Review Topor Bistro - Porirua

Visited again tonight (it’s been a few years) and everything was top notch! Pierogi and choc bomb even better than we remembered and the mains were 👌🏼 10/10 recommend

Steve is awesome. We got a drink and then decided a vokda float would be a good idea as well. And it was. We ordered soup and perogis too just to make sure we ate while we had a drink or two. We will be back to continue our journey through the menu.

We went here for a birthday meal, got borscht and pierogis as a starter. Borscht was very strong and didn’t taste like anything but beetroot, almost like a beetroot wine or concentrate which wasn’t the most pleasant. The pierogi however was very enjoyable with a delicious and well complimenting side salad, however the three we got in the dish were a bit overpriced. We next got duck and fish, and a rolled gravy meat dish. The ducks added potatoes and beetroots were nice, but the duck alone was incredible, the top skin was crispy like pork crackling and the inside juicy and tender like a steak, but better. The fish was creamy and delicious too, and the gravy dish was very good and rich full of mushrooms and went very nicely alongside our potatoes. Our desserts were nice, but the presentation was nicer then the taste. Nothing mind blowing, but still definitely enjoyable. The atmosphere of this place alongside the food was super homey and authentic and our waiter was very nice. Only complaint is that it was quite simply overpriced.

This restaurant is a beautiful hidden gem. I'm just sad I didnt take any food photos, I'll have to go back soon 😁. I Loved the water bottles. Food was deeelicious and the dish matched vodka an excellent choice, really enhancing the flavours, Na Zdrowie!

Went tonight for the first time. In the Top 3 restaurants in NZ easily. Food was jaw dropping. The couple that run the place work so hard! I burnt calories just watching them! And they donate frozen meals to the NICU where my wife is a nurse for people that land in highly stressful situations and get caught short. Love them for that. But more so their food is a religious experience - outstanding! Hidden Gem - book it gets busy and try it for yourself!

Great presentation and taste is beyond! First time trying out Polish food and will come back for more. Staff is friendly, giving great service. Thanks!

I've always thought about going to this restaurant , and finally we did for our 17th anniversary, the food was beautiful and the desert was to die for. Plus the Raspberry vodka and orange vodka were just so tasty 😋 , we will be back again forsure. Thanks team

What a wonderful restaurant. Friendly staff, food was amazing and the Vodka with every course topped of an wonderful meal. Can't wait to come back. So many other things to try off menu.

From the photos, nice plating, and “fusion” description, you could be forgiven thinking Topor was light on portions or flavour, but you’d be happily wrong like I was. I’m no Polish food expert, but enjoyed as hearty comforting food there’s little to complain about from our first visit here. We had the pierogis and bigos stew, as well as a bread & pickle plate. Massive serving sizes for the price, and friendly service that answered our questions. They’ve also got a surprisingly great drink selection! On top of a bunch of imported Polish beers in 500ml bottles, they also have a wide variety of house-made vodka infusions that you can order a tasting paddle of. For winter, they also had a mulled vodka and honey drink called Krupnik that was dangerously tasty. Sadly didn’t have any room for dessert but would love to come back! (or for their separate weekend lunch menu!) Street parking around, and they’re walkable from the Plimmerton train station.

Amazing amazing place!! My husband and I never had Polish food before, so this restaurant was our introduction. It was quiet busy, a small family run restaurant. The food is gorgeous and we fell in love. We mostly shared everything, my husband and I. We started of with the bread, it was quite a range of breads and Dips very filling. Then for mains, kielbasa hash, loved the sausage. For dessert we had chocolate bomb. A very nice dining experience. Shall come with friends next time to introduce them to some polish food. Thanks

This is one of the greatest little restruants I have ever dined at. The service is great and friendly. And the food....OMG it's outstanding and super yummy. And if you're into vodka matches with your food...this is the place to be at!

Best place I’ve ever dined at! Been to many 5 star restaurants and Topor beats them all. Thank you so much for delicious food and great hospitality!

A fantastic quality meal in an enjoyable environment with friendly personable staff....We would recommend this place to anyone if you want a great dining experience and amazing food. See you again soon!

Really enjoyed the food. The dumplings are to die for and the lamb rack was cooked to perfection. Wish I had room for dessert. Will definitely return to try something different. Also in the Entertainment Book.

Having never been to Topor, we absolutely loved it. The head chef was away and the junior chef cooked our meal. She did an outstanding job. We eat out often and this would defiantly be up there with all the greatest wellington restaurants. Very friendly staff, delicious food and a very promising up and coming young chef. Well done.

The food was delicious and amazing, it was also nice trying something different that I wouldn't usually have. The service is lovely and friendly, our server answered any questions we had and was extremely knowledgeable about their drinks selection. Can't wait to go again!

Just had the most delicious meal! Wow it was amazing, yummy! 4/4 dishes were perfect, exquisite dishes, lovely hosts, welcoming environment. Highly recommend it. Thank you Geoff and Melissa for introducing us to this awesome restaurant! We will defiantly be returning!

Thank you to Steve and his team for the wonderful meal!!! My friends and I really enjoyed ourselves. We would highly recommend Topor Bistro and Bar for a night out!!

Wow!!! Most amazing food, beautiful atmosphere, lovely service. Thank you Valerie & the team at Topor for a memorable dining experience. Delicious

Lovely people, fabulous food and great service , love this place :)

Lovely food with a Polish twist. We always enjoy dinner here, so an obvious choice for a birthday lunch.

Top night! Friendly staff & tasty platters & meals...and Vodka!

Brilliant food, Polish beers and amazing Polish vodka! Great service too! Can't wait to come back! dzięki!

We had a really fantastic meal, definitely recommend it.

Great food, fast and friendly staff. A great experience.

Beautiful meal as usual thanks Catered well for our visitor from Canada who is Vegan Empty plates going back so that says it all. Lovely food beautifully presented  and attentive friendly staff.

Very nice and yummy food, love it, will come back and try other dishes again. This is an only Poland restaurant in New Zealand. I’m so happy that I have a chance to try this.

Amazing food, very talented chef, we will definitely become a regular now we are living near by, looking forward to trying new dishes very soon

The food was delicious and amazing, it was also nice trying something different that I wouldn't usually have. I had the pierogi, which I had seen on TV and always wanted to try. It was beautiful and creamy and had lots of flavour. <br/>The service is lovely and friendly, our server answered any questions we had and was extremely knowledgeable about their drinks selection.

We dined at Topor for our Wedding Anniversary.  It was sheer delight.  Most importantly, although the restaurant was full, it was quiet and the tables were well spaced and we felt we could dine in comfort and relative privacy.  We were attended to quickly and served with delicious garlic bread. We had wine with our main course and although there were tempting vodka suggestions for each meal we stuck to wine. Our meals were cooked to perfection and attractively presented.  A bonus was we had lessons in how to say "Bon appetit" and "Thank you" in Polish!  Dessert also had a vodka match which I indulged in - a delicious raspberry flavoured one.  We left feeling that we'd had a really special dining experience.  We will definitely return.

We were very disappointed with our experience at TOPOR.<br/>We live local and been in this place a couple of times before. We always had a dinner after 6 pm and always been one of the first customers between 6pm and 6.30 pm.<br/>One week before my birthday we came to Topor and booked a window table for 2 for my birthday. We said we will come after 6pm as usual. We talked to 2 staff and they never tell us that we MUST book at 6pm, 6.15 pm or 6.20 pm and we MUST come exactly at 6pm or 6.20!!!!<br/> On my birthday we came at Topor at 6.20 pm, because we had to park our car a little bit away from restaurant. A couple of people already had a dinner at Topor. <br/>And BIRTHDAY SURPRISE - The staff already canceled our reservation!!!<br/>They lied that they tried to call us (HA-HA - when we back home - no calls, no messages!).<br/>The staff offered us(not young couple with back problems, arthritis and…) to have a dinner on bar stools at a table that was meant for drinks not for relaxing birthday dinner!!!!<br/>The staff were not friendly, were not professional, were not polite at all.<br/>We would never go again to this place for any reason and we do not recommend this restaurant, not even to our worth enemy.<br/>THANKS FOR WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY PRESENT!

I really enjoyed my meal here. I had the fish it was cooked perfectly. My partner loves the paprika beef, the sauce and pasta are very nice. I would love to go back and try a few other dishes on the menu. The service was great and staff are friendly.

I was looking forward to dining here after reading the reviews. If my expectations were not so high I may have been more impressed. My chicken was a little over cooked and the desert was a let down. The service was very good. For the price there are better places to dine.<br/>

As a Polish-born customer I was disappointed.I dined at Topór a few days ago. Having heard one person's positive opinion I decided to invite some Kiwi friends to join me at this first-time experience. The venue is lovely and there are a few things Topór does well, such as service and food presentation. However, the food itself does a disservice to the true Polish cuisine. First of all that iconic Polish soup - Barszcz. I expected a bowl of hearty soup thick with diced vegetables and beetroot, possibly served with a hard-boiled egg and garnished with finely chopped parsley or spring onions. Instead I got a plateful of red water flavoured with cinnamon (never known anyone to put cinnamon in any of the many versions of barszcz). This style of barszcz (clear beetroot consommé) is traditionally drunk from a cup on Christmas Eve (never served in a plate by itself) and is always accompanied by little vegetarian dumplings (uszka). Often uszka are served in the cup with barszcz. Outside of Christmas you can get clear barszcz in takeway shops as an accompaniment to paszteciki (mince filled deep fried dumplings).We also ordered pierogi that according to the menu were filled with potatoes and feta cheese. Well, I could taste the potatoes, but no feta. As a result pierogi were very bland.For my main I had vegetarian gołąbki (cabbage rolls) and advised a Kiwi friend to get the pork version of these, as they used to be my favourite back in the old country. In Poland these are always served as a main with potatoes (boiled or mashed) or with sour dough bread for lunch or supper. So I was surprised to see gołąbki arrive on their own without any accompaniment.The vegetarian gołąbki were actually quite tasty, but the pork version that my friend ordered were terrible. They tasted as if made with sausage meat, not minced pork, as they should be. Not even close to the way they should taste. My friend couldn't even finish them and I don't blame her.Based on this experience I wouldn't come back or recommend Topór to anyone. Sorry guys. (Perhaps employing a Polish grandma would help to get those flavours right?)

Not sure where to start with this review!  Firstly, I'd advise you book.  We were lucky to get the last table :-)<br/>This is a small restaurant with 24 tables.  As such, you get a very personalised experience.  We ended up deciding on having 3 courses, and although I am hardly able to walk, I am very glad we did so!<br/>Food was awesome.  I am a particularly fussy steak eater and it was cooked to perfection and the triple ice cream treat was sublime.<br/>As someone once wrote, a fine dining experience does not need to be posh.  And that is exactly what Topor is all about.  Each course was presented exquisitely, and tasted as good as it looked.  The ambience was quite relaxed and we were really lucky to get to chat to the husband/wife team who own the restaurant and cook.  Such lovely people who are obviously passionate about what they are doing.  We will most certainly go back.  Thank you SO much for a really lovely evening.  Jo and Tony.

I dined at Topor about 2 months ago, and not knowing much about Polish cuisine I was a little hesitant at first. As it turned out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about! The food is absolutely delicious. I had the Polish sausage entree and followed that up with the Bigos, and both were superb!! The matching vodka with the mains was also exquisite, as was the Polish beer I tried. Service was excellent, warm, friendly and knowledgeable without being in your face. I would definately recommend Topor and we will be back!!

Wow - what a find, thank you Menu Mania! Topor is a first class neighbourhood bistro. We visited for the first time on Friday tea time, with my 5 year old daughter. Every table in this cute, cosy eaterie was reserved - a great sign! I have never eaten polish food before, so didn't really know what would be on offer, and I was delighted to find a menu with such an array of different meal choices. My daughter had the chicken soup of the day with amazing garlic bread - homely and flavoursome! I really enjoyed the minced pork cabbage tools in tomato sauce. My mum loved the stuffed chicken breast with a tasty mushroom sauce, and my dad's duck looked juicy (he would have liked the skin crispy but maybe that's not the way in Poland). Great service from really friendly staff who were run off their feet but dealt with it superbly! We will be back, and next time I'm having the polish stew!

My sister and I dined at Topor a few Wednesdays ago and had an amazing time. The food was absolutely delicious especially the pierogis which I had never tried before. I was recommended pepper vodka to go with my chicken and it was beautiful. Service was excellent and the staff welcoming and attentive. Thank you for the lovely time and we will definitely be dining at Topor again.

We've eaten at Topor twice now, and both times the food, service and experience has been excellent! The menu has a great mix of dishes and caters well for vegetarians, and the variety of drinks is good too (the Polish vodka is top notch and is perfectly matched to each dish). Everything we have tried was cooked to perfection, and the flavours were great (the Pierogi as a starter turned dumplings into something to savour, and who would think that blueberry compote with Kielbasa sausage would taste so amazing?). On top of the 5 star food, the service is friendly and you feel welcomed to be there, without being over the top. We'll definitely be back - it's now our favourite restaurant in Wellington.

Beautiful food! and awesome service!!!! I was a little sceptical going this time as we didn't realize that the business had changed hands...however, it was awesome and the new owner was superb!

Had a great experience here on Friday night with a group of friends. Great service, delicious food and great atmosphere. Would highly recommend to anyone. The best food out in a restaurant I have had in year.

The service was fantastic, the food was superb, very authentic. Most memorable course (they were all delicious), was the dessert. The homemade ice cream to die for.<br/>Loved the flavour infused vodka!

The food was fantastic, the service was wonderful! I would recommend you try this place. We will definitely return.

I am an international traveller and this is the best restaurant I have EVER been to. Amazing chef and the owner is the friendliest person in the industry, I strongly recommend this to all. The entire staff were wonderful...I will become regular at each visit to the district...I thank the team 10/10

We'll be back! Fantastic food and atmosphere! The range of vodkas and infused Vodkas was a unique treat! Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere, friendly and excellent service! I must admit my take on traditional Polish food was bland and stodgy so I was a little wary of a Polish restaurant but the food was excellent - modern and very tasty! Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. I sampled the dishes from the rest of our party of four but can't decide on a favourite they were all that good! The bar was busy too - would be a great place to pop in for a drink or two! Can't recommend highly enough!

What a fantastic. We had an awesome night, the food was divine... we were a table of eight and everyone thoroughly enjoyed every course! The service was first rate. We were made to feel very welcome and the all round experience is one that I would highly recommend! <br/>Well done Topor! I will definitely be back!

This eatery has become a regular haunt - a full night out, or a couple of wines with friends - always excellent food quality and the service matches the food!<br/>Highly recommend, just a pity they don't open on Mondays!

After hearing amazing things about Topor we finally made it there for dinner last night and were not disappointed. The food was ridiculously amazing, the service was the best I've experienced in a very very long time, and the vodka was delish. I can't praise Topor enough!

Just finished the most spectacular taste sensation ever.You have not lived until you have enjoyed an evening at Topor.The food is second to none.The staff are warm and friendly and always make you feel so welcome and special.Thank god Wellington has such a special top rated restaurant to experience.Absolutely sensational!!

This place deserves all those top reviews. If you don't like the food here, you're probably the sort of person who just doesn't like Polish food. <br/><br/>The goat cheese dumplings are the best as is the vodka selection. Great atmosphere and service too. Dobra robota(well done)!

Have been to Topor on numerous occasions and think it is just awesome! Whether it is for dinner, dessert or just a drink at the bar this is the place to be for a relaxed, friendly and fantastic experience. Good on ya Topor!

Decidedly average I'm afraid. I don't know if these other diners just don't do fine dining but priced at $29-36 per main I was expecting to be impressed as we eat out regularly. Having read the reviews we were really looking forward to the night. <br/><br/>The duck was overcooked and chewy, the chicken dry, bland and tasteless (maybe that's how the Polish eat their food) if that is the case I stand corrected. <br/><br/>Unfortunately no one came to check on our meals so we could not tell them...something you should ALWAYS do, check on the meals - don't assume everything is okay, even when busy there must be someone coming back to check on meals otherwise it is a lost opportunity to improve things. <br/><br/>Pricing is more of a $18-20 main, does not command the price of $29-36.

We had a fantastic dinner. We started with the Antipasto and it was tasty with a lot of variety. For mains: The Cracovian Chicken was amazing. I went for the traditional Bigus Bread and was not disappointed. Delicious!<br/>All this topped off with a wonderful bottle of Hawkes Bay Chalice (I think) Merlot.<br/>We finished off with desserts and went home satiated.<br/>The service was excellent considering the place was 100% full. We booked at 7:00 pm and were told no problem. Timing, service, atmosphere, all excellent.<br/>Thank you for a great evening.

Awesume every time!! Great down to earth owner and staff who always make you feel welcome. Great cook, food beautifully presented and hot!! Have dined there on numerous occassions and have never been able to fault the entire experience. Even my daughter who loves chips with everthing said the meal (Cracovan Chicken) she had was beautiful!! Looks like McDs is on the outer!! Definetly worth the drive from Upper Hutt.

I had never tried Polish before. Being a Plimmerton resident, there's not too much selection when you're wanting something a walk away. We went here for my birthday and were nicely surprised.

We had a family birthday dinner at Topor mid-week and it was great. I'm a fan of Polish food, but it was new to my family and all enjoyed their meals. Our waitress was friendly and professional, I was very surprised when she mentioned she was only 15! The place had a friendly, comfortable vibe. The older people were grateful that the noise was less than other restaurants. The dessert platter option is great to share, the all round favourite was the apple pie.

Visited Topor a week or so ago and basically agree with all the previous reviews! Lovely ambience with very pleasant and very quick service. Meals were just lovely as well. Would definitely go again and hopefully soon. Highly recommended. A gem

Taking a break from Christchurch a friend in Wellington suggested your restaurant.Fancy a Polish bistro in Wellington. The Bigos was excellent as were the other five dishes. Last time we had such fare was on a visit to Krakow a couple of years ago. We thoroughly enjoyed your food and service. Thank you.

Topor is a little gem! Delicious polish food, HUGE vodka selection,cosy feel to the place and warm, friendly staff/owners! Definitely recommend to all!

Went here for my anniversary and the staff were friendly, professional and polite. Meals tasted amazing and were a good size. Would definitely recommend this restaurant for a romantic meal (as the environment is beautiful) or a meal with family or friends.

Really lovely.<br/><br/>Dropped in last night after a walk along Karehana Bay for a couple of voddies. Ended up with more than a couple and had a dessert. <br/><br/>The service is quick, friendly and enthusiastic. The staff obviously love what they are doing.<br/><br/>A great range of vodkas (the second best in NZ?)and the food is glorious. I can't wait to go back for a full meal ... hey fambly! I have a birthday coming up ... hint hint.

It’s the only Polish restaurant in New Zealand and the food is AMAZING! I’m Polish and I moved to NZ 3 years ago. Every time I’m in Wellington area I try to visit Topor. Do not expect typical polish food, which could be very heavy. Instead, you will be served Polish food with a Kiwi twist. I have to admit, their pierogi with potatoes and goat feta are the best. I also highly recommend bigos and the cheese cake. Great food, atmosphere and service – amazing dining experience.

Great night, good service and their dessert options are great. Really nice food, well presented and good value. Also friendly staff who can advise on the menu too if you are not familiar. Their dessert options of a small helping of three desserts of your choice to share for two is superb. Great night. Thank you so much. Can highly recommend.

We went on saturday evening with friends ,it was the first time we hade ever been to a Polish Restaurant and to be honest never knew what to expect .The starters were brought over and we enjoyed the dips and the garlic bread .Main courses arrived not long after and were presented in a very professional manner that rivals any top Cordon Bleu restaurant .We had the duck and the fish courses ,both cooked to perfection with the added Polish touch with the sauces and vegetables done to a Polish recipe which enhanced the flavours of the food .Pudding was a shared thing between us all with the choice of three puddings on a large plate to savour and share .Overall a friendly and courtious restaurant that gives great service and very good food .Will go back again sometime to try another different dish .

Fantastic ambience, specialty food exquisitely presented, top service. Would be great if also open for lunch in the weekends!

The quality of what we ate was superb. The pierogi, I tried both kinds, were delicious. I particularly enjoyed the goat feta and potato filled ones.<br/>We asked for hot Barszcz but were turned down. The chef thought that heating the cold barszcz was hot good as the flavour was spoilt. It was a cold day and we'd been in the open air at the beach waiting for the cafe to open which it did on time. I'd still like to have had a mug of hot barszcz with my pierogi.<br/>The Bigos was fabulous. Our party compared notes the next day and decided that the spices in it caused all of us to have vivid dreams that night - highly recommended.<br/>Grandmothers cheesecake looked wanderful and I'd have chosen it for desert but one in our group needed to go home (16m old)so regretfully we left without desert. Provisionj of a highchair was very welcome.<br/>Thanks guys it was a lovely meal.

Sometimes you come across something a bit special. Topor is just that, we went there on a whim and we very pleasantly surprised. Great food and excellent service!

Yummy food, nice surroundings and friendly staff. What more do you need for a good night out. Definitely will return and recommend to all my friends.

The reviews we read were right. The food was very good, service great and I highly recommend the vodka matches for the mains. We will certainly be back.

The menu and service go from strength to strength. We find ourselves looking for anniversaries / birthdays or occasions as an excuse to go. We take overseas visitors just to boast at what a great restaurant we have 5 minutes drive away. Don't miss this place.

Wonderful friendly, helpful and knowledgeable service. Great menu variety and good sized meals. Well recommended.

What a brilliant place - warm, friendly service &amp; a top notch meal - go &amp; see for yourself, you won't be disappointed ‹(•¿•)›

What a surprise. Tried the famous bigos dish and it was divine. Great winter food to warm your soul. We had a lovely evening there, super wine list, ambience, the total package.

very freindly. nice food. big dishes. loved it.

This was a very yummy restaurant. We would highly recommend it. They were quick with our meal even though they were full up. Very friendly also.