water right away, and quickly ordered, as my mother was in a rush to head off. We ordered a garlic bread, and 4 mains off the lunch special $20 deal, which includes food and a drink. The garlic bread arrived within 10 minutes and was amazing. The mains arrived about 5 minutes after, which was fantastic. Tasted great, and were hot. Only thing I would say is the house wine and house beer that comes with the main special isn't great. obviously it is the cheap option so was fine, but my brother ended up getting a corona instead as he hated the beer (which the waiters were very accommodating with!) Overall, a good place, lovely atmosphere, will be back for sure.
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I booked a reservation for 7 via the online tool for Mothers Day breakfast Sunday 11th May. My daughter and I had already been before fore breakfast and loved the muesli so were looking forward to having that again.
After reading the other reviews I was a little worried that we may not have such a great experience.
We arrived on time at 10:30am and promptly met by the Manager whom informed there would be a 5 minute wait for our table. It would have only been just that when we were asked to go to our table so that was great.
As it was Mothers day they had a special menu for the day and unfortunately the muesli and yoghurt was not on there which was very disappointing as this is all my daughter eats.
There were plenty of egg and toast options and pancakes but my daughter does not eat those foods and I found the staff not flexible in trying to accommodate her even when I asked just for a side of toast. When our orders came out I ended up with 2 extra servings of toast which was great considering it was an issue to get one extra.
However the meals didn't take long at all and were very nice.
Coffees great and I got a complimentary glass of bubbles for Mothers Day which was nice.
My one suggestion was that Mothers don't always eat eggs and bacon and toast, it would still have been great to have had the muesli and yoghurt as an option as well and certainly more flexibility when it came to our smaller people in our lives, our children, there needs to be a kids menu for them.
However, we still enjoyed our experience and my daughter and I will most certainly go back for that muesli and yoghurt next time.
Great atmosphere, lovely place.
I went there today for Mothers Day with my husband, our two children (11 and 9), mum and dad, cousin and her husband, and we all LOVED our dining experience. Ohhh the waiters were LOVELY :) and 4 out of 8 of us had the pork belly special - YUM! I highly recommend you go there!
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Just finishing dinner now so writing this review while still in the restaurant. I had dinner here with my son for the first time. He has eaten here twice before and had recommended it so highly.
Well his recommendation was so well founded. The food and service were excellent. I had the Striploin steak and my son had the filet mignon. Both cooked perfectly
We also had the squid entree which was lightly battered and served with aioli. I thought it was cooked bang on. My son said he would have liked it a bit more browned. But I really like squid when the batter is just browning. It makes it very moist.
The service was extremely attentive. I would barely put my empty beer glass down when our waiter Jovann was asking if I wanted a refill. He was ably assisted by Parwar.
Really enjoyable night based on an impromptu decision just to eat out. Also very pleasant open atmosphere. Very classy.
Dining night - Thursday 1 May 2014
Time - 6pm
Meal price for two good eaters plus several beers - $175
Happy dining
Had Christmas work dinner here. food was delicious and service was exceptional. I will come back for sure. i recommend people to come if you want a great meal at reasonable price and great service. The service was exceptional and the wait staff have a great sense of hummor.
This place is exceptional! The menu is great, food is delicious and the staff go out of their way for guests. The wait help and front house staff are the most professional and delightful I've seen in anywhere. Very upscale. We have never had anything but a perfect experience -they deserve 6 stars!
We have often been to Caffe e Cucina for breakfast and have always had good food and good service. We decided to go out for dinner to celebrate my mother in laws birthday. It was an early seating and right from the start the staff were tentative and friendly. The food was superb. They went out of their way to make my mother in law feel good. They bought out a special dessert and all sung happy birthday. They made a a real effort which was really nice. All round a lovely evening thanks.
We went there (family of 4) yesterday for dinner after reading all the reviews. We had trouble booking over the phone so ended of going in person for making the reservation. I have to say, the place is really good and feels like a restaurant rather than a cafe. The service was fantastic and the waiters kept on coming to ask if everything was OK even though they were quite busy. The lighting and background music was just right, and although the food is a tad expensive, well worth for a special treat. The garlic bread was good but not great, but the pizza and the carbonara made up for it. The chocolate brownie with ice cream was to die for. We enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back to try some other dishes on the menu.
Caffe e Cucina A+++++. We have been for dinner, lunch and most recently went for breakfast a couple of weeks ago. It was the BEST BREAKFAST we have had in a very long time. The service and food were both excellent. I can't wait to go back!!!
Café Cucina - Fantastic, We keep coming back to this place! The best Café in Auckland!!! Great service and the food is amazing!. Love the staff who remember what we have had last time to eat and drink! Best price on Bollinger Champagne on the shore!!
We love this place....If there was a space in the corner we would move in!! Grazie Mille and Ciao To you all !! Ducati Rick and Sina. 8-) 8-}
Stopped in here for the first time a week ago (as it is by my boyfriends house) & all we could think of the whole time we were there is, "why have we not come here sooner!?". It was absolutely amazing. We went for lunch, I had the spaghetti carbonara which is the best one I've ever had! Not too rich, or overly creamy like most I've had at other places - perfect! My boyfriend had the Badabing pizza & easily ate the whole lot! Beautiful crust & just lovely toppings. Loved the service & food so much we went back again today for lunch again (1/6/2013) & this time I had a pizza which was just as good as my boyfriends last week, if not better! He had the pie of the day which was so yummy!!! The service is amazing, atmosphere even better. Even though its a wee bit more pricey than other places we have been - it was definitely worth it! Such a cute, tucked away little treasure. Will definitely be back again :)
My partner surprised me with dinner out the last time I was in Auckland, and what a treat!!
Caffe e Cucina is our new favourite place to eat.
Beautiful food, fantastic wine, warm friendly service with an added personal touch that inspired us to linger with coffee and desert. Not particularly good for the pocket considering we are both still students but we are happy to pay a little extra for premium quality and such fantastic service, something which is so rare in New Zealand!
Give it a try, you wont be disappointed :D
I have been to this restaurant many times and keep coming back trying different dishes and wines. They have a great selection and the food although not especially cheap is very tasty well presented and worth that little extra money paid. Great selection of wines and beers. The atmosphere is pleasant and seeing the pizza oven fired and the chefs working makes one feel privileged... Service is second to none but when it is busy expect to wait 10 or so minutes but at least one can enjoy the wine beforehand.
I have been here twice for dinner & once for breakfast. Every time the food was amazing! the staff are very friendly and attentive. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Caffe e Cucina and I am surprised at some of the poor reviews because we couldn't fault them even when one visit was with our entire office of about 28 people for breakfast and the food & service was wonderful.
The welcoming atmosphere, helpful & friendly staff were great, and made the evening fun. Our waiter was awesome , was always available to cater for our requests, meals were really yummy. Kid friendly which was appreciated when my two grand daughters decided to run about.
Would recommend this place. Very nice.
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I don't usually bother writing reviews but after reading the reviews here before dining at Caffe e Cucina using a deal voucher I felt I really needed to. We stopped in with no booking on a Saturday night and found both the service and the food to be amazing. The waiters were attentive and friendly, offering advice and always watchful - my partner dropped his napkin and didn't realise it and a few seconds later a waiter was there offering him another one! Despite this they were not overbearing. We had 6 tapas which yes were small but tapas are supposed to be small and I didn't find the price unreasonable as they were amazing - hot, fresh and simple flavours. The waiter suggested a side salad which went great with the tapas. Dessert was also really good. We left feeling satisfied but not over-full. After my experience the only way I can rationalise the bad reviews here is perhaps they were unfortunate enough to be there on a bad day or their expectations were too high or they weren't used to the typical Italian humour of some of the staff! I'm definitely going back.
This was our second time that we have had dinner at e cucina and it was excellent. Attentive staff,delicious food. all round very good, although on the pricey side...it's worth it!
Three of us breakfasted on Sunday morning and we found everything about this restaurant exceptional... impeccable service, great menu choices, prompt speed of delivery, friendliness of staff.. welcoming, but not over-bearing, ideal presentation, temperature and tastes of the perfectly cooked meals (we all had different choices)...everything was all spot-on! The coffee was so good, we all had second cups. We have been several times before and it has been very consistent. For that reason we felt compelled to give well-earned credit where credit is due. Sorry about all the cliches, but we can't wait to go again!
Always a pleasure to dine here and Sunday was no exception. The waiters were knowledgable and friendly - and very patient with my 18 month old too. No waiting for tables or food, and the food was delicious when it came. All in all we'll be back :-)
Great lunch and will be back to try their evening atmosphere!
I had the veggie cannelloni and adult daughter had the meatballs with spaghetti. Both dishes piping hot and very, very tasty!
Pretty extensive menu which was a pleasant surprise for lunchtime.
Wait service was excellent. Decor very nice. Will definitely be back!
Went there for my birthday. Amazing service. The gentleman that served us was brilliant. The best service I have ever had a restaurant. The wait for food was fine, no problems there.
Food was very foreign and tasted amazing. Very exotic.
I will be returning.
Have been there with girlfriends for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Decided that we would take my husband there with our two gorgeous girls for fathers day. We were welcomed with attentive staff and seated. The service was quick the food was delicious my husband loved the desert. Looking forward to going back for breakfast as we saw some delicious, scrumptious, yummy things on the breakfast menu.. I will defiantly recommend CEC to all my friends. Looking forward to enjoying another meal there soon..
After a delicious evening dining experience at e Cucina a few weeks ago, todays 'girls' lunch was delicious once again. We were warmly welcomed and chose to sat at a sunny table. The staff were friendly, prompt and attentive. The recommendation to start with was worth it, a scrumptious focaccia loaf with oils and dips, but more than we could eat. My girlfriends tomato soup and my ceasar salad were both very tasty. My salad was very generous, actually a tad too generous. The cafe quickly filled with about half the tables in use, a pleasant lunchtime atmosphere. My girlfriends flat white was returned to be remade 'hot' not luke warm as it first came, this was fixed very quickly. It is no wonder that e Cucina is so well patronised.
Great food, real Italian, awesome surroundings and excellent service! For lunch or dinner try this place, everything we have tried on menu is beautifully presented and taste to die for! At last an excellent restaurant on the shore..keep it up thx
Last night we were kindly welcomed by Marko. Service was out standing and so was food, however, one pasta dish was very small but was rich with flavours. Would pay to ask about portion size before you order but would highly recommend the white chocolate cheesecake for dessert! Pizza's were massive and full of flavour and entire atmosphere was great. We will be back for some more.
Our meal was amazing. I can honestly say, this is the best Italian meal I have had in Auckland in the last 20 years. The service was fast and friendly, the setting is modern and spacious. The food is to die for. It has a great outdoor area, an abundance of indoor/outdoor heating so that you never go cold, and is the perfect setting for large groups or small intimate dinners. I cannot WAIT to go back for the bread with truffle dip, the incredible penne pasta, the fantastic desserts and the brilliant coffee! The breakfast menu looks pretty tempting too.
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I was a little concerned once I had made my booking for 8 people after reading the earlier review. I didn't need to be. We were celebrating my birthday but we did not let the restaurant know this. I decided to try the restaurant because my brother had recently ordered takeaways from there and the food was really good. We were greeted by a very friendly waiter who showed us immediately to our seats. The restaurant was warm and cozy and half filled, which I thought was pretty good for a wet and windy Wednesday night in Albany! Water glasses were immediately filled with chilled water, and we were given the menus straight away. Nearly all of us ordered three courses. I can't remember what we all had but everyone enjoyed everything - calamari was tender and coated in crunchy light batter, my penne pasta was beautiful and tasty, steak was cooked to perfection, seafood of muscles and scampi was gorgeous, the lasagne was cooked perfectly and was hot all the way through! Desserts were lemon pie (absolutely beautiful), creme brulee (absolutely beautiful), chocolate brownie (absolutely beautiful). To top off the evening, when they brought out my dessert, unbeknown to anyone, they had placed a lit candle in my pie and started a very lovely round of Happy Birthday to You. These people were very professional in all aspects of their business - the staff, the chefs, the decor. Thank you Caffe e Cucina for a very lovely, lovely evening. I will be back.
This is the second time we have dined here and both times we have been impressed with Caffe e Cucina. They have an amazing choice of food and drinks and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. It was relaxed, and the food was fantastic. We were most impressed with the service we got. The waiters were so charming - very friendly and yet very skilled. I would have to say that this is one of the nicest places on the Shore to dine at.
We have now adopted this place as our fav restaurant. We take all our friends and consider ourselves locals now. The staff are fabulous, we like the choice on the menu and if you want something different ask. They are happy to accomodate. Gone are the days where you call a restaurant a local haunt, this delivers. They may on occasion be busy and the setvice is slower, but hey who wants to order and eat within an hour of arriving, what happened to a dining experience. I personall would recommend this restaurant... Slav and the team aleays make us welocome and the food is always to the same standard. Enjoy. We do :)
We had a dinner there and overall it was good. Pock belly was very impressive. The desserts are very yummy also. But price is a little too high.
Had dinner at Caffe e Cucina last night (Saturday). Great welcome, unfortunately the service was very slow. Food was okay. The group in the bar were noisy and in the restaurant you could hardly hear someone talking to you!!
I know Saturday is a very busy night but was disappointed
As far as Italian food and good service goes, this restaurant was a nice surprise. We would never have known that a restaurant like this would be found within this block of shops off the Albany Highway had it not been for a deal voucher we bought. Definitely recommended!
The service was so professional and of a very high standard. Everything about the seating, ordering and evening just seemed to be so well organised. The restaurant itself is very modern and beautifully presented. And the food was beautiful. The bruschetta was very tasty and up there with the best we have had, and our mains were both really good too. It was a busy Thursday night but we felt as if our table was very well looked after and the timing superb.
We'll definitely be back!
Bought a voucher deal as there is hardly ever any in this area. Have never heard of this place but was quite excited.
Booked on a Friday night early for dinner.. walking in we were greeted with open arms, never had such great service. Our waiter was outstanding, meals were fast to come out and lots of it! I felt bad that I couldn't fit it down as it was so good.
Overall hands down best service! I definitely will be recommending this place and will be back!
The new building with its outdoor/indoor dining gives the benefits of outdoor dining in the summer but keeps you cool.
The staff are attentive and the food is very good
The wine list is good, the food generally excelent.
The gnocchi was excellent, the snapper special was great and leave room for the deserts
I have been now about 7 times, each a slightly different experience, but all of them excellent. I have to agree with many of the above comments, it is the staff that really make this place, the service is great. The pizza is amazing, the homemade pate is also extremely good. Well done!!
My family and I have eaten at Cafe Eccucina several times and it never fails to please, Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.
When it came to choosing a venue for a big birthday recently Cafe Eccucina was naturally our first choice.
32 guests wowed over the stunning food and the service was, as always, slick, polite and professional.
Cafe Ecuccina is a truly gorgeous restaurant with warm and welcoming feel.
I tried this restaurant twice using a voucher but they simply served you and gave the highest quality of service and food with friendly staff, comfortable environment and delicious food. Though the price is slightly on the high side but it's really good for special occasion too.
Lovely food, I had osso bucco which was large and very good, husband had steak cooked just how he asked. Only suggestion i would make is they sell potato fries - which are the same as Mcdonald chips - who eats them. Caffe e Cucina sell real chips or make your own would be great!
I came to this restaurant four times now, with friends and family and we were impressed each time we came here. Today morning mum and I were sitted outside for breakfast, and we thoroughly enjoyed our food. Mum had the egg bene and I had the chilli bean stack. Service is always good.
Dined here on the 9th May (Wife b'day) and was absolutely delighted with this little gem. Whilst Italian theme, my drink waiter was Turkish and my food waiter was Serbian. Hilarious. Great guys, great sense of humour, which made the night all the more enjoyable.
I had the pork belly. Bit risky, as some restaurants can crucify this dish, but pleased to say that it was ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!!!!
Great atmosphere, great location, bit pricey, but overall I would thoroughly recommend.
A very friendly greeting by Marco set the tone for an excellent lunch. Great ambiance. Menu gave us plenty of choices and the food was superb. Marco, and all the staff we dealt with were friendly, attentive and efficient.
Can highly recommend this restaurant to all.
LOVE THIS PLACE! Doesn't look like much from the road, but inside is so modern and romantic with low lit tables. The service is excellent & the food is delicious! Highly recommend this trendy cafe!
The staff are friendly and service pretty fast. While the food is good and we enjoyed our meals, I think I was a little disappointed because of all the hype, so don't let that get you excited - the food is nice but nothing OUTSTANDING!
Wonderful good quality, well priced food. We recommend the canelloni for dinner (also a available take away) and eggs benedict for brunch. The staff are outstandingly welcoming and friendly and attentive, they make the experience worth the travel to albany. Reluctant to let everyone know what a great place this is as it is not currently overcrowded bit definitley has the potential to become that way once word gets out, yay finally a restaurant that takes all facets of its service seriously!!
Although this restaurant is in an unusual location, it has the most outstanding food, and a great wine list. We can highly recommend the bread & dips (yum), zuchinni involtini, mushroom risotto and lasagne. I wish we'd had room for dessert! The service was a bit slow, especially when they looked so professional. You can view photos and read a full review at http://celestereviews.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/bon-appetit/
FAN-TAS-TIC. From even 'before' you walk in the door you are treated like Royalty. We were greeted outside the door and shown inside. The staff are extremely welcoming, happy to see you, attentive. The food is excellent. We had a party of 22 and most of us had something different and every single meal was enjoyed. They have a huge menu of pastas, pizzas, steak, chicken, fish. You name it, it's on the menu. Something for everyone. The flavours are divine. The prices are very reasonable. The service was so great I can't wait to go back again. I grabbed a handful of business cards to hand out. It's an A+++ from me.
So impressed! Went for dinner on a Saturday night and the food was amazing. Also the guy in charge was so welcoming and provided us with such a friendly service. The only trouble is deciding what to have as there is so much choice! Will definitely be back to try something new soon.
I have to say I was very impressed. Food was amazing, service was impecable and was just a great night out for dinner. The only bad thing I can say about this place is that it was quite noisey, not so bad i couldn't hear but I love quiet. but i certainly will be going back and the waiter Marko is awesome!!!!!!
Really, really lovely place. Casual but trendy. Service is excellent. Food was amazing and soooo good. Do try it!
Had heard this place was good but it surpassed what I thought it would be. Attentive and friendly staff, a great wine list and menus that have something for everyone. We had tapas during our visit and the quality was superb. Well done guys! We'll be back.
Have been 3 times in 3 weeks - excellent restaurant, great interior, super food. There were over 150 bookings on the first night we went and they coped really well. Went again this week and they seemed to be struggling a bit but if you are not in a hurry and happy to sip wine and nibble on some garlic pizza bread then its OK. The staff advised they had 100 bookings but around 75 walk-ins so the kitchen was a little overwhelmed. Very good staff who are very professional. This restaurant has become really popular in a short space of time so it's wise to book. I'm lucky I'm a local, it's our new favourite place!
This was a real find in Albany as visiting Caffe e Cucina. Good food, great wine and excellent service. Restored my severely damaged faith in Auckland caffe culture after some bad experiences. Thoroughly recommended.
One word - Amazing :)
Great friendly staff - Great food - lovely wine - lovely vibe
Have been back many times since opened for brunch, drinks and dinner
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
What a superb gem hidden away. We came for breakfast. Great corn fritters and eggs benedict with superb bacon. Brilliant staff; nothing any trouble (hollandaise on the side, and they took kids in their stride). Looks like a great place for lunch and dinner too. Not the same old room that most restaurants have, with the menu the only difference; but maybe half a dozen or so cleverly separate yet connected areas - from formal to tapas/drinks to casual to outside. Great wine wall. Restrooms spotless. Staff brilliant. I seldom tip for breakfast but happily left some notes on the way out. Well worth it - everyone was happy, from the kids to the mother-in-law!
Arrived on Thursday 13/10/10 6.30pm so nicely setup stayed outside to watch the sunset to drink and eat our meal which was delivered promptly hot and delicious first calzone pizza wrapped in itself fries and homemade aioli with salad .Warm friendly accommodating staff fresh beautiful decor clean fashionable fabulous menu desserts to die for huge wine and beer available I be back this weekend.
great coffee and lovely surroundings, casual area and formal area.
Went to long lunch today with friend, great food, recommend the Okawa Pinot Gris Marlborough, great pizza. extensive menu and love the dining areas. Love the BIG wine wall.
Overall this restaurant/cafe caters for everyone and I will be a regular.
Congrats guys.
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We had the pleasure of dining at Caffe e Cucina on Friday night. First impression was fantastic - the service was attentive and welcoming from the minute we walked in the door and the decor is sophisticated. Love the "wall of wine" , extensive wine list and comprehensive menu. We could not fault the food; presentation was superb as was the quality of the meals. Between us we had a wood fired pizza better than anything I have had in Italy, perfectly cooked steak, a delicious seafood pasta and a chicken breast stuffed with a ricotta and spinach mousse which worked really well.
We were so impressed that we returned for breakfast on Saturday with the kids and had another superb experience. Completely different vibe with the sun shining on the deck, the roof open and activities for the kids but the same warm and welcoming service. The flat white was perfect, the eggs Benedict had perfectly poached eggs and the bacon cooked in the wood fired oven was delicious.
Thank you so much for bringing quality food, great service and a little touch of Europe to our neighbourhood! We will definitely be back.
Chic and new Italian restaurant. Great atmosphere, nice bar for cocktails and drinks and pleasant dining. Like the Wine Rack feature wall. Food is good and worth a visit. Would recommend to friends and family.
Dined at Caffe e Cucina on Saturday 02 October. Amazing food, great service, good value for money, huge selection of food to choose from, an all-round fantastic place to dine.
Have already chosen what I am having to eat next time. Would recommend to everyone.
Service is spectacular. Very professional staff. Great environment. Bit pricey but worth it
Four of us had lunch here today - it was quiet - BUT what super people, a lot of fun- very friendly service and the FOOD was excellent. For starters we chose the garlic bread - light, crisp and sprinkled with olive oil. Two of us had the Fillet Mignon, the steak was cooked to perfection and the chips were crisp. My husband had the Duck legs, his comment - scrumptious and I had the Salmon ravioli served with a rocket salad - yum.
Very good Steak, salad, Tiramisù, as per pictures. The tiramisù is 18, whereas the 300 gr Steak is 45
They made our Saturday afternoon. A bit late lunch but worth ever. Warm Welcomed. Quiet place around 2.30pm to 3.30pm. A bit confused about menu as heaps options. But we took: lamb rak, spaghetti conberan, and special chicken xxx. Lemonade and bloody orange juice plus API. Yummmmy foods ever. I loved spaghetti perfect. Lam cooked very well. 10 out of 10. Recommended.
First impression: it's an Italian restaurant in a car park. Spacious venue & fantastic wine list. Freindly service with plenty of good options on the menu. We had Cesar Salad & Artichoke Pizza. The salad was exactly what I would expect from an Italian restaurant in Sicily. The Pizza was lacking flavour. The base was a perfect start to create a tasty pie. Unfortunately, the slabs of ham didn't do the pizza justice. It need more attention to detail. Had all the ingredients to be a fantastic pizza, but not today. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Caffe E Cucina, looking forward to our return. Four Stars...
Been here after many years. Food was still nice but the service was very poor.
I was almost slipped over in the reception area when both coming in and out.
The area was slippery but there wasn't any signs or excuses from staff members.
I went to Caffe E Cucina for a tinder date (which went pretty well, I think she likes me!) for lunch, and had a great time. We ordered different kinda small plates from the prima section of the menu and shared those which worked well as we weren't super hungry. The service was good, and prices not toooo bad. The food was definitely the highlight (after the company) with everything cooked to perfection. Seared tuna blew my mind.
Delicious pasta and beautifully presented on the plate, we also ordered a kids’ bolognese pasta which was yummy.
Team lunch today. Not crowded. Good ambience and music not too loud. Amazing food. Great serving! Ordered seared salmon and it was yum!
Definitely worth a visit when you're in Albany.
We went for dinner and had lamb gnocchi and the margarita pizza, the gnocchi was the star of the show, really flavoursome, the pizza was lacking, needed some more flavour. All in all was a nice dinner at a good price.
Very good place for a Kai & a chill. Like all places, it may have it's days as depicted in some other reviews, but we had/have had a great time there, and the food was pretty top notch. Very friendly table staff, and a nice flow and atmosphere, very tidy, quite flash.
Only gripe is the time taken for the kai to get out to you. Had garlic bread, pork, a pasta dish, and chips on the last visit. This may have just been us, only been here 3 or 4 times so far so not really sure overall. The last time though, it did seem to take quite some time and that was a Sunday. I think it might have been only 1 chef on which may be why.
But it's a nice setting so the time factor isn't really an issue unless time is a factor for you.
Highly recommend the pork belly dish, had a really nice dressing on the salad which was awesome, when you hate salad. Ate it all up. Nice.
Otherwise, definitely awesome food, lovely place.
Easy to get in and out, plenty of parking, has wheelchair access.
Cheers.
Great food and coffee during weekdays. I was stunned by the fantastic taste of the coffee that I was served, and how beautiful and tasty the egg Benedict the chef made. You can feel every element matched in a magical way in your mouth. The hollandaise sauce was the best I’ve had for years. It has this silky and smooth and creamy texture that a great hollandaise should have. It holds the shape throughout the whole meal. Which was again how it should be but not every restaurant could do. The manager was funny as well. He checked at the right time made us feel welcomed.
Try go during the weekdays though. We went there on Saturday again, the coffee was extremely bitter, and the egg Benedict was swimming in the water that came out of the blanched spinach and poached eggs. The hollandaise was terribly made as well. I felt a bit sorry for the food.
Thanks for a wonderful experience last night. A group of 15 people and your service was excellent. Your staff Attentive, the food was amazing. Lamb rack is a must. Out of all 15 guests they all enjoyed the service, their meals and dessert. Thanks we will be back. Hobson & Gibbs family.
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