Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night. It was early and there was hardly anyone around. This restaurant is a hidden gem. The staff were lovely and the waitress and chef accommodated all of my fussy dining requests. The food was delicious and portions were great. I’m soo fussy and nothing was too hard for them. Highly recommend.
We were in Taupo for the weekend to celebrate a birthday and chose this restaurant because of its vast menu. We were not disappointed. We dined here on 6 June 2014. The three courses were delicious. Stand out for me was my Eye Fillet Steak - cooked to perfection - I like it Blue and many restaurants struggle to do this for me (usually looking puzzled at my choice as I am female). My husband had Pasta...and loved it. Scallops for me for entree (yum!) and Parma Ham around melon for him. Tirimisu for dessert. The service was great. Next time we are in Taupo we will be back.
Dined here April 2014 and my food was great (i don't usually like Italian). I had the Chicken Cacchiatore and have been craving it again ever since! Not sure what the bad reviews are about. Meals are quite pricey however, and the restaurant did fine it difficult to cater to two of my vegan friends despite them phoning and checking this beforehand.
I'm surprised by the poor reviews that this restaurant has received. We ate there one evening with our two young children and we found that the meals were delicious. I had the penne with salmon and it was cooked to perfection and one of the nicest meals that I have ever had (my mouth is watering just thinking about it). My husband had the chicken with camembert and he thought it was delicious. Our children had Hawaiian pizzas which were beautiful, the bases were perfect and the children ate them all up which is saying something. The service was good and the food was served reasonably quickly. It's a shame that we couldn't stay for dessert.
The only think that puzzled me was that they sat all the parties dining close together (there were only three parties). There were enough free tables that we didn't need to be packed in close together.
When we visit Taupo, we often visit this restaurant. Every time without exception we have found the food and service very good.
I am very surprised with some other less than complimentary posts about this eatery and I wonder if we are actually talking of the same place!!
It is very Italian and has a good atmosphere. We would definitely recommend this place to one and all.
Dine here every time I visit Taupo. Great food selection. Pastas are very filling and are very flavourful. Great food and atmosphere!
We had Risotto alla pescatora (seafood Risotto) and Piatto di mare (seafood platter). Both of them are delicious, but prefer the Risotto to the spaghetti. Seafood are Fresh. Their homemade cheesecake is of thick chocolate flavour, but too sweet for me. Excellent service, and good atmosphere.
This place deserves more than 5 star. Staff was so professional. We reached there after 9:30 they still let us in. Also the food was so good. I ordered penne pasta and my husband ordered Chicken Parm, both the dishes were really well made. Thank you for accommodating us.
Fabulous meal. Our party of 4 all loved their meals. The fish was exceptional with a beautiful sauce. The others had perfectly cooked steaks. The deserts were totally yum. Will definitely be back.The service was also faultless.
An unexpectedly charming spot! We had a late night dinner for 2 after a long day of driving and our server was attentive and kind. We sampled two lovely wines by the glass and the seafood main dish - which contained fresh shrimp, mussels, fish and oysters over spaghetti with marinara. Delicious and just enough for two without overdoing it! Very fresh and masterfully presented.
Delicious legit Italian and warm ambience! The antipasto plate was the highlight. We got a gnocchi and a risotto and both were wonderful. Hubby thought there could be a bigger portion with the gnocchi (our neighbours got penne and the portion size was much bigger). The cheesecake and the profiteroles we're both delicious
The residents and visitors to Taupo are lucky to have this restaurant in the town. The food was absolutely delicious and is a credit to the family who obviously put a lot of love in to their business. What a wonderful treat we had in dining at this restaurant.
Food was good and delicious. Bruschetta was a bit let down. Pasta was delicious and definitely great size portions. Service was good.
The staff were very friendly, a lovely atmosphere. The food was delicious, we had 3 dishes and shared them all but the carbonara was my personal favorite. We were also there for my cousins birthday and the staff put a little candle on the profiteroles which was a nice touch and earned that fifth star.
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I had an absolutely fantastic dining experience at Portofino Italian restaurant in Taupo, New Zealand. The food was simply exceptional, starting with the delicious medium pizza that we ordered as an appetizer. The main course options were equally impressive; the chicken fettuccini was cooked to perfection, and the gnocchi was truly a taste sensation that left me wanting more. And let's not forget the tiramisu – a dessert that was not only elegant but also a delightful culmination of flavors.
The top-notch service further enhanced the evening. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made us feel truly valued as customers. It's clear that the team at Portofino is dedicated to providing an unforgettable dining experience.
I must say, Portofino Italian restaurant is a hidden gem in Taupo. If you find yourself in the area, I wholeheartedly recommend paying them a visit. The combination of exceptional food, elegant desserts, and outstanding service makes it a dining destination that's not to be missed. A definite five-star experience!
Excellent cold Peroni, definitely one of the best places to eat in Taupo. Excellent pizza it as soon as you can it's best fresh and hot. The lasagne was excellent to and Ravioli as well. It would be even better if if was open at lunch time a few days a week. Overall really good and the people speak Italian and their food has real flavor to which is important vs other places in NZ. I will be back forsure. Curious on trying another different dish as well. Keep up the great work.
Wonder friendly staff. Amazing food. Would definitely go here again 🙂
Had dinner with a small group of friends recently. The staff was very courteous, and the food was very tasty. I recommend anyone who likes some Italian food in the area, you won't be disappointed.
Pasta was really good but didn't like the garlic bread. It was very tangy, and slightly too oily. Left a yuck taste in the mouth. Recommend booking if you can, we went fairly early and were sat outside and it was absolutely freezing.
Beautiful little spot very friendly and staff go above and beyond for customers food was delicious!! Would definitely recommend!!!! I absolutely love the real woodstove in the back area
Amazing food extremely noisy with two large groups in same area.
Was a little dissapointed as we had such a tremendous experience in Napier
Nice pizzeria in the centre of town. There is competition in this street with many eateries and italian restaurants. We selected this restaurant as I has more vegetarian options, only served italian food and gave a spik and span impression. We were not disappointed and enjoyed our salad, vegetariana pizza (a bit small in size) and their version of tiramisu. Recommendable place.
We were the first here tonight. We sat outside under the covered porch/sidewalk. Food was great! I had the Penne Al Salmone Affumicato. The smoked salmon had a great smoked flavor to it. I think it had a bit too much salt on the Salmon but still really tasty. My friend had the Risotto Alla Pescatora. The portions were just right. No leftovers. I also had the Peach tea. Yumm!
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