Sluurpy > Restaurants in Auckland > Caffe E Cucina

Review Caffe E Cucina - Auckland

G S
Very good Steak, salad, Tiramisù, as per pictures. The tiramisù is 18, whereas the 300 gr Steak is 45
Kambiz Radman
They made our Saturday afternoon. A bit late lunch but worth ever. Warm Welcomed. Quiet place around 2.30pm to 3.30pm. A bit confused about menu as heaps options. But we took: lamb rak, spaghetti conberan, and special chicken xxx. Lemonade and bloody orange juice plus API. Yummmmy foods ever. I loved spaghetti perfect. Lam cooked very well. 10 out of 10. Recommended.
Duncan Macnicol
First impression: it's an Italian restaurant in a car park. Spacious venue & fantastic wine list. Freindly service with plenty of good options on the menu. We had Cesar Salad & Artichoke Pizza. The salad was exactly what I would expect from an Italian restaurant in Sicily. The Pizza was lacking flavour. The base was a perfect start to create a tasty pie. Unfortunately, the slabs of ham didn't do the pizza justice. It need more attention to detail. Had all the ingredients to be a fantastic pizza, but not today. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Caffe E Cucina, looking forward to our return. Four Stars...
jin hee ahn
Been here after many years. Food was still nice but the service was very poor. I was almost slipped over in the reception area when both coming in and out. The area was slippery but there wasn't any signs or excuses from staff members.
Morgan Williams
I went to Caffe E Cucina for a tinder date (which went pretty well, I think she likes me!) for lunch, and had a great time. We ordered different kinda small plates from the prima section of the menu and shared those which worked well as we weren't super hungry. The service was good, and prices not toooo bad. The food was definitely the highlight (after the company) with everything cooked to perfection. Seared tuna blew my mind.
Ozana Corkery
Delicious pasta and beautifully presented on the plate, we also ordered a kids’ bolognese pasta which was yummy.
marvin navarrete
Team lunch today. Not crowded. Good ambience and music not too loud. Amazing food. Great serving! Ordered seared salmon and it was yum! Definitely worth a visit when you're in Albany.
Matt Wilson
We went for dinner and had lamb gnocchi and the margarita pizza, the gnocchi was the star of the show, really flavoursome, the pizza was lacking, needed some more flavour. All in all was a nice dinner at a good price.
James Francis
Very good place for a Kai & a chill. Like all places, it may have it's days as depicted in some other reviews, but we had/have had a great time there, and the food was pretty top notch. Very friendly table staff, and a nice flow and atmosphere, very tidy, quite flash. Only gripe is the time taken for the kai to get out to you. Had garlic bread, pork, a pasta dish, and chips on the last visit. This may have just been us, only been here 3 or 4 times so far so not really sure overall. The last time though, it did seem to take quite some time and that was a Sunday. I think it might have been only 1 chef on which may be why. But it's a nice setting so the time factor isn't really an issue unless time is a factor for you. Highly recommend the pork belly dish, had a really nice dressing on the salad which was awesome, when you hate salad. Ate it all up. Nice. Otherwise, definitely awesome food, lovely place. Easy to get in and out, plenty of parking, has wheelchair access. Cheers.
头鱼
Great food and coffee during weekdays. I was stunned by the fantastic taste of the coffee that I was served, and how beautiful and tasty the egg Benedict the chef made. You can feel every element matched in a magical way in your mouth. The hollandaise sauce was the best I’ve had for years. It has this silky and smooth and creamy texture that a great hollandaise should have. It holds the shape throughout the whole meal. Which was again how it should be but not every restaurant could do. The manager was funny as well. He checked at the right time made us feel welcomed. Try go during the weekdays though. We went there on Saturday again, the coffee was extremely bitter, and the egg Benedict was swimming in the water that came out of the blanched spinach and poached eggs. The hollandaise was terribly made as well. I felt a bit sorry for the food.
Doors Doors
Thanks for a wonderful experience last night. A group of 15 people and your service was excellent. Your staff Attentive, the food was amazing. Lamb rack is a must. Out of all 15 guests they all enjoyed the service, their meals and dessert. Thanks we will be back. Hobson & Gibbs family.
Toni Sutherland
Brunch for nine on Sunday for a birthday treat with family. Excellent service, delicious food in a great setting. This family has found a new meeting place. Cheers.
Vicky Hunt
Amazing food, perfect service, nothing is too hard for them. Would recommend to everyone. Coffee is great too ��
Matthew Nickson
Perfect Italian food with an incredible wine list to match! All the staff were super friendly and supremely helpful too.
Kimberly Sanders Grubjesic
We weren’t expecting much from this restaurant tucked away in an industrial park but had a gift voucher - we were really impressed with the friendly service, ambience and yummy food with huge portions! We’re planning our next meal there already : )
David Jones
Had a fantastic dinner for 4 last night. Awesome service, nothing was too much trouble for the team looking after us. Superb fish, whitebait, and a rib-eye that was just huge topped with prawns. Fantastic. We will be going back to try more from that big menu.
Corey Brooks
Not bad, very average service. Asked for a speights beer.. "oh we dont do speights" so I asked for a Heineken which they also did not have after waiting for 5 mins to be served at the bar. Do better
Brian Bertie
Celebrated our diamond wedding here, there were 13 of us and the staff were magnificent, we were treated royally, everyone had nothing but praise for the quality of the food and the impeccable service. Thank you so much for making it an unforgettable evening.
Zane Cleaver
I faaarking luv the joint. The owner Slav just rocks. Boooom bada booom.
Ellie Ross
Had a nice coffee, I found it strange that they were looking at their bookings at 10am on a Saturday, didn't feel welcoming especially when the place was only half full? We found a little corner out front with the smokers, yuck
Julie Sorensen
Fantastic food and service. Was a great place to have Mother's day breakfast, even though it was very busy, we didn't have to wait too long for our food. Delicious!
Cindy De Sousa Hall
Best pizza in town, great vibe & excellent service!
Sarah Wilson
We had a wonderful dinner Saturday night the service was exceptional and the food was wonderful. Staff went out of their way to accomodate our every need. Very impressed will definetly be back
Andrea Mynott
Absolutely fantastic staff and food was amazing! Our group of 11 thoroughly enjoyed our night out, will definitely be back!
Cat
Best customer service at this restaurant, always welcoming and friendly and the food is delicious too! Doesn’t look like much from the outside, it’s a large restaurant in a funny location but it’s worth a visit. Loads to choose on the menu and the service is excellent.
Roxy
Excellent service, I’ve been here a couple times and the service and food is always up to scratch, my only criticism would be that the menu isn’t very clear on any other gluten free options other than pizza. The express lunch is a good price also for what you get and the quality
Elliott Chang
First place I didn't feel bad when I pressed 'no' for adding tip on eftpos. I don't know what their problem is. Is this the way typical Italians behave to their customers in Italy? Or you have a problem with one of our group that didn't order drinks? Or being racist towards asian. No hostile behaviour or anything but we can definitely feel the lack of respect from humnlan-to-human. Food was really good few years back but now it's average
O & S Djokovic
Very bland food ...poor quality. We ordered garlic bread and received pica bread with plenty of cheese <br/>And rosemary....gross....although waitress try to convince us that cook brushed it with garlic...main fish and steak...lacking flavours stake was unevenly done...<br/>High prices for the quality.....
Sarah English
Amazing food, king prawns and calamari to start with Caesar Salad and Fish of the day for main. Great wine recommendation and love the service! Had been a while since we had been but reminded us of why we love it. Keep up the good work team x
BelaIna
This is an hidden gem. <br/>The place has character and the service was exceptional. I was looking at the ratings and I do understand for some people the experience is personal but honestly : give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. <br/>To be fair the ambiance is beautiful. The dish presentation great and the prices very reasonable. <br/>I absolutely loved the burrata, not so impressed with my fettuccini alla marinara ( the sauce was watery and was lacking in flavour) but other than that everything was good. I could see that my friends were very pleased with the place in general. <br/>It felt like a piece of Italy in the middle of Albany
Nia T
My friend and I went over the shore for a ride and we came across this establishment. A lovely gentleman greeted us and made us feel welcome. The setting was wonderful and cosy. My partner ordered rib eye with potato stack and green vegetables whereas I ordered the beef cheek cannelloni which was recommended by the gentleman. I don't have anything negative about these dishes. Cannelloni was creamy with the beef cheek melting in your mouth and the sauce was scrumptious. The rib eye was cooked in perfection and so were the greens. The only downside was the sauce had a bitter taste afterwards. Otherwise, everything was amazing.
Anastasia Matiatos
Caffe E Cucina is damn fine girlfriend. Used to come here when I was younger and it was always fairly good. I recently ordered from here off uber eats and let me tell you sis it was delish. I got the Spaghetti with fettuccini and it was a perfect portion size and was probably the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've ever had. It was full of flavour it was just perfect I enjoyed every mouthful. The order also came super fast and was still really hot. Can't hype this place up enough, need to try this place out hun. x
Ubaba
Their cannelloni wasnt good.. just big sheets of loose pasta rolled up with an average sauce. I’ve also tried their duck risotto which is very bland there was no aromats at all like garlic to give it flavour tasted like boiled shredded duck and mushrooms also the rice wasn’t cooked through abit hard still lol I also ordered a steak meal. It was cooked medium rare but there were burnt bits on the steak that overpowered the whole dish. Definitely won’t be ordering from here again.
Vivian C
My boyfriend and I came here for their Valentine’s Day 3-course dinner. I had high expectations for a good night due to the friendly service upon arrival and the pleasant outdoor ambience.<br/><br/>The first course was a small selection of Italian meats and cheeses alongside some bread, pickles and olives. A bit simple, but I quite enjoyed everything on this platter. <br/><br/>Unfortunately, things only went downhill from here. <br/>The mains took around half an hour to forty minutes to come out. My choice of Chicken Breast w/ Mash was rather flavourless, dry, and dull while my boyfriend’s Eye Fillet was extremely tough that it took maximum effort to cut with a steak knife. I tried a bite of his and I ended up spitting it back out because it was impossible to chew. <br/><br/>Dessert took another half hour to arrive and wasn’t the best either. The Passionfruit White Chocolate Cheesecake was overpoweringly sweet that I was cringing with each bite and the Chocolate Brownie tasted slightly better but was also just as sweet. <br/><br/>The dinner took around 3 hours, with the majority of it spent just waiting for meals or for our tables to be cleared. It was virtually impossible to get the servers’ attention (would have to have my hand up for a good 5 minutes at a time), somewhat understandable considering it was Valentine’s Day, however they should have rostered more people on since it would be expected to be a busy shift.<br/><br/>A very disappointing and frustrating experience (especially one that was valued at $60 per person!) on what was supposed to be a beautiful and romantic night.
Jarrod Teoh
We purchased the lamb shoulder for two and carbonara pasta lastnight through Uber Eats. What an absolute unmitigated disappointment. The lamb was bland unseasoned and no herbs. Just moist flavourless meat. The duck fat potatoes came to us as 5 potato wedges. FIVE WEDGES!!! For a meal that is supposed to feed two people! FIVE WEDGES???!!! The pasta was the worst part amazingly. For $25.90 the plastic container it came in, that every fast food place uses so you know the size, was NOT EVEN HALF FULL! For $25.90 !!! It was a lump in the middle and was not even touching the sides of the dish. Absolutely disappointed beyond belief for a total of $105.90 spent we felt ripped off, taken advantage of and worst of all utterly let down for what we were expecting was to be a lavish treat/meal for the both of us. Never going to buy from here again and recommend you do not either !!! I regret not having taken a photo of the pasta to show you all it was a disgrace !!!
Nawar
Top notch restaurant! Amazing food and excellent service! Will definitely be coming back here! I highly recommend this place if it’s an authentic Italian restaurant is what you’re after! Thanks for having us 😁
Bevan Edwards
We went here for dinner last night on a bit of a whim - we were not disappointed.  The servers were attentive to our needs and offered good suggestions.  The food was delicious (lamb rack for my wife and eye fillet for me, along with anti pasti for primi and the brownie and apple & rhubarb crumble for dolce).  We were also impressed that they were able to provide Spritz drinks for us, which weren't on the menu.  This has become our new favourite Italian restaurant.
Julia
$ 15 for main menu plus coffee. The service is perfect.<br/>Food is a general taste.<br/>I was impressed by the staff who were very helpful.The luxurious atmosphere also allows i to stay for a long time.
Mmmfood
Yes! I finally found a great Italian restaurant in Auckland, again. The service was incredibly friendly and responsive. The atmosphere is nice and light and the decor is very tasteful. Most of all, the pizza was an absolute delight. We will definitely be back!
Maiya Richmond
Yummy food for an awesome price! <br/>Really like the meals here, only disappointment was my eggs, when asking not to have runny eggs the waiter seemed confused and I still got given runny eggs, ended up being alright because the meal was just as satisfying with the eggs left to the side.
Waz
Tasty food, friendly service and nicely decorated but very over-priced for a place describing itself as "Casual dining." $19 for an entree of three scallops and then $38 for a main which didn't have any vegetables (they were another $10 per side) is not casual dining to most people. Also, no BYO option, so adding in alcohol to the food cost becomes a very expensive night out
Waiwera
Came in here for a coffee. Little bit confusing as to whether it is a coffee house or a restaurant.. <br/>Regardless of that, the premise is clean with well presented decor and coffee was very nice. Hard to attract the staffs attention when you’re sat outside so had to order coffees twice from the bar but still a beautiful place though :))
Ayame
Loved the atmosphere and customer service was fantastic. The lamb gnocchi and risotto was definitely worth going back for and panna cotta was delicious!
Demery Noma
Went there yesterday with my cousins and the staff was so friendly. I was impressed by the ambiance. I have a few allergies such as gluten, onion and garlic (on a fodmap diet) and they were very accomodating in what I could eat and how to make sure I wouldn't have any reaction to it. Lots of choices, but I went for pizza which I loved. My cousins also said their food was yum. Furthermore, lots of wines to choose from!! Will definitely be coming back.
David Hare
Expenisve takeaway pizza should be better than dominos $5 pizzas not worse. Would not recommend have tried 2 times with the same result so not a one off.<br/><br/>
Carol
This was yum was let down as went on Tuesday was charged 65 for the rib eye steak when the special on line is $40 with a glass of wine. Also salad looked old I could not even eat it. Emailing them about the over charge on the steak, this is why the rating is so low I should not have to ask for the on line discount. <br/>.
LH
Love the food! So much so I am scared to try something new but each time I do the meal is equally as good! Amazing service. Can not fault the place.
Alaina Furlong
My family and I went out for my birthday dinner last night, service was AMAZING, the manager and the waiter were fantastic, professional but incredibly humorous. They were more than happy to alter foods to suit everyone, and suggested meals when we were after something in particular to suit someone. All of the meals were delicious, and there were so many to choose from. When we arrived we were asked what the reason for the visit was, and then a birthday dessert for myself was bought out when we ordered desserts. <br/><br/>We had been for a birthday dinner a few years back which was equally as wonderful. I will definitely be back soon!
Annemarie M
Best breakfast on the Shore!!! If you get there before 10am the entire breakfast menu is $15 including coffee!!!! <br/><br/> The menu is extensive with an Italian flair. We come here most weekends and have done for years... Every single time the food and service is fabulous!! <br/><br/>The Avocado and Feta Smash and Mushrooms with Eggs and Truffle Oil are outstanding. Large portions of deliciousness!!!!<br/><br/>Coffee is also great!! <br/><br/>Service is friendly and efficient.... And they are always on hand with that massive pepper grinder!!!
Andrew
Fast friendly service, amazing tasting dishes and good wine knowledge from the waiter - warm inside on a cold night as well - great night had by our party of seven
Yzette Van Der Westhuizen
We were there for an early Sunday dinner (Four of us) and was impressed with the personal approach of the staff and I guess, becuase they were not busy, we got extra special attention including a free glass of Lemoncella each at the end of the meal. The pasta I had was just how I like it,  not creamy or with a tomato based sauce, but with olive oil and chillies.The steak and pizza the others had looked good and accordingly to them it was a good meal. Very good wine selection. Will defnitely go back!
Debbie Breedt
Been here a few times and NEVER disappointed! Excellent service, waiters and management have a good sense of humour, food top notch. Good to find authentic Italian dishes on the shore. Highly recommended.
Shreya Divakar
this place is just horrible.. i don't know why i read so many positive reviews and spent 50 dollars on lunch.. pasta had no sauce.. risotto with prawns was fine.. and chips were quite different from other restaurants.. ya but it was extra salty.. and for 10$.. 😕🙄
Jack
Been to this cafe for two occasions. Excellent service on both. Dinner was excellent. Breakfast did not meet expectations. The Grand breakfast had very dry and hard bacon, and was such a waste served with no sauce.
Jazmin Lee
I used to come here with my family for dinner, a bit expensive but it's what you get for a restaurant like this. I recommend the calamari but I do not recommend the Quattro pizza. Wishing the menu could explain what the dishes meant, not everyone understands pizza/pasta lingo. The pizza was horrible. Quattro pizza is when only one topping is on one piece of the pizza. I felt like I was eating dog meat on the pepperoni slice, and the ocean on the salted artichoke side. Unfortunately no refunds but that's okay, service was good.
T A
Great experience and good and honest food. After bad experience at other Italian restaurant in Albany I have decided to go to this lovely restaurant. And I don't regret my decision. Excellent service and top class Italian food. Will surely go back again.... Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good food and won't mind paying lil more....
Kimothy
I came here for a date after having had a bad Italian experience elsewhere. So I walked in with high expectations wanting it to be perfect to make up for the last horrible date... and WOW did they deliver! The staff were so friendly and since it was a busy night they came to us a few times apologising for the wait and telling how long long they thought it'd be which i appreciate soo much. The food was amazing and I walked away extremely happy with a full tummy of authentic, delicious Italian food.
Judy Everest
We dined at this restaurant at the beginning of June and we organised a surprise birthday dinner for our best friend. We had originally booked for a few more people than turned up on the night but at the beginning of the week confirmed with the owner that there would be a few people that couldn't make it due to unforeseen circumstances - one being just recently released from hospital following heart surgery. We have been to this café before and been very impressed with the food and service so decided to go ahead and arrange the fixed price menu at $65 per head. <br/>It was a great success although it took a long time for the entrees to come out - pizza bread and there was a long interval between courses, which was disappointing as we had a baby and children with us. They seemed to be very busy and not have provided enough staff to cover our group.<br/><br/>Everyone paid their bills individually and when we came to settle the remainder we were advised we would need to pay for the 3 people who did not show up - that is $65 x 3. At no stage when we made the booking we were informed of this and no where on the website does it say to have a fixed menu you need to guarantee a fixed number of people to have this set menu.<br/><br/>We were shocked and disappointed as no amount of reasoning with the management resolved the problem although we were told we could come back the next day and take home the three meals we paid for. Needless to say we will not be going back there and will not be recommending this place to our friends. What a shame - it had been a great night but we were let down at the end.
Calvin Foss
Amazing place to go! Been here a few times already and always super friendly and great food. Most definitely my regular place to eat! 10/10 everytime.
Sebastian Hult
Astonishing customer service, astonishing food, astonishing speed, astonishing ambience, absolutely astonishing. Will be back again and again.
Emma Leon
Terrible service. Staff were stressed and unhelpful. Will not be going back. What a shame it took over an hour for a pizza, when we were told they would be fast!
Paul.hebbink
We come here often and it is consistently great! Super friendly staff and excellent service. We have been here with kids, with our friends and as just a couple. It suits everyone. We love the prawn entree and the passion fruit and white chocolate cheesecake tonight was yummo! One of those places that is perfect for a quick bite or a night to linger and take your time.
Richard J
Lunch here today <br/>Had the wagyu burger <br/>Partner had pizza<br/>Perroni beer<br/>Both sensational <br/>Service friendly <br/>This is a must try place <br/>Back here for dinner soon
Sarah S
Dined here for lunch today. The express lunch menu is awesome value with a variety of meal options & a wine, beer or soft drink for $20. I had the four cheese pizza & my sister had the pizza wrap. The food was nice enough & was served promptly. The service was good & very friendly. It was nice that they had an outdoor area to dine in on such a humid day.
Sunhee Lee
I don't think recommend this restaurant.<br/>I don't want to go there.<br/>The service mind of staff was worst in the Auckland. The food was bad taste too!
Thegreeats
Went here for a family dinner<br/>Their pizzas are good! And the man there is very friendly, polite and attentive<br/>Spaghetti bolognese was very average so try some of their other pasta!<br/>Located in a quite random place and from outside doesn't look like much but food is great
A Tale Of Two Tummies
I got taken to Caffe E Cucina for another work lunch. When I heard it was a "cafe", I had visions of bacon & eggs and coffee going through my mind - so I was somewhat surprised to be greeted with an assortment of food ranging from woodfire gourmet pizza, oysters, whitebait omelettes and steak. All-in-all, the food ranged from absolutely amazing to surprisingly mediocre, as considering the prices you kinda expect everything to be nothing short of amazing. <br/>The pizza and whitebait were easily the highlights for me. The toppings on the seafood pizza were generous and just worked together superbly. The whitebait was fresh and seasoned perfectly as well. The steak was really disappointing though - it was dry and simply lacked flavour or seasoning. Overall, the food was slightly better than average. I probably wouldn't return of my own accord, as the food doesn't quite justify the price, but if I did get taken back there, I'd stick with the seafood or pizza.
Joey Cheung
A group of 10 went there for a Christmas lunch. Food quality - I would say okay only. I had roasted lamb rack and it turned out to be quite dry and it was not pink in the middle. They charge premium price for not so premium quality food.<br/><br/>We waited one hour for our food and they seems they dont really care.<br/><br/>Services were minimal. Both wait staff did not smile or greet us with a warm welcome. There was an Indian waitress who got a angry and grumpy face througout our meal. Service was bad considering we were spending good money for our Xmas function.<br/>
FoodieOodie95
I am easily giving it a five coz the service was amazing! We tried the Pollo Affumicato to share and man were we glad to have shared it coz it's so creamy and filling! The flavour was a perfect blend of light & cheesy with the subtle chicken and bacon coming through. The waiters are also so so friendly and interactive and made it a memorable experience. It's ideal for eating out with groups. I wish there was more room to try the dessert menu but no doubt I'll be coming back for round 2 another time! :)
Gabriela Glory
Great food // Easy going and entertaining hospitality // Good selection of wine <br/><br/>We came here for a birthday lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed it. As soon as you step in the door you're greeted with warm and friendly hospitality. The lads there like to joke around making the place have an easy going yet sophisticated atmosphere. I shared the Pollo Affumicato Pizza and it was delicious, rich and very filling. One was definitely good to share. I would like to come back and have the risotto; eyeing out the food coming out the risotto seems like a popular option there. Definitely will come back, thank you Caffe e Cucina.
Licina Zivka
Recommend this Italian cafe. I live nearby and whether I'm just popping in for a coffee, sitting down outside enjoying a beautiful dinner with my partner
Chante Stewart
Terrible food. A seafood pizza slapped together with no flavour. Metro version pizza soggy and gross. Poached pineapple on the kids pizza. Tasted weird and the crust was chewy. Won't be going back there again.
Jon Pickford
One of my favourite places! Awesome waiters, never had a bad meal there and they can cater for all tastes (which in my family is saying something). Highly, highly recommended.
Maya Harlin
Me and my partner had breakfast this morning and it was ok..but nice coffee ..use to be very busy place ..don't know what happen. hope this will do batter.
John BENS
Went to have a meeting there. I ordered a coffee very small flat white arrived. I was bullied into taking a breakfast menu it was 9 am. Had to ask for wifi <br/>During my meeting I was asked several times to order breakfast. I was told you watch rugby I give you wifi and you only have a coffee<br/>Unpleasant unfriendly and rude. I will never be back <br/>A lost opportunity for them
Jessica Teasdale
Caffe E Cucina used to be a local for my family and I. I've been here many many times, even celebrated my birthday here. It's hard for me to review as I've had so many fond memories here, but it's gone quite downhill as of recent.<br/><br/>When it first opened I thought it was so lovely! The interior is so modern, it's quite big and was always busy which was a good sign of what the food was like! I had many enjoyable dishes here, but the food has gone so downhill since then! <br/><br/>The staff is really hit and miss. Sometimes they're super friendly....other times now. I remember one time I ordered the sirloin steak, I asked for it rare which is how I like my steak but it came out almost raw! I asked for it to be cooked just slightly longer, the waiter took it away then returned to tell me I should have ordered medium rare and was basically having a go at me for ordering my steak wrong. I felt quite angry, I was a paying customer and didn't appreciate the staff patronising me! Not to be said about all the staff though, I've had some really lovely experiences there as well! <br/><br/>Unfortunately I don't think I will be returning. My family and I have agreed that the quality in food has seriously decreased, time for us to find a new local.
Tanya Kerr
The service here was amazing but that's where it ends.<br/><br/>We have come here a few times and the food has gotten worse after each visit. I don't know why this has happened because they started out so great! It really is inconsistent in quality so I probably would not recommend coming here.
Elizabeth Pondling
Absolutely stunning! Such a variety on the menu with the most welcoming staff that are attentive but not annoying :) I had the fettuccine like pasta and let me tell you, it was magnificent!! I left feeling full and very happy! :D
Maddie
We love dining at E Cucina. The food is always good, for dinner we normally get the bacon wrapped scallops, the surf and turf and then the passionfruit cheesecake. For breakfast their big breakfast and orange/almond pancakes with mascarpone never disappoint. Really good coffee and really friendly staff.
Summerlee Fataoui Schick
Me and hubby have been here a good handful of time and have always enjoyed the food and wine. There is one waiter there that can be a bit OTT but everyone else seems fine and quick to serve. Im so sad however that they dont offer gnocci 3 cheese anymore :( it was my favourite dish and even though i have tried their other pastas it just doesnt compare. If they ever bring back the old menu with the cheese gnocci ill be there in a heartbeat.
MelissaLosesItBlog
I went here for dinner last night. The guy on the door who was my first contact was not terribly helpful, he had a bit of an attitude and basically was just a bit rude. He finally gave me a table to sit at but when the rest of the people arrived he told us we had to leave the table in an hour. We then established that we had booked (even though I had mentioned it and he couldn't find the booking twice already) and he said it was fine we could have the table. The waitstaff were great and were very attentive or easy to get their attention of we needed to. The table got a garlic pizza bread to start with and everyone enjoyed it. For my main I had the chicken lasagne and it was very nice. The only criticism was that some of the bits of chicken had bony bits in which were unpleasant to find. For dessert I asked for a special coffee in a takeaway cup and they were more than happy to oblige. The coffee was nice but it was not very warm even when I first got it. The meals were big and they were very happy to put everything into containers for us to take away. They were quite busy for a Wednesday night but the delay between ordering and food being brought out was just right. The picture I took of my meal was after I started pulling it apart.
Stephanie Hoogenboom
We dined here a couple of weeks back. Lovely interior and great friendly service. However the menu is very pricey and there is no vegetarian main on the main menu. We chose gnocchi from the pasta menu. I had a tomato sauce and my companion went for the basil pesto. What we got was a plate full of pillowy gnocchi that had a slight coating of the chosen sauce. No seasoning. Not a great deal of flavour. Expensive and disappointing.
Kishore Mitra
Been there on what I believe was their opening day a few years ago. Went back a few times since then. Service is quite welcoming and warm. The food is decent but nothing to really rave about. It is good for the price you pay. The ambience is vibrant and really nice when its busy. The last time we were there, we did not enjoy the entrees much but did really like the mains (Steak and pasta). The waiters are good with suggestions and combinations. So I ask them what goes with what and they are generally right. I would recommend this place at least once.      Food 3.5/5, Service 4/5, Price 3.5/5, Portion 3.5/5, Location 3.5/5
WeiTing Ashley Shyu
I liked their food better before they changed their menu! I loved the little sharing plates - the mushrooms were divine! The food is good but can sometimes be overpriced for the quality. Caffe E Cucina is a nice place to get dinner and wine. <br/><br/>Great service but I still wish they hadn't changed the menu! It's also hard to rate because food can be inconsistent in quality...
Fraser Collins
Great friendly service, food was excellent, a bit pricey, but no regrets. My only issue was it was very noisy due to a private party in the night.
Dale
Ate here last night. Overall, average experience. The service was great and the food was tasty but overpriced for what it was and I had to send back my lasagne that was still partially frozen. No apology was made for the error when we went to pay or any discount on the meal offered.
Cathy Ma
Beautiful setup and atmosphere, perfect for a second or third date- as long as you're willing to spend a little more! The food was delicious and served promptly, but the price was a little hard to swallow.
Matt Folkard
I have eaten at this place many times and it is normally pretty good. We went with a large party for Mothers Day on Sunday and the experience was poor. We were booked for 1230 and when we arrived the table wasn’t quite ready. No problem, we sat in a booth while we waited for the rest of our party. Seated at 1240, ordered the kids meals first which came in good time and looked good. We ordered our mains just before 1:00 and they did not come until about 2:10. Far too long, with no updates from any of the bored looking waiting staff.  My wife and I had pizzas, which were OK but by then we were so hungry we would have just about eaten anything. Most of our party ordered the pork belly, which sounded delicious if a little pricey, but when it came it looked awful, anaemic with no crackling and certainly not $36 worth. They (twice) ran out of the wine we were drinking and I ordered 3 Peronis from 2 different wait staff and finally had to ask the head waiter for it. Service was poor, food was average and overpriced for what it was. The front of house guy is always friendly but the other staff seemed un-interested overall which is a shame for a place that was once a nice place to eat at any time of day. Can’t see us going back any time soon.
Tony
Breakfast always good, service depends on who is on, any food complaints delt with quickly and efficiently, usually a good experience, friendly staff.
Matt D
Great Atmosphere and Service !<br/><br/>Went here for lunch today after some months since a work function.<br/>Food was amazing ( Beef Cheek Ragu ) and Oysters Fresh and juicy,<br/>love the attention to detail of good rock salt, tobasco sauce and thick wedge of lemon as other restaurants can be very stingy on the condiments. <br/><br/>Great bunch of guys you can have a laugh with<br/>Highly recommended - will be back with Wife<br/>Cheers<br/>Matt
Dianne Costin
Last night |I was taken to Caffe E Cucina.  I have been there before last year .  I was very disappointed this time.  3 of us order Pizza's. We couldn't even pick the slices up the way you eat pizza's as the base was soooo soggy.  In fact it was like dough.  I was told that the pizza's were very authentic.  I am afraid this is not true as I have eaten them in Rome & Florence and I am afraid it was up to that standard. Nice to look at  but that is where it stopped.  I don't think | would rush back thou the Pasta's were very nice.  Maybe I should have stayed with this choice.  We weren't even given a discount or a glass of wine as compensation,  in fact the waiter took the plates away and we didn't see him again.  Décor was great.  An expat
Lochbuie
Today we decided to try the café's express lunch which offers a meal and a glass of wine or beer for $20. There were many appetising options and we decided on the insalada pork belly (served with slices of apple, carrot & soused onions), and the smoked chicken, bacon, Brie and Mascarpone pizza. The pork was deliciously moist and plentiful, and the apple & carrot provided a good contrast in textures. The pizza was topped with very generous servings and was beautiful. The outside setting was nice and relaxed and the service was top quality.<br/>We have been here for the $15 breakfast (meal and coffee) several times and can recommend the meanie beanie, kedgeree, "dinner for breakfast", and the Spanish baked eggs. All servings were substantial. Both the $15 breakfasts and the $20 express lunches are such good value for money and their offerings are much more than just the usual fare. We are definitely considering attending their 5 course degustation Valentine's Day dinner.
Emma Hua
getting worse... today we ordered two pizza and they were the worst pizza ever we've had....... one of that hardly has topping on it and not evenly baked... our son didn't even finish three little pieces.... better just ordered from Hells or Domino.
Kat M
Have visited a few times - dinner is always great, top notch food (bit pricey but worth it). They also do a great breakfast special. Service can be a bit so so if they are busy. Have been for lunch and was not so impressed.. Chicken and walnut salad was bland and flavourless, I left most of it. Would definitely return for breakfast or dinner, perhaps not lunch!
Natasha Black
What a fantastic meal I've just experienced at such an incredible Italian restaurant the deco just made it all so much better sitting by the wine wall admiring the wines on offer which lead us to an enjoy a bottle of odyssey 2013 Rose, while we enjoyed the tasteful antipasto along with a scrumptious Margherita pizza, to top of a great meal with a dedicant desert of semifreddo accompanied by gorgeous fruity dessert wine the doctor noble. The service received from all the staff was outstanding they were just top notch and always making sure everything was fine,The atmosphere that was created at caffee e cuicina is something out of this world and we will be back was just the most fantastic night.
Keith Bang
My Sunday cafe during the winter time where I relaxe and indulge in tranquility of being next to the fireplace listening to the rain pattering against the roof. A long black and a good book is all I need. Perhaps a wood fired pizza too if my son is with me.
Jill
Bought a coupon from groupy.co.nz for $100 to spend.  <br/><br/>We arrived early on a Sunday evening & the very first thing noticed were 3 staff members sitting at one of the tables near the entrance having a chat. Upon entering however, we were greeted promptly & quickly shown to a table. I was impressed by the decor and atmosphere it created. <br/><br/>We were given menus, informed of the specials of the day & the waiter even suggested drinks for us.<br/><br/>We decided to order the garlic pizza bread to start, with a seafood pasta and a fillet mignon (ordered medium) for our mains. The bread came out in good time & I thought it was a nice touch that were were offered olive oil to drizzle on top. However, after that our waiter seemed to 'dissapear' & we didn't see him for the rest of our meal. I was expecting a reasonable wait for a medium fillet & 40 minutes later our mains arrived. My seafood marinara pasta was described as having a "crayfish bisque" sauce but it was very dry. The fettuccine looked to be made onsite rather than store bought but the dish was lacking in the promised seafood - 3 small shrimp, 3 scallops and 4 mussels. The shrimp and scallops were overcooked and I later found the sauce pooled in the bottom of the plate on one side. For $27 I was expecting something a lot richer and satisfying.<br/><br/>The fillet mignon was very rare, bright red and bloody throughout. We informed our new waiter when he came back to check on us, he wanted to take it back to the kitchen but we didn't have time to wait as we had our one year old with us who was getting quite cranky at that point. He was very apologetic but we weren't offered anything else, another drink or perhaps a discount would have helped our experience. I am confused to why we had to wait so long for a rare steak. It wouldn't of seemed so long if someone had come back to check if our drinks needed refreshing.<br/><br/>Quite dissapointed as I have read a few good reviews of this place.
Peter
We went for brunch here today and got seated promptly, but that was the end of anything prompt! After sitting there for about 10 minutes we had to remind the waiter that we needed some menus and would like some coffees. Coffees took another 15 minutes to arrive and were unfortunately decidedly average and then about 30 minutes after ordering our meals the wrong meals arrived at the table. Which then meant we waited another 15 for the correct ones to arrive. I have worked in this industry for many many years and therefore know very well that mistakes can happen to even the best of restaurants and sometimes everything goes wrong, but when they do, you own up to them, and for gods sake you APOLOGISE!!! They weren't understaffed and they were only half full, so no real excuses here. The staff never once said sorry and in fact were just rather arrogant. I'm giving 2 stars, 1 because the place looks really good and the other because the food, once it finally arrived, was fine. But won't be returning when there's so many other wonderful places to dine at.
Mimi Yang
I'm not too sure how many stars to give this place. I have been here on multiple occasions with different numbers of people. We've had 5 star service and food quality on most occasions, but the most recent time was definitely sub par. The things I love most about Caffe e Cucina is the quality of food, the pizzas are thin crust, tasty and not too laden with heavy cheese; the seafood soup is also fantastic with very generous portions of seafood. The pastas were average, our's arrived lukewarm and paled in comparison to the rest of the dishes. <br/><br/>So on our most recent visit, our party of four were seated at a very small table (trestle table meant for two), it was maybe understandable considering it was a Friday night and the restaurant was packed. We didn't mind too much about the table. Our waiter was a little strange, he seemed to be much taken back when we didn't want bottled or sparkling water. He also didn't seem to know the menu very well, when asked for his opinion on certain food items, the response we got was a shrug and a "I haven't tried it". Ooook. The food was nice, and came in timely manner. We might come back here again if we're in the neighbourhood, but will definitely not be making a purposeful trip to Albany.
Aiman Bagasra
You can tell this is a very good restaurant but our experience was mixed. When we arrived, we were just ignored for a while and told by a cranky barman to just "wait over there". Having had already made a booking, I was quite surprised. I had to go and remind another waiter that we had made a booking and were waiting. Once we were seated, the service was great. The food was a bit odd. The bruschetta trio was mediocre and they should definitely mention on the menu that the chicken in the chicken main is a mousse because the texture really disturbed us. My gnocchi was delicious and so was the dessert (I had the rice pudding).<br/><br/>Overall, the experience was pleasant.
Billie Cole
Visited Caffe e Cucina 2 weeks ago with my family, after attending a funeral at Schnapper Rock just up the road. We walked in, were greeted, and told to sit anywhere we liked. Was a very cold day so sat outside in the heated area, which was perfect. We were offered menus and water right away, and quickly ordered, as my mother was in a rush to head off. We ordered a garlic bread, and 4 mains off the lunch special $20 deal, which includes food and a drink. The garlic bread arrived within 10 minutes and was amazing. The mains arrived about 5 minutes after, which was fantastic. Tasted great, and were hot. Only thing I would say is the house wine and house beer that comes with the main special isn't great. obviously it is the cheap option so was fine, but my brother ended up getting a corona instead as he hated the beer (which the waiters were very accommodating with!) Overall, a good place, lovely atmosphere, will be back for sure.
Shirley Norman
My husband and I have dinned here a couple times, a few months back we went for a quick meal, (have only just joined Menu Mania) Our waiter was a little put out as we didn't want a bottle of still or sparkling water - just tap waiter. He was even more perturbed when we only ordered glasses of wine and not a bottle. My meal was good but my husbands steak was lukewarm, we mentioned this to the waiter, he went and talked to someone in the kitchen then ignored us as he was more interested in attending to a large table who were obviously ordering bottles of water and wine. We had decided that due to the lack of service and the cost of meals/drinks we would not be coming back in a hurry. However another waiter - Marco came to take our desert and coffee order, he <br/>was far more friendly and very professional -we will return and hope that Marco is our waiter!
Susan Taylor
I booked a reservation for 7 via the online tool for Mothers Day breakfast Sunday 11th May. My daughter and I had already been before fore breakfast and loved the muesli so were looking forward to having that again.<br/>After reading the other reviews I was a little worried that we may not have such a great experience.<br/>We arrived on time at 10:30am and promptly met by the Manager whom informed there would be a 5 minute wait for our table. It would have only been just that when we were asked to go to our table so that was great.<br/>As it was Mothers day they had a special menu for the day and unfortunately the muesli and yoghurt was not on there which was very disappointing as this is all my daughter eats.<br/>There were plenty of egg and toast options and pancakes but my daughter does not eat those foods and I found the staff not flexible in trying to accommodate her even when I asked just for a side of toast. When our orders came out I ended up with 2 extra servings of toast which was great considering it was an issue to get one extra.<br/>However the meals didn't take long at all and were very nice.<br/>Coffees great and I got a complimentary glass of bubbles for Mothers Day which was nice.<br/>My one suggestion was that Mothers don't always eat eggs and bacon and toast, it would still have been great to have had the muesli and yoghurt as an option as well and certainly more flexibility when it came to our smaller people in our lives, our children, there needs to be a kids menu for them.<br/>However, we still enjoyed our experience and my daughter and I will most certainly go back for that muesli and yoghurt next time.<br/>Great atmosphere, lovely place.
Fiona
I went there today for Mothers Day with my husband, our two children (11 and 9), mum and dad, cousin and her husband, and we all LOVED our dining experience. Ohhh the waiters were LOVELY :) and 4 out of 8 of us had the pork belly special - YUM! I highly recommend you go there!
Will Wilson
Just finishing dinner now so writing this review while still in the restaurant. I had dinner here with my son for the first time. He has eaten here twice before and had recommended it so highly.<br/><br/>Well his recommendation was so well founded. The food and service were excellent. I had the Striploin steak and my son had the filet mignon. Both cooked perfectly<br/><br/>We also had the squid entree which was lightly battered and served with aioli. I thought it was cooked bang on. My son said he would have liked it a bit more browned. But I really like squid when the batter is just browning. It makes it very moist.<br/><br/>The service was extremely attentive. I would barely put my empty beer glass down when our waiter Jovann was asking if I wanted a refill. He was ably assisted by Parwar.<br/><br/>Really enjoyable night based on an impromptu decision just to eat out. Also very pleasant open atmosphere. Very classy.<br/><br/>Dining night - Thursday 1 May 2014<br/>Time - 6pm<br/>Meal price for two good eaters plus several beers - $175<br/><br/>Happy dining<br/>
Louise Shaw
We had booked a table for my mother-in-law's birthday. We booked early because we had young children with us. Despite turning up on time, we were made to wait for half an hour before getting our table. Even then, it was not set and we were made to wait a long time again to even get a drink. We had to track down the waiters to get our food order taken. When we pointed out that we had hungry children with us, we were told by the waiter to chill out and relax.<br/><br/>I have a child with food allergies and anaphylaxis. So I understandably needed to make sure that his food was cooked without any of the foods he is allergic to. They did produce a nice meal for him which was fine for him to eat. But the waiters made me feel like an over anxious mother and were not at all patient while I checked the ingredients with them. They even showed me his meal when they brought it to the table, and sarcastically asked me if it was okay. As if I could tell by looking. That was poor form, and made me quite upset.<br/>By the time the meal finally arrived, our children were tired and starving hungry. They forgot one meal altogether. We had to wait for ages for our second drinks. Then when it came to paying the bill, they overcharged us by $100! <br/> <br/>Clearly they were understaffed. We would have been more sympathetic about this if they had been even slightly apologetic. But instead they blamed customers. <br/><br/>What a shame. The venue has a nice atmosphere, the meals were tasty and the waiters are full of character. If only they had more staff and appreciated their customers more, they would have a chance of succeeding. As it is, I can't see the business surviving. I for one, will not be returning.
Carol Walker
10 of us went there for coffee, no one else there when we arrived, after serving 5 of us they said they had run out of cups did the others want a glass or tulip cup opted for glass then all coffees came in tulip cup. I ordered tea which was served in what looked like a staff mug on a saucer. Then when we all went to pay coffees ranged in price from $4.50 to $5.30 for the same coffee. My tea cost $5.00, never been charged that much for a cup of tea, none of us will be returning very poor.
Nicola Millar
Disappointing. Service was appalling. As this is our "local" and have dined here numerous times last night's service put me off coming again or recommending this place. Had to ask numerous times for wine and thought nobody was going to ask us if we wanted dessert. Expressed our thoughts at end of evening when paying bill. Was asked if we had booked or came off the street (does this make a difference to the service??). Said they were running a survey. Did say they were aware the service was not good and they were disappointed, however offered no incentive for us to come back again. Food was good but unfortunately service overshadowed this.
Kody Jessup
Had Christmas work dinner here. food was delicious and service was exceptional. I will come back for sure. i recommend people to come if you want a great meal at reasonable price and great service. The service was exceptional and the wait staff have a great sense of hummor.
Soriya Em
Dined here with a voucher. Food was average but service was soooooo slow!!! took such a long time for any food to arrive (we were having dinner) and we were starving when it did arrive! It was ok but I'd be quite reluctant to try again given our very very late dinner.
Donna Stapleton
This place is exceptional! The menu is great, food is delicious and the staff go out of their way for guests. The wait help and front house staff are the most professional and delightful I've seen in anywhere. Very upscale. We have never had anything but a perfect experience -they deserve 6 stars!
Sandra Batley
We have often been to Caffe e Cucina for breakfast and have always had good food and good service. We decided to go out for dinner to celebrate my mother in laws birthday. It was an early seating and right from the start the staff were tentative and friendly. The food was superb. They went out of their way to make my mother in law feel good. They bought out a special dessert and all sung happy birthday. They made a a real effort which was really nice. All round a lovely evening thanks.
Matt Scott
We booked tonight for our regular date night. Turned up and waited in the bar for our table, no problem it became available pretty quickly.<br/>We took a seat at our table and began to browse the menu, a waiter came around and asked if we would like still or sparkling water, then if we wanted to order any drinks. We ordered 2 glasses of wine and he bustled off to process our order. <br/><br/>That was the last we saw of any type of service at all... We sat for 40 minutes waiting to have our food orders taken, no wine arrived, no water even.. We sat there thirsty and hungry and never even got to order!<br/><br/>Another table next to us got up and walked out, we were patient and waited 5 mins longer and decided to also just leave.<br/><br/>Walked out and went elsewhere for dinner and had a much nicer dinner for a much better price also.. And we actually received service which was a plus..
XCiting Trips
We went there (family of 4) yesterday for dinner after reading all the reviews. We had trouble booking over the phone so ended of going in person for making the reservation. I have to say, the place is really good and feels like a restaurant rather than a cafe. The service was fantastic and the waiters kept on coming to ask if everything was OK even though they were quite busy. The lighting and background music was just right, and although the food is a tad expensive, well worth for a special treat. The garlic bread was good but not great, but the pizza and the carbonara made up for it. The chocolate brownie with ice cream was to die for. We enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back to try some other dishes on the menu.
Linda Grey
Caffe e Cucina A+++++. We have been for dinner, lunch and most recently went for breakfast a couple of weeks ago. It was the BEST BREAKFAST we have had in a very long time. The service and food were both excellent. I can't wait to go back!!!
Rick
Café Cucina - Fantastic, We keep coming back to this place! The best Café in Auckland!!! Great service and the food is amazing!. Love the staff who remember what we have had last time to eat and drink! Best price on Bollinger Champagne on the shore!!<br/>We love this place....If there was a space in the corner we would move in!! Grazie Mille and Ciao To you all !! Ducati Rick and Sina. 8-) 8-}
Monique Williamson
Stopped in here for the first time a week ago (as it is by my boyfriends house) &amp; all we could think of the whole time we were there is, "why have we not come here sooner!?". It was absolutely amazing. We went for lunch, I had the spaghetti carbonara which is the best one I've ever had! Not too rich, or overly creamy like most I've had at other places - perfect! My boyfriend had the Badabing pizza &amp; easily ate the whole lot! Beautiful crust &amp; just lovely toppings. Loved the service &amp; food so much we went back again today for lunch again (1/6/2013) &amp; this time I had a pizza which was just as good as my boyfriends last week, if not better! He had the pie of the day which was so yummy!!! The service is amazing, atmosphere even better. Even though its a wee bit more pricey than other places we have been - it was definitely worth it! Such a cute, tucked away little treasure. Will definitely be back again :)
Icaro Lavrador
Very rude stuff, I went there with a deal voucher and they didn't want to accept as they call the lunch menu an offer, that was after I finished my meal.<br/>Food very average, noting especial.<br/>I'm definitely not going back.
Victoria
My partner surprised me with dinner out the last time I was in Auckland, and what a treat!!<br/>Caffe e Cucina is our new favourite place to eat. <br/><br/>Beautiful food, fantastic wine, warm friendly service with an added personal touch that inspired us to linger with coffee and desert. Not particularly good for the pocket considering we are both still students but we are happy to pay a little extra for premium quality and such fantastic service, something which is so rare in New Zealand!<br/><br/>Give it a try, you wont be disappointed :D
Geoff Long
I have been to this restaurant many times and keep coming back trying different dishes and wines. They have a great selection and the food although not especially cheap is very tasty well presented and worth that little extra money paid. Great selection of wines and beers. The atmosphere is pleasant and seeing the pizza oven fired and the chefs working makes one feel privileged... Service is second to none but when it is busy expect to wait 10 or so minutes but at least one can enjoy the wine beforehand.
Lisa
I have been here twice for dinner &amp; once for breakfast. Every time the food was amazing! the staff are very friendly and attentive. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Caffe e Cucina and I am surprised at some of the poor reviews because we couldn't fault them even when one visit was with our entire office of about 28 people for breakfast and the food &amp; service was wonderful.
Sharon Johns
The welcoming atmosphere, helpful &amp; friendly staff were great, and made the evening fun. Our waiter was awesome , was always available to cater for our requests, meals were really yummy. Kid friendly which was appreciated when my two grand daughters decided to run about.<br/>Would recommend this place. Very nice.
Caron Armer
I don't usually bother writing reviews but after reading the reviews here before dining at Caffe e Cucina using a deal voucher I felt I really needed to. We stopped in with no booking on a Saturday night and found both the service and the food to be amazing. The waiters were attentive and friendly, offering advice and always watchful - my partner dropped his napkin and didn't realise it and a few seconds later a waiter was there offering him another one! Despite this they were not overbearing. We had 6 tapas which yes were small but tapas are supposed to be small and I didn't find the price unreasonable as they were amazing - hot, fresh and simple flavours. The waiter suggested a side salad which went great with the tapas. Dessert was also really good. We left feeling satisfied but not over-full. After my experience the only way I can rationalise the bad reviews here is perhaps they were unfortunate enough to be there on a bad day or their expectations were too high or they weren't used to the typical Italian humour of some of the staff! I'm definitely going back.
Yvette Atkinson
This was our second time that we have had dinner at e cucina and it was excellent. Attentive staff,delicious food. all round very good, although on the pricey side...it's worth it!
Dale McIsaac
Dined here tonight and as far as I can remember it is quite possibly the worst meal we've had anywhere in New Zealand. The banana shake with yoghurt had gone off, and the coke ordered, plus the replacement were both flat.<br/><br/>Moving to the mains, we had a selection of 5 tapas, including fried calamari, duck &amp; mushroom cigars, proscuitto &amp; sage chicken, grilled prawn skewers and grilled lamb cutlets. The portion size was extremely small for around $15 per tapas, especially the calamari. We only got miserable 2 skewers of prawns - for $15! Unbelievably poor value. The lamb was bland, covered with oil and unmarinated.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, we thought the worst might be over so generously went on to order chicken caesar salad. It was inedible. The salad leaves were warm (like they had been left out of the fridge all afternoon), the dressing was thick and gluggy and presentation undesirable for $20.50.<br/><br/>The only dish we had which was nice was the panne cotta at $12.50.<br/><br/>Despite pointing out the shortfalls to the waiters, no attempt was made to remedy our poor experience or to replace/refund our meals. When the bill came, it was wrong - they had billed for 2 panne cotta's when we only had 1. In addition, once they had corrected the bill to $110.50, I paid and they tried to short change me $9.50, only returning $30 in change. I pointed out that it is one thing to serve bad food, but another to rip off the change.<br/><br/>This venue has some serious issues and cannot and will not survive serving this overpriced poor quality food from their kitchen for much longer. The owners need to address this quality issue now. We would absolutely not recommend this restaurant.
Alex
We had heard great things about this place from friends so were looking forward to trying it out. We were very disappointed.<br/><br/>It started when we arrived promptly for our reservation, and were seated in a side area to wait for our table, we were not given water, and it took ten minutes for a drinks menu to arrive, the waiter never returned to take our drinks order.<br/><br/>15 minutes later we were seated outside, it felt like our party had increased in number due to the tight configuration of tables. At this point we ordered drinks, it took around 15 minutes for the beer to arrive, and an additional 5 for my "mojito" or minty water in this case.<br/><br/>The food was very average, overcooked steak, undercooked fries, bland pasta. Absolutely horrible if you take the price into consideration.<br/><br/>The service was terrible, unprofessional and rude. Although when we passed the feedback on about the "mojito" the manager did look disappointed, and kindly offered a replacement drink, unfortunately he didn't bother to query how the meal went.<br/><br/>Definitely won't be back, I hope they read this and take the feedback on board.
Mike Erskine
Three of us breakfasted on Sunday morning and we found everything about this restaurant exceptional... impeccable service, great menu choices, prompt speed of delivery, friendliness of staff.. welcoming, but not over-bearing, ideal presentation, temperature and tastes of the perfectly cooked meals (we all had different choices)...everything was all spot-on! The coffee was so good, we all had second cups. We have been several times before and it has been very consistent. For that reason we felt compelled to give well-earned credit where credit is due. Sorry about all the cliches, but we can't wait to go again!
Neil Meiklem
The food quality is average to good, depending on which dish you choose. Price wise, you can get better value at some other North Shore restaurants of a similar ilk. Service is excellent!
Sandi Gamon
Always a pleasure to dine here and Sunday was no exception. The waiters were knowledgable and friendly - and very patient with my 18 month old too. No waiting for tables or food, and the food was delicious when it came. All in all we'll be back :-)
Andrew
Heard mixed reviews regarding this restaurant from friends but as we were keen to try and find a good Italian on the shore without travelling over the bridge we gave it a try.<br/>Our first disappointment was waiting for 15 Min's for the manager to acknowledge us to show us a table .This was off putting as he left the reception area to speak to a regular patron and seat him ignoring 4 or 5 groups of people at the entrance. The meals were OK,average size ,upper price range but wouldn't say the sauces were a taste sensation.The wine selection was very good .<br/>Our biggest issue was the wait.It was a Saturday night but they seemed to have plenty of staff.After we were seated it took 40 minutes to have our drinks order taken and another 35 Min's to receive them.The waiter never wrote anything down so they ended up being a couple of drinks short. Another twenty Min's. We flagged down two waiters to get extra drinks but they never arrived . Another hour later we finally received our additional drinks .<br/>The restaurant has nice decor and a good atmosphere but I wouldn't recommend it on a busy night if you are hungry and don't have two to three hours to relax and enjoy the ambiance .
Marcelo Pragier
Very disappointing!!!<br/>We booked a family dinner for 5 o'clock, a bit early but was either 5pm or 8pm so we decided for the earlier one. We arrived at 5.10pm, the restaurant was almost empty. We were greeted by the manager: you are 10 minutes late, you'll have to pay a surcharge for being late". My reply was thank you we can eat somewhere else. We should have gone because at that point the meal was already ruined.<br/>Despite that we stayed after a very apologetic and polite waiter promise to "waive" the penalty.<br/>The food was very average, the pizza's were nice, but all the mains (we were 6 people) were very poor, especially the seafood.<br/>The price was very expensive for what we got.<br/>We'll never go back there.
Wendy Green
Great lunch and will be back to try their evening atmosphere!<br/>I had the veggie cannelloni and adult daughter had the meatballs with spaghetti. Both dishes piping hot and very, very tasty!<br/>Pretty extensive menu which was a pleasant surprise for lunchtime.<br/>Wait service was excellent. Decor very nice. Will definitely be back!
Olive Lady
I took a group of professional olive oil tasters here for dinner on Wed evening on the strength of other reviews. I have to say the food was really only average and expensive. Meals for 7 people, 2 courses each was over $360. The wine and beer was also expensive. The olives in the antipasto platter were the old fashioned small green ones stuffed with pimento which is disappointing for an Italian restaurant. The olive oil used in/on several dishes was also suspect and no amount of cajoling could we get the waiter to show us the can. Given that this was to be a special treat for my guests from Spain and Australia, it was rather disappointing.
John K
Really disappointing very slow service and sky high prices at $300+ for four people. Can't see us ever going back
Harrison C
Went there for my birthday. Amazing service. The gentleman that served us was brilliant. The best service I have ever had a restaurant. The wait for food was fine, no problems there.<br/><br/>Food was very foreign and tasted amazing. Very exotic.<br/><br/>I will be returning.
Susie Sullivan
Have been there with girlfriends for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Decided that we would take my husband there with our two gorgeous girls for fathers day. We were welcomed with attentive staff and seated. The service was quick the food was delicious my husband loved the desert. Looking forward to going back for breakfast as we saw some delicious, scrumptious, yummy things on the breakfast menu.. I will defiantly recommend CEC to all my friends. Looking forward to enjoying another meal there soon..
Gina O\'Brien
Had a really fantastic lunch on my first visit a while back so it was on the cards to go again.<br/>Upon being given $100 worth of restaurant vouchers I was stoked when Caffe e Cucina was on the list to accept them - so off to Sunday brunch we went, my husband, 5 year old and myself.<br/><br/>Arrival was fine, we picked a spot in the corner near the heater, drink orders were taken and water offered.<br/>Tried to get a smaller portion for my little one, not really possible so ordered 3 meals, 2 coffees and an apple juice.<br/><br/>Coffee great, all meals came out in good time and looked fab! Started eating my eggs bene to find a long hair in my hollandaise sauce, lucklily before I put it in my mouth! <br/>Called the waiter, he was apologetic - I said it's OK, have had cafes and it does happen so just need a new one - after all it's Sunday morning - we just want to remain chilled!. <br/>New one came out, bread wasn't toasted and my tomato I nicked from sons plate gone - don't care am hungry and hubby nearly finished.<br/>Started eating and after a few mouthfuls bit on something hard, I had the parma ham so it can't be bacon grissle - what is it? When I pull it from my mouth it's a piece of plastic with a sharp end that has obviously flicked off when opening a container!<br/>Waiter called back again - looks puzzled, looks at the piece and asks 'did your son maybe drop it in there?' Are you kidding me! <br/>I'm a tad annoyed now to say the least, however wanting to enjoy our Sunday out, I checked the rest of my meal then finished my eggs and off to the till we went.<br/><br/>Having been so 'gracious about the whole thing' I thought he would offer something complimentary - he handed me a bill for $78 (the full amount) so I handed him my two $50 vouchers - thinking I will never be back here again!<br/><br/>Expecting change he advised that there is no change given with the vouchers so I handed over $30 cash.<br/>He then decides to take off something - so I thought good, you are going to try and make amends for those meals - I will comp you a juice and a coffee - $10! <br/><br/>What disappoints me the most is that it was implied that my son put the plastic there and there was no offer at the till prior to me handing over the vouchers.<br/>Perhaps it would have been better to have ranted and raved in front of all the other diners - however this is not how we want to spend our time with our son on a beautiful Sunday morning! <br/>Suggest CEC looks at there customer service, especially to the nice people! Very disappointing from the first time I went.
Catherine Carran
After a delicious evening dining experience at e Cucina a few weeks ago, todays 'girls' lunch was delicious once again. We were warmly welcomed and chose to sat at a sunny table. The staff were friendly, prompt and attentive. The recommendation to start with was worth it, a scrumptious focaccia loaf with oils and dips, but more than we could eat. My girlfriends tomato soup and my ceasar salad were both very tasty. My salad was very generous, actually a tad too generous. The cafe quickly filled with about half the tables in use, a pleasant lunchtime atmosphere. My girlfriends flat white was returned to be remade 'hot' not luke warm as it first came, this was fixed very quickly. It is no wonder that e Cucina is so well patronised.
Lyle Irwin
Great food, real Italian, awesome surroundings and excellent service! For lunch or dinner try this place, everything we have tried on menu is beautifully presented and taste to die for! At last an excellent restaurant on the shore..keep it up thx
Sean
Last night we were kindly welcomed by Marko. Service was out standing and so was food, however, one pasta dish was very small but was rich with flavours. Would pay to ask about portion size before you order but would highly recommend the white chocolate cheesecake for dessert! Pizza's were massive and full of flavour and entire atmosphere was great. We will be back for some more.
Lhweighton
Our meal was amazing. I can honestly say, this is the best Italian meal I have had in Auckland in the last 20 years. The service was fast and friendly, the setting is modern and spacious. The food is to die for. It has a great outdoor area, an abundance of indoor/outdoor heating so that you never go cold, and is the perfect setting for large groups or small intimate dinners. I cannot WAIT to go back for the bread with truffle dip, the incredible penne pasta, the fantastic desserts and the brilliant coffee! The breakfast menu looks pretty tempting too.
Kaye
I was a little concerned once I had made my booking for 8 people after reading the earlier review. I didn't need to be. We were celebrating my birthday but we did not let the restaurant know this. I decided to try the restaurant because my brother had recently ordered takeaways from there and the food was really good. We were greeted by a very friendly waiter who showed us immediately to our seats. The restaurant was warm and cozy and half filled, which I thought was pretty good for a wet and windy Wednesday night in Albany! Water glasses were immediately filled with chilled water, and we were given the menus straight away. Nearly all of us ordered three courses. I can't remember what we all had but everyone enjoyed everything - calamari was tender and coated in crunchy light batter, my penne pasta was beautiful and tasty, steak was cooked to perfection, seafood of muscles and scampi was gorgeous, the lasagne was cooked perfectly and was hot all the way through! Desserts were lemon pie (absolutely beautiful), creme brulee (absolutely beautiful), chocolate brownie (absolutely beautiful). To top off the evening, when they brought out my dessert, unbeknown to anyone, they had placed a lit candle in my pie and started a very lovely round of Happy Birthday to You. These people were very professional in all aspects of their business - the staff, the chefs, the decor. Thank you Caffe e Cucina for a very lovely, lovely evening. I will be back.
James
I booked a table for my partner's 24th Birthday and we went to CEC on a Saturday night at 7pm. The place was busy but had a good atmosphere and looked quite nice. The staff looked professional and everyone seemed to be having a good time. We were seated immediately as we had made a reservation over the phone.<br/><br/>We received our entree 50minutes after we got there. We had ordered the Calamari which had good presentation but was soggy and lacked any real texture, wasn't a good start.<br/><br/>For mains we ordered the Lasagna and the Risotto (Prawn and Chili). The lasagna wasn't very good, and got much worse when I realized that the middle wasn't even cooked. I spoke to the Maître d and asked him if it was supposed to be like that, he said it wasn't and they would replace it. Queue five minutes later and out comes the same dish that had been re heated, that had been arranged to "look better". I tried to eat it but I'd been put off having taken a bite of the previously cold food. Wasn't very happy at this point.<br/><br/>The Risotto however was very nice, good texture, good sauce and overall the quality of dish you would expect to find in a restaurant like this. <br/><br/>For drinks, we ordered a Vodka Martini (good), Italian Stallion (good) but again they were let down by a simple orange juice (me, sober driver) which was a mixture of pulp and cordial. I may be going out on a limb but to expect actual orange juice doesn't seem to unreasonable?<br/><br/>Came to settle the bill and the Maître d mentioned nothing about the uncooked food and we left feeling like we should of just gone to pretty much anywhere else to have experienced a better meal for a bill of $100+<br/><br/>I am giving it a two because the place looks nice and has a good ambiance, and one of the dishes were great. If you are a fan of cooked food, beware.
Erin Syms
This is the second time we have dined here and both times we have been impressed with Caffe e Cucina. They have an amazing choice of food and drinks and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. It was relaxed, and the food was fantastic. We were most impressed with the service we got. The waiters were so charming - very friendly and yet very skilled. I would have to say that this is one of the nicest places on the Shore to dine at.
Gill
We have now adopted this place as our fav restaurant. We take all our friends and consider ourselves locals now. The staff are fabulous, we like the choice on the menu and if you want something different ask. They are happy to accomodate. Gone are the days where you call a restaurant a local haunt, this delivers. They may on occasion be busy and the setvice is slower, but hey who wants to order and eat within an hour of arriving, what happened to a dining experience. I personall would recommend this restaurant... Slav and the team aleays make us welocome and the food is always to the same standard. Enjoy. We do :)
Michelle
I used to love going to this restaurant. Went on the 21st April 2012 and the service was incredibly slow. On multiple occasions we had to go up to the waiters to ask for drinks and desert menus. The meals were very average...and the food was only slightly warm. One person in our group wanted a medium rare steak - it arrived with the bottom burnt black. Such a shame as we used to love going here. I don't think we will bother in the future.
Jim Gatland
Seated half an hour after our reservation, wine arrived 20mins after being seated and then meal arrived 3/4hr after being seated. Never asked if we wanted another glass of wine, no apologies. Wait staff very friendly but slack service to say the least! Food very good but pricey. Would not bother going back, plenty of other restaurants on the Shore with better service.
00
We had a dinner there and overall it was good. Pock belly was very impressive. The desserts are very yummy also. But price is a little too high.
SylviA Caira
Had dinner at Caffe e Cucina last night (Saturday). Great welcome, unfortunately the service was very slow. Food was okay. The group in the bar were noisy and in the restaurant you could hardly hear someone talking to you!!<br/><br/>I know Saturday is a very busy night but was disappointed
Rachel
As far as Italian food and good service goes, this restaurant was a nice surprise. We would never have known that a restaurant like this would be found within this block of shops off the Albany Highway had it not been for a deal voucher we bought. Definitely recommended!<br/><br/>The service was so professional and of a very high standard. Everything about the seating, ordering and evening just seemed to be so well organised. The restaurant itself is very modern and beautifully presented. And the food was beautiful. The bruschetta was very tasty and up there with the best we have had, and our mains were both really good too. It was a busy Thursday night but we felt as if our table was very well looked after and the timing superb.<br/><br/>We'll definitely be back!
Dana
Bought a voucher deal as there is hardly ever any in this area. Have never heard of this place but was quite excited.<br/>Booked on a Friday night early for dinner.. walking in we were greeted with open arms, never had such great service. Our waiter was outstanding, meals were fast to come out and lots of it! I felt bad that I couldn't fit it down as it was so good.<br/>Overall hands down best service! I definitely will be recommending this place and will be back!
Hannah
Had a lovely meal but the wait for service was very slow.
Tim
The new building with its outdoor/indoor dining gives the benefits of outdoor dining in the summer but keeps you cool.<br/><br/>The staff are attentive and the food is very good<br/><br/>The wine list is good, the food generally excelent. <br/><br/>The gnocchi was excellent, the snapper special was great and leave room for the deserts
Lesley
I have been now about 7 times, each a slightly different experience, but all of them excellent. I have to agree with many of the above comments, it is the staff that really make this place, the service is great. The pizza is amazing, the homemade pate is also extremely good. Well done!!
Linda Francis
My family and I have eaten at Cafe Eccucina several times and it never fails to please, Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.<br/>When it came to choosing a venue for a big birthday recently Cafe Eccucina was naturally our first choice.<br/>32 guests wowed over the stunning food and the service was, as always, slick, polite and professional.<br/>Cafe Ecuccina is a truly gorgeous restaurant with warm and welcoming feel.
Mandy
I tried this restaurant twice using a voucher but they simply served you and gave the highest quality of service and food with friendly staff, comfortable environment and delicious food. Though the price is slightly on the high side but it's really good for special occasion too.
Debbie Gatland
Lovely food, I had osso bucco which was large and very good, husband had steak cooked just how he asked. Only suggestion i would make is they sell potato fries - which are the same as Mcdonald chips - who eats them. Caffe e Cucina sell real chips or make your own would be great!
KAR
I came to this restaurant four times now, with friends and family and we were impressed each time we came here. Today morning mum and I were sitted outside for breakfast, and we thoroughly enjoyed our food. Mum had the egg bene and I had the chilli bean stack. Service is always good.
Sharon
Feb 2014. Have been again a number of times over the past few years and on the whole we have been happy with our meals and the service we received. Unfortunately however, on our last couple of visits we did notice the service was a bit lacking, especially from the senior members of staff. Tiring of it perhaps? They used to be so full of fun and really made an effort if it was a special occasion, but now? No. Sadly our last visit was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I had been feeling uncomfortable about going there with a voucher but hey they continue to put them out there so it must be working for them. It had been a very busy day for them granted, but they should have expected that. I had booked as required and even when we arrived he acted as if we hadnt. The food was a bit slower in coming this time round, but we werent in a hurry and when it arrived it was still tasty. But when we ordered deserts they took ages to arrive and when they did they were not up to their usual standard. Pity cause that Lemon tart used to be to die for. And while the tart is the main part of the dish there was only a blob of sorbet put on the side, nothing like its presentation in the past. Ok, I thought maybe they have changed it. <br/>Then came the clincher. When we were leaving I jokingly said with a smile, whats happened to the your lovely deserts, they are not up to your usual standard. <br/>With that he opened up my voucher, waved it at me and said thats what you get using a voucher. Hey what? I said, I paid extra for those. Voucher shaken in front of me again. Interesting, even my daughter commented that she thought that was a pretty poor attitude. So, thanks for your service and good food in the past, but if the latest reviews are anything to go by, your attitude needs a kick up the bum, and until I hear it has changed we will go elsewhere, voucher or otherwise. <br/>Aug 2011. Been here a few times now for both lunch and dinner. Food while priced a little on the high side for the quantity you receive tastes great. Plenty of flavour in all the dishes we have had Pizzas yummy. What makes this place is the staff, super friendly, great sense of humour, while being very attentive and professional at the same time. You guys are great. Luv ya.
Pedro Brash
Dined here on the 9th May (Wife b'day) and was absolutely delighted with this little gem. Whilst Italian theme, my drink waiter was Turkish and my food waiter was Serbian. Hilarious. Great guys, great sense of humour, which made the night all the more enjoyable.<br/>I had the pork belly. Bit risky, as some restaurants can crucify this dish, but pleased to say that it was ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!!!!<br/><br/>Great atmosphere, great location, bit pricey, but overall I would thoroughly recommend.
Jennifer Kelly
Dont do breakfast, food was not presented well, was dry and crispy bacon was under cooked, coffee could have been good but was cold.
Suzanne Jackson
As part of a group of 11 we ate there on 16th July. I agree with the comment that the food is okay but somewhat over priced. The service is okay although on the particular night we ate the drink waitress accidentally spilt a drink all over one of our party. Management were not prepared to do anything other than give the person who had a drink spilt on him, another drink. Rather inadequate I thought. At the very least management should have offered to pay for the gentleman's dry cleaning but they did not.
D&P Parker
A very friendly greeting by Marco set the tone for an excellent lunch. Great ambiance. Menu gave us plenty of choices and the food was superb. Marco, and all the staff we dealt with were friendly, attentive and efficient.<br/>Can highly recommend this restaurant to all.
Rochelle Hilton
LOVE THIS PLACE! Doesn't look like much from the road, but inside is so modern and romantic with low lit tables. The service is excellent &amp; the food is delicious! Highly recommend this trendy cafe!
Alice S
The staff are friendly and service pretty fast. While the food is good and we enjoyed our meals, I think I was a little disappointed because of all the hype, so don't let that get you excited - the food is nice but nothing OUTSTANDING!
Nicole
Wonderful good quality, well priced food. We recommend the canelloni for dinner (also a available take away) and eggs benedict for brunch. The staff are outstandingly welcoming and friendly and attentive, they make the experience worth the travel to albany. Reluctant to let everyone know what a great place this is as it is not currently overcrowded bit definitley has the potential to become that way once word gets out, yay finally a restaurant that takes all facets of its service seriously!!
Celeste Bowden
Although this restaurant is in an unusual location, it has the most outstanding food, and a great wine list. We can highly recommend the bread &amp; dips (yum), zuchinni involtini, mushroom risotto and lasagne. I wish we'd had room for dessert! The service was a bit slow, especially when they looked so professional. You can view photos and read a full review at http://celestereviews.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/bon-appetit/
Julie Stewart
FAN-TAS-TIC. From even 'before' you walk in the door you are treated like Royalty. We were greeted outside the door and shown inside. The staff are extremely welcoming, happy to see you, attentive. The food is excellent. We had a party of 22 and most of us had something different and every single meal was enjoyed. They have a huge menu of pastas, pizzas, steak, chicken, fish. You name it, it's on the menu. Something for everyone. The flavours are divine. The prices are very reasonable. The service was so great I can't wait to go back again. I grabbed a handful of business cards to hand out. It's an A+++ from me.
Candice
So impressed! Went for dinner on a Saturday night and the food was amazing. Also the guy in charge was so welcoming and provided us with such a friendly service. The only trouble is deciding what to have as there is so much choice! Will definitely be back to try something new soon.
Richard Coates
Arrived for a late breakfast, sat down and ordered coffee, waited nearly 20 minutes for it to arrive. In the end we had to ask to place breakfast order and then waited 45 minutes for meal to arrive. Had the Fungi con Mascarpone, 3 small mushrooms on two small pieces of ciabatta, not impressed, others had reasonable meals but completely overshadowed by delays in service.<br/><br/>The place was far from full and there seemed to be plenty of staff, perhaps a kitchen problem but we were never told. Nice set up but they let themselves down badly this time.
Chantelle
I have to say I was very impressed. Food was amazing, service was impecable and was just a great night out for dinner. The only bad thing I can say about this place is that it was quite noisey, not so bad i couldn't hear but I love quiet. but i certainly will be going back and the waiter Marko is awesome!!!!!!
Karlene Parkinson
Had brunch Sunday 20th Feb. Decor was great, service was great and then the food...<br/>Had Pesce affumicato - smoked fish w crush potato, aioli, poached free range egg topped w rocket &amp; parmesan. DREADFUL Full of bones and very dry - what a disppointment. Corn fritters were awful, and the Classico - poached, scrambled or fried free range eggs w crispy bacon, grilled tomato &amp; toast was very small with only 1 piece of toast for $16.50<br/>Overall - over priced for very ordinary food.
Cyndy Price
Really, really lovely place. Casual but trendy. Service is excellent. Food was amazing and soooo good. Do try it!
J Dabrowski
Had heard this place was good but it surpassed what I thought it would be. Attentive and friendly staff, a great wine list and menus that have something for everyone. We had tapas during our visit and the quality was superb. Well done guys! We'll be back.
Ann Thornton
Have been 3 times in 3 weeks - excellent restaurant, great interior, super food. There were over 150 bookings on the first night we went and they coped really well. Went again this week and they seemed to be struggling a bit but if you are not in a hurry and happy to sip wine and nibble on some garlic pizza bread then its OK. The staff advised they had 100 bookings but around 75 walk-ins so the kitchen was a little overwhelmed. Very good staff who are very professional. This restaurant has become really popular in a short space of time so it's wise to book. I'm lucky I'm a local, it's our new favourite place!
Shakespeare
Had heard great things about this restaurant but unfortunately wont be returning anytime soon. They were very busy and we were a table of 10, only 3 people ordered an entree then there was a wait of over 1hour before our mains came out. When our main orders were eventually bought out 2 meals were initialy given out and people started eating the fries even dipping it in the sauce when 2minutes later the waitress came back and said she had to take them back! So after a further 30minute wait we were all finaly given our main meals.<br/>Overall the food wasn't great, quite a dissapointment. Wont be returning anytme soon.
JasonSmith
This was a real find in Albany as visiting Caffe e Cucina. Good food, great wine and excellent service. Restored my severely damaged faith in Auckland caffe culture after some bad experiences. Thoroughly recommended.
Amanda
One word - Amazing :)<br/>Great friendly staff - Great food - lovely wine - lovely vibe <br/>Have been back many times since opened for brunch, drinks and dinner<br/><br/>HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Ron
What a superb gem hidden away. We came for breakfast. Great corn fritters and eggs benedict with superb bacon. Brilliant staff; nothing any trouble (hollandaise on the side, and they took kids in their stride). Looks like a great place for lunch and dinner too. Not the same old room that most restaurants have, with the menu the only difference; but maybe half a dozen or so cleverly separate yet connected areas - from formal to tapas/drinks to casual to outside. Great wine wall. Restrooms spotless. Staff brilliant. I seldom tip for breakfast but happily left some notes on the way out. Well worth it - everyone was happy, from the kids to the mother-in-law!
Kim Davidson
Arrived on Thursday 13/10/10 6.30pm so nicely setup stayed outside to watch the sunset to drink and eat our meal which was delivered promptly hot and delicious first calzone pizza wrapped in itself fries and homemade aioli with salad .Warm friendly accommodating staff fresh beautiful decor clean fashionable fabulous menu desserts to die for huge wine and beer available I be back this weekend.
Deidre Anderson
great coffee and lovely surroundings, casual area and formal area.<br/>Went to long lunch today with friend, great food, recommend the Okawa Pinot Gris Marlborough, great pizza. extensive menu and love the dining areas. Love the BIG wine wall.<br/>Overall this restaurant/cafe caters for everyone and I will be a regular.<br/>Congrats guys.
Sienna
We had the pleasure of dining at Caffe e Cucina on Friday night. First impression was fantastic - the service was attentive and welcoming from the minute we walked in the door and the decor is sophisticated. Love the "wall of wine" , extensive wine list and comprehensive menu. We could not fault the food; presentation was superb as was the quality of the meals. Between us we had a wood fired pizza better than anything I have had in Italy, perfectly cooked steak, a delicious seafood pasta and a chicken breast stuffed with a ricotta and spinach mousse which worked really well.<br/><br/>We were so impressed that we returned for breakfast on Saturday with the kids and had another superb experience. Completely different vibe with the sun shining on the deck, the roof open and activities for the kids but the same warm and welcoming service. The flat white was perfect, the eggs Benedict had perfectly poached eggs and the bacon cooked in the wood fired oven was delicious. <br/><br/>Thank you so much for bringing quality food, great service and a little touch of Europe to our neighbourhood! We will definitely be back.
Justine Dyer
Chic and new Italian restaurant. Great atmosphere, nice bar for cocktails and drinks and pleasant dining. Like the Wine Rack feature wall. Food is good and worth a visit. Would recommend to friends and family.
Karen Deane
Dined at Caffe e Cucina on Saturday 02 October. Amazing food, great service, good value for money, huge selection of food to choose from, an all-round fantastic place to dine. <br/>Have already chosen what I am having to eat next time. Would recommend to everyone.
Joanna Liu
Went for dessert with a large group and we were seated in a side room with very dim lighting, making it not so easy to read the menu. The waiter couldn't remember the selection of sorbets and gelato and didn't know some items on the menu. Then another waiter confused a drink order resulting in a muddle up of 2 types of the same-named drink, and later on the waiter didn't come back for an order when we requested it. We ordered most items on the dessert menu, and although pricey, some are worth it. The gelato (and probably the sorbet) are definitely not worth it, with 3 tiny scoops for $12.50 - even though it was nice, the portion is ridiculous for that price. So overall, very disappointed with the service and the food is probably pricier than it's worth. It could be better for dinner, but don't bother sticking around for dessert.
Shamal Kumar
Service is spectacular. Very professional staff. Great environment. Bit pricey but worth it
Anne Green
Four of us had lunch here today - it was quiet - BUT what super people, a lot of fun- very friendly service and the FOOD was excellent. For starters we chose the garlic bread - light, crisp and sprinkled with olive oil. Two of us had the Fillet Mignon, the steak was cooked to perfection and the chips were crisp. My husband had the Duck legs, his comment - scrumptious and I had the Salmon ravioli served with a rocket salad - yum.
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