A great place to get your authentic Italian fix. Easily the best Duck dish - ‘the duck ravioli’, great wood fired pizzas and amazing deserts. The Cannolo is one of the best in Auckland.
I give my reviews on comparison with similar priced restaurants. While this isn't in my top restaurants list, it's an excellent choice in Ponsonby for a mid-end dining experience.
I would recommend the pizzas and drinks.
Came to Farina for my sister’s birthday dinner and had an amazing experience! The calamari was fantastic, as were this wood fired pizzas and pasta. Staff are very friendly and accommodating, lovely service. Even got to watch a very talented artist paint a new mural on the outside wall. Will definitely be back!
The guanciale pizza was by far the tastiest out of the three dishes we ordered. I do not recommend the spaghetti alla cetara as we thought it was way too salty. The duck tortelloni was bland but had interesting side flavour thanks to the sweetness of the pomegranate (like). I like the decor of the restaurant and that there was an outside area (but next to a parking lot and bins). Service was good, attentive, a bit on the slow side as we waited half an hour.
***Please note Zomato Gold users: This restaurant recently changed their Zomato Gold policy. You will need to spend minimum $35pp in order to get the free dish. This is unlike other restaurants which is normally buy 1 get 1 equal or less value dish for free. Currently this is not clearly advertised.
Another great night at Farina. The service was top notch as usual and the food was super tasty. I really enjoyed the cauliflower dish, and thought that adding some kind of sauce to it could be a nice touch.
Great service, food came out really fast and was delicious! Only thing was that the arancini could have been a bit hotter but otherwise it was very yummy:)
Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! Eggplant parmigiana, garlic pizza bread, burrata pizza, boscaiola (perfect for those who aren’t big blue cheese eaters) tiramisu. I’ve been raving about it all morning! Lovely staff who didn’t mind hangry girls 😂 I’ll definitely be back... often.
Best pizza ever. Order the guanciale!
From the food to service everythings absolutely amazing. We ordered the mushroom guanciale pizza, clam pasta and crudo with yellow fine tuna. Hands down one of the best pizzas in Auckland. Will definitely be paying them another visit!
We ordered the parma pizza and the spaghetti. The pizza came out very fast and was one of the best pizzas I have ever had. The spaghetti was not tomato based, which was quite surprising, however the flavours were rich and delicious. It's hard to explain in words how good the food was here, and even harder to go back to 'normal' pizza. The service was also excellent, and it was nice that the whole kitchen is in view of the diners. I would recommend booking as the restaurant gets very full.
Solid as per usual. Courgette flowers as a special were very good. Crispy and packed with mozzarella and ricotta. Pizza with the white anchovies was great yet again. Love the pizza dough they use. Thin and has just the right amount of colour on it to add to the flavour.
One of the best Italian restaurant we've ever been! We are a south American couple (Argentina & Brazil), we went to Farina to celebrate my husband's birthday and we had a perfect night! The restaurant is in one of the best neighborhoods to go out on a Saturday night (Ponsonby), the atmosphere of the place is great! We highly recommend eating by the kitchen so you'll get to see how they're able to deliver the best service! The respect and perfection from the chef is so good to see and we want to stand out the organization and cleanliness of Mario! Our night was also pretty funny thanks to Ash! Quality food 10/10! Thanks Farina for this unforgettable dinner, we'll be back!
One of the best places for Italian in Auckland. Classic rustic Italian food, beautiful flavours, great Italian wine selection. There's so many things to enjoy about Farina's - the attentive staff, delicious food and comfortable atmosphere.
Ongoing reviews from different things we have eaten when dining at Farina:
We loved the flounder, clam linguine and crab ravioli.
The fish stew was superb. So much flavour and copious ammounts of snapper, octopus, prawns and tuatua (clams).
Hapuka wings and clams - delicious flavours and beautiful fish. Get some extra bread to mop up the sauce with.
My friend had the Beef Lasagna which he loved.
The Chianti is a great Italian red. Goes with pretty much everything on the menu. Totally worth getting at least one bottle for the table.
Finished with the delicious classic Italian dessert Tiramisu.
Another night of exceptional food and service.
Amazing dinner at Farina! This is one of our favourite places in Auckland and the go-to restaurant to meet friends and colleagues. Cozy vibes and great food.
Last time we went there were 6 of us and we had a feast. I strongly recommend the meatballs and the gnocchi. This time we had a fantastic stew and delicious pizzas (we went for the burrata with truffle and the vegetarian one - both of them recommend 100%!). Parmigiana is also a must. I would honestly order everything in the menu. We went for a pinot noir and some of us had their classic espresso martini 👌 And of course, tiramisu to close a gorgeous meal ❤️
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First time trying for dinner on a Friday night- simple meal of pizza, drinks and dessert. Had the Vesuvio and it was so simple but the most delicious Italian pizza I’ve tried in New Zealand! The base was thin and light but wasn’t falling apart. I loved that you could fold the slices and the toppings remained. The crust wasn’t doughy as it was also light and the perfect crisp. I was persuaded by the most cheerful staff who was taking care of our table the whole time, to try their espresso martini and I was so glad I did! Espresso martinis are so good when made right but could be so terrible and I have to say, out of many espresso martinis I have tried in akl restaurants, here has been the best! The amount of foam at the top and the creaminess it added, the taste of the coffee bean smelt and tasted delicious with the perfect amount and mix of martini.
THE DESSERT. Oh my. We actually tried their tiramisu dessert on Uber eats first and my partner and I fell in love with it but hadn’t tried anything else.
I’m extremely lactose but I inhaled a lot of lactose pills just so I could indulge in their tiramisu and fondente al cioccolato. Chefs kiss! Can’t wait to explore the rest of the menu!
I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the interior design looked so fun. Small space but utilised very well. I thought they made very well good use of table and bar spacing and was able to fit a lot in but it didn’t feel crowded. Nice place for families and date night!
Excellent food. Made with love and care.
Friendly staff and atmosphere.
The octopus was cooked perfectly.
Wow! Wow! Wow! It's doesn't get more authentic than Farina if you're in the mood for some southern Italian food. Fresh and thoughtful ingredients. I can not fault anything on their menu.
They have a great wine selection of local and Italian imports of key varieties that will keep your pallet suitably entertained.
Staff of friendly and the overall vibe is great.
Beautiful restaurant and some of the best customer service I have ever had. You could tell the staff were genuinely happy to be there. Also great food! I had the gnocchi and it was the best gnocchi I had of my life. definitely will be back for more. Great portions as well for value of money. My partner and I only had an entree and a main each, and both left feeling very full and satisfied.
Came with friends the other night and wasn't disappointed!
We definitely pigged out and ordered a lot - see photos - and did not have any regrets whatsoever.
The risotto of the day was chock-full of flavourful, fresh clams and was the highlight - and I normally detest risotto!
The only complaint from my mates was that the pizza was a bit too salty, although I didn't think so at all.
Would absolutely bring mates here again, the wait staff made the wait for food barely noticeable too 👌
Farina is a truly delightful Italian dining spot where authenticity meets ambience in Ponsonby.
I started my meal with the Crudo appetizer, raw fish with citrus salad, which tantalized my palate with its freshness.
The standout, however, was the Linguine – a symphony of flavors that perfectly balanced the briny clams with the silkiness of the pasta.
For pizza lovers, the Boscaiola is a must-try, generously topped with mushrooms and mozzarella cheese.
The service deserves a special mention, with a nod to Ash, who's not only attentive and friendly but also shares a love for korean culture.
Looking forward to my next visit to Farina!
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