Review Vivace - Auckland Central

If you are looking for a great meal, with great service go to Vivace. Being around for decades speaks volumes about the quality and charm of this restaurant. Awesome staff.

We went here with a group of 10 adults. None of us could complain about anything. Everyone in the group said we would definitely come back here again. We couldn't fault the service, drinks came with in a minute of ordering and all our meals came out together and nice and hot too.

Had an amazing experience here for a work dinner. The staff was amazing and offered great recommendations for food and drinks. Would highly recommend Vivace for either a nice date night, or social gathering.

It was New Year’s Eve…made a very last min dinner plan. We were lucky enough to dine at their bar area which was fantastic 😍🥂 we had a couple of dishes and cocktails and I remembered ordering the caramelised eggplant which was delicious 👌🏼 at first I was told they ran out of eggplant and I chose another dish. While eating what we have ordered the chef came and gave us the eggplant dish and said it was on the house 🫶🏻 only because it was the last eggplant. The owners are very nice as they walk around checking on their customers 😍❤️ it’s a very nice place I totally enjoyed it. I would go back to dine here again.

We decided to share a few smaller plates and 1 main which was a great idea really nice meatballs, pork, duck fat potatoes, morrocan chicken and the pasta which all got eaten. We sat right next to the pass and really enjoyed the view of the chefs doing there thing. Great wine good service, we will be back

The food was great. I felt it was a little pricey considering the size of the servings.

Loved this place, the tapas portions were very generous and the food was delicious. The waiter was a lovely chap too! Will definitely be back.

The staff at Vivace are amazing and there is a whole vegan menu which is great. The attention to detail from the staff was incredible. My dining partner ordered me a drink without me knowing it had Prosecco and the waiter came back before making it to advise me the Prosecco wasn’t vegan. I was extremely appreciative. The vegan risotto was quite nice, not spectacular but it was good. The cocktails and the staff were the best part about this place

Italian-style cuisine with a NZ twist. The entrees are great for sharing, and there is a nice selection of pastas and risottos. Love the beer on tap, and the lovely, friendly service. Great for a business gathering or a date night.

Went here for a nice dinner and was not disappointed. Food were of satisfying portions. The fried squid and fried mushrooms entrees are great. Recommend the gnocchi for pasta. Pizza had the perfect base. My choice of dessert was the dark choc, peanut tart which was rich and delicious. Service staff were great, despite it being a busy night. Overall, highly recommended.

Went here a while back for dinner. The food was really good and well balanced and the portion sizes are good as well. One thing I found a bit disappointing was that there weren't many vegetarian options. Would love to go back and try more things.

Great service, from the start to end. I ordered the steak (med rare) on the menu it was very nice although I wished it could be less chewy. The duck fat potato were delicious and went down really well with a nice warm glass of mulled wine. The restaurant has a nice romantic atmosphere, but where we sat there was an annoying small fruit fly that kept wandering around the table which was a bummer. Other than that I'd love to go back when it is safe for us to dine out, I have noticed they seem to have special menus on their board sometimes!

Check out the bar before or after dinner, such a nice cosy spot! So many tapas type dishes to choose from, all of them great, get a group together so you can order everything! My last visit I loved the empanadas, the smoked kahawai dip and the tomato bruschetta. Interesting wine list with lots of options by the glass. Had a birthday there last year and the set menu was excellent, lots of choice and good value for money

Lovely restaurant with delicious food! I really enjoyed the prawn pasta and the prosciutto pizza. My only “critique” would be that the pricing is a little on the expensive side but still an awesome spot to have dinner with family and friends, definitely recommended splitting pizzas between a group so you can try more flavours :)

Everything was enjoyable, I really liked the goat cheese with honey and walnuts. The only reason for 3 is it doesn’t quite measure up to other italian restaurants at this price point. Realistically it’s a 3.5 taking into account everything. However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go back! So don’t let this stop you. It just means there is room for improvement 😋

Amazing food. Very friendly staff. Timely service

I have passed by this place on fort street on many occasions, never realising that this gem was hidden in plain sight!<br/><br/>Hands down the best sticky pork ribs I have ever eaten, not only that but eating food with your hands always makes it taste better. Trust me I am An Indian and we know the best😝<br/><br/>The NZ eye fillet was cooked to perfecting, #mediumrare always💙<br/><br/>This was the first time that I was trying squid ink pasta, the dish in itself was delicious with shrimp and capers but I thought the pasta was a bit heavier.<br/><br/>All in all a wonderful dining experience, the staff were polite the host was welcoming and even though they were fully booked not one person tried to rush our dining experience.

I never knew a place this big and spacious ever existed on High St as most of the establishments here are tiny, little that I realize there can be a second floor where they can occupy such a vast area (compared to NZ standards). Vivace located just beside the small establishments in High St is a Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar where they serve anything from tapas to pasta and that’s what we exactly tried when we dined in here.

Like the new location and service was attentive and friendly. It’s been years since I last had a meal at Vivace and standards seem to be slipping. Food was ok but no stand out plates. Ordinary tapas that felt over priced for portion size. With so many world class options in Auckland now Vivace needs to really lift up if it’s going to remain in the top tier.

We had our small wedding reception lunch at Vivace and it was amazing! Mandy at Vivace helped us plan our event and was very helpful, generous and patient. We arrived a little early but they graciously found our group a table to have some drinks. The service was top notch - efficient, friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The food was excellent, everyone greatly enjoyed their meals. I had the eye fillet and it was perfectly done. Vivace even took delivery of our wedding cake from the baker and brought it out at the right moment. Thank you to everyone at Vivace for helping make our special day so special! We highly recommend Vivace and will definitely be back!

Chose this place to celebrate my birthday and overall it was a good experience. They replaced books with booze on the shelves and I think a combination would look awesome and very appropriate!<br/><br/>My guests were happy with their choice of food. Duck and chicken liver parfait was rather mild in flavour. All other entrees/antipasti were good, especially calamari. Cooked perfectly, and aioli on the side was very nice. Unfortunately they ran out of Prosecco and because they only stock one kind, I had to opt for wine instead. While there are plenty of options, there were barely any vegan dishes. Perhaps something to consider for the owner and chef.

Went to dinner with a couple of mates and had a great time! Food and staff were amazing. We ordered a whole bunch of food and ate and ate. Thank you for a wonderful night!

Food service was very slow, there was a 45 minute wait for food and when it arrived it was disappointing. There was no seasoning at all in the risotto and others had the same problem.

I'm not convinced this place knows what it wants to be. Another spacious, downtown eatery in a great location which straddles the line between Gastropub and fine dining. In that respect it reminds me of Andiamo. We had a spread of various entrees - calamari, empanadas, prosciutto and asparagus. All of these things were fine, the empanadas had a good pastry but I'd be lying if I said it was either memorable or remarkable. I'm also not sure I've ever seen so much bacon on display at a high-end restaurant. <br/><br/>The mains looked expensive and to be frank, unoriginal. I wanted to order some pizza, but a family member insisted I get a main. So I got the eye fillet, which again, was just ok. I mean it's pretty difficult to stuff up an eye fillet - I ordered it medium-rare like a total tosspot and it definitely wasn't medium-rare. More like on the heavy side of medium. Everything that came with it was merely ok - some roasted kumara and various other green vegetables. Although I've done a few of them, I really get no pleasure in writing negative reviews and I can't stand seeing any business fail. So on a positive note, everyone else in my family was happy enough, the other patrons in the restaurant seemed to be happy and the customer service was perfectly good and friendly. I'm sure Vivace would satisfy a lot of people and I'm probably just a wanker but I wouldn't go here on my own budget.

Hadn’t been to Vivace since they moved. We had the set menu & all food was well made. Really good value - almost too much food. <br/>Service was good. Only issue was that the bar was a bit slow - 2 people serving on a Friday night, needed more staff. Was a really good drinks & cocktails menu though.

Went to this restaurant for dinner. Service wasn’t the best, booking was made for 8pm and we didn’t eat until 10pm. I had the eye fillet which was $40. On the menu it said there was jus and the asparagus was wrapped in prosciutto but when it came out it was literally a bit of steak, roasted kumara and a few bits of asparagus. Pretty disappointing, won’t go back here again.

Nice front of house staff. Attentive<br/>Starter lamb koftkas. Fragrant matching cucumber base with tomato puree.<br/><br/>Main chicken pizza. Ok. Not good or bad<br/><br/>Partner had chicken risotto. Definately under seasoned.<br/><br/>Ambience nice. Not crowded but warm and inviting<br/><br/>Fair dinner and price

I would like to start from the time that I made a booking. Mandy helped me out to have a table for my birthday and they even called a day before to confirm it. During our stay here everyone was so lovely especially GWEN who took care of us. She was so nice from the very beginning and even helped me out with the portion of the food serving. She's so honest and accurate advising me on what to get. The food was so good too! We ordered 4 different types of pizza and each of them has a distinct flavours not like other placss where all pizza just taste the same, the calamari is soooooo good too! Our favorite actually. We also had some empanadas, onion rings and cheese platter. It's 5/5! You guys are superstar. I'm glad that I celebrated my birthday here. It's been memorable because of your help. More power!

I’ve been coming to Vivace for well over a decade, mainly back when High St was a hub of great restaurants, cafes, bars etc. However when I heard it was moving, I had to make a trip here. One thing I noticed.. how steep the prices were.. $33 for a salad?!? My colleague enjoyed her Kumara gnocchi. I ordered Penne w sauteed prawns, capers, onion, lemon, rocket & chilli. I found it very bland. It was a disappointing meal at a place that used to be so consistent. Their service has always been spot on. However the food of late, not so much. Maybe a move to Fort St might see them reinvent the menu... with the amount of competition at that end of town, and off the back of my two visits prior to their relocation, they need to.

Got a duck risotto and duck fat chips. Both were amazing but risotto was a bit salty, otherwise would have starred. Was scared that the entre size risotto would be too small but it was a very generous portion.<br/><br/>Staff were incredible. Came for a friends surprise birthday and they helped hide us and helped cut the cake/present it very nicely (when they didnt even need to). Such lovely staff. 100/10<br/><br/>Really great set up inside as well. Interested to see where they will move to.

Really beautiful interior, all the servers were super friendly and helpful. We made a booking for 10 but had 12 people on the night and they were accommodating of that and really efficient. The food was all really good, flavours all worked well and everything was cooked perfectly. I wasn’t too big a fan of the beef cheek pizza but the pork and halloumi pizza was great. Serving sizes were definitely on the small size and many of us left feeling a bit hungry still but the food was still great. The ribs and crumbed mushrooms were definitely a favourite.

Wow we came here on a quiet Monday night after a very busy day. Our waitress Chantal placed us around the large warm fireplace and made us feel so welcome. Within the first few minutes we received mulled wine and some duck fat potatoes to share which I highly recommend. Followed by the eye fillet (had rare and was cooked nicely) and the duck leg which I couldn’t finish. The lighting was quite frustrating as we couldn’t read the menu too well but it did provide a nice ambience. For desert we were taught how the Italians use biscotti in their dessert wine, overall leading us to an enjoyable and delightful time. We will definitely be back again and look forward to returning! 5*

Quite a nice place, dark but rather romantic actually with the lighting. Food was good and a dairy free option in an Italian meal is always exciting.

Went here with my sis this Friday... great great service! Our waitress was so lovely and attentive. Had the pollo risotto and the kumara gnocchi with the greek salad and garlic bread. Everything was fantastic (especially the risotto). The gnocchi had a different texture to potato gnocchi but was delicious nevertheless

Came here on a Wednesday night after a long day at Uni and also got a $50 voucher from a friend. The staff were very friendly and the food service was very good. The waitress was attentive and kept refilling our water. Between 3 people on Tapas we got the Fresh bread with virgin olive oil & sea salt, crispy skin pork belly, sticky pork ribs with chili & garlic salsa. The mains we got kumara gnocchi, chicken risotto, confit duck leg. We also got the crispy duck fat potatoes as sides.<br/><br/>For the sourdough bread, the center was really soft and doughy, but if used by too much salt, it’ll get really salty. <br/>The crispy pork belly was served fresh and really hot. The skin was indeed crispy and the fat wasn’t squishy. However the flavor was a bit salty. <br/>The sticky pork ribs was probably the best dish of all as it had a sweet bbq flavor. Even cold, the flavor was good. The ribs aren’t like the ribs where the meat would slide off, but this one is tasty too.<br/>The kumara gnocchi has a spaghetti-like flavor as base. The kumara made gnocchi although tasted sweet, it was a bit doughy. The sauce goes really well with the crispy duck fat potatoes as it lifts up the flavor of the pan fried potatoes and gives it a little sour kick.<br/>The chicken risotto was in good texture as the rice wasn’t hard or soft. It had a creamy taste but it wasn’t too thick to make you feel sick. The chicken was sliced thinly in pieces which sucked up the creamy flavor.<br/>The confit duck leg had a nice crispy skin to it, but the meat was a bit messy to chew even for a confit style. The red cabbage at the bottom was really soft and I wished it could’ve been a tiny bit crunchier with the cherry juices sucked in a little. The cherries on the side gave the dish a sweet kick as well.<br/><br/>The bill came to $130 which was quite reasonable. The ambience was very nice and spacious and we got the balcony seat table which was quite nice.<br/><br/>Taste - 8/10<br/>Size - 8/10<br/>Service - 9/10<br/>Price - 8/10<br/>Ambience - 8/10

Came here as a group for dinner. The menu has a lot of great stuff to choose from so it was hard to decide, so we will have to come back again. I had the special tapas of marinated halloumi with bread, it was delicious! Plenty of cheese with a great flavour and texture. My friend had the Goats cheese and mozarella balls which were fantastic, the texture and flavour was perfect and the little bit of honey on it complimented it really well. My main however was disapointing and I wish I had chosen a risotto instead because I tried my friends chicken risotto and it was perfectly cooked with a lot of flavour. I chose however, the kumara gnocchi with chicken. It was so boring, the flavour was one dimensional, I did not enjoy the gnocchi texture ( this may have just been the fact that it was Kumara instead of potato) and the chicken thigh had lots of yuck fatty bits on it which were not pleasant to eat. I would love to come back and give other things a go and just hope that its only the Gnocchi which sucks.

Came here on Saturday before they got busy! It’s a hidden gem on High St and can be easy to miss! But once you reach the top of the stairs you’ll find yourself immersed in a vintage and rustic place; it’s also huge! <br/><br/>We were seated by the window. I had been eyeing out their tapas menu for ages before visiting so I had an idea of what to get. We got chicken tulips, bacon wrapped dates, beef empanadas, seared prawn and flounder fillets from the hot tapas menu. <br/>We also got a Parpadelle pasta and a lamb salad. <br/><br/>Food came when it was ready and was extremely fast, hot and fresh! The bacon medjool dates were unique yet so tasty! The play between salty and sweet was a delight. Empanadas was beautifully golden and crunchy with tender beef cheek filling and well seasoned. Seared prawn was a little unexciting though and the chicken was a bit dry. Flounder fillets were ok, lacked a bit of seasoning. <br/><br/>Their parpadelle was amazing though!!! Juicy pulled turkey with the perfectly cooked pasta; not to mention it was in a generous pool of flavoursome sauce. This was probably the star of the dishes for me. The salad was a little unexciting and lacked some dressing or something to pull it together. <br/><br/>Service was good, overall there’s room for improvement but maybe we just needed to order their specialities to experience their best. This set us back by ~$135 between 2. <br/><br/>Food: 8/10<br/>Price: 8/10<br/>Ambience: 9/10<br/>Service: 9/10

Party of 5, we came here for an early Friday dinner. We decided on the tapas menu (which I'm not usually keen on at any restaurant because I always leave hungry and there's always a couple of dishes someone gets wrong). We ordered two each. Honestly, we were happy every single dish. I ordered the flounder fillets which I WISH were full sized. And stuffed little bell peppers. <br/>The venue itself is quite interesting. While we sat on the balcony you can see it as being a good place to meet for after work drinks as they have a large bar area at the back. It would also make a great place for a work function as they have a couple of classy looking private areas.<br/>A definite comeback place.

Came here with a grabone voucher. I ordered their specialty kumara gnocchi and a side salad. Both dishes were fantastic. The gnocchi wasn't heavy, the sauce was delicious and it wasn't entirely a pasta mix which i was pleased about. The salad was delicious and complemented the gnocchi well. The only downside is that it's kind of out of place in relation to the hookah cafes and ready to go food chains nearby. This place is worth a visit and i hope they get more popularity with their great food and service.

The flavours here are real special. Caramelized onion pizza was great, the base was crispy and the cheese stringy. The pork belly dish was my winner though, the meat was so soft and juicy and the crackling was great. Our waitress didnt seem that happy but everyone else seemed nice.

We had our Christmas party here at Vivace and it was fabulous! <br/><br/>A fantastic venue that was vast and spacious, there was a bar, outdoor bar, formal dining area and another more seclusive area, perfect for some of our more perfidious members. <br/><br/>Our company owners were impressed with the wine selection so for those oenophiles Vivace would make for an excellent evening out. I’m not going to lie I was a bit too befuddled to give an accurate account of my dining experience other than the fact that we had a fantastic time, so apologies for not providing in-depth analysis of the meals. <br/><br/>From what I did recall the entrees that we had were quite tasty and that the mains were filling and satisfying.<br/><br/>I would like to give the staff a shout out because we weren't the easiest group to deal with and I applaud them for there great service.<br/><br/>Showstopper: A fantastic venue for <br/><br/>Overall Grade: A-

Great work Christmas party here last week. Nice little area to ourselves and great choices on the set menus. Will be back for sure just me and my husband next time for a date night! Loved the goat chess balls the most.

We ate here twice within five days, the first experience better than the second. I like the space a lot, both the balcony seating over happening High street and the interior space with its high ceiling.<br/><br/>The quality of the tapas varies. To leave filled without spending a fortune, choose one or two of the filling options, the best of which is the sticky pork ribs with fresh chili and garlic salsa; however the pizzettes are also a good option. The crusted mushroom will also serve this purpose but are more suited to a low end establishment. On the savory front, the scallops were excellent but the four small ones were gone way too fast. The seared prawns are similarly good and came in a larger serving size. The eggplant tapas was unremarkable. The combination of a Gorgonzola, marinated figs, and honeycomb sounded good but suffered from mediocre bread; it would be much improved with the bread from nearby Scarecrow coffee.<br/><br/>We batted two for three on wine from a big list, many available by the glass. The beer selection is minimal. Service varied, good on the first visit and neglectful on the second. Getting a bill took forever even after explicitly asking for one and receiving change took just as long.

This italian resto in CBD has good food and especially the ambiance. thumbs up 😊🖒🖒<br/>Amazing staff who are really nice and accomodating which makes your dining more nice. Its a cozy place after day's work

Good set of tapas. Not as creative as some of the more modern and newer restaurants in auckland. Everything is deep fried so not as interesting with texture

The pizza was average and overpriced for it's tiny portion size. The restaurant is too dark. Pork ribs were good but way too expensive for what it is. Waitress forgot to bring out the entree and we didn't receive it until I had asked halfway through the meal and didn't even receive an apology.

Just had dessert here ... Loved it!<br/><br/>I had the apple crumble cheesecake and my partner had the pear and ginger pudding! Both were lovely ... The pudding was warm and moist but maybe could've done with some citrus to cut through the sweetness.<br/><br/>The cheesecake apple crumble was fresh and light (like a high quality apple crumble that your Grandma would make - but in cheesecake form)!<br/><br/>The service is awesome (pleasant, friendly, not pushy)<br/><br/>The atmosphere is awesome ... Think mood lighting and sitting by the open fire ... I would say the feel is dark/rustic but modern. Love this place! Would come back for food next time.

love the atmosphere, love the good, love the service. both times i've been here i've had the kumara gnocchi and got the small size opposed to the large side and i was beyond full. their duck risotto is also a huge serving size which is nice to see. a restaurant that gives you large portions for a fair price! their apple crumble cheesecake is also to die for😍

It is quite a nice place that is located in the upper levels on High Street. When you go up the stairs you end up in a large open loft with plenty of dining space and private rooms. We were greeted at the stairs and led to a table out in the balcony. Even though it was winter it wasn't very cold.<br/><br/>I thought they specialised in Italian food but the menu was a mix of everything. Ended up ordering the duck risotto and the lamb tagliatelle. The risotto was nice and flavourful, with the shallots giving it texture and taste. The lamb was a bit too tomatoey for my liking and the lamb was more mince than ragu. The flavours were nice though.<br/><br/>Good service and the food was nice. The place itself was also quite interesting.

Walked in here during lunch, lovely atmosphere, great customer service and the food is priced reasonably and tasty.<br/>Bacon cream soup (4/5) <br/>The soup was cream yet not too rich that you don't want to drink, perfect for a cold day like today. Flavours and texture of the soup was great. Why I took of 1 point was just the ciabatta was not heated and served cold. <br/>Duck risotto (4.5/5)<br/>Smell amazing when it arrived, great flavours and not too salty for ONCE most Italian restaurant I went, the food is normally a bit too salty to my taste, but this one is good. Only took off 0.5 for the presentation. But great price ($20) for such a big portion.

This place is so much bigger than it looks. The service here is great and the good is even better. <br/>The fried paella balls are really delicious and the calamari too. We got these two as starters. <br/>We also got a pizza, duck, fish and steak. All tasted delicious. <br/>Really recommend this place for a dinner.

The atmosphere at Vivace is really nice, a warm setting with lit fireplace really sets the mood for dinner on a winter night. Food was tasty and didn't take long to prepare. Price is slightly higher than what I'd like to pay for what you get - in terms of taste and presentation.

Dined with friends on a week night and this place was heaving. Still we managed to find a table and order tapas which were tasty and came quickly. The food service from the waitress was very good

Vivace, I thought is hidden on high street and have passed this many times to actually go next door to the vegetarian restaurant. We were a table of 5 and ordered 10 hot & cold tapas, about $10 each.The service was great and the tapas were fresh with plenty of favour. Now, there are mains if you want eat more but if you are in a group you need to order at least 10 tapas or more. Love the privacy you have with tables not so close together so good not to hear other conversations. Great catch up place.

Walked in off the street on a Thursday night , despite being busy we were seated quickly, and drinks brought out almost<br/>Immediately. For our entree I had the squid, which was Devine! No weird<br/>Stringy bit that I usually get when I<br/>Order S&pepper squid! The other<br/>Entree was a sort of cheesy herby ball- which was nice - very flavourful!<br/>For my main I had the fish of the day which was pan friend snapper with roasted potatoes caramelised onion and feta with hollandaise sauce, thoroughly enjoyed it! Finished the plate full <br/>The snapper was cooked perfectly just a nice solid meal, the other main was the penne pasta with pumpkin feta pine nuts, it was quite subtle - reasonably<br/>Light for a pasta - and very enjoyable.<br/>The atmosphere and ambience of<br/>The place is nice , is a little loud in the main dining room but that's the only minus I have .<br/><br/><br/>

Heard good things about this place so I bought a GrabOne and came on a Monday evening. We were the only ones there and so had the pleasure of being served by the manager, Jude. She told us that the main kitchen is usually closed from around 3 to 6pm but we could choose from a selection of tapas and pizza. From those, she wonderfully explained the dishes and gave some recommendations which we took.<br/><br/>We had four hot tapas between two people: baked eggplant, parmesan crumbed mushrooms, salt + pepper squid and paprika chicken tulips. The crumb on the mushrooms and squid was fresh and crispy, and the accompanying sauces matched quite well. Our favorite was the eggplant which came in a ginger + chilli + caramel sauce. The flavors worked really well together and I'd say it's definitely worth a try.<br/><br/>The quality of the food combined with the value of the GrabOne makes this a remarkable dining experience. Props to Jude for her recommendations and taking care of us. Will definitely be back to try their dinner service and the other food on offer!<br/><br/>

Have read reviews about this establishment for a while and we were very interested to try it out.<br/><br/>Booked the table via their own "booking form" on Thursday for last night dinner. Got back from Steve almost straight away. It's very good customer service. 5/5<br/><br/>We were sat at the balcony. It was quite busy at that time at that session. Noise level was quite high. So if you want a "quieter" night, I think is better inside. However, we loved the decor. So European. Do wine cellar. So much open space. 4.5/5<br/><br/>Our server, Anthony, was very friendly, helpful, attentive, and knowledgeable. 5/5<br/><br/>Food. Hmmmm. We had tried 4 hot tapas and 1 pasta dish. Very tasty. Very interesting. Very beautiful presentation. Only downside is the portion size is quite small for the price they charge. 4/5<br/><br/>Carpark. Because the establishment is at High Street, it doesn't have its own carpark. Patrons have to park their cars on the street or nearby carpark. Sometimes I find quite hard to find a carpark nearby. 3.5/5

From memory I got the $60 set menu which started with bread and a spread platter (The pate was amazing), followed by hot tapas which included paprika chicken tulips (Coriander sauce was nice) and salt & pepper squid which came with caramel sauce, at first I thought it was strange but the flavours together was really good, seared scallops with a pea puree. I got the truffled parmesan mushroom risotto cake, good portion for how rich the rich the dish was, garnished with apple & beetroot puree that cut the heaviness of the risotto really well.One of many food dining experiences I've had.

Hi, we had gone in a group of 8 to celebrate an occasion. What an experience, this is a gem in central Auckland that never ceases to amaze at every visit. Contemporary tavern with appealing interiors. The foremost part is the lovely girl Jesse who served us, very hospitable and a was wearing her attitude throughout the evening, kudos to her. The dishes that we really drooled over were paprika chicken, goat cheese and mozzarella balls, baked eggplant, Kumara gnocchi, penne w/courgette and the main fish of the day that was combined with prawns and lemon risotto, along with herbed roast mushrooms. It was a tough decision to rate which was better than the other but I think each one was super delicious. In the end we requested for a vegetarian spaghetti with the sauce used to prepare the roasted mushrooms, and the staff were happy to oblige. Amazing experience and would highly recommend.

As a dining destination Vivace has a wide range of options, with spaces designed for large groups along with a very smart main dining room. The whole place has a sort of wine cellar feel, with candles wood wine barrels and bottles on show, which sets a great mood. I organised dinner for a large party and found the staff to be very helpful in this regard and we were lucky enough to be seated in a quiet private room. We had tapas to start which was mainly good. I had eye fillet for dinner which was perfectly cooked. My better half had fish which she enjoyed but the risotto underneath lacked flavour and texture (a bit watery) for her. The pavlova and berries was a nice way to finish. We felt well looked after by our dedicated waitress and the entire evening was very enjoyable. The food was honest and decent without hitting big heights which probably wasn't helped by the fact that the restaurant was packed. Vivace is worth a go if you are looking for a nice place to spend an evening in the CBD

■ Beautiful decor<br/>■ Creative menu<br/>■ Tasty food<br/><br/>■ On the pricey end<br/><br/>They say first impressions last and they couldn't be more right with Vivace! One of the best inner city restaurants I've been to! We celebrated a 21st Bday dinner here last weekend and I fell in love! The big group of us were in one of the private function rooms and were treated with such good table service! The atmosphere is real vibrant and perfect for anything from a romantic dinner for two, to work/family functions to big group celebrations. The menu can meet anything from fine dining to a more casual meal.<br/><br/>I normally hate mushrooms but one of their small plates served the best deep fried mushrooms that were to die for! The Chorizo pizza could have done with more topping but it still had plenty of flavour and tasted great. The cuisine style is Spanish/ Italian fusion with a menu full of creative options to explore. A hidden gem!!!

While the food was fine and wine was ok, the waiter took away the tapas platter while it was still on my plate.<br/>Not good at all.  Very disappointed with the service.

Great service, amazing atmosphere and great food!<br/><br/>I am obsessed with the decor of this place during dinner time. The big fire, the retro shelves and the abundance of candles everywhere! Very gothic and beautiful!<br/><br/>The food was great, everyone enjoyed their meals and I thoroughly enjoyed my steak! The tapas were quite pricey but the serving sizes of the main courses were generous. <br/><br/>Our waitress was friendly, humourous and attentive. <br/><br/>Overall, great experience and would definitely return to try out more on their menu!

The food is alright - big portions and will definitely fill you up. I ordered the duck risotto which was average in my opinion. Not great, but not bad either. Felt like a home cooked meal unfortunately, despite being a restaurant dish. The use of pre-cooked shallot (ones u can buy from the local asian supermarket) while yummy, is not what you'd expect a restaurant to serve.<br/><br/>The Parmesan crusted onion rings were ok this time (tried it 6 months prior and it was too oily). The flavour is definitely there, but the onions could be sliced a little thinner.

This is an awesome venue... Lots of different spaces to enjoy - ideal for a function, a group or a couple. It is worth climbing the stairs for.<br/><br/>The food is genuinely good. Subtle, or should I say restrained, but done very well. And this is complimented by a very professional and competent service team.<br/><br/>I've been here a few times now, and have enjoyed it every time - and that has nothing to do with the fact that they have a broad and tasty wine list...

This restaurant was absolutely beautiful! There are very few places in Auckland that have the same layout and design that Vivace have. Plus it is tucked away nicely! <br/><br/>Firstly I would like to say I enjoyed the tapas, they were small and detailed. They were delicious and creative, however I wish we had stuck to the tapas menu only. <br/><br/>We came as a group of 8 and we were all disappointed with our main meals. I got the risotto, it was cooked well however lacked any flavour. One friend got the pesto pasta, it didn't have enough salt or acidity to the meal. Other friends got the gnocchi, it was huge and cooked very poorly, the sauce was OK. The main meals were just not to a high quality, I would much rather go to Non Solo Pizza or Prego for pasta and risotto. The waiter was OK not friendly or welcoming but he got the job done. The food came promptly. <br/><br/>The price and the reviews did not reflect the quality I experienced this evening. I am sorry but I would not come here again.

Came here on a weeknight and the place was almost full! I did get a table straightaway though and service all night was faultless. The food was delicious and unpretentious. The mood was warm and whilst some might say it's a little noisy, it adds to the dining atmosphere. I could see smiles on just about everyone's faces which says a lot. Definitely worth a try.

Our waiter was amazing from the minute we entered the restaurant, choosing an out of the way table for us to suit having a pram. The food was exceptional, the restaurant itself is a beautiful venue and the service was great. The food came out promptly and everyone loved everything they'd ordered. The wine list was extensive and we enjoyed the recommendations. Will definitely go back.

Tucked away up a steep stairway, behind the curtains revealed a bustling venue, full tables seated with a mixture of people all with great Italian meals... a small group of us enjoyed a mixture of tapas off the menu, some classic pizzas, and great red wine.  <br/><br/>Highly recommended, with great (just enough) service.

Vivace is a like a great surprise tucked away under a Christmas tree, this place have great food but most of all they have a baked apple crumble cheesecake that is so Divine! It's a must try more than once place, the staff are lovely and attentive and the food is a great portion for mains, while the ambiance is simply so cozy yet refined at the same time

Great food with fantastic prices. Love the little taster glasses of wine you can get too!<br/>Highly recommend the baked apple crumble cheesecake!

I Went there with my parents and the food was really good especially the steak and the seared scallop risotto though the server wasn't very welcoming.

Located on high Street, this place is has a somewhat rustic Italian feel with the accompanying satisfying food. The portion sizes are good and the flavour is all there. We had the kumara gnocchi, onion rings, soup and wild mushroom risotto. This place would suit vegetarians nicely as the majority of food had little meat in it. As you'd expect, it's all about the carbs. The only downsides was the music was quite fast paced and bar like. Not suited for a restaurant at all. Gave it a weird vibe.

Love everything of this place including the view, and of course, the food. The surroundings are casual and suitable for either birthday parties or friend chats.

I love this place. I've been here before with my mum and we came here for a family dinner. We used a Grabone voucher and ordered almost 8 small and large tapas. Every plate was fantastic and the host was friendly. Always a pleasure.

This is a gem of a place that has really awesome, loveable staff. It's becoming more and more difficult to find staff that know their food inside out and can make very good suggestions after talking to you. Food here is delicious and beautifully presented. Authentic taste and lovely wines to go. Not a pairing expert? Ask the staff!<br/>Been here quite a few times and loved every dinner. Music could do with a little more work I think personally, and if it did... I'd give it a 5 ;)<br/>¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've been to Vivace quite a few times now - work dinners (good banquet menus - always something for everyone), lunches & pre-theatre dinners (very efficient & quick service). Every time it's been delightful. For the quality of the food it's quite reasonably priced. The wine menu is extensive and the tapas are delicious. The goats cheese balls are a standout, I've been thinking of them (and the meatballs) ever since my last visit.

Wow, where do I begin... Vivace was simply exquisite, the restaurant is large and can accommodate a lot of people, the style is a little old school but also a bit contemporary with a lot of wood and a fantastic fire inside along with candles that make the place so inviting and you feel very comfortable. If you are after tapas then this is definitely the place to go, so much to choose from its hard to decide - they all sound fantastic; and are. The Caprese was fresh with the cheese and basil complimenting the tomatoes, the buffalo and beef meatballs were to die for and could have eaten platefuls of these - they are one of the best meatballs I've ever had and the sauce that is with them - yum! The Moroccan chicken tulips were moist and delish, the haloumi full of flavours with that perfect squeak! Finally the fresh bread who could go wrong. Can't wait to go back, next time to try some of the mains.

We had an amazing dinner for 8 in the private dining area, our first time there as a group, very welcoming team. We were very impressed with our waitress Gwen. We adored the hot tapas and sampled them with gusto - the salt and pepper squid, crumbed mushrooms,  Almond stuffed Medjool dates wrapped in bacon w blue cheese & jus, Moroccan chicken tulips w habanero aioli beautifully prepared and delicious -well seasoned and packed full of flavour. Most of our group ordered the eye fillet,  kumara gnocchi and the scallop rissotto for main course. Delicious and filling! That rissotto was yummo. I couldn't believe how great our tapas and mains were and did struggle to comprehend if we really should have ordered desert.  They had a great dessert menu and Vivace offers a tempting range which we were only too willing to try. We ordered the double chocolate and caramel brownie which was right out of this world! Vivace!  We also managed to have a wonderful bottle of bubbles, Australia red wine and others tried the cocktails, Va Va Voom! We were very impressed, and would highly recommend!

Loved the selection of tapas and great service we enjoyed on Saturday night. Brilliant dessert as well, highly recommend. Easy to find on High Street.

I was recommended to try the onion rings. I think it could be better as some onion rings were not well cooked and it's too oily. Also had the pasta and the pork belly. Those are good. Would most likely to come back next time :)

Love the interior here. The restaurant is surprisingly big and spaced out which allows for a very intimate dining experience. I came here with a few friends and we were lucky to get a table. The waitress and host were amazingly friendly and happy to go over dishes with us. I had the salmon salad which was the worse dish we ordered. Too salty and over powered by lemon to the piont it made it sour and almost unpalatable. My friends seafood risotto was quite nice, a good mix of creamy texture and flavour, topped with fresh scallops. The stand out dish was definitely the slow cooked beef. Succulent and melt in your mouth. We'll definitely be coming back here to try other things

A table on the balcony. watching busy high street. excellent service. non intrusive. Plenty on the menu. will be back to try more dishes. kumara gnocchi beautiful. I had hot tapas parmesan crumbed mushrooms mmm yummy. The special of chicken and mushroom arancini good flavors. dessert was amazing. <br/>Awesome will be back

The best place to eat in the City! Came here Saturday night with 2 others.This place was recommended to me by a friend and I'm glad I went with their decision. Great service by the waiter who took care of us :) and the food was delicious! The price of a bottle of wine shared between 3, 3 tapas dishes to start off, and 3 Mains.. definitely well worth it, to my surprise was not expensive at all. A great recommendation! We'll be back :) Thank you.

Came here for dinner in a group of 5. We didn't realize how big the place is! It even has its own private dinner room. Love the setting! We were lucky we got to sit on the balcony as it was cooler out there.<br/><br/>Food: 9/10<br/>Definitely recommend ordering the scallops as entree and kumara gnocchi as main, it was to die for!! Simply amazing. <br/>The duck risotto was not bad but could be better in my opinion. Maybe I wasn't that much of a fan on the sauce they used. <br/>The chicken pizza was yum, had plenty of toppings on top. <br/><br/>Service: 7/10<br/>There weren't enough staff to run the whole restaurant since it was quite big. But staff there was very friendly <br/><br/>Will definitely come back again!

We had a phenomenal meal for my sister's birthday tonight. It was our first time there and we were thoroughly impressed with the staff, food and service. Loved our hot tapas - the salt and pepper squid, crumbed mushrooms, empanadas, seared scallops and crispy skin pork were beautifully prepared and delicious -well seasoned and packed full of flavour. We also tried their bolognese and prosciutto pizzettes and the eye fillet and kumara gnocchi for main course. Delicious and filling! That gnocchi was mmmm mmmmm mmmmm. I wanted to lick my bowl because that sauce was sooooo good! We had to ask for a doggy bag so we still had room for dessert. Now, I absolutely love restaurants that can offer a solid dessert menu and Vivace offers a tempting range which we were only too willing to try. We ordered the double chocolate and caramel brownie which was heaven..so rich! The ginger and pear pudding and apple crumble cheesecake was divine! The birthday girl ordered tiramisu which was a Valentine's blackboard special which she loved and tasted just as good as the ones she makes on special occasions. Vivace, we salute you! Will definitely be dining there again!

Lovely candle lit place for dinner<br/>I guess you can call it another one of those restaurants that sell pasta, steak and pizza - but of those, its one of the best<br/>Reasonable prices and attentive service<br/>Onion rings were really good. Pizzas werent authenic italian style but more american. But still liked it the first time. The second time however ...the Base was flavourless and very thin. Toppings were bland and one of the worst bought pizzas I've had unfortunately <br/><br/>Friends ordered the gnocci which was good though :)

Lively fun place to chill with friends, great menu and the food is beautifully presented. If you are looking for something exciting order the mushrooms in parmesan crumb damnnnnn goood!!

OMG seriously.... this place was perrrrrfect i had just worked 4 x 16 hour days all in row... and i was in desperate need of food attention... only great food would lift my spirits... we found street parking handy and cheap and walked up the stairs to this well hidden building which may have been an old warehouse very cool, lovely fire lit up in the middle, a bit draughty so we placed ourselves right beside the fire. I keenly asked for the GF Menu which our lovely waitress was only too happy to bring out. I ordered the Marlborough Pinot Gris.... yummmmmmmm it was super delicious so i ordered a second one whilst i completed surveying all the inviting options on the menu...choices choices.... because they offer tapas style plates at an affordable price $15 each i ordered about 4 of those ... mushrooms, pork belly, it was all good. I ordered a large Bolognaise Pizza for my main i mean who does 'Bolognaise' Pizza i haven't come across that before, the base was paper like thin they have GF pizza bases but i was very naughty and got the normal base and the topping oh my god the topping... if you love love love pizza you must visit this place for that alone. After that i was far too stuffed to try any dessert but i will 100% be back :)

Beautiful Atmosphere , Fantastic Food , Lovely service from waiters , chefs and bar staff 💞🍴🍾 10/10 <br/><br/>Have been here twice , Food was fantastic the first time that I chose to celebrate my 21st Dinner party here ☺️😍 <br/><br/>The staff are so lovely and helpful , they go above and beyond to make you feel at home but still keep a very high standard of class while doing it ! The bar staff are kind and make amazing vvroom drinks lol . I love how comfortable you feel here , although its abit more high end in the eating scene the atmosphere here is faultless . The food is so yummy , ive tried numerous dishes here and all of them are great x look forward to coming back

In the heart of the city ... Excellent food. ..good bar... Would love to go again. ...Deserts are also yum ... Highly recommended .. A must go for foodies in Auckland.

We were thoroughly impressed with the service and the food. I booked for a large group as we were at a conference for the week and needed something close to our hotel. I've eaten here several times between 2000-2010, really excited to say that the food is still just as great. My colleagues enjoyed the decor, ambience and the delicious meals provides.

Delicious food! The vegetarian pizza was not what I expected flavour wise- it had a bit of a spice kick- but it was the perfect amount of crispy crust and golden melted cheese. I'll definitely be back.

Food is amazing! We ordered 5 small dishes to share, which was sufficient. Staff were friendly, nice atmosphere. Recommend it for a romantic night out.

The pork belly .. Greasy, oily and fatty but, yummy! We also ordered the smoked duck / seared scallops risotto. Hmm, the duck meat was too dry, will come back next time to try something else"

Vivace - I like the fireplace and the layout of dining area..<br/>The food is good service is always on point.<br/>I like their gnocchi and some of their tapas were good.. <br/>Onion rings are must try..

We were in a booked room for this occasion. Excellent service, environment. Friendly staff. Mains and dessert I ordered very appetising. There is a smoking area for smokers. Had an awesome eating experience.

Amazing service and food!! Had eaten at Vivace with four of my girlfriends for lunch on a Monday with a $100 grabone voucher and tried a wide range of the tapas and the chicken and mushroom pizette all in which were absolutely delicious! Would maybe not get the pizzette agian as it was quite average tasting but holy moly would highly reccomend the seared scallops and the crumbed mushrooms!<br/><br/> After our meal we decided to give dessert a go and ordered the apple crumble cheesecake with ice cream. Without exaggeration, this was by far one of the best cheesecakes I'd ever tried. Overall an extremely enjoyable experience at Vivace with impeccable service, would definitely return<br/><br/>Reccommended dishes: Applie crumble cheesecake and crumbed mushrooms!Service was 10/10 too; expected nothing less from this beautiful Italian eatery :)

One of my absolute faves in Auckland CBD been here so many times and never been disappointed. Lots of seating and some great unique seating options for groups. Beautiful wine selection and the food is always amazing! Most recent visit was for lunch and I had the poached chicken salad which was fantastic and a very good coffee. I love all of the tapas especially the ribs! Oh and the feijoa sorbet YUM! I think my husband would like it if they had more choice in beers.

The best thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere. As soon as you reach the top of the stairs, you are no longer on Auckland's chilly night time streets. <br/><br/>There is a large open fireplace to the right of the stairs, and we were told we could wait there to warm ourselves up while they readied our table - very nice.<br/><br/>The restaurant is dimly lit, but not that much that you can't see the food. Rather, it has a romantic feel to it. It is a great place to chat and catch up with friends, not having to worry that people will overhear your conversations and not having to worry that you would get kicked out if you stayed too long.<br/><br/>The team is very friendly and attentive, and kept filling up our water.<br/><br/>Between us three, we ordered the Spicy beef meatballs, Jerk chick tulips, Salt and pepper squid, and duck fat potatoes to share. <br/><br/>For mains, we had the smaller sized roast smoked duck risotto, smaller sized seared scallops and the Harissa lamb fillets.<br/><br/>All the tapas were really good and so was my seared scallops risotto! My friends liked their main dishes as well, but it was a bit too much food for 3 people to finish. Could probably do without 1 tapa and the side dish.

Had lunch there today<br/>This has been a long-time favourite of mine<br/>Had the Caesar salad<br/>Quite superb<br/>Excellent service and atmosphere<br/>Remains a winner

Overall score: 4.25/5 When the word ‘honeycomb’ is written onto a menu, I instinctively think of the confectionary... So I ordered it. And then I got a square of fresh honeycomb in a small dish with a generous slab of soft, salty gorgonzola and two chunky sweet dried figs. Even with bread, there is no dainty way to eat honeycomb.

My friend took me here for my birthday and it was just devine. Words cannot do our meals justice.<br/>The place is relaxing and has great ambience anytime of the night and day - in our case it was a lovely lunch and we sat in the terrace area that you can see from High St. The service was immaculate and non intrusive. The food well you must go and try for yourself if you are wanting an Italian in the city. Check out the products while waiting to pay if there is a queue.

I have been back Vivace a few times already, but the last time my brother tried Beetroot risotto w rocket, walnuts on Vegan venue. It is not as appetising as Vivice other food and Vegan food are not easy as the ingredient were a bit more restricted. I gave it a try anyway and I was so surprised by how good it is. The flavour was strong, unique and good. My favorite dish was Forest mushrooms w rocket & truffle risotto, but it's definitely the Beetroot risotto now. I would give the Beetroot risotto a 9/10 <br/><br/>March 2016<br/><br/>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Tried this place with Grabone voucher. Now it has become my favourite Italian restaurant. Good atmosphere, customer service and food. I tried some of their hot tapas and pizza, and they were fantastic.<br/><br/>Customer Service: 8/10 <br/><br/>Food: 8/10<br/><br/>Atmosphere: 8/10<br/><br/>Date: March 2015

I remember years ago when Vivace was at the top of Vulcan Lane. The space on High Street has character with the high studs. <br/><br/>Recommend the gnocchi in a tomato based sauce - always has a fine taste. <br/><br/>The wine list is extensive but they need to work on their beer options.

This place is stunning.  It perfects the trifecta of ambience, food and service.<br/><br/>We went to Vivace on Saturday after a show and without a booking.  We were warmly greeted on entering by a charismatic man in a grey suit and a twinkle in his eye.  He was great and found us a table no problem.  We decided to peruse the very extensive array of interesting bottles at the bar.  The two bar tenders were very knowledgeable and informative without being snotty and we thoroughly enjoyed talking to them.  We felt the prices were fair for top shelf rums and Tanqueray 10.  Very well made drinks by the way - those guys work hard!<br/><br/>The place was packed but we still felt as though we had privacy.  The main room is huge and the tables are well laid out so that you are not sitting on top of each other.  There is music..... somewhere, and it is just right, but you can still hold a conversation.  In a nutshell, Vivace does atmosphere as it should be done.<br/><br/>Now for the food.  We had Tapas.  They were awesome<br/>Salt and Pepper Squid - crispy, fresh, not chewy, yum.<br/>Side Salad - best dressing I've had in a restaurant.<br/>Jerk Chicken - delicious, just the right amount of chilli.<br/>Sticky Pork Ribs - finger licking great. I didn't like the raw onions in the salsa. (Restaurants - please list raw onions on menus for those of us hoping for a kiss at some stage in the next decade).<br/>Baby Beetroot - quite a strong vinegar taste but we did order this without the goats cheese and I think this may have balanced the dish out so all in all it was our fault. But they were cooked beautifully.<br/>Empanadas - I didn't try personally but I was told they were good.<br/>Pate - Oh the pate, well I have to be a bit careful here.  This pate was so exquisite I almost had a food orgasm.  Seriously.... I did.  It was incredible.  It was smooth, creamy, light, fresh, tasty, oh just the epitome of everything you want in a 5 star pate.  Dear chef, of said pate, you are amazing.  If I wasn't married I would get down on one knee.  And I am a woman so that would be awkward :o)<br/><br/>Well that is it.  Quite simply the best dining experience we have had over the last few years.<br/><br/>Well done Vivace.  If I give an award to best establishment of 2015 you are currently the front runner.

Vivace was a last minute dinner decision while in the city, and I was very eager to try for myself. We arrived without a booking around quarter to eight, and I wasn't surprised or disappointed for that matter that we needed to wait at the bar for a table - it was really busy, but I'm not surprised as the roaring fire enticed us in. <br/><br/>We were waiting for about twenty minutes before we got a table, where we then chose a selection of tapas for the table. The food did take quite a while to come, I'd say we waited around thirty minutes for the food to arrive. We had a large selection, including jerk chicken, crumbed mushrooms, bruschetta, lamb meatballs and duck fat potatoes. My least favourite dish was without a doubt the potatoes; they lacked any flavour and there was no seasoning at all. The rest of the dishes were tasty, but not 1000% delicious. <br/><br/>We did manage to share a few desserts, the Apple crumble cheesecake was AMAZING. I need that recipe asap ?

I LOVE this place. Can never find one fault at all! It's very warm, inviting and spacious! staff are very attentive and lovely, food comes out very quick. And lastly, the food tastes absolutely amazing. Special mention to the apple crumble cheesecake it is so good. Always have a good night at vivace.

Perfection. I enjoy quality food and can be at times a bit of a critic about underwhelming food. Vivace did not disappoint! It was to the highes of standards in all areas inclusive of food, decor, drinks and service. The gnocchi was cooked to perfection and the flavours were delicious. The salads were exceptional and nothing was bland. Travelling on holiday it's hard to find the best kept food secrets but we surely did stumble across one of Aucklands. <br/>This won't disappoint!

I went here with a bunch of friends for another friends 21st. A well decorated space with outdoor eating on a balcony looking over high street, lights dimmed a little inside that gives a little romantic feel to it lol. We wernt to sure on what to get so we got a couple tappas and pizza and it come out very fast considering we turned up late and everyone else had already ordered. The food was refreshingly good and they also had some yummy cocktails (that were quite pricey) to wash everything down. I loved it!

My partner and I enjoyed a lovely evening at Vivace to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. The restaurant is in between casual and fine dining as it is also a bar, it was busy being a Friday night but this was not a bad thing as there was a great vibe with dim candle lighting and well spread out tables. There is a great selection of interesting food combinations in the tapas range and plenty of options for main meals. <br/>I got the fish of the day on kumara mash which was absolutely delicious- it was a small portion so you could have tapas to start or still have room for a desert after (I recommend the chocolate brownie, yuum!) <br/>I also had the French rose, or two, to accompany the meal- it was divine! <br/>My partner had the chicken pizza which had a crispy base and lots of toppings- he thoroughly enjoyed it!<br/>Next time I would share a desert and get a tapa as they sounded exciting.

Vivace is my first Italian restaurant I have tried in Auckland. The food here is expectedly delicate and delicious.<br/>It is rather windy today, but with the help of the heaters, even we are sitting in the balcony, it feels warm and comfortable. As for four of us, we ordered three main dishes and one salad.<br/>We asked the waiter for today's fish, though we had no idea of what fish it was. It didn't matter much cuz it tasted well matched with the special dressing. The chicken fillet was fantastic. It was not like the normal fillet that we had. To my surprise, it was wrapped by a piece of bacon and the sauce perfectly fit the taste. One of my friends choose the beef dishes. What he said was the beef was well selected and he was quite satisfied with it.<br/>Mine was a prawn salad and it did taste good.<br/>Nice dinner with my friends at Vivace! Great environment, good service! xxxx

Amazing ambience here, perfect for a dinner date, with the restaurant next to the bar in the open space. You have to go up some stairs and through some curtains to find this amazing restaurant. Service was attentive and attuned to how attentive you wanted them to be, and the food was amazing.<br/><br/>Fish of the day ($36) was flaky blue warehou fillets on a bed of couscous and salad. I'm really picky when it comes to fish, especially since I'm used to extremely fresh and well cooked fish, but this restaurant impressed me! The chef is probably the first New Zealand one to cook the fish to perfection for my standards. The fish clearly tasted fresh and none of its natural taste was masked by herbs or copious amounts of oil. It was also just right, as overcooked fish can taste a bit rough rather than sleek smooth and tender. Amazing.<br/><br/>The great thing about this restaurant is you can opt for a large main or you can get several tapas (or both, if you have an appetite!). I tried out the chicken tulips with pepper, lime and ginger, and the kumara, chorizo and mozzarella with Parmesan aioli. Side note: that cheesy Parmesan aioli tasted really good with the blue warehou. <br/><br/>The chicken tulips ($13) were my next favourite. Tender and flavoursome with just the right amount of lime flavour, and on the bone, they were really good. It's like a fancy version of KFC that's a step up. Guaranteed to be a palatable favourite for all ages, and there's quite a lot for that dish.<br/><br/>The croquettes ($13) were so-so, I found them a little too spicy for my liking. I think croquettes should be mellow savoury affairs personally. However, the dish was most definitely excellent. The outside was crumbly and crispy and the insides golden with kumara and mozzarella. I think it was mostly the chorizo bits that were lending it the extra spice.<br/><br/>Overall, amazing food at prices that aren't too bad really. Come here for a chef who knows how to handle his fish.

Hands down the best Italian food in Auckland. Every time I come here the service is fast / polite and the food is always fantastic. Can never fault them on anything. Have recommended to friends and colleagues for the last two years, end up coming here regularly and the quality is consistent. Don't change a thing Vivace! I &lt;3 you!

We had not been to Vivace for a couple of years. Was excellent then and is still excellent. We opted to share a bunch of tapas. The scallops were a standout and the hummus was terrific. The pizzette crust was thin and crispy (just the way I like it). The croquettes were a little bland, but that did not stop me mopping up the sauce they were in with a piece of bread. <br/><br/>Service was outstanding. The staff are obviously familiar with things and were able to answer any questions that we had. Food arrived in a very timely fashion and everything was very well presented.<br/><br/>The desserts were also great. The pav was fascinating to look at (had all of us wondering how on earth they did it) and was enjoyed. My chocolate tart was just the right balance of flavours and the apple crumble cheesecake has to be seen to believe.<br/><br/>Cannot recommend Vivace enough. Given the quality of everything (food, service) this place is seriously excellent value for money.

Love this place! Food is gorgeous and service is great. Highly recommend if you want a cool atmosphere. Have been coming here for years and still can't resist ordering the kumera gnocchi - sooooo good. Our fav restaurant in Auckland :)

I go to Vivace quite regularly, favourite restaurant to eat at in Auckland. The tapas are fantastic, namely the haloumi and meatballs, the pepperoni pizzette is fantastic, coming from someone whose stomach usually turns at the idea of pepperoni. I have sampled most of the main courses which are all fantastic, the specials are always good and the fish of the day is always fresh and tasty. They have great friendly staff who greet me with a smile every time, and make it a pleasure to return which I will be doing soon :)

Overall 3/5<br/>Food 2/5<br/>Service 4/5<br/>Great customer service and ambience, food for the price was less ten average. $32 could have gotten me a much better lamb shank elsewhere. Overall not a bad place to host an event.

Two thumbs up to Vivace for delicious food, yummy cocktails and super awesome service . Myself, my sister and our friend had tapas and drinks on the balcony last night 16-3-2013, this was our first time dining there and we totally enjoyed our experience, we will definitely be back! And also a big thank you and 3 high-5's to James who was the perfect waiter, now that's what you call awesome service :)

Vivace is one of the long standing High Street inhabitants. I was with a group of 10, and wanted to see how the restaurant stacks up on a Friday night with a large table. It’s a surprisingly large venue, with vaulted wooden ceilings, a balcony area over High St, plenty of indoor seating, private rooms, a separate bar area and an outside courtyard. The reception and initial services was very friendly and courteous. I hate being packed in when eating with a larger entourage, but we had plenty of room at our table in a mostly full restaurant. So far so good. <br/>The group mostly ordered shared plates from the Tapas menu. Those that I tried – including mozzarella and goats cheese balls, grilled haloumi, calamari, and the bread and dips were all tasty and well presented. Everyone at the table commented favourably on their own selections. My previous experience at Vivace ordering mains was that they were basic and under-whelming, however the couple that selected them on this occasion were happy with what they chose. The pizzettes were generous, though rather over-endowed with cheese, to the extent that one was sent back, and it was happily replaced with one that was just right. <br/>I didn’t have a dessert on this occasion, several were ordered by others and they were all eaten up with haste.<br/>The service was always very friendly and started very well, but slowly faded through the night, making it hard for us to order a last round of drinks, and leaving us with a 25 minute wait to be able to order desserts. Side note: Why does this happen in Auckland restaurants? Keep up the positive attention consistently through to when you farewell me from the premises, that is the way to give a great experience. <br/>I’ve been coming to this restaurant for many years, and I believe it is many years since the menu has changed. I’m talking 3 or 4 years at least, but it could be more. I think it’s a bad sign when a restaurant doesn’t innovate. Sure, keep some favourites, but give the chef a change to impress me, or at least give me a reason to come back.<br/>Vivace is mostly competent but inconsistent, it lets itself down in several areas. Update the menu, keep the service consistent, and Vivace could become an icon of High Street.<br/>3 stars from the ThoughtfulReviewer.com

Last Thursday 27th Sept 2012 a group of us (8) went to Vivace for a farewell lunch. I was extremely disappointed in the level of service we received. When we arrived we were not even given the courtesy of being shown to our table. Instead the woman at the arrival desk just pointed and said "there's your table over there". Just appalling. We were not told of any specials for the day and at one point the waitress threw the dessert menu across the table to one of my colleagues and kept leaning across the other side of the table when she should have walked around to that side.<br/>Not up to the standard I would expect from a restaurant of this quality and considering we spent nearly $700. Will not go back which is a shame considering I have eaten there several times. Wake up Vivace!

Been here a lot now since this is our new favourite. Great layout very big place.always the right temperature also with an outdoor area for smokers, vivace has an indoor fire pit. Service has always been perfect, friendly staff who respond to the customers needs with experience. The food here is Devine the kumera gnocchi is a fab and once when they had an optional set dinner menu I had a potatoe gnocchi that blew my socks off too, they are amazing with their pastas and have always cooked my steak to medium rare like I ask. Large portions of mains I can't always finish them. Never been as part of a big group just 2-4 of us. I have never been disappointed by anything at vivace and can't wait to have a function here.

Was bought here by banking clients when I first moved to AKL - first thought as saw the old staircase was that clearly I wasn't seen as an A list client as looked a bit dodgy from street. Completely wrong and was blown away by the slick but friendly staff, nice mix of people from old suits to the young &amp; hip corporate types. <br/>Discovered this is where these guys came when they wanted to feel relaxed while having a business lunch. They don't take bookings at lunch unless you are with a big group but there seemed to be plenty of space &amp; the group I was with never left the high bar tables in the bar. We shared tapas - all good &amp; a few nice small weird beers and loved the crazy Scottish waitress. Will be back

Had the Scallop and Chorizo hot tapas as entree which was OK. The Moroccan Lamb Pie main was spicey hot but the lamb was tough and the pastry horrible. The Tiramasu Cheescake dessert was nice.<br/>We went with a big group and the single waitress seemed to take ages to take orders etc

We really enjoyed our dining experience here. Tapas were fantastic as a shared starter. Highly recommend the goats cheese and mozzarella balls and lambs ribs! Timing was really good with the food coming out for quite a busy Friday night. My one and only downside about the evening was that we booked a table earlier in the day and when we arrived we had to wait at the bar for 30mins after our reservation time. Feeling slightly pressured to buy multiple drinks at the bar instead of being seated. All in all a great night

Candles Candles and lots of Candles, WOW...love the atmosphere walking up the staircase opening the curtains and your mood will surely change..my wife and I were greeted by a friendly gentleman at the counter who took us to our table, next to the fire place. The place was a little noisy as there was a function happening, but that didn't stop us from enjoying fine food and hospitality of the staff. Chicken tulips and Soy &amp; Sesame Prawns for entrée we asked the chef to make then spicy to warm us up and it turned out to be an awesome dish must try if you love spicy food..mains where again mouthwatering I had fish of the day which was Snapper and my wife had Chicken fillets ...Although the restaurant was very busy on the bar end, we were taken care off all the way to the end, very attentive and friendly staff..there was a small wait but that was expected when there are more guest then expected.. Definitely coming back again with friends this time...great place to mingle with friends or a nice romantic dinner...Vivace caters for everyone..

been here quite a few times. always good food. had a work function in one of their private rooms which was a really nice space. excellent service. the main inside area has quite bad acoustics conversation-wise. beautiful sunny lunch spots on the deck too. the kumara gnocchi was really beautiful.

One of my favorite city centre eateries. Went again recently with a big group . Fantastic food service and atmosphere always packed as a result!<br/><br/>This is somewhere I have been going to for a long time and over time it keeps improving. The food is quick tasty and varied. The kitchen is open so you can see the chef at work. Service is always top notch.

Thoroughly recommend the wine room for small party.<br/><br/>Great tapas and well trained staff.<br/><br/>Will go again.

Very cool restaurant with several dinning areas. Great selection of food and all reasonably priced. Really awesome gnocchi! Have also been just for desert as it is open late. Well worth a visit!

Given a one star rating due to 2 out of the 4 of us firstly sending both of their Veal mains back because they tasted very bland and overcooked, secondly because what one of those meals was replaced with was the chicken risotto which tasted like a campbells chicken soup tin recipe. I could make much nicer food at home. Thirdly on leaving one of us wanted to give $5 more contribution to the bill which the 'man' behind the counter was totally confused about and then blamed us for there being a queue because HE had got confused. Used to be a good place, is no longer I'm afraid. Much better places out there!

We had a really lovely dinner here, the food was lovely, market fish - not something I would normally order. the wine list is truely amazing and the service was friendly, very attentive and non intrusive. Definately helped make the night of our engagement a truely special evening.

Food is consistently good here, the wait staff are exceptional, they know us and are always friendly, but not intrusive. <br/><br/>We love the tapas as it suits the group that we dine with, which can be 2 to 10 people. The variety of tapas is good and the cannelloni is great also! Sometimes wish they would have a specials menu to expand the tapas as we end up having the same old things everytime.But they are good same old things.<br/><br/>I'd recommend this restaurant, it's casual, friendly, buzzy with good food.

I held a birthday dinner with 14 friends, booking was very smooth, and I was able to ask them how it was to be arranged. The people were always very helpful.<br/><br/>Food was excellent, everyone enjoyed their meal. Service was exceptional, if they keep up the high care they pay to serving their customers I will definitely be back. The place was nice, if a bit dark (hard to read menu).<br/><br/>There was a $15 cake fee which was unexpected but they did a good job of slicing and serving on plates with some cream and raspberry sauce. <br/><br/>Very good experience, will be back.

I've been here so many times and have never been disappointed! Any time I want somewhere NICE to bring someone, especially out of towners. <br/>Go for the belly pork entree and the individual pavs for dessert. OMG, it's all good to be honest.<br/>I even used one of their function rooms for my birthday last year. I love their food, the atmosphere, and if I could find out HOW they train their staff so well, I would bottle it!

Very difficult to be disappointed here - consistently excellent and interesting. I've been going here since they were in Vulcan Lane, take all my overseas visitors and recommend it to everyone. Everyone loves it.

Great service and huge airy space makes a great atmosphere.<br/>I have been here for drinks and a couple of dinners last year but this time we wanted to go for tapas.<br/>3 of us had the duck pizza, and 4 tapas (beef carpaccio, popcorn prawn, lamb ribs, scallops) + the vege side dish. <br/>All the dishes were good/adequate, but not amazing, so thought the prices were a bit pricy.<br/>We also had their $8 mocktail which again was nice but not amazing.

Went here for dinner before a show at the Civic. Its a great open space, wooden floors and racks of wine everywhere. They have a few private dining rooms as well. <br/><br/>The service was efficient. They bought water quickly and came to take both our drinks and food orders quickly as well. Us girls opted to share a few tapas and the boys both went with a fish of the day main. They also do pasta and pizza but we did not try them on this occasion. The tapas were excellent. I am still thinking about the empanadas, simply devine. <br/><br/>The fish of the day was tuna. My husband queried when ordering if it was just seared i.e raw in the middle. He was told it was so was most disappointed when it arrived cooked through. He told the waitress and it was taken away no questions asked. A new dish came out about 5 mins later and was perfect. So very happy how this was dealt with.<br/><br/>The wine list is long and there is reasonably priced options. This place has something for everyone.

We went to Vivace before the film festival and loved it. The tapas were great and the service was even better.