First time visiting New Plymouth with my partner, we are staying right above the restaurant at The Metrotel. Portofino is so close to the motel it’s so easy to get to. We didn’t have a booking when we arrived and we were seated very quickly. We ordered our drinks and they arrived and in the mean time we ordered starters to give us time to look at the menu. The garlic pizza tasted very nice and was nice to see actual garlic pieces on the bread instead of a soggy soaked garlic bread. We ordered our mains and the wait wasn’t too long, we were also offered drinks before our mains came out which is good service and then 5 mins later our mains came. I throughly enjoyed my main, the chicken fettuccine. My partner got the parmigiana and he throughly enjoyed that to. I would definitely come back, or I will definitely visit the other portofino back in auckland. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice, music isn’t too loud and the restaurant does seem very Italian which is what the website says it’s meant to be like. Overall we are happy with our visit and there is so many options on the menu to choose from I will have to make several visits over time to try everything I wanted to order. :)
Had my first dining experience at Portofino last week, and was really impressed!!! The food was delicious and the staff were friendly. It was also reasonably priced.
Will definitely dine here again.
5 of us went to Portofino's last night for a meal & were delighted with our dining experience.
Food was fabulous, the chef obviously is not afraid of big flavours. Italian food should have big flavours & this place provided them. Wonderful!
Service was very attentive & friendly.
Menu was good, prices good, & the wine list had some great Italian wines as well as others.
We'll definitely be going back whenever we can get to New Plymouth. Thank guys.
Only wish you guys were in Tauranga.
Colleen
We had booked a table and arrived on time. We had another appointment an hour later and we we advised the staff of this (knowing that we were being a bit pushy) they set about preparing our meal. the service was attentive and excellent and the meals were very good. We really appreciated their flexibility and cheerful demeanour. Looking forward to a return visit.
We took friends to dinner here last night - I must say I was a little concerned having read the latest reviews - no need as our experience was wonderful!!
The atmosphere was busy and friendly, I suspect there were many repeat customers.
A broad menu offering a huge range of taste experiences with an interesting variety of Italian and other wines meant there was something for everyone.
Compliments to the wait staff - well groomed and efficient, polite while not being intrusive and they knew their stuff.
We will definitely revisit this restaurant :)
Went here for dinner last night with my friend and the food was absolutely amazing! I had a chicken fettucinni that was easily the best I have ever had anywhere, and my friend said her seafood risotto was amazing. We do a dinner date every two weeks and we will definitely be coming back to Portofino regularly, have been to a few other places over the last few months and none have even come close to Portofino. Was very busy aswell so obviously we are not alone in our opinion, and there was so much variety on the menu! Everything looked amazing and everyone around us seemed to be very happy with their meals as well. Great to see the chefs in the kitchen enjoying themselves - not bad on the eyes either ;) safe to say we will become regulars here
Last night myself and my daughter went to Portofino. Having never really experiencing proper Italian cuisine my daughter went for something she knew - chicken fettuccine. I have know idea how to pronounce or spell what I had but is was the eye fillet. Both of our meals were absolutely outstandingly delicious. The pasta was creamy and full of flavor and my steak was cooked to perfection.to finish we had the sorbet and coffee for me. The sorbet was raspberry/strawberry and it was to die for! Creamy but fresh. Coffee was good as well. Portofino was a wonderful experience and can not wait to go back again!!! Highly recommend!!!
Just new to this site and wrote a negative one about another restaurant in N.P. so felt I had to counteract that with a review of one of my favourite restaurants in N.P. What can I say?! We've been lots of times - as a couple and with kids (well, 13 +11 so older ones) and the food has always been fabulous. The involtini is to die for... the wine is great and reasonably priced, the welcome is lovely. It's as close as you get to an authentic Italian restaurant outside Europe which was one of the things I missed about living here. If you have kids with you, there are pizzas (excellent ones), through to really good pastas + if you want sophisticated Italian food that's there too...(the involtini :-)) People have said it can be noisy if you get a wrong crowd near you - acoustically speaking - but we have never had that spoil our meal yet..also there are famous photos on the way to the loo that everyone should have as part of their visual experience!! LOL :-))
Always great to go to Portofino - except during the previous change of owners - so glad to see new owners who enjoy food and appreciate their customers back in charge.
Pizzas are great, always happy to hold larger groups and functions and reasonable byo.
We were first time diners at this restaurant, from the moment we walked into this restaurant we were made to feel welcome , our waitress was attentive without being pushy , she explained the dishes in detail . The food was simply beautiful !! fresh and tasty well presented , we would certainly return again . The manageress spoke to us and explained that they had only taken over 9 months ago . it is a family affair , with husband and son doing the cooking . wonderful staff , well trained .
Thank you for a perfect evening . Wendy
21/3/10
Been to portofino on saturday night absolutely the best establishment in new plymouth.. I had the best Risoto pescatore out of all that i had in this chain of reasturants, even the viaduct in auckand dont cook as good as they do here.I also think they changed owners so cant wait to see the new image of Portofino new plymouth
Been coming here since I was a kid and this place has always been outstanding for its chicken fettuccine and garlic pizza bread. I've recently found my love for their prawn cocktails. Best Italian restaurant in NP .
Vladimir Bajić (VTerran)
+5
I had pizza, my gf had marinara. Both were very good and we didn't wait too long. The waiters were kind and clean. Would recommend any time.
We enjoyed our food, and the service was beyond amazing.
Thank you so much to everyone for making my husband's birthday an awesome experience 😘
A good place for dinner if you like Italian food. As an entry we had Spaghetti marinara with sea food, then the fish of the day and tiramisu. All very tasty, not extrairdinary, though. The Service is very friendly, however, as a foreigner it was hard to understand their accent. The repeated all sentences many times with patience. All in all it can be recommended.
What a great find ...we have walked past so many times .. decided to go for dinner .. best Italian in Taranaki by far .. and up there with the best we have tried in NZ ... Great food and service .. definitely going back
Food is always delicious, and the people who cook, serve , etc...are attentive, friendly and charming!
Amazing menu and very friendly staff, Really good and highly trained chefs,. Food is perfect and I'm never disappointed. Highly recommend if you travel to Taranaki.
Good place for dinner. Calamari entrée was very good. Risotto was plentiful.
Went with family and friends for grandson's 14th birthday great meal and time
Great service, great food and well priced.
Been there a few times now (from the South Island) and food gets better as I move through the menu.
Service, food and price were excellent
Passing through town. Relaxed atmosphere, great ambience, delicious food and they had wait staff that actually smiled and did a great job. Will happily dine there again
Fabulous place for a meal. So enjoyed it. Will be back.
The meal was delicious, the staff were very friendly, only disappointment was the cocktail which was more expensive than other restaurants and also half empty and not presented well, the picture included is how it was delivered to our table.
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