Review Ortolana - Auckland Central

Amazing food, service and atmosphere. The house-made bread and ricotta gnocchi were delicious! Beautiful restaurant, lovely staff, can’t wait to dine at Ortolana again.

Keep seeing this place flow with people either for breakfast or lunch. We have had our breakfast and everything went great. We ordered folded eggs and pain au chocolate. The pain au chocolate a bit too buttery for my liking but can’t deny it awesome buttery taste.

Recommend by one of the colleague and went there yesterday. Had a seasonal grilled fish dish. The fish was cooked to perfection and the skin was crisp. Taste of the produce were pretty good. Went back today and had gnocchi. The consistency and the sauce is sensational. The chap who was serving yesterday was friendly and fantastic and made a pretty good Pinot Gris suggestion. The lady who served today and was also supervising the team was also warm and friendly.

Best place for coffee and brunch. Love the setting and the vibe.

A solid favourite for many years now. I went back after a long break and wasn't disappointed. Ricotta and asparagus gnocchi were amazing.

Went there for breakfast. The house bread and sour dough was really value for money and so tasty. The peanut butter and conserve was so good.

Came in for breakfast- it’s a very cute restaurant. We were able to walk in and get seating for 2. They are able to accommodate to gluten free diets. Delicious!

Cleanliness:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Customer service:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Parking:na Food taste/quality:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Vibe (quiet/noisy/cosy/vibrant): vibrant Comments: great coffee and food. Friendlu staff.

Service was great, recommend to book beforehand. The lamb was tender and ricotta surprisingly complement the broccoli really well. Would love to dine here again.

Nice restaurant near downtown ferry terminal. Dishes are not 100% veg as the name could suggest, but they are rich of fresh ingridients. Beers are very good too. Space is limited, so reservation is preferable.

Friendly and intimate setting for a beautiful meal. We hosted a 21 person dinner here on a Friday night and the service was outstanding. The staff were caring and helpful, and the food was delicious. We will be highly recommending Ortolana to everyone. Thanks for a great night! ❤️

Highly recommended. Very friendly and appropriate service. Food is creative. The highlight is hazelnut paste with beef sirloin. I have never tasted before and found it very refreshing. Price is very attractive compared to its overall performance.

Ortolana is our new favorite place. Their dishes are no old school. New ideas. New flavor profiles. Refreshing in taste and enjoyment. Love it.

Just lovely all around. The food was full of flavour - I had the potatoes and warehou fish with fried egg and salsa verde. The coffee was smooth and creamy. Recommended!

What an amazing find, the food was exceptional, the service was great, the tastes were divine! The ambience is super cool too, we had a beautiful table for too (which looked like it could be cramped), but it wasn't, it added to the overall cosy feeling of the restaurant. We will definitely be back and I hope its soon!!!!

Haven't been here in years and it didn't disappoint. In fact, I think it's better than ever. Had the folded eggs on the recommendation of the waiter and it was absolutely top notch. Service was super friendly and attentive. You really can't find a better place for Saturday breakfast.

Had a vegetarian pasta today. It was so delicious! Liked how mint and peas match well. Staff is super friendly. Also the chef who made my pasta is handsome😂

We stopped here for lunch on a Saturday. It was surprisingly quiet. The pastries had been recommended to us however we ended up having pasta dishes because it looked great, and it was

Amazing brunch place with huge servings and bigger in taste. Coffee was also exceptional. Staffs are attentive and always around to serve and also to top up water. if you only have time for a brunch place to go, this is it!

Food was average and also took way too long to cook, about an hour. Drinks were great, and staff were really lovely however food did not live up to the expectation.

Kids love their ice cream, handy when doing shopping in town. Friendly service and tasty food

Loved their food and very nice services from the team

Extremely nice for a lil' date. Excellent food as expected and offering probably the most unique flavours for breakfast. Light, rich and fresh. The drinks were alright. They weren't top-notch but good enough to go with the food together. <br/><br/>In the heart of Britomart and located above the train station on ground, the restaurant sits in a pretty busy location but surprisingly, the spacious space in its exterior creates a good balance of privacy. Openings and windows give the interior a good amount of morning daylight to liven up the space. <br/><br/>Overall, it was an enjoyable and pleasant experience. I'd definitely recommend coming here and would love to try out their dinner menu the next time I come. 10/10

Rating 4.0 Great fresh modern New Zealand cuisine. A number of my colleagues recommended this place as one of their favourite restaurants in Auckland. It definitely lived up to the hype. The service was friendly & accommodating even when I haven’t got a reservation. Really enjoyed my rustic looking ashed angus sirloin. One worthy to revisit again.

This place used to be my very favourite restaurant in the whole of Auckland, I have been going here for years and told so many people to go. Why did I like it, the ambiance was fantastic, the service brilliant, the food great, the wine list very good, the prices fair, an above all it was one of the few places that was peaceful to visit as you could talk to others at your table. No longer that’s possible, they have installed outdoor speakers and the music is so loud, distracting and offensive, they have turned the place into a bar/disco like the rest of the restaurants in Auckland. Of spoken to friends tonight about my thoughts on Ortolana and they too used to go there all the time with business colleagues and friends, one said she told them last week three times to turn down the music as they could no longer talk and it was offensive, each time it was turned down it went back up minutes later! I tried to call tonight to complain but no one answers the phone, I’m so disappointed, my favourite restaurant in Auckland is now on the bottom of my list. It looks like many others I mention this to say the same thing. Why oh why do restaurants in Auckland try to turn them into bars and discos???? Im not coming back, looks like many others wont also!

Always love the dessert and the ambience in ortolana

Had a lovely Sunday lunch.Market fish was full of flavours. Lamb gnocchi was really good, rich and full of amazing flavours. Gnocchi melted in our mouth. Duck fried potatoes were good. Food is tasty and service was good.

Relatively healthy and very fresh food served at Ortolana. I came here for lunch with my boyfriend and we both left satisfied. We got the piadina (mushroom, goats cheese, garlic and rosemary) to share. It was really good, flavoured nicely and quite addicting. I got the kumara gnocchi with lamb and it was one of the best gnocchi I’ve tasted. I wasn’t going to order this because the last gnocchi dish I had was bland. But this dish was the perfect combination of sweet From the kumara and sour from the yoghurt and balsamic. The lamb was cooked beautifully and really juicy as well. I tried a bit of my boyfriend’s pork and octopus sausage and it was such an unique combination. The sausage was really good, I definitely recommend trying this if you like unique tasting food. Overall, service was friendly and the blonde waitress was super chatty and polite! I’d definitely come back!

Beautiful place to dine in. Very intimate in the evening and looks fresh in its garden setting during the day. Wonderful service and food.

The restaurant was very busy at lunchtime today.  We had gone specifically to try their `Special Offer August' menu - from memory two courses for $25.  They did not produce any sign of it, however and we were given the usual menu.  I fully expected the waitperson would either bring the special menu via a flyer OR tell us about it but she did not do so.  Finally we decided to simply go with the traditional offerings.   I had what was said to be a chicken thigh fried - lots of kale.  Glad she told me what it was because I would never have guessed.  It was rather too burnt but not unpleasant tasting - just difficult to decipher.  The kale salad had a superb dressing, however which rather saved the dish.  Himself had gnocchi and lamb which he said wasn't up to much but OK.  The cauliflower side dish was very undercooked and not very nice.    Wines were good - ambiance good - nice place to sit - efficient staff but they really should have produced the special offer menu (and we should have asked).   Won't go back in a hurry.   Used to go there a few years ago regularly with Philippa - it seemed much better then.

Cosy, felt welcomed by the staff members. Very polite . <br/><br/>I have this thing for Gnocchi and it was delicious. <br/>Ordered Kumara Gnocchi with Suffolk Lamb, yogurt, mint , almond and balsamic. Lamb was so soft and tender. <br/>Highly recommend that dish. Very interesting combination - little bit sour but also very minty gnocchi. <br/>My partner had the Organic Chicken Cotoletta and the chicken is soft and crispy. Would probably have the chicken for my next visit. <br/><br/>Definitely 🤙🏻

I took my seat and not long was attended by the lovely staff. Sooo yummy and satisfying! I love this small restaurant, will come again soon :)

Yummy food and good service. Great selection and quality for vegetarian food! Tables are a little small for three people sitting at a table though.

Beautiful place. Price range is around 30$ per person. Food was good, but not amazing. Indoor and outdoor seating are available. They serve sparkling water on the table. Service was friendly.

We first paid a visit to Ortolana for a cheeky mid-week dinner to satisfy our pasta cravings, and our (great) expectations were easily exceeded. It's a tough call whether the restaurant’s décor or food is more impressive. <br/><br/>We sat outdoors at one of the cosy tables lit up by Britomart’s sparkling fairy lights, but the tables inside the restaurants aesthetic wood and glass structure looked equally as appealing.<br/><br/>We ordered the pumpkin gnudi (delicious) and the mushroom pappardalle (tender and succulent, everything you’d want fresh pasta to be). Surprisingly however, the most outstanding dish for all of us was the starter- the quattro formaggio piadina; an oozing, flavoursome mess of Italian flatbread stuffed with cheese. We also got a side of cauliflower which we could have done without ordering- it was a little lacking in flavor. <br/><br/>Would highly recommend this place to all the pasta lovers out there, great ambience, delicious food and overall very pleasant dining experience!

Lovely ambience it is a glass house like setting. We came in to relax our foot and ordered two soda. They were both surprisingly delicious, lemongrass/feijoa, and turmeric/lemon.... Definitely recommend to come in this relax little place.

Came in tonight after uni to catch up with high school friends. Originally wanted to go to Orleans for their mac'n'cheese and fried chicken waffles but we had not booked in advance. Was looking for a restaurant with good atmosphere then walked pass Ortolana and decided to try. Wanted to have a try of their homemade soda so I got the most uncommon one, lemon, tumeric, ginger and juniper. It was actually better than I expected it to be. It was slightly sweet. Taste of ginger was there but not too overwhelming. Also tried the specialty iced valrhona chocolate and the espresso & valrhona chocolate. Chocolate was a bit too sweet for me but looked aesthetically pleasing. Great service, great atmosphere, great catch up. Staff gave us some tiny ginger treats at the end :)

Very nice ambience. Suitable for celebration 🥳 went there on Mother’s Day with my mom for dinner and we are definitely loving their food! The beef was tender, very yummy. Food took quite a while to be served as they are quite busy on Mother’s Day. Staffs were very friendly too!

Spectacular location with delicious food, perfect plating for the start of great instagram photos! The staff was very attentive and friendly, I highly recommend this place to people especially for a date location. Although, price may be a little high.

I always come to this restaurant for dinner. One dish I ordered the most frequently is market fish. What kind of market fish they served is depending on seasons. It is very fresh, tasty and healthy.

Went here for me and my partner 1st anniversary; the service by the stuff was really professional and well spoken. Greet us and took us to our table and kinda explain to us the menu and suggested us some good dished. The food was really really amazing. For a first timer at this restaurant- I’ll be going back for sure👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Delicate little restaurant located in Britomart. The interior is modernly decorated with a intimate setting. It’s also lovely sit in the garden styled outdoor on a sunny day. <br/><br/>Food are freshly prepared with a lovely presentation. Meat are cooked nice and tender, with excellent pairing of flavors. Closely connected to Milse where you can order some sweet bites for desserts. <br/><br/>Friendly and helpful staff. However can take a bit longer to serve on a busy weekend. Their menu changes once every so often that it’s always a surprise. <br/><br/>Only downside is the outdoor chairs are quite uncomfortable if you sit for long. Would be nice if they changed to something more ergonomic.<br/><br/>Overall a great restaurant. Highly recommended to everyone!<br/><br/>Food: 10/10<br/>Food presentation: 8/10<br/>Service: 8/10<br/>Location: 8/10<br/>Ambience: 10/10<br/>Price $50

My partner and I have been coming here for a while now and love it every time. It is an absolutely wonderful setting with an outdoor space full of greenery and fairy lights. Inside is modern and tasteful with an intimate setting. It is an Italian place with an emphasis on using market garden ingredients from the hipgroup farm.<br/><br/>The food is decadent and delicious, I often get the market fish which is best when it is served with summer greens and a pea puree. They also cater for gluten free people as well, they will easily swap out things within a dish to cater for your requirements providing a great experience. Last time we went the fish came with couscous and it wasn't an issue at all for them to swap it out with potatoes. All of the other dishes on the menu sound and look amazing. Often, however I don't venture past the fish as it is so good. They have a good drinks list featuring a range of flavours to complement the meal.<br/><br/>The service is effecient and may sometimes struggle a bit on a very busy night. But what place doesn't. The staff are super friendly and professional.<br/><br/>This is one of my favourite places in Auckland to dine. It provides a romantic and intimate setting for couples, whilst relaxing and conversational for groups. The food is delicious and the menu has heaps of variety as well as catering for most dietary requirements. The staff are excellent and I would recommend this place to anyone as up towards the top of my list. You will definitely see me here often 😁. Also make sure you try their desserts, you won't regret it.

What a wonderful find!<br/>I was walking nearby, I saw the outdoor setting, the fairy lights, the glass tables... and I felt it had a good vibe.<br/>The food was amazing, super fresh and tasty!<br/>The service is also very much on point, attentive, with a smile...<br/>Loved this place!

Been here a few times, the food is amazing. It is one of my favorite locations to go to. 100% would recommend. They have a seasonal menu and would go try every time.

The service was good. Managers were really understanding as well as the staff. I was not a fan of the strawberry smoothie and they were kind enough to offer a replacement. The food was slightly disappointing for the price tag. My mum had the Market fish and it smelled off. Not sure what was going on with that.. The pipe rigatte was okay. Needed more seasoning. The cotoletta was really good though! As well as the loin.

After walking around looking for a place to eat for about 40 minutes we stumbled on this place quite by accident and I am pleased that we stopped. There were so many staff I lost count and the service is without fault. The food took longer than expected however it was busy so that was understandable. When it did arrive it was delicious. I can see why they have such rave reviews. The pate was delectable, the kingfish was superb and the dessert was exquisite. I was not a fan of the rose and the carafe was small but that would be my only complaint. Not a bad way to prepare for Florence and the Machine!

Had dinner here a few months ago and I still remember how amazing it was! The ashed sirloin was wonderful with the crunch of the asparagus, not too heavy of a meal but still a very great portion size. We also had the crayfish ravioli which was lovely!

Went here for a pre-show dinner and was expected amazing food due to the reviews and accolades this restaurant has received, however left feeling underwhelmed. <br/><br/>The atmosphere is absolutely stunning and the service is impeccable. Staff are friendly and treat all customers as equals - which is lovely considering the place is quite “high end”. <br/><br/>The food however was disappointing- the only highlight was that it was served hot and the plate was warm. I ordered the prosciutto piadina and Fazzoletti for the main. <br/>I felt they both lacked in flavour and the pasta didn’t have that “melt in your mouth” feeling, it was slightly too undercooked for my liking. My friend had the crayfish ravioli which was quite dry and tasted better when it was mixed with my carrot sauce. <br/><br/>I think the price is about right considering the portion size - I was very full when we finished. <br/><br/>I would like to come back to try their brunch menu, but unsure I would try their pasta again. <br/><br/>3/5 from me. <br/>

Went there just now to get a drink. Noone bothered to greet us at the front for more than 10 minutes. We left the place very disappointed. The place wasnt busy at all. There are enough staffs as well too. Very poor service. Will not go back there anymore.

Waited for around 30min for my egg Benedict, which comes in a deep bowl, how can I cut it in a deep bowl? Taste is ok, but won’t go there anymore.

So go for the corn on the cob for sure! Absolutely delicious and they give you extra chills on request!<br/>The puadina was just sad and droopy. The coffee was alright. Service was excellent!<br/>Will I go back? No.

The location is great and the atmosphere is near perfect - Ortolana perfectly pulls of a beautiful restaurant in a garden sort of vibe. As is to be expected at a place like this, the food is carefully curated, delicious, and the wait staff know exactly what complements what, and make some great recommendations. <br/><br/>Now the food, multiple courses, all delicious in their own right. It is a testament to the way they source and prepare their dishes, and it clearly shows with the fresh ingredients and complementary tastes that arise.<br/>However, there's a few things that don't give this place the perfect 5 stars. There's a bit of a wait between the dishes, and though they are freshly prepared, it shouldn't take that long. This is exacerbated by their furniture arrangements - I'm usually not one to talk about back support, but when you're there for a an entire evening and waiting a long time for meals to come through, it helps to have seating that has some support behind it!<br/><br/>Overall still a great place, and I'd strongly recommend visiting and trying out their flavours.

Came here for August restaurant month to take advantage of the offering. Food was good but service was average. General staff treated us fine however the maître d’hôtel was not welcoming at all. If you don’t want customers trying out the August restaurant month menu then don’t participate in the deal!!!

The location and atmosphere of Ortolana are great! Conveniently located in the heart of Britomart. The staff was also friendly and accomodating.<br/><br/>The food however was disappointing. I had higher expectations of Ortolana given its great reviews and popularity. The suffolk lamb with panzenella and white gazpacho from the summer menu had overly sour elements which made it difficult to eat. It was the first time I had lamb presented as “rare steak” and didn’t like that it was cold. The fish main was better but not great for the price tag . The crayfish ravioli was quite small, taste was just ok, and the presentation was average. The duck and the tomato basil mozzarella piadina entrees were good. <br/><br/>Given the quality of other restaurants in the area I find it unlikely I’ll go back to Ortolana anytime soon.

I have been here several times for breakfast and always delicious, yesterday I went for lunch with a group of colleagues, I had the Octopus as entree and the sirloin as main, the sirloin was phenomenal, juicy and tasty, although the octopus doesn’t quite work, the mint leaves are overpowering the octopus, also I acknowledge the place was busy, we waited for almost and hour after receiving the wine to get our entrees, then another wait of 30 minutes to get our mains after we finished our entrees, during the week a quicker service will be great :)

Met up with my cousin and aunt here and had an early breakfast in the weekend. It was around 8AM when I arrived and there were a few tables both inside and outside occupied already. Service was prompt, water provided for the table, followed by our coffee and then our breakfast! I ordered the Smashed egg, chive and prosciutto piadina. I was surprised that it came out in flatbread because I had no idea what piadina was, but it was good! I enjoyed the savory for a change and the beautiful combination of the prosciutto, egg and something cheesey.<br/><br/>My cousin got the Pane fritto, apple, ricotta, macadamia, honey which was slightly sweeter so this can be my next breakfast order!<br/>I enjoyed the atmosphere of Ortolana as the sun was coming up, as it feels like you’re in a glass house but not being blinded or overly hot in the sun.

Beautiful place for brunches, wonderful ambience with an awesome location. Great selection of brunch food with lots of options for vegetarians. Had the panne fritto which turns out to be french toast. I loved the simple flavours~ My friend had the sourdough with the nut butter and conserves. Our food came in a timely manner despite the busy morning rush around.

Great spot in britomart. Busy even on a tuesday. Tomato basil and mozzarella piadina was fantastic, if only there was more! Agria gnocci also fantastic. Beer selection could do with an expansion

Lovely service, great deco, nice and super friendly staff. Great indoor and outdoor seating and delicious cocktails. I had a lamb and kumara meal which tasted delicious and my friend had crumbed chicken which was ok. Great place to catchup for a quick lunch and in the heart of britomart.

I came here with a friend on a very nice and peaceful Friday midday. We were greeted on entrance and seated by the outdoor heating. I ordered the Apple, rhubarb, almond crumble, Anglaise as well as the Valrhona hot chocolate. My friend ordered the Pork belly, celeriac, fennel, apple, house mustard. The pork skin wasn't as crispy as hoped but was still a nicely presented dish with good flavour. My dessert was very delightful. I enjoyed the crunchiness of the crumble along with the soft apple and rhubard. The Anglaise tied everything together. It was an explosion of flavour on your mouth. The hot chocolate was very rich and yummy.

As much as I wanted to love this place, the food was simply average across the board - both the scallop starter and crayfish ravioli main were just bland. The crayfish was quite tough, likely under-cooked, which is a shame coming from a well regarded restaurant. The service was good and the venue [although small] is pretty cool.

At the centre of Auckland exists this amazing gem.<br/>Amazing design and atmosphere with a friendly and careful staff.<br/>We ordered the spaghetti, the ravioli, the crayfish.<br/>Simply amazing, definitely a place to visit and revisit.

Great place for breakfast<br/>Loved the food ( the omelet was the pick for me) and the service was fast and friendly. I’ll be back next time I’m in Auckland. Thanks

Best place for Italian food in town. I fall in love with their market fish no matter how many times I have it. The atmosphere and interior design of the restaurant is also a plus. Only thing I don't like is because it's a small restaurant, tables are really close to each other, which I find a little bit uncomfortable. This is a must-try in Britomart for people who love the country of Pisa tower :)

Loved the food - prepared with pride and love and lots of focus given on fresh seasonal produce. Every single element in the dish is well thought out. Came here with my family - there was 8 of us and a 2 year old toddler and we were well looked after. We were able talk, havr great convos and over delicious food and coffee. Can't wait to come back!

This is one of my favourite restaurants – the menu changes often and the quality is always amazing. Kitchen is open plan and the flavours that come out of there are punchy and delicate at the same time. I would recommend this restaurant to anybody wanting a high standard of service and cuisine – it is romantic and, at the same time, suitable for business meetings and friendly gatherings.

Ortolana is just gorgeous. A cozy interior with spacious, adequate seating in the heart of Britomart. Dusk was an accidentally wonderful time for myself and four friends to meet up for dinner.<br/><br/>Staff were welcoming, we asked for a table for 5 on a fairly Friday evening and it was promptly arranged. Our fifth member was on their way, and we felt no pressure from staff whilst we waited about 15 minutes, so we could all order food together. Was a little surprised they took no drink orders, would've thought of that wait as a good time to capitalise on.<br/><br/>I ordered the smoked duck. One friend ordered the crayfish ravioli. We both got the side potatoes too. Another friend ordered the beef, the final two both ordered the gnocchi. We were all satisfied with our dishes, and were impressed with how quickly five dishes were brought to us after ordering.<br/><br/>For such a refined establishment, the prices weren't unexpected. The serving size, at least personally for my duck, was smaller than I hoped for. However, it was a great choice to get the potatoes on the side, they were a delicious addition and helped complete the meal, although some kind of sauce or gravy would've been the one thing to add.<br/><br/>Although this level of restaurant isn't my usual, for a fine-dining-esque experience I would happily come back.

Food was average, had crayfish ravioli as a main - you get three, thats $10 a ravioli, if it had been a beautiful dish i would have been happy with that, but it wasnt, the crayfish had a strange texture - tough and minced? overworked perhaps. The salad and goddess dressing - i didnt see the dressing it was chopped limp veges on a plate, smoked fish bruchetta - not freshly smoked that im use to. Otherwise nice setting but dont go if you are hungry I went home and ate a steak.

Part of the Hip Group, this location is very similar to the other restaurants in that it focuses on fresh seasonal produce.<br/>Menu is well thought out (including the wine list) but portions are on the smaller side so sides are recommended.<br/>Location has indoor seating, but outside in tot warmer months is great.<br/>Service is good

Incredible place. The service is really good and the ambiance is amazing. Its a casual, light and bubbly vibe as well as very pleasing to the eye. I would highly recommend their pea and pasta dish as well as the lamb dish. <br/>This place is connected to Milse (an incredible dessert eatery) so you will not be let down their either. <br/>Although a bit more costly - I think it is well worth every cent.

There is no doubt that there is some real talent in the kitchen at Ortolana. The gnocchi with scampi was superb and the crayfish ravioli was delicious. The ashed angus beef was mediocre at best. The beef was, well beefy - fine, nothing to complain about, nothing to compliment either. Bland courgette chunks were served with courgette brunoise and a tasteless green puree which I can only assume was the asparagus that the menu promised. Very disappointing. What was more disappointing was the service. There were at least five people on the floor, one of whom, our main server, gave a virtuoso performance in poised arrogance and disinterest. I really had hoped for better.

Came here for lunch and was blown away by the meal and service. The lovely lady at the front of the restaurant accommodated our last minute reservation and our waitress was extremely helpful with recommending dishes when food intolerances were mentioned. <br/><br/>I ended up ordering their pipe rigate pasta dish without the Parmesan and I’m still raving about it hours later. One of the best pasta dishes I’ve had - very light and well seasoned and the use of peas and mint brightened up the dish. Also had the strawberry and basil soda which was perfect - not too sweet and absolutely refreshing in the Auckland summer heat. I can’t wait to go back and try the other dishes on the menu I was eyeing. Can’t recommend enough!

Food is excellent here, always used to go there for breakfast not to busy in the mornings so could get a seat inside. Atmosphere is amazing.<br/><br/>Went there for lunch with a friend a few weeks ago Same excellent service. Not cheap. All the food is sourced from local places or on the farm. Which is great! So yummy and tasty! I had field mushrooms on toast, came with parmesan and rocket type leaves on top. And my friend had a truffle omelette and a (Belgian) hot chocolate and I had a English breakfast tea (comes in a heavy Zen like teapot) <br/>What can i say... still love Ortolana and would go back again and again!

Obviously, this place wants to attract the cool kids because they don't want people in wheelchairs here.  I was DISGUSTED with the toilets!!! (And I hope someone takes notice of this). They are clean BUT you can barely move in there, unless you're 42kg.  I was really upset with was the disabled toilets, I could barely move in the toilet for able-bodied people and when I took a sneaky look and stood in the disabled toilets it was enough for an able-bodied person (but not nearly enough for a wheelchair).Don't ignore the previous reviews that say the servings are tiny because they are.  Not that I think it would bother the owners or have any kind of effect.  Service is great, very attentive but not overboard.  I came here for date-night on a Monday.  The entrees were ok, my partner got the octopus where he found more chicory than anything else.  I can't even remember what I had which shows how much I thought about that.  I ordered the crayfish ravioli for the main and got three ravioli which was, to be honest, bland.  My Australian boyfriend had so been looking forward to having the NZ lamb we rave about and he was disappointed.  I had the Bombe Alaska for dessert - yummy but not a Bombe Alaska, you have to spend some time figuring out how to eat it.  The decor is very romantic and lovely.  Luckily, the waitress saw the look on my face when I saw our booked table (so tight and blocked in) and offered us a table with more space. I was still sitting having to move all the time because I was so close to the diner next to me, we were touching.  A good dining experience should be when you don't leave hungry as well.  Disappointing!

Only a 3 as the food was actually good. Got the crayfish ravioli and it was delicious and well presented. Also got a glass of rosé. Great service. The low-ish rating is because it was so expensive ($29) for such tiny portions!! I get that it's a high end restaurant but that was like entrée type portions and I was still hungry after that. By all means, come here if you're willing to splurge and have the appetite of a pixie otherwise, other places close by are way more affordable.

Came here for resturaunt month for the past 2 years! Very delicious and excellent service. The atmosphere is also quite chilled and welcoming.

Went their on a Friday for after work drinks. Had some snacks. The place gets real busy. Music was good, service very friendly n food was good.<br/>Price is a bit on a higher side but worth the money spend.<br/>

Love the seating and the decoration inside this wooden restaurant. Staffs were nice. Ordered a glass of home made chia seeds soda which was good. It was relaxing just to spend time with friends on a Sunday afternoon. Will return for the food next time.

Beautifully decorated. I love the touch of olive oil, pepper and sea salt given to us so we were free to season. <br/>We got the Chicken Cotoletta, the Smoked Lamb Backstrap with a side of roast potatoes. <br/>The chicken cotoletta is a crumbed schnitzel on top of salad. The crumb was beautifully crisp. <br/>The Lamb lacked a little flavour, but presentation was amazing. The Lamb is medium rare, which was a bit chewy for me. Would've loved more of that goat cheese though! The kumara was soft and melted in the mouth. <br/>The roast potatoes were a bit hard. <br/>For dessert we got the Dulcy and pear Tart; THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. The Tart was buttery and creamy and melted in the mouth. The yoghurt was smooth and creamy. Delightful. <br/><br/>Price: 8/10<br/>Food: 8/10<br/>Ambience: 10/10<br/>Service: 10/10

I love the ambience of the outside dining here. This is such a pretty place to eat. I only ordered the kale and apple smoothie while here but it was really good. The serving staff were a little distracted but when they did approach our table to take the order of my company they were really attentive. Service was quick too.

Love the place in Britomart. And food were great but quite expensive. Ortolana's drinks are lit! 👌🏻 My favourite was their shakes. Very refreshing!

Came here for the 2 course $25 lunch menu for restaurant month! It's better if you book because it does get busy during lunchtimes. Had the chicken cotoletta and the orange flavored gelato. Even though the portions were small for the main, it tasted pretty refreshing and yummy. The chicken was crispy and hot, the sauce (some sort of yoghurt textured) was sour and lemony with a tiny bit of sweetness - kind of like sour cream. When you eat them all together including the herbs, it tastes pretty good because the sourness from the sauce disappears after awhile and you're left with the chicken. <br/><br/>Taste - 8/10<br/>Size - 6/10<br/>Price - 7/10<br/>Service - 8/10

We did not have a full dining experience here so I am only basing my review on what we did experience of course, though I have a feeling some aspects may present themselves the same if eating more. A group of four of us came here just for a drink and snack but still found it difficult to choose off menu. Maybe the menu was too fancy for us seeing as we not totally used to dining in such restaurants?. Anyway for a start ...we found our own table and then the waitress was pretty slow in coming to us. One of our group asked if they had fries...to which we were told in a snobbish manner...no we do not have fries on the menu. Then one of us stated we were only here for some " nosh ". ( meaning snack ) which totally threw the waitress off balance again. Nosh? she asked... Then she got asked do they have garlic bread to which there was a similar snobby reply.. ....." we dont do just garlic bread..we have the painina with garlic, rosemary, mozerrala and rocket. Oookkk... So we settled for that. Well when it did come out it was half a plate of thin panini type bread . We expected a little more....and it was gone down our throats in a few seconds!! And we reckon they charge too much for just that. At least the beer we ordered went down well!!. Would we go back again? Mmmm.....

Went Saturday evening 12 August, Maitre D great and welcoming, atmosphere lovely, food tasty and yum, sadly though - service is severely lacking personality and happiness, especially the blonde lady working there basically only delivering food! There was no mention of enjoy your meal or how was your food! Luckily the other points were positive.

We went here for a birthday meal. Over all I loved everything about this place. The atmosphere hummed but not overly loud throughout the evening, the service was superb and the food was Devine. I only had one remark to make amd that was there was 3 people who ordered the same dish of crumbed chicken thighs on kale salad, and two of the dishes were lovely with their plump chicken thighs yet the third dish was like it had been substituted with chicken schnitzel which was clearly visible to the rest of the table as well so that was disappointing. The dish I had of chicken was brilliant in flavour and succulent juicy chicken thigh, along with fresh crisp produce accompanying it. I will definitely be back here to try the ever changing menu and bask in the chic decor and wonderful service.

Great food and customer service. We waited for not long and our food was right in front of us. Awesome decor both inside and outside, especially the outdoor sitting area.

Have dined here several times and it's consistently lovely. My boyfriend and I love the chicken cotoletta dish, especially with all the kale piled on. I also enjoy the kingfish crudo. The beetroot gnocchi is an amazing, light but filling vegetarian option.<br/><br/>It's a bit of a warm cozy café feel inside; there's a nice ambience if the weather's good and you're able to sit outside among the plants and lights. Whether you're with your partner or a group of friends it's always a perfect spot to enjoy good food and wine.<br/><br/>Staff are always very accommodating and knowledgeable, and usually the ladies working are bubbly without being intrusive.<br/><br/>Best spot in Britomart!

Great service. Great food. End of story. <br/><br/>The gnocchi changes seasonally, the second and last photo are two different seasons of gnocchi. Their gnocchi are little parcels of potatoey heaven, pan fried to crispiness but still soft in the centre. I highly recommend coming here just to try their gnocchi. Their other dishes have also impressed my fellow foodies.

This is a place where my bestie and I come for celebrations or when we have an URGE to spoil ourselves 🤣. It's somewhere that's top of my list for bringing someone that needs to be impressed by both food and service.<br/><br/>Here you get excellent service, and wonderfully prepared and perfectly cooked dishes. Staff are so super friendly and still professional. No hovering, but still very attentive.<br/><br/>The only downside is the menu. Hear me out here, it's a menu that is short and doesn't change much over time except for seasonality or minor adjustments, but is perfectly executed. The reason this is a downside is that if you go often you will quite easily get sick of it (as we did when they first opened up lol).<br/><br/>Highly recommended :)

Dropped in here for a coffee on a rainy day. Do ask them about the coffee of your choice as it may not be listed on the menu. I had my favourite one i.e. Cappuccino and yes it was one of the best I have had in the city. <br/>Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Food quality and presentation were very good. But it took looong time that my partner's dish was served for some reason.  It finally came  when I have nearly finished my dish. That was a bit dissapointed. If the operation becomes good, I could come here again.

If you are into European fusion food, you should go here! The service was perfect and the waiters were very attentive with you. This is a dog-friendly restaurant where you can bring your dog and sit outside.<br/><br/>Good stuff!

''Twas a Fridate for and we just wanted to have good place to eat. The staff who greeted us is nice and welcoming. Although the outdoor seating was warm and cozy, we opted for an indoor seat. The service was good and the food was quick to arrive. My fish for day was too salty and also the gypsy salad. My wife's short ribs was lovely and so was our dessert.

What a lovely place! We came for an early dinner. The ambience is relaxing and service great. We ordered the market fish and short ribs which both tasted absolutely delicious! The highlight was the gelato on a stick, the dark chocolate was to die for! <br/><br/>The only downside to our evening was when the couple beside us started to argue during our dessert. The tables are so close, it was really uncomfortable.<br/><br/>Still highly recommended.

Lovely atmosphere, cool lighting and tasty food about sums up this place. I had the pan roasted fish and it was quite good. The wine pairing was excellent as well.

A disappointing experience, which surprised me, given the high online ratings. My dish simply lacked flavour and was overwhelmed by the amount of snow peas, beans, and peas on it. Service was pleasant enough, though not enough to improve the overall experience by much. I am hoping it was merely a wrong dish choice, and that I can return and give Ortolana another chance in the future.

I took my mum here on a Sunday for brunch.<br/>Atmosphere was lovely but you are sitting very close to the other table.<br/>Food was excellent and the waitresses recommendations were great. <br/>Me and mum shared the granola on yoghurt mousse, the texture was lovely and the dish was not overly sweet.<br/>We also ordered the chorizo with broccoli, cauliflower topped with a fried egg, it was good but I wouldn't order it again.

Ortolana is a high class Italian restaurant with a fantastic layout and comfy furniture. The food was great given that this is a high end restaurant, but of extremely small portions. A little bit overrated but seems to attract a large crowd.

Service was shocking. No smile, don't feel welcomed at all. Seating is all quite squashed next to other tables. The food was good but I think amazing would be overrating it. If it wasn't for the food, I would only give 1. Honestly for a place so overrated by others, they need to keep their game up. I for sure will not go again.

This is another one of my favourite go-to places. The Hip Group have really got their restaurants down to a T. Great ambience, great staff and great food! My only criticism is that the chicken kale salad should come back on the menu because the celery in the new chicken cotletta does not work as well in creating an explosion of flavour! <br/>

Ambience was good, service was friendly and quick. Had a great time with friends. The dessert was nothing spectacular. I should have stuck with a gelato stick instead of ordering a plated dessert.

Been there with friends two month ago. It was a great experience overall. My friend made a reservation and when I reached there 10 minutes earlier, the table was ready. The couch was comfortable. Two servers serviced us. The first guy introduced all the specials and very detailed. The second waitress was really friendly and we had a nice chat. Food was absolutely delicious, however, the price was a little high for me.

We were really looking forward to this restaurant. We arrived early 11:15am, the place is half filled, good sign. I have to say that steak is the toughest piece of meat I ever had in a restaurant.

Went here last night with a big group of friends for dinner for a hens night. The restaurant itself is really nice and open with a gorgeous outdoor area! <br/><br/>The service was really good, never had an empty water glass and our orders for drinks and food were taken promptly and properly. <br/><br/>Our dinner took an incredibly long time to come out. Over an hour! They served everyone even if they came in and ordered after us first. That was the biggest annoyance of the night. The food was well presented and tasty. I had the market fish which was very fresh and flavourful. For dessert I had the bomb Alaska gelato stick which was delicious! <br/><br/>Overall I would definitely come back but not as a big group as the wait for food was far too long. Would have been a 5/5 if it wasn't for this.

Been here couple of times. But this time so disappointed with the bad attitude/ rudenesa from the male waiters. Nearly rated 0 if didn't get serviced by the female waitresses. There are so many restaurants around so hope they change otherwise will be not be coming back.

Absolutely love this place! They have great food, with fresh produce and amazing drinks to match! <br/><br/>It's simple and delicious and it was great to come here with friends. <br/><br/>I ordered the Celery Root Tortelli. It was very well presented and tasted so good. <br/><br/>The only downside was they didn't make my friend's meal gluten free as asked to and she's been sick today. Just a little bit disappointing considering it could have been avoided.

Went here for a late night dine on Thursday night. It was still very busy even though it was 8pm (always a good sign). The decor was beautiful and our waitress was incredibly nice. We asked which drinks she recommended and she told us they had a strawberry smoothie which was their special of the day that wasn't on the menu. We ordered that and was blown away, the smoothie was so good you could tell they used real strawberries, it was not too sweet and just the right texture. We had the pumpkin and ricotta Piadina as well as the gnocchi, both were very good. For desserent we had the cheese and the components were all amazing, there were walnuts, pear, dig and cheese on top of some very good crackers. Overall a pleasant experience.

Another one of Hip Groups successful ventures. Ortolana is such a beautiful restaurant, with a European flair.<br/><br/>I love Hip Group restaurants for their consistent use of fresh produce and local ingredients. It was my first time dining at Ortolana in the weekend and I ordered the Market fish (John Dory). To be completely honest I didn’t LOVE the dish, but it was a nice, light lunch which was exactly what I felt like. The flavours were a bit bland for me and the fish needed a squeeze of lemon or lime, or something to add a bit of punch to the dish. My friend ordered the Chicken cotoletta, which I’ve had at their St Heliers Bistro and thoroughly enjoyed. I also loved the pear and yoghurt smoothie, it was light and refreshing and didn’t make me feel too full like other smoothies can. Just the right consistency and the pear flavour wasn’t overwhelming. <br/><br/>Overall a great spot for fresh, quality food.

Really nice light lunch in summer. They used to put too much salt in pasta so I asked them to make the pasta without salt this time. And it was amazing，fresh softer tasty beef tortellni，the amount of sauce and seasoning were pretty great. The lamb belly was fantastic as well. tender，juicy，a little bit crispy outside，layer by layer with plenty of flavorful fat inside with crispy and tender aubergine quite satisfying. But the fish crudo was too blank not much flavor and too less fat I thought.

I find this place to be VERY overrated. The location is tiny. I found my friend and I squashed next to others and could hear their conversations. Not really somewhere good to go for a catch up with friends. The meals are quite small, so I left feeling still hungry. Wouldn't bother going back at all.

Food: last time I had a beef agnolotti dish which was delicious, with complex and delicious seasoning. All food was beautifully presented and delicious. Don't expect high quantity, expect high quality.<br/><br/>Dessert: great options from Milse (next door). Try the macaroons, the Dulce de Leche macaroon stands out and goes perfectly with an espresso.<br/><br/>Ambiance: very pleasant vibe, nice and carefully chosen decor. Only one large table for large groups. <br/><br/>Staff: absolutely friendly and efficient, a huge contrast in comparison with the average service level in Auckland.<br/><br/>

You can always count on this restaurant to serve up delicious, quality and fresh dishes. Together with the great ambience the britomart place provides, it is an easy go to! However I did thought service was very slow. There wasn't many people when we were there but they were slow to take our order and also for the food to come. <br/><br/>They do good fresh pasta, cooked al dente. Yum! We had the corn beef padinia to start which was like a quesadilla (sort of). Only get this if you like mustard! Same with the short ribs pasta, it has mustard in it too. we were all satisfied with our meal. However the menu does change so you may not be able try dishes I did :p<br/><br/>Wine selections also range from NZ to European. <br/><br/>They do take bookings online for certain times.

Meaning ‘market gardener’ in Italian, Ortolana which is situated within the hustle and bustle of Britomart is an elegant, contemporary space. Although small, it is perfectly formed with classy fixtures and fittings in a light filled conservatory.<br/><br/>An open and welcoming space, Ortolana is connected to the dessert cafe Milse next door and therefore you can order their famous ‘Gelato on a Stick.’ More on that later……..<br/><br/>With it being a cold, wintry night in Auckland and with one of us coming down with a nasty cold, we started with one of the Specialty Hot Beverages. The Spiced Apple and Cinnamon Hot drink was like winter in a glass.<br/><br/>Judging by the plates being delivered to other diners we could see that Ortolana certainly take their presentation seriously.<br/><br/>Celery root tortellini, chestnut and brown butter was a work of art on a plate! Home made tortellini was al dente in texture and encased a luxurious chestnut filling. The brown butter added an extra element to the dish and made it warming and comforting.<br/><br/>The Lamb, Broccoli and Sprouts with vinegre de jerez was cooked to a perfect medium rare. We’ve never had broccoli stalks served like this before either! They had a lovely char to them and the crunchy texture was a great addition to the soft silky lamb. The sharp vinegar based jus provided the perfect acidity to the dish.<br/><br/>We quickly popped next door to Milse to check out their array of sweet treats. Rows upon rows of macarons and other delectable desserts lined the glass cabinets and we had a hard time choosing what to pick!<br/><br/>The Gelato on a stick was a very generous portion! We went for the chocolate and hazelnut flavour with the rich dark chocolate coating the tastiest gelato. Definitely a winner!<br/><br/>It’s always too difficult to choose between sweet and savoury so why not go for both? The Washed Rind Cheese, Pear and Ciappe was another masterpiece on a plate. The cheese was strong, flavoursome and soft. Served with salty crackers, walnuts and flavourful chutneys this was a great alternative to a sweet dessert.<br/><br/>And last but not least treat: the Crema fritta, rhubarb & macadamia! All elements of this dish complemented each other quite nicely. The sharpness of the rhubarb, the creamy texture of the fritta and crunch of macadamia provided a sensational taste on the palate. It is a lovely dish and light enough to ensure you have room to enjoy after mains.<br/><br/>The service we received was also very slick, friendly and professional. Special thanks to Marie with her lovely french accent and Sophie the duty manager of the night who made our evening memorable!

The food portions were very small and expansive. <br/>But tasted good.<br/><br/>We ordered a beef, a pasta and a chicken. Only 3 thin slices of beef placed on top of some veggies on small slices of bread. Too little to be able to fill one's tummy. <br/><br/>The set lunch came with a ice lolly. This was good.<br/><br/>The environment was beautiful and comfortable but always full.

Even the restaurant is just sitting beside the milse, I haven't got chance to try it before. I loved the Beef pasta, thanks for the cute waiter's advise that beef pasta might be a little bit heavy flavor with the mustard. But I really liked that, my friend quite liked the chicken as well. The Gelato from Milse, you tell me! Amazing deal from the restaurant of the month.

Went to try the "restaurant of the month" special $25 menu include beef short rib with agnolotti & Gelato on a stick, the agnolotti is basically a pasta dough filled with meat, cooked to professional but not to my taste. I went to here before with former colleagues and ordered chicken cotoletta, again it's okay but not to my taste. Gelato on a stick came from the famous dessert shop "MILES' on the back, the highlight of the day.

One of the coolest places in Auckland. Love the architecture and the way they deal with the ingredients, using local and fresh products.<br/><br/>I tried myself an omelette with pine nuts. Personally I don't think this was the best combination since the eggs and the nuts have a strong flavour, but at least the omelette was cooked almost to perfection, soft and well seasoned.<br/><br/>But I should say that the best was the craft soda, incredibly fresh and aromatic.<br/><br/>Definitely should come back to try other flavours.

Feeling particularly opulent, our group decided to adventure past our usual budget of $10-14 lunches for Ortolana.<br/><br/>We ordered the Market Fish Salad, Pork Shoulder with eggs, two piadina ( taco/roti/skinny enchiladas) and the vegetarian salad. <br/><br/>When our meals arrived, they were immaculate, and visibly rapturous.<br/><br/>A salient point which I think can't be emphasised enough about this place was that the freshness of food was incredible. <br/><br/><br/>However, a few issues which disappointed me were that:<br/><br/>- The menu was slightly annoying--there aren't dish names, just the ingredients of the dish. <br/><br/>- Our meals took around 20 minutes to come out--this'll make it difficult for people on 1 hour lunches.<br/><br/>- My long black came out warm. <br/><br/>Showstopper: the pork shoulder with egg was fabulous and the freshness of the ingredients is awesome.<br/><br/>Overall Grade : B, the coffee was a huge let down.

Had two dishes for $ 26.00 as a light dinner. Corned beef is a special dish, I tasted sweet flavor of red cabbage and strong flavor of mustard from it. Both dishes were tasty and reasonable price. Service was very nice. Will visit this place again for a regular dinner next time.

Came here on Saturday night searching feed in a winter's night. I was seated outside, thou it was very cold but the service, staff and the heater made it so much wamer. Ordered their recommended winter hot cocktail, wasn't as nice as I'd thought of it to be, thou I had a fresh slice of pear inside. The portion of the food seemed much less compared to my previous visits here for lunch. It has disappointed me.

I went here on my last evening in Auckland and it did not disappoint. It had very fresh produce and you could tell the produce used were in season as the taste was just on another level. The finely shaved Parmesan cheese on top my gnocchi gave it that perfect Unami flavour. Just wished they were a little more generous with the portions. Also staff were extremely accommodating and the atmosphere of the restaurant was cosy and romantic! Would come back 😍

You must go here. Food is beautiful, healthy, tasty and looks as pretty as a picture. Big sis & I went favourites were the fig dish & the handmade pasta which melted in your mouth. Just heavenly. Waiting staff amazing. A must! Go go go!

Regrettably I was underwhelmed this evening. <br/>This place has all the components needed to be a 5* Hub of Hospitality but we left this evening feeling...just ok. <br/>The food was good, little bland in places but very well prepared and clearly prepped and cooked fresh to order which is important to us.<br/>The service was ok, no table check, no recommendations until i prompted - smiles and pleasant chats but nothing personal.<br/>Wine list is great with some VERY good glass pour options and of course the location is ideal for those who like to keep within the lines of the inner city hum.<br/>We had a good evening. It was ok but I expected more and have left other places feeling elated. With the additional discomfort of the seating arrangement and my fiancé having to spend the night hunched over his glass it's unfortunate that we won't return. <br/>

The "fancy" dining @Britomart.<br/><br/>Great customer service, the best wines, food.🌿<br/>You can experience the modern dishes in nice and relaxing inside or refreshing terrace at outside. <br/>Everything on the menu is organic. <br/><br/>I loved their food presentation. It excite people!❤️<br/>The combination of food is also a good.<br/><br/>For more info and make booking :<br/>http://ortolana.co.nz/phone/index.html

I liked the taste of food but the portion was not enough for me starving. I had to eat another dinner at home. If you have enough money to eat out more, enjoy the desert nextdoor.

Great service and lovely atmosphere. Five of us had lunch here along with a bottle of champagne. All really enjoyed our meals. I had the gnocchi. Loved how the gnocchi was in very small bite size pieces. Only thing I would change is the poached egg that came with the meal. All the meals were beautifully presented.

Every dish I've had at Ortolana I have thoroughly enjoyed.. I just wish there was more of it for me to enjoy. I definitely recommend getting a side of lardo potatoes on the side as it helps fill you up a tad after the rather small mains. My favourite is the lamb main with zucchini and yoghurt. It has nice flavours and textures and is a joy to eat. Photographed here is the market fish which was nice but came extremely cold which I wasn't too bothered with and also the chitarra at the back (this dish was a bit too salty for me). I would come here again but probably not on another full stomach unless you ordered more sides and shared mains.

Enjoyed breakfast there. I had the older and it was fantastic. Good selection on green teas. Nice atmosphere and speedy service. What else to say? All up a good place to go and I will be back to try more from the menu.

GOALS AND DREAMS 💕😍✨. It's been a 4 year dream of mine to go here and I finally achieved that, I was worried I had hyped it up too much in my mind but noooo freaking way! It exceeded my expectations and more. VIP service, 5 star food and mind blowing aesthetics all round, my oh my. The food was well priced for the ingredient quality level and super tasty. A small menu but a damn delicious one. Please come here at least once in your life time, I promise you it'll be worth while 😜

Wonderful place, beautiful desserts (I had the cherry chocolate cake!), and my friends and I could not be happier with our cocktail & peach and yoghurt smoothie. Accompanied with the most gorgeous view of fairy lights, you really could not ask for more.

The food here is really good. However the service is not really desired. When we asked the dessert. They just ignore us. They keep doing their things. Just a little bit disappointed.

I came here in the weekend with a friend for brunch. I've been here once before but it was a long time ago. <br/><br/>We first ordered drinks and we both got the iced espresso and valrhona chocolate. I loved the drink. It was so good and one of the best mochas I've had in a while. I could've easily ordered another glass but I refrained. <br/><br/>For mains, I ordered the organic chicken cotoletta, lemon and kale while my friend got the folded egg, sausage, tomato avocado and chilli. <br/><br/>My dish was beautiful. The chicken was well cooked and I loved the batter. The kale salad was so good and the dressing really complimented the whole dish. The ingredients tasted so fresh and I'm glad we came here to eat. Ill definitely come back to try the other dishes. <br/><br/>It's great that you can also get desserts from Milse. We didn't get dessert but we came back to Milse an hour or so later.

Went for brunch with my family today and the service and atmosphere was lovely! Coffee was superb! The only down side was our food, the food was perfectly cooked and extremely tasty, but it was cold! When we told our waitress during the meal, she was extremely understanding and passed the info onto the chef and fixed our problem right up, she was lovely!! So overall a delightful experience! Will definately be back!

Much like it’s nearby sister properties Rosie and The Store, Ortolana delivers healthy hipster cuisine with ingredients sourced from their own farm. It’s been around since the stylish Britomart Pavillions were conceived, and to my knowledge has sat resident on the Metro Top 50 list ever since (Parnell’s Rosie, located by not far from here by the Rose Gardens, also makes the cut). It won’t shock the pocket (unlike the similar Odettes) though I’ll admit I find the menu a tad uninspiring at times, and that’s what has caused me only to visit this acclaimed eatery twice since it’s inception. It just never sounds that appetizing to me, often they pick combinations that can sound rather hippie hipster or simple – for me the uber wholesome thing doesn’t really ignite the tastebuds when I’m checking out a menu, no matter how good it might taste on the plate. I think to their main crowd that’s the hipster allure however.

Had a lovely overall experience here last weekend. Wait staff were excellent, serving us sparkling water on arrival and seating us quickly and in a lovely outside spot. Decor and ambience was A+, and the meals (the famous folded eggs recommended by the waitress, and the cured pork) were both fantastic. Menu is fresh and varied - produce coming from their farm. Worth a visit for sure!

I regularly visit Ortolana. It's always busy, charming and the staff are well equipped for the footfall. It's lovely to sit outdoors in the immaculate Britomart area, under the fairy light canopy; even in the winter, when you can snuggle under the blankets they provide. The menu is small but changes frequently and the staff know their product, which is great because I am often left befuddled by the choices. <br/><br/>Food always delivers on the taste spectrum and is presented beautifully. I used to visit with my vegetarian friend and she was never stuck for options.<br/><br/>A great place for a mid week catch up or something a little more special with loved ones.

Been here a couple times, the food is average and highly overpriced. Service was DISGUSTING! Wouldn't recommend to anyone. Please.. Train your staff.

Today I went there with friend for lunch.<br/> The the food was great but the service from some of the staff is unprofessional.  <br/>We ordered pasta and found vinyl inside the food, she just took all dishes quickly, there was not even an apology for this just busy to explain unacceptable excuse and waitress advise we are receiving an free dessert for this. However when we pay, everything was charged, and she seems rude to us. most annoying was that they did not acknowledge their shortcomings. Your staff should say sorry at the first instance then I would not be angry at this service and food. You know Finding vinyl in the food means they cook the food with vinyl even little pieces. I want to ask you Can you be happy to eat food include pieces of vinyl and Do you manage ingredients in a hygienic way.

Beautiful space, fresh and modern menu. House made bread was dense and delicious, and the service was personable and warm. There are woollen rugs slung over the back of each outdoors seat, in case it gets chilly - very thoughtful touch. Will be back when I revisit Auckland.

Was a bit disappointed when we had dinner here last time. Although the ambience and the restaurant itself looked great, unfortunately, the food was just average considering it's in the top 50 Metro Eats list 😕 We tried the piadina with tomato, basil & mozzarella, my husband had the lamb, mint, shelling beans and labneh, I had the chitarra, guanciale, pea, hay smoked butter and I feel that the flavors did not compliment each other. Our friends tried the gnocchi, romesco, mozzarella & ricotta scarpinocc, pine nut and balsamic, which according to them, tasted satisfactory. Serving-wise? I'd say it was good, only if you're on a diet. The staff, however, were excellent.

I really want to love this place I really do. first time i went with my friends and the waitress was very kind and explained to us the whole menu. The first experience was quite good. Food was great and it was a good area to go for a casual get together. The random several visits with a friend, the service wasnt the same. Not very friendly but i just let it slip. Last time I went with a family member and the service felt as if we were invisible the whole time. If the service was consistant like the first visit i would be very pleased but the experience i have had during the last few visits, I would say it is overpriced for their value of food and service.

This review is based on coffee alone. We have been here for coffee meetings several times now. It is a gorgeous cafe in the Pavillions in Britomart. The staff are very friendly and the waitresses in particular are beautiful! The first time I just ordered a flat white and it was quite small so next time I ordered a large which was perfect. They have lovely blankets draped over the chairs outside for those chilly days which is a nice touch. We will be back to eat soon.

We had been wanting to visit this wee restaurant for some time. We had been put off by the thought of finding parking, but it was incredibly easy. <br/><br/>The atmosphere was fab. I couldn't help but feel like I'd escaped Auckland city for somewhere a lot more relaxed and tranquil. The outdoor seating was wonderful!<br/><br/>The staff were very knowledgable and engaging. Also very attentive - lets just say my glass was always full.<br/><br/>We had a 'two' course breakfast (although at 11:45 could almost be classed as lunch. We started with the peaches, mascarpone and hazelnuts! Mouthwatering!!!! Well balanced and not too sweet, the peaches were perfectly ripe!<br/><br/>We followed on with an omelette and the breakfast gnocchi. Both were well balanced. I had the omelette and would have it again. Light, fluffy and full of flavour. My husband had the gnocchi and felt that it was yum but a glass of rose with it wouldn't go amiss. He said the gnocchi was well balanced with bursts of flavour.<br/><br/>We will see you soon Ortolana :-)

Second time here in 6 months and if anything the food seems to have improved. The fish taretare starter was an excellent combination of freshness, textures and sour. Highly enjoyable and recommended. Went for the schnitzel for main as I felt like something conventional but they did it exceptionally well. Incredible flavours. To top it all the location is a surefire winner right in the centre of downtown. Hard not to recommend :)

Quality over quantity <br/>Plates seems small for the price but it's seriously so delicious <br/><br/>Usually very busy<br/>Friendly staff and healthy menu which I love<br/>A tad $ but the location and presentation of food justifies it.<br/><br/>Their gnocci is top notch<br/>Highly recommend booking before turning up<br/>They're also connected to milse so you can order their desserts!<br/><br/>Emailed them about organising a dessert suprise and maybe they were busy and forgot. Had to remind them but when we did it turned great thanks Orotolana !<br/>

For entree - the dry cured pork with fried bread has a super delish tuscan butter spread, and was much tastier than the more subtle summer squash dish. For mains, the bread crumbed lightly fried chicken with lemon and kale was superb - light textures and great flavours. The lamb was also good but not quite as good, although the mint dressing was well done. <br/><br/>In comparison the desserts weren't as special, which was a little surprising given the connection to Milse. We shared the salted caramel choolate tart which had too much going on and wasn't cohesive. The deconstructed lemon curd was a little better, although quite sweet.<br/><br/>The service was very attentive.

Great service and nicely presented organic breakfast! The portion kinda looked too small but it was just enough to feel full! Seasoned perfectly and the best thing is that they are all from their own farm and freshly made in the store. I could also have desserts from Milse.

Ortolana is always a nice place to sit down for a light meal if you aren't feeling too hungry. The dishes are fresh and always very green. However if you want a proper meal you may need to order a lot more..

So modern and elegant - Ortolana is definitely a place you can't walk past without thinking you must go there next time. During the day, the outdoor seating make it a great brunch/lunch spot. During the evening, the fairy lights are so pretty and it literally looks like a scene from a movie. The food is delicious and you can order dessert from Milse next door!

We went to Ortolana for lunch early Dec with a couple of friends. I was very much looking forward to visit since I had heard such nice things about the place, and it has such great reviews. The decoration is lovely, but it is very loud and difficult to chat across the table. We order different dishes, including steak, fish and pasta dishes, and the food arrived after about 30 minutes. The portion size was very generous, and the food was nicely presented. I had ordered a pasta dish with mushroom sauce and a very fancy name. Alas, the pasta dish was very ordinary. The pasta itself was certainly not fresh, home-made, and the sauce was a bit too oily for my taste.  I don't think it is still on the menu, so perhaps I was a bit unlucky with my choice. We all ordered dessert from the dessert bar, and this was fantastic and highly recommendable. I would certainly come back for a dessert, but not for the main.

Have been here for the second time and had the omelette with ricotta and zucchini, which was nice, but a little bland. The middle seemed a lot of egg and not much else, however when the flavour was there it was fresh, zingy and delicious. The service was once again very friendly and courteous and sitting outside in the early morning air was very relaxing. <br/>

nice spot in the heart of Britomart, went with old colleagues for dinner, we ordered fish, chicken and beef, the food is sensational. I've ordered Gelato on stick, green tea flavor, delicious, the service and atmosphere was great, will certainly go back again.

I use to love ortolana when they first debut. Sadly I think the creativeness and standard of the place is not as good as it used to be. <br/><br/>I had the lamb which has middle eastern undertones with the labneh and mint and accompanied by shelling beans. The beans unfortunately made the dish too heavy. The lamb was cooked well but the flavours didn't really lift the solid gaminess that the lamb brings. <br/><br/>We also had the Full tail Crayfish bucatini with saffron and heirloom tomato. To be honest at $58 a dish we were expecting something spectacular. Instead it was just a hearty pasta dish that used expensive and delicate ingredients but didn't really do it justice. <br/><br/>Ortolana's food tastes good but doesn't really deliver satisfaction and value for money.

Went here last night for dinner. Second time I have eaten here. Service was excellent. Food was all very tasty. Setting very pleasant.<br/><br/>We tried two of the entree quesadilla ($16 each) . Gnocchi, filled pasta and chicken cotteleta, all side dishes. Everything tasted great.<br/><br/>But in my opinion portions are small and overpriced. I like the place but for the price I feel there are better options.<br/><br/>

I am in absolute love with this place; its very rare for me to give out 5 star ratings but I have for Ortolana. In the heart of Britomart amongst fairy lights, flowers and garden greenery lyes the cutest and tastiest restaurant in the CBD – you have got to try this place! The food is so delightful - so fresh, light and healthy. The flavours are probably just about as good as a fine dining restaurant and the presentation too. I really get a sense that using only what nature provides at the highest quality is very important to the chefs here.  I had high hopes for this place and it exceeded every expectation. The staff are lovely and very accomodating. The lady actually got my order wrong so my food was late coming out compared to my boyfriends but they apologised with macrons from Milse – Yum!

1. Presentation was good <br/>2. Location was good <br/>3. Good took forever to arrive <br/>4. Everything is about $10 way to expensive<br/>Will not be going there again. Nothing amazing and definitely not wroth the money.

Lunch here was so good! Tried the organic Crumbed chicken an kale with lard roasted potatoes! and gnocchi was very fresh also and spring veg, grains and with poached egg.

Have been to ortolana for breakfast but not for lunch. I'll admit I was a bit intimidated by the fancy names for most of the dishes but I decided to go with the raviolo. It was very tasty, particularly the garnishes. The only thing I thought was a bit strange was how they arranged my mum and sister's meals - deliberately pushed to the side of the plate. It made the meal look smaller than it was and almost as if you weren't getting what you paid for. Would love to come back and try the gnocchi and the dessert menu!

Yet another stunning eatery by HipGroup. I can't believe it took me so long to visit but I'm so glad I finally did! <br/><br/>We arrived mid morning on a week day so it was fairly quiet, we were quickly greeted and took a seat next to the front windows. As expected the service was really good. They were really patient with us as it took a while to come to a decision/ decipher the menu. We were also made to feel so comfortable being there I could have sat there all day!<br/> <br/>After much consideration my sister chose the gnocchi, and I picked the granola. Seriously it was one of the most intriguing brunch experience I've had! The granola was some of the best and most different I've ever tried (and I've had my fair share of granola), the yoghurt mousse was genius. The gnocchi was also so good.. It was melt in your mouth amazing! Also the coffee was top notch which always adds points. So good!

Trying too hard? While I love The Store - run by the same group, this place just seemed to be going out of their way to offer complicated and unseal dishes, which just didn't seem to work. The portions were very small, particularly against the price. The service however was excellent.

Amazing service and cute quiet setting for Britomart! It's one place you can eat outside or in and still hear the conversation at the table.<br/>We had the flat iron steak and the market fish followed by peppermint and dark chocolate gelato sticks!<br/>Love the fact they serve free soda water here too.... Definitely add to the list if you haven't been already!

What a beautiful restaurant. Been here twice and both times was amazing! A stand out dish was the fazzoletti with cumin roasted beet, feta whip and toasted hazelnuts. So good that we had to attempt a remake at home!! It is so cozy inside, and very cool that you can see into the kitchen.<br/><br/>Highly recommended, and the wait staff were lovely too.

Ok, we have eaten here 12 or so times during the day (mostly brunches/lunches).  The space is beautiful and the staff very attentive.  We have both had one meal 'miss' here but the rest have been better than (or at least as good as) the best that you can get in Melbourne or Sydney.  And yes the 'tide' on my glass of pinot the other day was 'well out' - maybe they should mark a 'pour' on their glasses.  The food is really delicous - especially the gnocchi which is always wonderful, light and full of flavour.  The non alcholic drinks are also amazing - the juniper drink is fantastic.  In our opinion this best of the Hip Group offer - best service and and terrific flavours.  Also they offer a lot of light be still indulgent and flavourfull dishes.<br/><br/>I am about to also post a review of their sister place (Rosie) that was a far less than Rosie experience.  However the dishes at Ortalana (and the service and space) are outstanding.

Foods great service great. Atmosphere very nice. Just the outside, I wouldn't recommend it if it's windy. Otherwise would go back! And it's a nice little place to bring your special someone ;)

I have always been a huge fan of Ortolana (and to be quite honest.. All of the Hip Group eateries) and dine here frequently.<br/>Ortolana is an urban/modern restaurant/cafe right in the centre of Britomart, with a cool hanging-light display on the inside, and huge potted gardens on the outside. With such a funky yet comfy atmosphere, there is so much aesthetic appeal to Ortolana. <br/><br/>I have always been greeted warmly by the friendly wait staff, and last nights' dinner was no exception. Staff are hospitable, friendly, and eager to please. Wait times can sometimes be long (30-50mins), especially during peak dining times - and I can vividly recall being sent away to wait in the rain for 40 minutes in the middle of winter one lunch time.<br/><br/>But this restaurant is worth the wait. The menu is extensive and incredibly unique, and has quite a few vegetarian dishes on offer. Each dish has a combination of weird and wonderful ingredients which you undoubtedly will need the waiter to explain. We had the gnocchi with butternut and mozzarella, and the pea and feta pasta (a personal favourite). Main sizes are decent and filling, people may complain about the price, but I personally don't mind paying for quality. The dessert menu is quite limited, but I had the chocolate caramel tart with tangelo - the only downfall being I ate it too quickly. <br/><br/>Overall, an exceptional dining experience! From the decor, to the wait staff, to the food. A definite 'must try' at any time of day!

Love Ortolana for a late brunch or early lunch! While my friends tend to go for a main I can never pass the organic millet & nut granola with yoghurt mousse (and pear or nectarine depending on the season), it's divine and has the perfect level of sweetness and a wicked light crunch to it - would highly recommend others try it. The service is usually pretty good and atmosphere is lovely both inside and out. Situated in a gorgeous location, I will continue to return and suggest you try it!

One word : flawless.   We popped in here for breakfast when we were up in Auckland for work - totally worth every single cent.   The service was impeccable, and the food was outstanding.  Thank you Ortolana!

Went with high hopes after reading the comments! Starter (flat bread with goats cheese and leek stuffing was basic/plain and under seasoned. Main of steak was small, tasteless and again under seasoned. Worst of all it was cold. Had to send it back. They turned the replacement round in a reasonable time. Again under seasoned and this time over cooked! My wife's main of chicken in a bed of salad was tasty but very bad is for the money. Will not be going there again!

Imagine a restaurant right in the heart of the CBD serving delicious, locally grown food, plus desserts from Milse (my favourite hangout), with the dessert bar literally only being a hop, step and a jump away?!?! Sounds fabulous of course, and you’ll find it all at Ortolana in Britomart!. The first time I dined at Ortolana it was a beautiful, crisp Saturday night. Luckily there was no wait for a table (they don’t take reservations but have a waiting list system which they say works well). We chose the cushion seats inside because they looked the most comfortable. We were both leaning towards something refreshing to drink, so went with a citrus juice and a mango iced tea, which were perfect accompaniments to our meals. There is also a short drinks list consisting of wine, digestives, sodas, smoothies and specialty cold/hot beverages (which all sound lovely).

I have been here a few times before and really enjoyed it each time.  We came for a work lunch today and again, it was great.  The portion sizes are perfect for lunch and everything is flavoursome and delicious.  I had the omelette and it was bursting with goats cheese yummyness.  It was very rich (mmmm butter) and satisfying.  All the other dishes looked good and the side salad and vegetables were a nice accompaniment.  The staff were also lovely and attentive without being overbearing.  I would recommend it to anyone.

Food was yummy! Love the setting! Surprised how busy it was for a Tuesday. We were able to sit outside under heaters & keep warm. I had rigatoni with mushroom ragu was good and dessert I had lemon fritta,rhubarb & macadamia and tasted amazing! Were a bit slow on serving drinks.

Great feed. Love how most of the produce comes from their own farm. Had the smoke hay butter pasta as awesome. Bit slow serving the beers but it's no big deal

Finally got a chance to visit this place. First the good stuff. Fantastic coffee served at the right temperature. Enjoyed it will go back for more coffee. Wonderful setup. Very posh..... Just like their prices. As for the food.. Ummm below par really. It's not a cheap eat and at that price I expected a Decent portion size. I order the fish of the day. My first reaction when I saw the dish was... Where is the fish.. It felt like more time was spent on decoration than food as the fish was slightly overcooked. Yea i am being picky but purely cause of the cost. And it's not just me. My fellow diner shared my feeling. The sides of potatoes was meh. Nothing to write home about. Celeriac was good as a side. Good flavour. The food in general had good flavour but for a main that's more than $25 I expect a main portion size but a tapas to share three tiny pieces of fish sorry.

I loved this place, the vibe, the seating and both the interior and exterior decorations were just all 5/5. The only reason that I'm giving Ortolana a 4 is because of the portion. We had a great brunch here today, the food looked rustic, tasted amazing but it just left us wanting for more (and this was purely because the portion was tiny). For something that's $25 and above, I expected to be slightly more filling. <br/><br/>However, brunch here was really nothing, but a pure enjoyment. We got there at about 12:30pm and we expected long queues (as we knew how popular it was), but luckily there was a table for the 4 of us right inside. We were served quickly and didn't have to wait long for our food.<br/>For drinks, we had an array of iced-tea and juices. I had a healthy chard, parsley, apple and celery juice and it tasted unexpectedly good! Although the vegetable taste was very strong, it was balanced by the sweetness of the apple and it was really refreshing.<br/><br/>For mains, we had a range of their pastas. They were all presented in a lovely rustic style and it really aligned with their whole garden image. I had the Rigatoni with mushroom and horse radish. It was really delicious as the creaminess of the mushroom and mozarella was seeped into the rigatoni and the saltiness was also just right. I also picked out crunchy bits of bread tucked within the tangy rigatoni-magic touch! My friend also enjoyed the gnocchi and the sweet potato that went with it. I only wish that they had given us for what we've paid but otherwise I would strongly recommend anyone to try Ortolana for brunch!

Great place for brunch but found it a little expensive for what I received. Lovely staff and wide range of dishes on offer to suit all tastes and dietary requirements.

This review is from the 31 May 2014 (only just started this account)<br/>We came here for my brothers birthday!<br/>This was my first time eating at this restaurant.<br/>For my main i had spatchcock quinoa. It was light and delicious!<br/>The dessert is linked to Milse's (a dessert place next door) and you can book for a seating there beforehand. Thats what we did. But since then, that's the only time we've ever sat down for dessert at Milse's, because its always so busy!<br/>Anyways, back to Ortolana.<br/>Overall it was a fine dining experince, we sat outside under the heaters (because it was Autumn/Winter). It was a nice environment, under the sparkling lights of Britomart. The service was great, and they give you sparkling water. However, Im not a fan of sparkling water, so i asked for still, and they're happy to do so. They were delicious meals, leaving you feeling light afterwards, and not overly full. :D<br/><br/>My second time here was at the start of March 2015:<br/><br/>We came here for breakfast, around 9:45, and they were already so busy! When we asked for a table, we had a 10 minute wait, so the lady took our name and number. We went window shopping while we were waiting (all the shops were closed in the morning). we came back later to find that our table was ready. It was great because we were seated inside, and it was so windy outside. I noticed that most restaurants in Auckland serve you sparkling water, so i had to ask for tap water (because i don't like sparkling). This meant i got a different glass, which is a smart service system. When it came to ordering, i didn't know what most of it was, so i had to ask the waiter. He was very helpful. I ended up choosing the seasonal greens with poached eggs. I also got a peach and almond smoothie because he said it was very nice, so of course i had to try it! It was presented in a small flat glass and it looked pretty, topped with an edible flower. It was nice, but nothing special. It was a good thing i ordered a drink because it was a long wait before our meals came out. The place was so busy, and the kitchen just couldn't keep up.<br/>When my meal finally arrived I found I had gone past hungry, so i got quite full quickly and i ate fast. My meal consisted of what i think was brown rice, sautéed with zucchini, beans and spinach, with one poached egg, served on a big dish. Of course it wasn't what i was expecting as the name on the menu doesn't give much away. It was a bit salty for my liking, but it was still nice. The open kitchen made the room a bit smoky.<br/>Overall the food was nice but the service was a bit slow. It might be better to go when its not during their peak hours!<br/><br/>My third time here was towards the end of March 2015:<br/><br/>My mum and i walked here for dinner on our last night in Auckland. We got there around 7:20 and it was a 45 minute wait, so we just looked around the shops. Finally we got our call, and our table was ready inside, right by the window in the corner. A nice lady took our orders, and she was very helpful with explaining the dishes to us and answering our questions. My mum got the chicken, which the waitress said was her favourite, and i got the market fish. It wasn't long before our food came. <br/>Mine was presented on a big open dish. It was pan-fried Tarakihi, and the skin was so crispy and delicious! It was served on a bed of Israeli couscous mixed with yellow beans, topped with microgreens and swiss chard, drizzled in a lemon, mint, and coriander dressing. It was divine, full of flavour and the perfect amount!<br/>We booked Milses for dessert, but it was a 1 1/2 hour wait. After a lot of pondering, mum decided to order the peach dessert from their menu while we waited. It consisted of grilled peaches, fresh peaches, passionfruit curd, plum, cream fraiche and a crumble. All of the flavours and textures worked perfectly together. <br/>Our plan was to still go to Milses for dessert, but we decided not to wait so long, so we both ended up getting a black forest gelato stick from Milses to eat there. We also got a matcha cake to take away. Our gelato sticks were served on a plate. It was a valhrona chocolate covered chocolate gelato, with kirsch cherries mixed throughout the gelato, and topped with freeze-dried cherries. The kirsch cherries were a bit strong at first, but then i enjoyed it. They melted quite fast, and they got really messy to eat, so we ate them quick.<br/>Overall it was a fine dining experience lasting 2 hours. The serve great food with amazing flavours, very friendly and helpful staff, but a bit slack on topping up water though. This restaurant never fails to impress, and it was nice to have our first dessert off their menu, instead of going to Milses.<br/><br/>My most recent visit here was in July 2015.<br/><br/>I came here for breakfast one day, and we were lucky enough to be seated straight away. I ordered the gnocchi with a poached eggs, salad leaves, butternut and i think they were cheesy pumpkin seed clusters. It was also topped with a very light shredded cheese, but I couldn't taste it. It was good though because i found the clusters cheesy enough. It was nice, but not as nice as my mums meal<br/>She got whipped yoghurt with granola and poached pears. I tried a bit of hers and the whipped yoghurt was so light and fluffy. The granola added a nice texture, and the poached pears were so sweet and soft! Next time I'll get that dish!

Gypsy salad? Goddess dressing?? Yes, please! Ortolana has an interesting and whimsical menu, a lovely food and a very cosy vibe—indoor and out. It’s nestled among fashion shops in Britomart, so even when seated outside in the evening it feels very quiet and private. My fish came out with nuts on it that I hadn’t expected (I’m allergic), and the waitress was great about taking it back and bringing a new one quick-fast. Sarah Forsyth #g4

This place is generally packed and for good reason. I tried the market fish garden harvest, the fish was beautifully cooked. The soy latte was a fantastic mix of smoothness and bitterness and was complementary to the main.

I do really love this place but my only fright being a vegetarian was constantly ordering the piadina and one day being told that it's made with animal fat. There are options but you just have to quiz the wait staff a lot....<br/>The food is delicious and there's a great wine selection- it would be so much better if they specified clearly what is vegetarian and what isn't!

A great place for dining. Certainly one of the best restaurants in Auckland. I walked into this place because the other restaurant I wanted to go was overbooked, and I didn't have a reservation! Coming to the menu, I had market fish, salads and feijoa crumb for dessert. Market fish really stood out, it was perfectly cooked and I felt it was the best fish I had in Auckland<br/>.<br/>Overall amazing experience :)

Lovely restaurant. Owned by the same people as St Heliers Bistro (which is wonderful).<br/>I love how they have their own farm for their amazing veges. It reminded me of being at a high end organic restaurant in L.A.<br/><br/>They constantly keep your sparkling water topped up which makes me cry with happiness.<br/><br/>Portions are a little small for my huge appetite but they are matched by reasonable prices and let's be honest, we don't need to eat to excess. The Lardo Potatoes were awesome and made up for lacking volume in my flat pan steak.<br/>Others in my party loved the chicken and the chef made a vegan meal for us which was lovely.<br/>Grappa was great and the handmade chocolates are works of art. <br/>I had the cheese, honey and walnut desert which was perfect. <br/><br/>Great atmosphere and location. <br/>Staff were professional but not very friendly.<br/>Second time there and I'll definitely visit again.

We came to Ortolana just to relax with a coffee after a day of shopping. Upon arrival I asked if they do coffee, to which I was asked by our waitress "are you here to use the toilet?" Those were literally the first words she said to us. Naturally I was quite taken aback by this and no, we were not there to use their bathroom...Despite this we tried the long black, cappuccino, and mocha. The long black was great, the cappuccino and mocha were cold-lukewarm. I hope that the service improves. What a shame. Maybe next time we will try the food.

I ordered some canapés from Ortolana on Tuesday for an event here at my office. The whole booking process was so simple and easy. I spoke with them about what I wanted and left it up to them. <br/><br/>The food is plastic wrapped as I took the photos before the event had begun so excuse them for not being AS clear, but I ordered thinly sliced medium rare beef wrapped around watercress, mini lettuce leaves with this delicious beef filling, a cheese board with quote "the most perfect cheese ever" as well as olives, pastrami and bread sticks. <br/><br/>Then we got Macarons from Milse next door (ordered through Ortolana). Everything was a smash hit... (especially the caramel popcorn macarons. The only thing I would change next time would be the beef wrapped cress. It didn't seem to have as much flavour and could of had something extra added for more wow factor. <br/><br/>Overall I was really impressed and so were all the guests.

I have tried to come here quite a few times, and being successful only once as they are so popular and do not take bookings (only a waiting list that you can put your name down on upon your arrival). It was for lunch with work, so we managed to get a nice table close to the entry way. The decor and outside courtyard is gorgeous, and makes a really nice atmosphere for daytime dining. We ordered a few dishes to share, along with one of their house sodas. The meals were relatively small for the price, but as a fine food establishment, that is to be expected. They were very delicious though, some with very intricate flavours while others were simple but well done.

I usually come here at night towards the end of th week, it's a lovely resturant that is ways lively and full of people, it's a great atmosphere and the service is immaculate, they're always checking in and making sure everything is up to standard. <br/>Their meals are a good portion for a light meal, and it is very pleasing to th eyes, very vibrant colors and flavours to please your palate. I would highly recommend the vegetarian options and those with beetroot! Delicious, light and refreshing!

Sure you are on the pricey side my dear Ortolana, but my admiration for your offerings doesn't seem to abate. Your green salad with goddess dressing always satisfies and your seasonal butternut squash gnocchi with poached egg and lashings of parmesan was tiny but perfectly formed.

I have been a couple of times before and it was amazing and when we went last night it didn't disappoint. We had the 3 courses for $55 restaurant month deal which is only on for August but each course is from their regular menu so you can order these dishes anytime! <br/>First up was a leek and goats cheese piadina, next up was lamb pappardelle with gremolata and finally crema fritta with rhubarb. Amazing!!!!

My rating goes strictly to food and the environment as I dined outside. However the down fall was my bad costumer service I experienced that night.

Yum yum yum!! First time here and I will be back very soon! The place is so warm, cosy and inviting, we were very comfortable while enjoying our delicious breakfast. <br/><br/>I had the leek and goats cheese omelet and it was so yum I enjoyed every bite! Highly recommend. My coffee was dumb - the waitress saw how the soy had curdled and brought me another coffee which was great but it happened again. I'm not an allpress fan at all so nothing personal to Ortolana and their barista. <br/><br/>My friend had the gnocchi w/ butternut and poached egg - she thoroughly enjoyed it and I even managed to sneak a bite! Yum also would recommend. <br/><br/>The root juice was sooo yum, brilliant flavours and ice cold. Pretty much perfect!<br/><br/>Service was 100% an absolute pleasure to dine here. Love love love

Myself and my family visited Ortolana for dinner on a Saturday evening. The food was nice, but not amazing (for the price). I had the chicken cotoletta with lemon & kale salad, which was quite tasty. For dessert we shared a few options, one of which was the salted caramel tart, which was very rich and decadent. Everyone commented that the food was super salty, especially the lamb ragu.

Flawless. The interior is beautiful, it's nice to be able to sit outside and people watch while enjoying the britomart atmosphere. Service has been perfect everytime, the hosts know how to give you just the right level of attention. Food is spot on, mid range prices and stunning presentation and flavours. A favourite.

Went here for the very first time with a friend. Thought to try it out as it looked different to places we've been to. Seating was no sweat didn't have to book. Yay.<br/>It was a good experience, the waiter who served us was very nice and eager to make conversation which I like. We started off with red wine, that was delicious.<br/><br/>I ordered the chicken which was a disappointment because the way the waiter described it didn't meet my expectations. The chicken were bite size crumb however it didn't have an authentic taste. <br/><br/>What I enjoyed most was the service, and the wine. The interior and exterior design is warm and gives off a soft atmosphere.<br/><br/>

Everything about Ortolana is to die for. The decor is beautiful, and the food is somehow even better. The staff look after you extremely well, and are very accommodating. Last time I went, one of my friends found it hard to find something vegan friendly. The chef happily went out of his way to put together a dish to accommodate him, in which my friend said tasted superb. Highly recommend

Finally managed to have dinner with the wife minus our two kids which was quite an experience and we chose to dine at Ortolana.<br/><br/>We were greeted at the door and seated straight away without any bookings. Yay I thought!<br/><br/>The place reminded me of a restaurant in Hong Kong with the kitchen in full view - something that you often see in Chinese restaurants, not European.<br/><br/>We had the Mozzarella Fior de latte, olive oil, granny smith apples and sorrel for starters. It was a great start to dinner.<br/><br/>The main event was a bit disappointing - it was presented well - but flavours weren't spectacular. My wife had the Market Fish while I had the Flat Iron Steak. It seemed like the dishes were identical with lots of veggies thrown around a big plate and types of meat to differentiate the dish.<br/><br/>Warning for claustrophobic/ agoraphobic individuals: The tables are too close to each other.<br/><br/>The other diners next to us kept apologising to us as he kept reaching over to my wife's side (she was seated by the window bench) where they had his reading glasses.<br/><br/>Then, the other diners to our right finished their dinner and had to squeeze through to get out.<br/><br/>It's really not a pleasant dining experience to have someone else's derrière whilst attempting to put a spoonful of food into my mouth. Or, constantly thinking that the old dude next to us is trying to grope my wife.<br/><br/>

Delicious creative food right here. Interior design is to die for and the atmosphere is simply brilliant. Love the open kitchen and the kind and attentive staff here! Makes a real difference to your dining experience.

Love it here, everything from the menu to the service is spot on. Interior is also really nice, can get busy though - so get in early. Will be back again very soon!

After walking around Britomart we found this place... it was late afternoon and abit busy but we got a table easily... We were given the dinner menu. We tried 4 different entree type meals... WOW each one was yummy.... Very trendy... The flavours all worked brilliantly... Food presentation was excellent and so was the service. Had to choose a couple of desserts as they came from Milse which is next door!! Double bonus and clever idea! Definitely a place I want to come back too and catchup with friends.

This has got to be my favourite restaurant. I went there earlier tonight with my better half (and no Austin). You can't book but they fitted us in in a relatively short period of time. The food (gnocchi, ravioli, iron steak and duck fat chips) the service and the wine (2011 Peppoli Chianti - not a great vintage but still very drinkable) was brilliant. Highly recommended and we will keep going back.

Great food, great service, great interiors (and exteriors), safe to say Ortolana is one of the best places to eat in the city. I had the special of the day, which was their Catch of the Day and it was wow. The couscous and the sauce flavouring was so delicious. And then some dessert from Milse to end the meal on a happier note. Have to come back for more!

I've been here so many times and as always they are packed! But the food and service still remain consistency. Love the food and its plating. Reasonable price at a decent place. Love it!!

Amazing setting, surprisingly comfortable bar stools, friendly staff and last but not least amazing food. Our table of 5 enjoyed three starters to share: the cured pork (as in prosciutto/jamon Serrano) starter was delish and the smoked fish piadina also nice. The third starter we shared (the mozzarella and olive oil with pear on crusty bread) was good but a bit more was needed: maybe a salty punch would have improved it. For the mains, I had the fish with Israeli cous cous: fresh and tasty. I also tried some of the lamb parpadelle which had just the right amount of salty and tasty ragu. A really fresh, vibrant restaurant and not too punishing on the wallet. <br/>I'll definitely be coming back! <br/>

If you live in Auckland, you know this place. If you’re visiting Auckland, add this to your list. I had read about it before we made the trip (always part of pre-travel research: find good places to eat, and work them into your itinerary), and was wary of the city guide writeups overselling them. It is part of the Britomart development, and there is a bit of a tendancy for flashy and overpriced restaurants to take up tenancy in those areas.

One the of best restaurant in town. Love the food and drinks. Also you can order the dessert from Milse (just next door). Staff are friendly and it's a really nice place for some special event or birthday dinner ☺️☺️☺️

Ortolana is a beautiful restaurant serving incredible wholesome food right in the heart of the CBD. I love all of the hip group restaurants as the food is always so healthy and flavoursome.<br/><br/>It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon when we arrived and luckily we didn’t have to wait for a table. We were offered sparkling water straight away. The menu can be a bit hard to interpret but the staff are really friendly and are always happy to talk you through the menu. I ordered the Garden Harvest greens juice ($7) and the market fish ($27) and both were really fresh and full of flavour. The portions are on the small side but it is about quality over quantity. <br/><br/>Overall the flavours are incredible and the staff are lovely. I will be returning to try out their brunch menu soon. <br/><br/>Food: 4<br/>Service: 4<br/>Value for money: 3<br/>Atmosphere: 3

I've been to Ortolana only twice but I loved every bit of it each time, from the stylish decor to the beautiful food, without forgetting amazing service! Yes the menu can be difficult to understand but the waiters have been very lovely and helpful both times, making our choice easy. Piadinas make a great entree to share but my favourite is the lamb with mint, zucchini and labneh: an explosion of flavors in the mouth, so delicious I've ordered it twice and I'll order it again when I go back. Dessert wise, you can't go wrong with the delicious treats from Milse, a favourite of mine.

This is my first time trying the dinner menu here. We were a bit slow to be greeted and seated upon arrival, but the service during and after the meal was great. The waitress was friendly and very helpful. <br/><br/>The steak and gnocchi are stand out dishes for me. Excellent combination of flavours, and very well presented. <br/><br/>Overall a pleasant dinner experience, they have very unique menu options and I am keen to come back and try the rest.

The atmosphere at Ortolana is absolutely breathtaking - beautiful lighting, heaters, comfy chairs and knee rugs. The staff were incredibly attentive, polite and engaging. I ordered the garden harvest juice (a mix of green vegetables and apple juice) which was divine, as well as the specialty vegan dish they made for me (potatoes, brassica vegetables and two sauces on the side - one with truffle oil and mushroom and the other was a caramelised onion sauce). Didn't try any desserts sadly, but that's definitely on the list - as is a breakfast at Ortolana! Very keen to return. <br/><br/>Overall: <br/>Food: 4/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Value: 3/5<br/><br/>Instagram: @recoveringraw

O is an absolutely beautiful restaurant and I'd been wanting to dine here for a long time. It was absolutely humming for a Wed rnight and even though it has the feel of a fine dining restaurant, O is as cool as they come, I felt right @ hm on the shared long table. <br/><br/>I was in a party of 3 and we ordered the chicken Coletta, lemon and kale salad, I was worried the lemon would be too overpowering, but my dish was perfectly balanced, the lamb, mint, zucchini, pea labneh, very tasty and the mozzarella fior du latte, olio nuovo, tomato basil, again, very nice, but I preferred my chicken. I definitely want to come back here in a bigger group next time.

Fresh , mouthwatering food . the organic chicken dish and their raw fish my favour arid dishes . The kids can order from the specialist desert restaurant next door . Really worth a visit. Great staff too .

Went for breakfast Sunday AM. Really outstanding service! Needed one breky really basic and not on the menu but were staff were super helpful and made us feel comfortable about asking for it. Food was delicious and exactly what the menu said. <br/>The atmosphere/ambience was very relaxing and very comfortable. Would definitely go back & recommend.

The food here is all about quality not quantity. The portions are quiet small, but I am always left satisfied when I've finished eating my meal. This is what I would call fine dining. The food has so much flavour and the staff are AMAZING! They are all so nice and very helpful when it comes to explaining the menu. The restaurant is so beautiful and has an amazing vibe.

I used to shy away from this kind of place. Not sure why. Not a huge menu but everything i've tried has been fantastic.<br/>Service too.<br/>Im not sure its totally traditional, but there is soul in that food. There is real appreciation for ingredients and flavour.

Ortolana Britomart does beautiful food in a really nice casual dining kind of. area. The menu can be a bit difficult to interpret, but the service is impeccable. We started with air dried pork and stracciatella piadina, which is a delicious thin Italian flatbread/pancake kind of situation, with a crispy outer and a creamy flavoursome stuffed-full filling. The pork was a bit tough, but surprisingly not dry and quite heavily spiced. The crispy salad made everything perfect. There was a lot of cheese, and it sort of leaked out into a sauce that could leave the bottom of the second helping of piadina already soggy, but otherwise it didn’t detract from the taste. I think it’s a good way to start if you share between

The Hip Group has really helped raise the bar in Auckland with a winning formula of good service, simple but nice food in trendy locations with pleasant decor and a few extras like the quality water.<br/><br/>Understand why they win so many awards but feel as though the sameness is becoming bland and this is exemplified by Ortolana.<br/><br/>Everything is good but so formulaic that any spark and surprise is missing. The Gnocchi was good buy why not be brave with your flavours.<br/><br/>Will doubtless return but am I alone in being over the Hip Group sameness and looking for more variety.

I have been to Ortolana several times for drinks with friends, the service has always been great, the staff checked on us and kept our water glasses full.<br/><br/>I recently had dinner at Ortolana for the first time, we were seated straight away and the waitress very kindly took our coats. She explained to us the menu and gave us time to decide. We ordered the piadina to share as an entree, it was tasty and got us excited for our mains. The Chicken cotoletta main was delicious and filling. A sleek and classy ambience overall which resulted in a great evening. <br/><br/>Gets the tick in my books!

Three or four times Ortolana has provided me with the perfect lunch when shopping in Britomart or at that end of the CBD.. A sophisticated little restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating, a cool ambience, reliably good service, and excellent Mediterranean based food. The plates are reasonably small - perfect for lunch, and gentle on the stomach. Very good small wine list - and you can get chateau d'yquem by the glass! - nice touch, albeit it is only a taste. <br/>. My only gripe is the use of unintelligible ingredients in the menu. I find myself asking over and over again what some of the words mean - or resorting to google. One time a couple at the next table had no idea what he was ordering which lead them to fits of giggles when it did arrive, completely different from what he imagined. Basically don't be too cool for school - ask what is meant by phrases such as pladina, creme fritta, Romano, crudo, fazoletti, chitarra etc etc. maybe even suggest that they write in plain English - after all using phases that most people don't understand is simply a way of making you feel socially small, some socially elite and the restaurant sophisticated. Other than that little rant - I love this place.

I love ortolana!! I find myself craving ortolana every week!!<br/><br/>The food is so fresh tasting and leaves me feeling full but not stuffed. <br/><br/>My favourite has to be the market fish. I love it when they have it on their cauliflower purée!<br/>

We weren't too hungry to start off with. The service was great and the waiter explained the menu really well. The food was good for its' price.

Great location and service but the menu carries a level of pretentiousness which requires every item be explained. Having said that the flavours came out fresh and balanced. Small portion sizes

After reading a lot of reviews and been wanting to try Ortolana, I finally had a chance to try it on Saturday. <br/>I had a hot chocolate and ordered the gnocchi for breakfast. <br/>The service was good - no complaints. <br/>It started to get cold and the heaters came on which was very cozy.<br/>My hot chocolate had very little chocolate in it. The marshmallow was nice but the hot chocolate tasted like I was drinking a glass of milk.<br/>The gnocchi was ok. They deep fried it which made it a bit dry and it didn't really resemble gnocchi at all from a texture point of view.<br/>Maybe that is how this gnocchi dish is meant to be or maybe the chef had an off day. I want to give them another chance. I will try something else next time.

Dined here on a wet windy day before a show at Vector Arena. So chose inside - very noisy with hard surfaces, tables very close together.<br/>Service superb, helpful waited with good recommendations and explanations<br/>Interesting different menu, meals very well plated and good to eat too<br/>Coffee luke warm though,<br/>Otherwise good experience

Went for dinner, the service was good but the menu was a bit sparse and overly posh sounding, than what is necessary. Small portions, I normally only eat a main, but needed a desert also. The food was tasty but the gerkens in my dish over powered everything else, and the dish was cold. The pear crumb was lovely, great flavours. The side of beans we had were yummy. <br/>

A bit disappointed as I was expecting much more from a brand new place that has such a cool location in the city and such an expensive menu.<br/>I visited tonight for a desert and a coffee. <br/><br/>The service was poor, the coffee took 15 minutes to arrive and the desert was very promising but the result below average. <br/><br/>Such a pity. I would not risk a second try...

Last night, I went there to celebrate birthday with my boyfriend for dinner. Friendly and attentive services but the food, market fish with garden green tasted average. However the lamb dish I ordered tasted delicious and also the fresh juices were good. In addition, I didn't quite enjoy the indoor sofa seating because the cushions were too big which made it uncomfortable and feeling squashed. Lastly the indoor seating layout was too crowded which made the dining experience uncomfortable. If they do reservations then it would have been good and allowed me to select our seating. <br/><br/>In general, the overall experience was exceptionally good and enjoyed my meal a lot but the indoor seatings need some changes.

Beautiful setting. We sat in the courtyard, had a great view of all the lights and surrounded by the grenery. Couldn't fault the service. Great food. Loved it!<br/>

Nice staff. Great coffee. Great breakfast - sausage, eggs, tomato. But where's the bacon? Had to order as a side. Forgivable.<br/><br/>Definitely a good option for breakfast.

A mate from Auckland said to check this place out, good food and great service. Can't beat it.

Good simple tasty food. Love it

A wonderful breakfast. A delightful experience that provided excellent service and food. I would return again if I was ever back in Nz

Delightful Surprise. Whilst waiting for my hotel room to be ready, I walked around Auckland's CBD and was fortunate to find the Britomart complex. Ortolana immediately attracted me as I wandered through Britomart as it is so very attractively presented. The website http://britomart.org/ortolana states: "Set within an elegantly sunlit conservatory" and this is an apt description. Ortolana's own description of "European inspired food fresh from the garden" is also apt. Some menu guidance is needed from the staff as descriptions are all too brief, but I was delighted with my lunch, and a couple of days later, my breakfast. Do also try dessert from sister operation Milse (available in Ortolana) - they are amazing. All the staff appear to be efficient, helpful and very friendly, with a particular mention of Paula.

Bright and early for breakfast. Service was absolutely lovely and the generous servings of food was very welcoming after landing at 6AM. The asparagus, poached eggs with panchetta was the absolute way to start the day. A definite gem of auckland with coffee to match.

Comfort. Stopped by for coffee and "cakes", which come from Milse next door. Unfortunately the coffee here is insipid and cold. Next time I will get a tea or dessert wine. Other than that, service is a little bland. However the atmosphere is good. Perhaps Sundays aren't the best day to go.

I’ve reviewed the food at Ortolana on several occasions and it is an eatery that I have recommended to friends because of both the exceptional food and lively atmosphere. Ortolana puts a heavy emphasis on fresh produce (most from their own farm) and incorporates plenty of healthy ingredients into their dishes.

The lunch The menu was completely customised to what produce the owner had grown at their plantation and the seasonality. Their food philosophy was very much in line with the ‘garden to fork’ concept that couple years back Joost brought to Australia through their sustainable shipping container pop up restaurant.

Where has the sun gone? To New York, apparently, according to Y. To Rome, too, R tells me. Well, certainly away from Aotearoa/NZ, where it has been in constant wetness since last week. Eek. I am so grateful for my rain jacket but think I may also need rain boots to keep my feet dry. When it used to be warmer, C and I had visited Ortolana for an early lunch. Ortolana is hidden in the Britomart courtyard, so had been out of my radar, but not any more. It is a small trendy place serving European style cuisine, mostly Italian. The sodas were so refreshingly lovely. I want the sun back! Posted by Vivian Lee at 6:32 PM Email This BlogThis!

One of my favourite places to dine great service outstanding food this honestly delivers consistently as a great place for brunch, lunch and dinner!!!<br/>

I went here for lunch today with 5 colleagues. I rang earlier in the day to book but they said they don't take bookings but that they are pretty quiet on Mondays. We rocked-up and were immediately greeted by a very friendly waiter who seated us straight away. We ordered some entrees to share which were all very flavoursome. The piadina with mozzarella, basil and tomato was delicious. I had the chicken for main which was crumbed and came with kale salad. The chicken was cooked perfectly and it was juicy as! The kale salad was good too but I didn't enjoy the dressing, it didn't really have much flavour and tasted like plain yogurt. I genuinely like kale. I'm not getting on the "super food" ban-wagon I just really, really like it. It's crunchy and has a great texture and isn't bitter like some of it's fellow leafy-green friends. Speaking of leafy green friends, the use of micro-greens at this place is beyond excessive. I noticed every dish was covered in them. They actually serve no purpose. They have no flavour, they get in the way and they eliminate the possibility of a any kind of creative or original presentation. I pray regularly for it to stop. My other issue with this place is the wording on their menu. The menu doesn't actually say what the dishes are but rather, gives a list of ingredients for what went in to making the dish. For example saying 'lamb, lima bean, chard' isn't really telling us much. Did someone say pretentious? This minimalist approach is almost as annoying as the eruption of micro-greens you get on your plate no matter what dish you order. The service here is really good. The waiters are friendly and attentive and know what they're doing. The décor is fabulous and not like anything I have seen anywhere else. This place is very popular and trendy and the prices are surprisingly reasonable.

Location, décor & service were fantastic. We were walking past and decided to try it, (although nervously as we had our kids with us), but the staff were very accommodating and the kids happy chomped on ice-creams for lunch, the most kid friendly item available.Not so good was the pretentious menu that required considerable assistance from staff to interpret.  Please, the menu is to communicate what you're selling, not to confuse me.  We ordered the homemade sodas which were very nice and interesting. I ordered the gnocchi - it was burnt.  (How do you burn gnocchi?)  I wish now I'd sent it back, but I'm not up for causing a scene.  I just won't go back.

Had the pan fried gnocchi with the parched egg and really really nice pea sauce <br/>while my friend had the ravioli ! <br/>The potatoes looked so good ! I've gotta try it another time

This place is so chic! Wear your designers as this is the place to be seen. I loved the vibe and the food. I had the ravioli and it was melt in the mouth perfection. However, the seating is a little too cramped for comfort, especially with elbows and utensils getting in the way. But the letdown for me was just how noisy the place is. It's an open kitchen and with music blaring and coffee machine and grinder going and people, it was hard to have a conversation with the person next to you. <br/>If you go, get an outside table. Or forget the noise and just sit there and look pretty

What a gem of a place this is in the hussle and bustle of Britomart. Food selection was simple if not a little lacking in description via the menus but the attentive staff were quick to answer any questions we had and recommend the house specialty (the chicken). <br/>Staff are super friendly and really accommodating which just added to the pleasant atmosphere Ortolana provides. If you're after a simple yet elegant place to have a bite to eat. This place comes highly recommended.

A beautiful spot with an interesting decoŕ... I always get the chicken here. The sauce on this dish is what makes it. It ties everything together. The staff are really friendly and will explain anything to you. I didnt know what everything was on the menu so just asked. Food was delicious.

I need to give this place 5/5 for three reasons<br/><br/>Does a flat white get anymore velvety? Smooth? Balanced? I doubt it.. Its so perfect and doesn't have any hints of burn or acidity. Maybe the beans are the weasel poop variety and the milk is actually cream. Amazing<br/><br/>The food is great. Pretentious sounding menu but once you interpret the foreign language you really are just getting eggs with sausage and tomato. The cooking redeems the wank factor in the menu. For those of you who don't know every tomato variety be sure to have your phone to Google. Ortolana, it would be kinder to the average kiwi sheila in those awkward situations by printing cheese next to Romano and to not use the Italian word for kale. Not everyone owns a smartphone or wants to question the whole menu with the waiter<br/><br/>The window seats.. Talk about inspiration for your home. I love this decor and atmosphere.. I could live in this cafe<br/><br/>

I couldn't understand anything on the menu and the very understanding wait staff painted a picture of each meal as she explained each item. My lamb was delicious. Wonderful meal.

5 hours and she would be off for a trip of a life time around Europe. Wanting to squeeze in one last catch up just before she jetted off we tossed a few cafe ideas back and forth. <br/><br/>We wanted somewhere inner city and down with the cool kids. Above all we needed a place with efficient service and from previous experiences, Ortolana seemed to tick all the boxes.<br/><br/>Clustered inbetween high street stores in the center of britomart, Ortolana holds a strong presence. <br/><br/>With an alfresco dinner area on slate concrete and outdoor lights hanging above the tables, it's hard not to take a glimpse at their menu as you walk past. <br/><br/>We rolled up just past the lunch time rush and were seated straight away to a table inside.<br/><br/>Dishes of colour and mouthwatering food flew by us as we tried to match what was what on the menu. <br/><br/>Despite Ortolana being relatively busy with most tables filled, we received our meals promptly and enjoyed everything.<br/><br/>The staff here are all helpful and extremely knowledgable about the menu. <br/><br/>I would highly recommend this place for most occasions on your itinerary.

What a beautiful little place!  I have been meaning to pop into this restaurant for a while but haven't been able to get around to it and had such a wonderful experience there.  I came in and got a table for two which was the communal table which was fine for me and a couple mins later they moved us to a separate table so we could have our own space which was nice to be offered it.  <br/><br/>I ordered the iced mocha as it was a hot day and I needed the caffeine!  It was light and not too sweet, perfect for the day.  We had a bit of trouble deciphering the menu and I wish they weren't so cryptic about it but the waitress was happy to explain it all to us even though it was super packed and we didn't feel rushed at all.<br/><br/>I ordered the market fish with cous cous and it was light, refreshing and packed full of flavour.  I really enjoyed the mix of flavours of it all.  <br/><br/>I can definitely see the charm in this place, its really pricey for a lunch menu but I would certainly be happy to come here and sit and relax with a glass of wine another day!

Im not one to make a point of going to the trendy parts of town for dining. So no surprise I walked up and down Tyler St looking for 21 Tyler St. This cafe sized restaurant opens up onto the britomart square. A stylish area with modern shops adjacent to grassy areas.<br/>I didnt regret going their as the Gnocchi. <br/>

Clearly overpriced and overrated! The menu could do with a bit of explanation since we're in Auckland not Italy. Trying to give your food fancy names won't made them taste better. The fancy iced chocolate was boring and tasteless, anyone can make it better at home. The Mango star iced tea was rather disappointing too, we paid $7 for a supermarket teabag mixed with ice. Main sizes were very small and uninspiring. The pasta was undercooked and tasted nothing like what it's supposed to be. One friend ordered a dish which taste like a bunch of stuff boring in unsalted water. The lamb was okay and good presentation. The restaurant was filled with smoke and cooking smells, which l hate it very much. Sorry l don't think we'll be back.

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Ortolana. I like that the menu is split into dishes of varying styles and sizes to cater for all levels of hunger, and the items contain simple yet interesting flavour combinations. The produce is top notch and includes items from their own farm, the dishes are presented beautifully.<br/><br/>A lot of people stop in for a coffee and a quick bite but we enjoyed some of the larger lunch dishes with a couple of glasses of wine, and would definitely recommend this as a spot to have a lazy lunch and do a spot of people watching if you sit outside.

Best meal in a long time! Excellent service, excellent tasty food.  I'm coeliac and they were great at catering for me. Highly recommend it.

During my birthday trip to Auckland, I of course had to stop by one of Auckland’s hottest new restaurants: the stunning Ortolana at Britomart.<br/><br/>I’ve been wanting to discover Ortolana ever since a friend took me to Milse, the equally popular and much hyped dessert restaurant next door - both owned by The Hip Group. With its sparkling fairy lights, brick & wood architecture and contemporary garden vibe, the restaurant is enticing and inviting. There’s a great variety of seating options, whether you prefer to be indoors, outdoors, on wooden chairs or couches.<br/><br/>On this particular night, my friends and I had just finished an amazing four course lunch at The Sugar Club and decided to finish off the weekend with dinner at Ortolana. We invited more friends to join us, and as there were eight of us, we were seated in the centre at the long wooden table.<br/><br/>Our experience with Ortolana was brilliant from the beginning: at 7pm, we’d arrived just in time for dinner, when it started getting busy but not overly crowded. The friendly staff seated us with smiles and were happy to answer our questions about the menu – a little difficult to understand, we found, but that was no problem. A few questions later and we discovered that on the left are entrees, and on the right are mains.<br/><br/>As I was sick with a cold, I cheered myself up with this treat – Valrhona Caramelia Hot Chocolate. This was the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted! It was just the right temperature, hot but not burning; it was sweet and frothy on top; and it had the perfect, sweet-but-not-overpowering caramel chocolate flavour. I absolutely loved this, probably more so because it helped me feel better about being sick. Nonetheless it was a delicious treat, so if you are visiting Ortolana and looking for a warm treat on a cold night, I’d highly recommend this specialty beverage.<br/><br/>As his entree, my friend James ordered the gnocchi verde, cavolo nero (kale), olive, ricotta. For a healthy salad of pasta and greens, I thought this was very pretty and well presented. James described the gnocchi as very light and fluffy, that the salad was full of flavour and that he was surprised by how good this was. Having been given a piece of gnocchi, I myself can agree that the gnocchi was indeed very well cooked – it was not only light and fluffy but soft and chewy. A super healthy dish :)<br/><br/>My main was the lamb, parsnip, caper, currant, chana. I thought it was absolutely fantastic. The lamb was cooked medium rare, and was so tasty and delicious! It was balanced out with the equally delicious, but lighter parsnip – the perfect complement to the lamb. After a while, the lamb did get a little bit ‘heavy’ – so I dipped it in the minty yoghurt dressing. It made the lamb a lot more refreshing and easy to eat. I had no comments about the currant and chana – to me it tasted a bit flavourless and didn’t do anything for me, however I did absolutely love the lamb and parsnip. Overall a delightful dish.<br/><br/>My partner ordered the chicken cotoletta, lemon, kale salad. He rated it as 5/5, describing the dish as very succulent with a nice zesty lemon taste. Having tried a bit of this, surprisingly the outer, crispy-looking layer on this chicken cotoletta isn’t so crispy, but nice and soft! I loved it too, and would highly recommend this dish.<br/><br/>And finally, our friend Brenton ordered the spatchcock, quinoa, pear, rewarewa, walnuts. Yum! This one I didn’t have a taste of, but Brenton described it as very tender and juicy, with a crispy outside layer that tasted like it was caramelised and finished with a dash of vinegar or lime juice over all the meat and salad. He said he was “very pleased” with it and I can see why. Not only does it really look tender and juicy but the addition of quinoa, pear, rewarewa and walnuts makes it both delicious and healthy :)<br/><br/>On top of our mains, Ortolana also gave us complimentary cauliflower. Apart from our tasty, well presented and healthy dishes, we thought the service was superb. All the staff were happy and enthusiastic, attentive, open to questions and kind about small things like directions to the restroom. Overall, the atmosphere in Ortolana was amazing: warm, cozy, elegant, lively, old-fashioned and modern at the same time. I loved everything about our first experience at Ortolana. The architecture, food, service, originality and quality all had me in awe. Everything was perfect and we couldn’t ask for more!

We had a meeting here, a few times and we ordered coffee and tea. The service is good; the staff really looks after you andconstantly tops up your waterglass. Locationwise, it is a nice spot in busy CBD Auckland, close to the trainstation. You hardly notice it and the environment around you creates even a better atmosphere.

We were strolling around britomart and decided to have a meal somewhere nearby. We decided to check Ortolana out due its high rating, and we definitely made a good choice. I ordered the chicken cotoletta and the iced chocolate. Both were amazing.<br/>I found it difficult understanding the menu, therefore I needed some help from the staff. The staff that served us had good marketing/selling skills that made it hard for me to decide on the dish I wanted, but I am pretty satisfied with my choice. The chicken was juicy and the salad made the dish a balanced meal. The iced chocolate was rich and really yummy.<br/>The staffs are really welcoming and friendly and that definitely made our dining experience more worth it. I loved the setting and ambience of the place too. It is a nice spot to catch up with a friend or even a nicer dating spot. Eventhough the meal was slightly overpriced, I am satisfied. I am keen to try the other mains, maybe when I have extra money to spend for the month. ;)

Came here on a Sunday for brunch after reading many positive reviews about it. It was fairly crowded, and although we wanted to sit outside as it was a nice day, we ended up being seated in a cozy table indoors. <br/><br/>The service was excellent, nothing to complain about at all. Our server was very ready to explain the various foreign sounding ingredients on their ever-so mysterious menu. She seemed really enthusiastic about the food there, and it was one of the few times where she really made us feel like ordering heaps of items. We finally decided on the crayfish ravioli and the fish crudo. The ravioli was really tasty, I loved the flavours in it. However, the portion was a tad too small as there were countable pieces served on the plate. <br/><br/>The fish crudo was better, albeit not enough to fill either of us. The flavours of the orange and rhubarb went really well with the fish. Hats off to them for trying different things and working amazingly. <br/><br/>We also ended up getting a gateaux from milse, and it was divine as always. <br/><br/>In short, it is a really good place for tasting maginificent flavours or just pairings you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. It is above average pricing, and the portions are rather small, so we were kinda disappointed about that.

I came here for brunch recently with a large group of friends and it was great. My food was delicious, fresh and presented beautifully. The fresh juices and smoothies are amazing. However, some of my friends had inconsistencies with their meals and my poached egg yolk was hard! Service was a bit all over the place. Overall I would recommend this place for a nice brunch/lunch visit.

Strictly for anorexics, sparrows and those who love to be ripped off.  I ordered the crayfish ravioli for lunch ($20) and was so disappointed to find (instead of the hearty pasta bowl I was expecting) 4 small pieces of ravioli stretched out across the plate like a star fish being crucified.  I had been looking forward to going to Ortolana for some time only to discover the immense disappointment of Ortoripoff.  Best avoided - unless on a starvation diet.

Had few brunches here at Ortolana and loved all of it. The first time was with my partner and enjoyed it so much that we went back just after a couple of days. This time we invited one of our friends and she liked it too.<br/>Well,first thing you'll notice about Ortolana is their cosy place,it has a relaxing feel to it. Great for catching up with friends and family. They have outdoor and indoor tables too which I think outdoors is nice for dinner dates,it gets romantic in the evening.<br/>Now,the food,wow! it's gorgeous! I have tried the Market fish,garden harvest. It was delicious! Remembered one time, the waiter told us "good job there" it was because our plates were so clean. Haha. Had eaten everything!!!<br/>Presentation is lovely too,very appealing to the eyes. Ortolana,always a pleasure!

Came in one evening with a large group of friends, we really didn't know what to expect. The service was great, the atmosphere was lovely and we were seated outside. The tables themselves were a little awkward.<br/>We ordered all of the entrees and shared.<br/>A unique experience, a lot of new and interesting flavours made for a great meal, the crispy kale should definitely be avoided though.

My favourite place in Auckland. No matter what you order you can feel assured that it's clean healthy and delicious! Beautiful food & friendly staff... You leave feeling surprisingly satisfied. My absolutely go-to!

Last time I went to Milse to have desserts, I found out that there were so many people waiting outside Ortolana. With curiosity, I planed to have a taste.<br/>I went there with my boyfriend at about 11:15 to avoid waiting. Luckily, there was still several tables left indoors and we chose a corner to sit in. Before we went there, I have heard that their menu was different to read, so I have already viewed it online. It turned out to be wise :-D. I ordered mushroom, egg and crumbs and my boyfriend chose dry cured pork. We also had the Lardo roasted potatoes. <br/>I was pleasant with my plates. The taste of mushrooms with vinegar was amazing and the egg on the top was great. The overall layout was fantastic and beyond imagination. But my boyfriend was kinda in satisfied with his. It was hard to tell whether it was raw or not. And honestly, it didn't taste good as well. The potatoes are fried well, but it could be a little saltier. <br/>We also had extra baked bread which looked and tasted both fine. And a glass of red wine brought the lunch a nice ending. <br/>The service and price were reasonable. Hope to visit again and have another new try!

Great food , really tasty with quality ingredients , great service really friendly and accomodating and an awesome atmosphere would Definately recommend

First time at Ortolana tonight. Went with a group of 9 and was easy to get a table just before the rush at 6.30. Ordered the tangelo soda which was fine but a bit sweet and insipid. Same for the lemon one. All of the meals were excellent though. I had the lamb with parnsip, currants, capers and grilled chana. Beautiful presentation and the flavours went excellently together. Friends had pork, chicken, ravioli, gnocchi, steak and fish and all were very satisfied. For dessert we ordered caramel coconut gelato stocks from milse. Beautiful flavour but they were sitting on the kitchen bench for a full 10 minutes while the staff dilly dallied around so the melted gelato went every whereas soon as we broke into the chocolate. Sort of ruined it to be honest. Overall great food and attentive service though and will be back!

Very visually appealing setting and standard of service good.  Food was fresh and visually appealing but lacked excitement in the taste department.  Only two of us trying 3x dishes though so I will revisit for a more thorough attempt at the menu given the array of positive feedback it seems to get.

Recommended. The food fresh and delicious. crayfish ravioli dish of the night. Not too loud and loved the lighting. service very attentive and they left us alone when deep in conversation. Fantastic wine list to round it off. Will be back.

So me and my girlfriend was looking for a cute cafe to eat for brunch on a lazy Sunday, and ended up coming here to eat. Needless to say, this place was definitely the type of venue that we were looking for mainly because of the homey and comfortable setting and vibe that it gives off. There were a section of couches on the side where we were seated that was really comfortable! We were then greeted by our waitress and she took good care of us. I guess my only complaint would be the menu, because it was filled with words and phrases that I generally had no clue of. (This is also due to my own ignorance, but menus should be simple to understand!!) <br/><br/>I ended up getting the lamb dish while my girlfriend got a cheese dish. The food was great, and the service was excellent. In general, it was a very pleasant meal experience. <br/>Would definitely come back!

Ortolana is one of the rare few places that absolutely deserves every bit of the hype surrounding it. I was initially skeptical when I first read the rave reviews, in part due to the crushing blow dealt to my ego by having had to Google half of the terms used on their menu. I had never heard of ‘nduja’, ‘escabeche, ‘crudo’, or ‘piadina’, and my impression of ‘quark’ was that of something that probably came out of the Large Hadron Collider.<br/><br/>Despite the humbling experience, however, curiosity got the better of me and I dragged the bf over to see what all the fuss was about – boy, was I glad I did. The setting was pleasant and charming, a chic little bistro set in the Britomart shopping precinct, decorated with little shrubs and fairy lights. There was a large communal table down the middle of the indoor area, but plenty of individual seating by the sides as well as out in the courtyard. The affable waiters seated us quite quickly and presented us with the menus – which, despite all my initial Googling, had changed and now contained other mysterious terms.<br/><br/>But it did not matter. We chose two mains and a side dish at random, and all came out beautifully presented and wonderfully delicious. To be honest, I don’t even recall exactly what we ordered that first time, and the menu has changed multiple times since. We’ve been there on a semi-regular basis and have had crayfish pasta, gnocchi with mozzarella, roast lamb, pasta with yolk and truffles, an omelette of some sort… and each one was good enough to keep us coming back for more. For the price, the quality of the food can’t be beat.<br/> As an added bonus, they are open throughout the day and well into the night, rather than having specific lunch and dinner times.

Been here a few times and food is good ! Love the vibe esp in the summer ! My only pet hate is that The tables are way to close and feel like I am intruding on peoples space ... Vice versa !

Went here with work collegues for lunch. As soon as we arrived we were greeted and seated and the waitress seemed so lovely. We ordered our mains which was explained to us as the menu just seems like a bunch of ingredients listed together. The food is ok.. simply just ok to me. Its more like a farmers market type food place. Anyway after we finished we went to pay. The waitress became so snappy. It was as though she had done our job and taken our money so she no longer had to be nice to us. The place is a bit small and there were about 8 of us we formed a line to pay and she pretty much told us off for standing in her way when all we really were doing was giving them our money. Poor service, ok food. I wont be going again

Came here for lunch and had the Grapefruit Kingfish salad which was very fresh and nice, it was pleasant to look at too! beautifully decorated.  It may be a little overpriced for the amount of food you get but overall it was okay.<br/>Nice friendly wait staff and a good atmosphere.

Ortolana is a rare breed of restaurant. It rates my top category of restaurants I'd move near. It's that good. I haven't been to Auckland before but Ortolana is the standout. Gorgeous decor, friendly staff and fantastic food. I've eaten at a lot of restaurants and this morning was one of the few times I've ordered a dish and got something I absolutely wasn't expecting - in a good way! Order the mushrooms, they are brilliant. Then get a dessert from the fab shop next door. Love this place!

The tastes here are amazing love the complementary flavours each dish endures.. Would definitely recommend and looking forward to going back

Ortolana is a gorgeous light-filled space with a menu that emphasises fresh produce (and big words). Staff are friendly and accommodating. Sparkling water by default is a nice touch. <br/><br/>I came for a catchup breakfast with my sister after she had been overseas for a while. I enjoyed my ricotta though it was pretty light for my appetite. In contrast, my sister’s granola was huge and she couldn’t finish it. It would be nice to have meals that were more equal in size. The presentation of the food is absolutely stunning. <br/><br/>Ortolana is a great place to eat fresh, tasty food. I’d like to come back for dinner sometime.

Had a lovely brunch :) They were so accommodating, my fiance is allergic to Egg and they made him a beautiful meal. I ordered a Pimms and i have to say it was one of the most well made drinks I've had in Auckland. <br/>They gave us these lovely warm blankets which made all the difference as we were sitting outside.Thank you !

My first visit to Ortolana was for a birthday coffee/lunch with the boyfriend and the second one was for a catchup with some old girlfriends. Ortolana accommodated perfectly for both and I was just as impressed the second time around as I was the first. The coffee is fantastic and whilst the food on the menu is confusing and requires a bit of googling, it is so very delicious.<br/><br/>Nestled away in The Pavilions, Ortolana is well presented, very inviting, and surrounded by equally tempting stores. With indoor and outdoor seating, warm blankets available, and a very garden-like atmosphere, Ortolana is perfect for any time of the year.<br/><br/>For a lunch packed full of flavour, I wholeheartedly recommend the lamb, parsnip, currant, caper and chana. For the vegetarians out there, believe me when I say the herb fazzoletti is very hard to pass up.

We have gone to Ortolana twice now – once for dinner and once for brunch. The food is great and tastes super fresh. For brunch I ordered the Invercargill Grains – all the ingredients were delicious but I was not a fan of the combination of them together. This is not withstanding that the dishes ordered by the other 5 guests were brilliant, and interesting – Yoghurt Mousse anyone? The smoothies were seriously delicious and once again interesting flavor combinations. Our dinner at Ortolana was also great. The service both times was average to good, but not outstanding. Location is nice, interior is beautiful and I am a big fan of the sparkling water as standard.

Best restaurant we have been to in a long time. Food was fantastic, would go back again any day! Staff were very informative and the place is superbly presented, even the bathrooms have top notch hand soap.

The food was melt in your mouth and the service impecible. I love the complimentary sparkling water. The seafood and pasta is very light and fresh. We were lucky to get a seat because usually there's a big waiting list. We have had to wait numerous times before.

We brunched at Ortolana on Saturday morning. The food and ambience were fantastic, but the service is what really transformed our visit into a memorable one. <br/><br/>A big thank you to Paula who offered an outstanding level of service - we felt that she was very sweet and likeable, but most of all she was obviously exceptionally competent. She was very aware and perceptive and truly went the extra mile.

Food is nice.<br/>But waiting time is extremely long. Was told by one staff that we had to wait for 15 min. 15 min was up, and was told that wait is another 20 min. Staff weren't very apologetic and actually a bit snobbish. <br/>Would recommend this place but try to avoid the busy hours

Like many restaurants in the area (apparently...), Ortolana does not take dinner reservations, so we turned up at 6.30pm to ensure a table. Though we got a table, given the layout of the restaurant with the long communal table in the middle, our party of 5 was slightly cramped around a smaller table in the corner. <br/><br/>Fortunately, and far outweighing the above, the food was excellent across the board and was served promptly. Every one in our party was pleased with their selections, however the desserts were of a slightly lower standard compared with the mains. <br/><br/>As an aside, if you don't have a smart phone with internet access or are unwilling to ask many questions, this menu will probably daunt all but the most veteran restaurant connoisseurs (many things are not conventionally found in New Zealand).

It has been my favourite place so far. Beautiful fresh quality food and friendly services. Portion is just right for girls but I knew some guys may find the portion size a little on the small side.<br/><br/>Menu changes with the season, but I've always enjoyed their pasta dishes although all entree and mains are brilliant too.<br/><br/>If you go lunch, you can order dessert from Milse, but not during dinner time, but you can always get a cup of hot Valrhona chocolate to finish the meal.<br/><br/>Unfortunately they do not take booking. I tried a few times to arrive early to score a table but was told cannot give me a larger size table before all guests arrives. Fair enough but the services is not always so friendly before all your friends arrives.

This is the second time we have visited. It was wonderful.<br/><br/>We were greeted by the chatty blonde Maître D who was informed and helpful with the menu. <br/>I understand the point about the menu being difficult to understand but everything was explained well. It is always a bit of a surprise too...which personally I enjoy. <br/><br/>My husband ordered the crayfish, and I ordered the lamb. Both dishes were really good. Tasty and plentiful. Really fresh food. <br/><br/>I also ordered the beetroot, carrot and ginger juice. Refreshing and perfect on a hot afternoon. <br/><br/>For dessert, we ordered a few things from the patisserie menu. These were really good as well. <br/><br/>I'm surprised to read the bad reviews. I'm looking forward to returning.

Visited this 'hotspot' just before Christmas and were sadly disappointed. There were 9 of us and we got a table around 10pm, we weren't concerned about the late sitting and by the time we were all settled the place was relatively empty, only a scattering of other patrons. The first negative for me was the menu, feels like the height of pretension when your menu doesn't really give you any indication as to what you are eating. We persevered and our waitress very kindly explained at least two thirds of the menu to each and every one of us, kind but lets be honest, extremely long winded, wouldn't it just be easier to put it on the menu?? We ordered and then sat back to await our drinks. Before our drinks to arrive the manager approached us and 'sshhhhed' us, quite literally with finger to tensely pursed lips and then tersely told us to lower the noise level as they were having complaints. Well for me this was the end of my evening, if it was up to me our entire party would have walked but unfortunately there were too many hungry tummy's. It was so unprofessional and completely uncalled for, it was Christmas season, did the staff not expect their patrons to be at least a little merry?? We were by no means out of control, but there were 9 of us out for the first time in months with no children so were we having fun? Yes we were laughing and talking over each other but it was after 10pm and the restaurant is open air!!! The food arrived and it was average, sorry I wish I could say the food redeemed our evening but it was just all a bit blah. I will say the side order of celery was amazing and almost worth going back for.. but not quite.

What a hip bistro by the renowned hip group. Though it's hard to decode half the things on the menu, there is no questioning the food is divine. We ordered the chicken cotoletta which was rich in flavour, succulent yet balanced with the dots of trending kale salad surrounding. The pillus pasta was freshly cooked and left you wanting that mouthful more. Whatever you do, get their bread as a side. An elegant yet casual interior with efficient French waiters (the style), this place is great for lunch and dinner, with the outside pavilion beautiful on a sunny day. My only qualm is the slightly small portion sizing but hey that's what you get.

Went to Ortolana recently. Hairs in two separate dishes. Noticed the kitchen staff do not wear hair nets. Might want to rethink this move. Seriously average food. Boring, over cooked and super super salty (and I am a salt lover). Have a very limited spirits menu. Wine list was really restricted. <br/><br/>Totally pretentious! However, the staff were nice and attentive. Felt sorry for them having to apologise for all the hairs (four very long ones in total!). Will not be going back. Over priced, bad food and terrible hygiene. So many nice places to eat in Auckland which are a lot cheaper, more hygienic and much much much better food! Such a shame because it is a great location.

Hair Hair (long and black) everywhere ! Went on a Friday night after work with a group of 5 girls - First hairs arrived in the Piadina (Mushroom &amp; Mozzarella) - this was replaced. Main courses were disappointing - the John Dory was dry and overcooked, the Lamb was really salty and the Steak/Beef was really tough. Then came dessert... Lo and behold another two hairs in the Crema fritta !!! Apologies from the staff - but the only recompense was to give us the two hairy dishes for free!!!<br/>Would never go there again - the health dept needs to do a revisit !

Had an amazing dinner here! The food was divine, I had the beef carpaccio with beetroot which was incredibly tender and a generous portion for an entree, my companion had the market fish which was cooked to perfection. The service was impeccable, some of the best I've experienced in Auckland. The vibe was friendly and relaxed and the open kitchen was fun to watch. Will definitely be coming back, recommended to all!

Phoned first for a party of 13, they had a table for 14 get there early which we did, they refused to seat us, we were left outside in the pouring rain, spent a $1000 at Kermadec they wanted the business.<br/><br/>Don't go to Ortolana if you are a large group you cannot trust what they say over the phone to you. Sorry to say we never had a meal there and won't ever taste their food.

Fantastic food and great service.<br/><br/>Went for dinner and was surprised at the relatively well priced menu, and even more so when the food came out, which was interesting, well presented and delicious. Is portioned perfectly; not so small you feel hungry after ordering an entree and a main, but small enough to enjoy both without feeling like you need to roll away afterwards.<br/><br/>Highly recommend a visit if you're on the lookout for a delicious meal.

Despite the food being good but not plentiful the service by one of the waiting staff was dreadful. It was demanded we left our table and squished onto a smaller table for another booking to have our table. We had just ordered more drinks and the table we vacated remained empty for 20mins. Ironic when there are no reservations to see an empty table with an reservation sign on it. We left feeling they cared that we ordered food and they figured they'd got all the money we'd spend and so wanted to shift us on, wish they'd spelt that out when we first arrived. Cannot believe how many people rave about this place and we had a crap time and I hope they have moved the staff member on

First time dining here with hubby after walking past it many a times whenever we are in the CBD. spatchcock - SUPERB! SUPERB! SUPERB! And the Parmesan crusted chicken breast hubby had - also SUPERB! SUPERB! SUPERB! Polished off our plates, it was that well cooked and well put together! <br/>Can't wait to go back for spatchcock again and hopefully our first impression isn't going to be shattered and there is going to be consistency.

We have been for brunch and dinner and on both occasions it has been a fantastic experience. The food is fresh, well presented, and unique. <br/><br/>Being a good dutch man lets talk money. Dinner is priced at a level you would expect to pay for fine dining. However it is money well spent. Brunch is effectively the same price as you would pay for a rubbish cafe somewhere else. But the food is unique and breaks the shackles of common old bacon and eggs (quite frankly I can make that at home).

The first time we came we actually ordered from the Milse menu. Ordered 3 items, 2 came to the table wrong. We only pointed out one mistake, waiter fixed it, said we could enjoy the mistake on the house - it was on the bill.<br/>Second time we came and asked for a table for 5 adults, 1 toddler. They sat us at the big share table while we waited for the 3 other adults to show, and said we could move to another table once free (all tables full). Move or no move it was no problem.<br/><br/>While we were waiting for the others a group of 4 came in. At first the waiter said he would have to put them on the waiting list, but next thing they are sat squashed next to us, taking all the chairs that were meant for our group.<br/>Minutes later our 3 turned up, no chairs and no room. A waitress spoke with the other group who refused to move. We solved the problem by leaving. No apology or even a single word from the staff.

I have been to Ortolana twice for both brunch and dinner. Yes, the food is lovely however, despite being an intelligent person and a foodie, I felt like an idiot both times as I did not understand the menu and and the waitress treated our table as such when we requested the menu to be interpreted. <br/><br/>I think the menu is overtly complicated and pretentious, as I such I will not return. My friend who speaks Italian and has lived in Italy commented that the menu was incorrect for an Italian menu and some of the descriptions used. <br/><br/>If you are going to be pretentious at least get it right!

I visited Ortolana in early May twice and had an excellent experience. The food was great and service as well. On my last visit a asked one of the staff, very nice young man, if I can have a group of eight my fiend come over on Tuesday 7th of May after work for a group meal and drinks. He confirmed and said that booking is not necessary they will look after us. I sent and invitation and come at 5pm with four of us and was turn down. The young lady( blond , late thirty) who was in charge in charge, with a bit of attitude, said that we can't come in because group meal is not the service they are offering, they can accommodate only up to six people. I was humiliated in front of my friends, never ever have I been denied entry in any restaurant EVER. She didn't give me any other explanation, apart from 'No that is not the service we are offering'. I said to her that there are no consistency in the policy, one person said its ok and she refuse to serve us. We came strait from work, the group of middle aged professionals, nobody was drunk or anything. I'm utterly disappointed and don't think I'll be back. Shame the food was really good.

Great location, great atmosphere.... Food was ok but doesn't rise above ok. Highlight was the gnocchetti, lowlight was the Spatchcock the inbetweens were ok but nothing special. In saying that the atmosphere was great and the staff friendly and attentive.<br/><br/>Is it Italian? Not really in the sense the menu doesn't follow the Italian format of Aperitivo, Antipasto, Primo, Secondo etc. But we had a good night and returned not long after for just a drink on our way through. Will give it another go to try a few other menu items before passing final judgement. Seems to be the darling of Auckland at the moment but time will tell if's here to stay.

Loved the entire experience here a couple of weeks ago – you can’t make a reservation so we just turned up on the off chance on a Friday night and were told there was a wait of about 40 mins for a table, so we grabbed a couple of wines in the garden area and watched the world go by. After only about 15 mins we were led through to a table that had come available and were seated. The place was packed to the gunnels and everyone seemed to be having a good time. The young Irish waitress that served us was completely lovely and even showed us through their new soon-to-open dessert cafe across the laneway. We were impressed with the light healthy focus of the meals and the balance of flavours – also the philosophy behind it all of “from garden to plate” including a list of all the ingredients that were grown on their farm at Kumeu. The ambience of the space was very stylish, what seemed like hundreds of glass balls lit the timbered ceiling and the kitchen was open plan. We loved our meals which left us feeling nicely full without feeling stuffed – we had the beefsteak with green fried tomatoes and the Chicken Cotoletta – both beautifully cooked with fresh, delicious flavours – and to accompany we had the cauliflower, mozzarella &amp; almond dish – just gorgeous. We were blown away by the dessert – a salted caramel choc coated icecream on a stick – mmmmm. So nice to be made to feel welcome by professional waitstaff, and so nice to find someone who can really cook without overdoing it with too much going on – and who hasn’t got their heads up their own bottoms! We will be regulars!

Most amazing place ever. Superb food quality, professional customer service, High hygiene standard, fab location, what more could you ask for really! I have tried few dishes so far but my favourite are chicken cotoletta and the soft folded egg house smoked mackerel. Fresh homegrown herbs and veges and presentation of the plate is always amazing. Everything is fresh and clean here. Atmosphere-wise you can come by yourself with a book or a laptop, do your work, read, or even catching up time with friends like Sex and the City friends all work well. Plus if you're a sparkling water person like me, you'll love this place, staff stare at your glass 24/7 and fill it up with fresh chilled sparkling with a smile. Coffee you don't need to talk about, because it is just perfect. Obviously I've become a big fan of this place.

Ortolana is delicious. I came here for breakfast on Friday, the restaurant itself has a lovely atmosphere and decor, the staff are friendly and attentive. But it's the food and coffee that make this place stand out. I disagree with earlier reviews around cost (however I've only had breakfast here this one time); I paid about $16/$17 for a delicious polpette (well actually polpetta) and egg w. tomato dish - which I think is the same price or cheaper than most cafes selling eggs benedict! (and this breakfast was epic compared to an average plate of boring $18 eggs bene)<br/><br/>I lived in Naples for a year and the polpetta was just as good as the ones my Neapolitan host mother would make... luckily she can't speak English or read this because she'd kick me for saying that!<br/>My sister had the mushroom polenta I think? And it was gone in a flash. I would recommend this place if you're in the area and if you're not I'd recommend you make a trip :-)<br/>We paid about $40 for two breakfasts and two coffees which is pretty standard if you ask me....

Wow. If you're looking for an in your face dining experience don't go here. Ortolana is sneaky good, the food was clean and fresh but oh so tasty and very clever. The mozzarella with figs for entree was lovely and set us up for what was next to come. We had the ribeye with fried green tomatoes and the crayfish salad for mains which were both spectacularly good. The pistachio shortbread that came with the brulee dissolved in your mouth and the choux pastry bun filled with valhrona chocolate accompanied by freeze dried raspberries was a choco lovers dream. The staff were knowledgeable very attentive and made you feel special without being suffocating. I would definitely go back again

Food quite good and the location is nice. Be careful with the wines though - NZ already has some of the highest wine prices in the world (even though we produce it!) and these guys only serve 125ml per glass, just to squeeze an extra glass out of a bottle that costs (wholesale) the same as they charge for a glass. When we queried the waitress she had absolutely no way to handle the situation. <br/><br/>Would I come back? Maybe if I was in the neighbourhood but I wouldn't make a special trip for it.

Came to Ortolana for brunch on a Sunday. Waiters/waitresses were really friendly and happy to explain the menu (although there were a few obscure items on the menu that could have done with a bit more written explanation!) I had the crayfish dish, which ended up being a delicious salad with a good amount of crayfish, as well as the lardo potatoes, which were crispy and tasty; my friend had a zucchini and cheese omelette which was enjoyable as well. All in all, although the prices are perhaps on the high side, still a great new bistro in the heart of the CBD for a relaxed, delicious meal. Would go back.

Always wanted to try this place but never got round to it despite being smack in the middle of cbd, just behind britomart transport centre. After seeing photos others posted up, I had raised my expectations of this place so I guess I wasn't as impressed. The waiters and waitresses were super friendly and welcoming. One guy was even singing and dancing. They took care of our needs very well, always checking up on us and asking if we needed anything. However the menu was very confusing and you could not get a sense of what each dish was like based on the descriptions. I found it hard to pick something as nothing really stood out to me. I chose for the sake of picking something from the menu. Presentation of the food was pretty good but the portion is really really small, almost like they're trying to use a big plate n spreading everything around to make it look a lot. I wouldn't call it a meal, we went to get Carl's junior after that.

Great place to have a special evening! We sat at the lounge! Also more variety of food could add to the experience! However all the food and drinks (we had was top class! Guess will try the restaurant the next time!

Ortolana is a little slice of paradise in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Auckland City. The garden-esque surroundings are pretty and relaxing early in the morning but transitions into a romantic dinner venue under the fairy lights in the evening. Unfortunately, Ortolana do not take bookings but if you dine on a weeknight or head in early on a weekend morning, a table is relatively easy to get. <br/><br/>The food is simple, fresh and uniquely Kiwi. The service is upbeat, attentive, friendly and welcoming. The interior is homely and modern with a large communal dining table in the centre. The menu is diverse and uses local produce from Ortolana's own farm. Be warned, the menu does use a few "foodie" terms but the staff are happy to explain any aspects of the menu that you're unsure of (or cant be bothered Googling it yourself!). The drinks menu is diverse, with a delicious fresh juices available with the beet, carrot, apple, ginger juice my personal favourite. <br/><br/>All in all, if you're looking for contemporary modern fare in the trendy Britomart precinct, then get to Ortolana ASAP!

Expensive - yes ish, Worth it? YES ! Service was amazing, food left me a bit hungry but superbly impressed by the presentation. Such on-point-ness. <br/><br/>I definitely love this place and would hope to hold my next birthday dinner here just because it is super beautiful, great service and the food is delicious and so beautiful! <br/><br/>I had the green banana juice there and it was soooo good and I could feel the healthiness and I love places that serve healthy juices. It just makes me feel like I'm balancing out the bad with some good although it probably still doesn't help too much haha. We had an amazing waitress as well who joked around with us and was just so lovely- she really made the experience that much more enjoyable. The food was sooo pretty as well and not quite like anything I have had before so I may be biased in that. Nonetheless I love the place ! I really need to go there again soon. Ohhh and my friend and I saw Bernice Mene there as well! <br/>- See more at: http://septemberandmay.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/february-favourites.html#sthash.FZYn2qJm.dpuf

wonderful! My bf and I love this restaurant so much, it's very healthy and efficient! The verges are very fresh and yummy!<br/>强推！！！

Ortolana really is deserving of all of their amazing reviews. I'm always looking for new brunch places and have only heard good things about Ortolana so decided that this would be the weekend I would give it a go. I was expecting a wait but was seated immediately, maybe we just timed it right? The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't recognise a lot of the ingredients listed on the menu and was secretly trying to google them as to not embarrass myself but our lovely waiter came over and explained everything. I ordered the Piadina (a thin Italian flatbread) with air dried pork, stracciatella and mustard leaves ($15) and my friend ordered the dry cured pork, melon and basil ($16) and we shared a side of Lardo roasted potatoes ($7). All the food was brought out promptly and looked amazing. The Piadina was what I would describe as an Italian quesadilla and it was truly fantastic. I have to go back and order it again but I also want to try more of the menu, I'm so torn. It just had so much flavour (and cheese) yet was light and not greasy. The melon, basil and dry pork was equally delicious. It had a combination of watermelon and rock melon. I was impressed with the size of the side of potatoes, we almost didn't finish it. They were well roasted and had a large piece of roasted garlic with it, yum! I will definitely be putting Ortolana on my list of regular brunch restaurants and will have to go back to try their dinner menu as well.

In an attempt to actually make sure we got in (this is another Hip Group place and as such doesn't take bookings) we went on a Monday night. Unsurprisingly it was still almost full, but we were fortunate enough to get a table straight away. None of that awkward standing-around-outside stuff either: a very attentive waiter greeted us and showed us to our seats.<br/><br/>The first thing I noticed was that there are so many spherical lights hanging from the roof of Ortolana that, if you sit inside, you get the feeling you're about to be enveloped in a cloud of bubbles. If you're outside, the fairy lights that cover the whole Pavilions area make you feel like the stars are falling. Either way, it's lovely just to be sitting there. And the food makes it even lovelier!<br/><br/>Our waitress was fantastic: the water glasses were always full, for a start. The menu at Ortolana is such that the ingredients, more than the dish, are outlined, and they've gone to no effort to make sure the average punter will understand any of it at first glance. There are words like "nduja" (a spicy sausage, I've learned) and "painesses" (kind of like fish fingers, but of unimaginably creamy polenta). Even so, the waitress was cheerful and there was no pretention whatsoever as she dealt with an onslaught of questions about what half the menu meant. She also had a fantastic knack for turning up just when we needed her to. We ordered ciabatta with mozarella burrata and tomato, and dry-cured pork with basil and melon to start.<br/><br/>It's worth mentioning first that the drinks are not excessively expensive here as one might expect. I had a negroni which was very generously sized, especially at only $12.<br/><br/>The dry-cured pork was absolutely phenomenal and I would be perfectly happy to eat it every day for the rest of my life. Thick slices of cured prosciutto-like meat, slivers of rock melon and chunks of seared watermelon were set off by fresh basil and a beautiful olive oil- simple and stunning! The burrata disappeared before I'd had more than a morsel, but I'm assured it was amazing.<br/><br/>My main course, flat-iron steak, came with quince aioli (I would have liked a little bit more, but I understand why they'd be conservative and avoid the slathered-in-sauce approach) and a nut, capsicum and tomato pesto of sorts. The steak was cooked just right (medium-rare) and the polenta-sticks on which it rested where delicious, although again, one more would not go amiss. Rigatoni with the aforementioned spicy sausage was punchy and delicious.<br/><br/>We decided to forego dessert in order to pop over to Milse, but we left thoroughly impressed with the food and the service, and feeling like we had been very well cared for. A memorable meal (and a relaxed one) that I'd be happy to repeat.

Since my first visit to Ortolana I have been back many times & it has never let me down. Breakfasts, a few celebratory birthday lunches, a food bloggers dinner & a perfect lazy lunch with a very good friend have all been wonderful. Fresh, flavourful food, great service & if you go for lunch you can order desserts from Milse! (In the evening the desserts are from Milse too, just not the whole selections.) My favourite dish that I find so hard to go past is the fresh pasta with asparagus, truffle butter & egg yolk….just sublime, the ultimate comfort food, the aroma of truffle enticing you in & then that oozy gooey egg yolk oozes out amongst the pasta & the freshly grated parmesan. And on the side please have a Gypsy Salad with Goddess Dressing. Hands down my favourite salad in Auckland.<br/><br/>Here's my first thoughts on what is now a firm favourite for breakfast, lunch or dinner.<br/><br/>I’d read about Ortolana, just opened at the Pavilions in Britomart. It is a little oasis in the middle of the city centre. What really appealed was the garden-to-table dining. The menu focuses on fresh produce sourced from their market garden & orchard out west in Kumeu. It is open all day & we were their for breakfast on a sunny Friday morning. <br/><br/>On offer juices, smoothies & frappes, which I have heard are a must try & certainly passion fruit & pear and watermelon & mint were both very appealing. Also on the menu iced teas & homemade sodas; passionfruit, cucumber & juniper, watermelon & lemon on offer, again all very tempting & I’ll definitely be trying on my next visit. I went for my usual long black, a requisite to kick start every day. It was strong & black just as it should be.<br/><br/>To eat, it was smoked mackerel that immediately caught my attention. Back home in the mother country mackerel is widely available, but it is not something I see here in NZ. It is an under rated little fish, but when fresh out the ocean it is just a delicious as trout, another one that is sadly a rarity here in NZ. At Ortolana it is house smoked & served with soft folded egg & sorrel. The eggs were perfectly cooked & the mackerel smokey, but delicate. <br/><br/>My breakfast buddy had the young romano, zucchini & herb omelette, bright & fresh & really the perfect start to a Friday morning. Next it may have to be a frappe alongside warm garden greens, soft egg & heritage tomatoes unless I am back for lunch & then there are all sorts of temptations on offer; summer garden vegetables bagna cauda, pork hock rillettes, beetroot, cumin feta,& hazelnut lasagnotte & the lardo roasted potatoes would be a must.<br/><br/>If you like this review for more head to Toast….http://www.toast-nz.com/2013/03/auckland-eats-little-bird-organics.html

Ortolana, situated amongst the garden-esque Pavilions complex is run by the same people that is behind the successful Takapuna Beach Cafe. Ortolana is a 90-seat bistro that is housed beneath a beautiful glass canopy and has a stunning look that fits perfectly in the heart of Britomart. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed and furnished. It has an open kitchen allowing you to watch the chefs at work and it has a stunning high ceiling filled with tangled light bulbs.<br/><br/>I tried their soft folded eggs which were unbelievably fluffy and this was served with house smoked mackerel and greens. Smoked fish is quickly becoming one of my favourite ways to eat fish, I've been enjoying the distinctive smoky taste combined with the flavours of the fish. The soft folded eggs was slightly under seasoned so it was just right when eaten with the flaked fish.<br/><br/>As for my friends, one ordered the market fish (snapper) with garden harvest which I had for dinner last time, while the other enjoyed the granola served with poached pear and yoghurt mousse. The granola had a combination of rolled oats, toasted quinoa, almonds and various seeds. The yoghurt and pear had just the right amount of sweetness and the use of quinoa in granola is such a good and tasty idea!<br/><br/>It is great to see restaurants being able to provide the same high standard of food for both lunch and dinner and Ortolana is one of them. Their staff were attentive, despite the busy dining room, and we were never rushed to vacate our table. I'm looking forward to coming back again!

Ortolana – meaning market garden has indeed lived up to its name and raves, many of the ingredients I believe come from the Hip Group’s own garden. Service was impeccable, as always across their restaurants. We started off with drinks Tamarillo and Pear Frappe, and Lemon and Feijoa Homemade Soda. Both excellent fruit combinations, fresh and simply delicious.<br/><br/>For the mains we had Beetroot, cumin, feta, hazelnuts, lasagnotte and Market fish with garden harvest. I loved how colourful the lasagnotte was, food looked amazing and tasted amazing. I even had a girl a few tables across walking over and peering at what I was having, after telling her it was the Market fish she promptly got back and ordered the same. There is nothing on the dishes that are ingredients just for show, everything is essential and everything goes well. You would have your fish with some beans together with some sauce all in one bite and it would be perfect.<br/><br/>I think the most prominent feature of the restaurant is the freshness. Everything tastes fresh and looks fresh. You won’t feel bogged down with heavy food and at the same time it is also very filling.<br/><br/>Read the full review on http://twohonesttruths.com/2013/06/01/ortolana-and-milse/

Ortolana had one if the most romantic settings. Lights above you whilst sitting outside in the heart of Britomart. However the food had fancy names and stories like many places in Auckland but I wasn't too impressed with the flavours. I feel it's a whole lot of marketing to justify the price.

Ortolana easily makes it up my top 5 restaurant experience for the year. Both times that I have been here, the setting, food and service were faultless. The staff are highly knowledgeable about the menu, and worked as a cohesive team. The water was always topped up even before we realized it, and everything was done with a smile and a friendly word. It’s a huge credit to Ortolana just how professional the entire team was. <br/><br/>I loved all the spaces; the courtyard outside with the fairylights setting the scene in the evening, the large communal table for groups, and the cosy seating hugging the walls of the restaurant. The different chairs are a lot more comfortable than they first look; it makes a huge difference to your dining experience when the furniture are inviting and comfortable. The high celling and open doors mean that sounds don’t reverberate around the restaurant, you can actually have a conversation with the person across the table even when the restaurant is fully booked (which is all the time). <br/><br/>Then, there is the food. Most of the produce is grown at the farm owned by the Hip group, including the dairy products made from the milk from farm’s cows. As you can imagine, with quality control this stringent, the ingredients are top notch. We shared 3 entrees, a main each and two desserts among 5 people, and we were absolutely stuffed. The dishes are generous and food wise, you will eat very well for ~$50 each. Exceptional value. <br/><br/>Some standout dishes, - baked ricotta entrée, buratta with the most flavoursome tomatoes, chicken cotoletta main and the crema fritta with rhubarb and macadamia dessert. The dishes are fresh-tasting, beautifully presented with exciting flavours. <br/><br/>A tip: if you are planning to head next door to Milse for dessert, put your name on the waiting list after you place your order at Ortolana, and they will come and get you when your table is ready.