Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: service (24) good (21) great (14) lamb (13) nice (12) Italian (11) Cotto (11) dishes (10) experience (10) attentive (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Chaitra S. 2 years ago on Google
    Came here with friends for dinner. Ambience was good. The lamb was perfectly cooked and yum! That was the star of the night for sure! The food is kind of overrated in my opinion coz I feel like I have eaten way better Italian food, but nevertheless it was good! We had to share our table with few other people and to my surprise it was quite noisy the day we went. The staff are great, super friendly and very accommodating. We needed wheelchair access and they made sure our need was well taken care of! :)
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Elisa H. 2 years ago on Google
    Really good service. Food is well priced especially considering the quality, quantity and overall vibe of the place. $60 for 4 dishes. No wonder it’s always busy! 50 minute wait for a table for 2 during Red level alert, but well worth it. We’ll be back
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 V K. 2 years ago on Google
    We love this place! Sometimes a little tricky to get a table as a couple but well worth the effort. Beautiful food, wonderful service and a great buzzy atmosphere!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Fa que C. 1 year ago on Google
    Cotto, an Italian restaurant, offers an interesting ambiance and a range of Italian dishes. However, it's important to note that my experience with the service was quite disappointing. During our dining experience, the kitchen staff seemed to stare at us, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere. The restaurant's interior still exudes a nice vibe, and the decor adds to its overall charm. The atmosphere remains inviting, and the restaurant has a pleasant ambiance that sets the stage for a potentially enjoyable dining experience. When it comes to the food, Cotto still serves a variety of classic Italian dishes. The menu features traditional pasta dishes, flavorful pizzas, and other Italian favorites. However, it's worth mentioning that while the food may be decent, the subpar service I experienced affected the overall enjoyment of the meal. Unfortunately, the service did not meet expectations during my visit. The kitchen staff's behavior, staring at us during our meal, was disconcerting and left a negative impression. Attentive and friendly service is a crucial aspect of any dining experience, and it's regrettable that this element fell short during my visit to Cotto. I understand that the behavior of the kitchen staff may have been an isolated incident, but it's important to address it in the review. Consistency in service is key to maintaining a positive reputation and ensuring that customers have a pleasant time at the restaurant. While the ambiance and the food at Cotto may have their merits, the service plays a crucial role in the overall dining experience. It's important for the management of Cotto to address any issues with their staff's behavior and strive to create an atmosphere where customers feel comfortable and valued. In conclusion, Cotto offers an interesting ambiance and a range of Italian dishes. However, based on my personal experience, I must highlight the disappointing service and the kitchen staff's inappropriate behavior. It is my hope that the management takes this feedback constructively and works towards improving the overall dining experience for their customers.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ravneel R. 2 years ago on Google
    Awesome restaurant, atmosphere and service. This was topped off by brilliant tasting food. Very attentive staff made the experience awesome. You almost forget you on K Road when you're inside. Only negative would be its a little noisy but if you sit outside you can stay away from the noise and social network ladies taking pictures for insta
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Diego L. 1 year ago on Google
    Great location (right on the middle of k rd). Food was very tasty. Entrees are great to share with someone else. Prices were good. The service and stuff were amazing, super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gimin Y. 2 years ago on Google
    Friendly survice, great food. great vibes and highly recommended!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 roopa s. 2 years ago on Google
    LOVED IT !!!! This was on my list forever, so glad I could finally try this out. Everything on the menu is Fantastic Must try cocktail is tiramisu cocktail ❤
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 stef n. 2 years ago on Google
    I ordered a few meals in lockdown. Loved the cacio Pepe ravioli, gnocchi, spinach ricotta dumplings. Just went for dinner also, loved all the meals. The fried zucchini is amazing.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kylie H. 3 years ago on Google
    Had an amazing night here! The food was really good and a bit different from what I usually eat. We had a party of 4 and we got four mains, a starter and an entree + drinks and we were nicely full at the end, not stuffed but not hungry. The service throughout the night was top tier - really attentive but not intrusive and just friendly overall. For most of our group it was our first time here and the waiter explained the concept of the restaurant well. They were especially to our group number - for example, we were told the tortelloni usually comes in 3 and asked if we wanted them served in 4 instead which was so nice! Back to the food - I highly recommend the farinata for the starter. It’s a light pancake light texture and really crispy and good. The pork belly entree was really nice and crispy too but a little hard to cut if you’re wanting to share. For the mains, my favourite was the gnocchi but all of them were really good.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Hugo C. 1 year ago on Google
    What a delight. I have been eyeing this place for 2 years but kind never went. huge mistake. from the very start we were handed our foccacia (not in photos) and was just amazed. stunning foccacia and we knew form there, it could only get better. next we were given all our sides and appetizers: feta fries, arancini balls, and honey balsamic lamb ribs. can I just say, you can't come to cotto and not get the lamb ribs... GET THEM!!! whilst we primed our stomachs, we sipped down on some delicious spritz, was nothing special, but delightful nonetheless. smaller than I'd hoped but oh well. next we were handed our mains to share: beef ragu, gnocchi, and pork cannelloni. gnocchi was airy, soft, pillowy - as it should be - and it was starkly contrasted with the crunch and bite of the wallnuts. bliss. and the beef ragu was just good, not amazing per se, but very filling and great portion, definitely their biggest dish and worth getting if you are planning to share in a large group like we did. in contrast, maybe don't get the pork cannelloni for sharing, two slim(ish) cannellonis were dished out, tasted great, but just wasn't that much. service was great too, server was very attentive and was proactive in checking in on us visually but did not intrude too much in our conversations which I loved. they're doing great. price is a big thing for everyone, and me too. I came in with a group of 8, total bill was 325, but was charged 344 for the pay wave surcharge. Basically ~$40pp and this bill included many things that left us happy. 7/8 of us ordered drinks as well. orders: 3 feta cheese fries 2 foccacia 2 honey balsamic lamb ribs 2 arancini balls 2 beef ragus 1 gnocchi 1 pork cannelloni.

  • 5/5 Sigourney 1 year ago on Google
    It's always a pleasure to eat here. Service is always attentive without being invasive, and food is superb and there is never a weak dish (this time my favourite was the gnocchi). They are also brilliant with allergies. Their only issue is how loud it can be, limiting conversation across the big comfy booths. One of the best spots in Auckland, and it remains high on my list for any night out.

  • 4/5 Faiz D. 1 year ago on Google
    Apart from the frustrating inability to book a table beforehand, there is nothing to fault about Cotto. From their delectable food to their warm wait staff, everything was just perfect. Give their beetroot ravioli a shot. The textures were a pleasant surprise. Amongst the entrées, I'd highly recommend the lamb ribs and the cauliflower fritti!

  • 4/5 Reid D. 1 year ago on Google
    This little nook doesn’t shout about itself - just a small lighted circular sign outside. But it’s warm and lively inside. The food is good, the prices affordable, and the service attentive, even on a busy Friday night. We had several starters and just a single main, and that was plenty. The focaccia was excellent, and also the cauliflower. The broccoli came as a single large stalk, and it was a challenge putting it together with its accompaniments. The spinach was like spanakopita without the pastry. The beetroot ravioli was the most creative combination and quite delightful. As for dessert, the chocolate caramel pudding sounded great but didn’t taste vividly of any of its ingredients. Even with drinks, the total was only about $50NZ - seemed a bargain.

  • 4/5 Rosie 11 months ago on Google
    Great place for a group dine. The menu is made so that all the plates are shared and the more people you have the more items you can try. Overall really please with the speed of the food delivered out, the flavours, quantity and taste. To me it was an Italian twist with some nice unique items on the menu so it broke up the heaviness of -for example only pasta dishes. The smaller plates I enjoyed more than the actual mains which I thought I would like-in particular the lamb ragu which looked amazing on photos and irl too, but taste wise I don’t know, it was good but the flavours weren’t as complex as for example compared to spinach goat cheese dumplings which I had no idea what to expect but was nicely taken aback. The gnocchi was also super soft and a bit flavourless but the sauce of asparagus and pea was good and also accompanied nicely with pancetta I think that’s what we got. Though saying that-because we got to tray an array of smaller dishes, they accompanied the main carbs quite nicely, such as the lamb ribs that delivered a yum mouthful of protein aside some more soft sloppy pasta. Drink menu is nicely elaborate but I don’t know much on drinks-got to have a good mocktail spagliato Negroni (iykyk the meme) so I was happy. Dessert wise was a meh it’s aight vibes nice little finisher but I’d personally pass-we got affogato and I believe the chocolate nemesis; both were extremely rich, personally not my cup of coffee. Shoutout to the foccacia, best I’ve had in Auckland. I will dream of this. We had a decent group size of 8-not everyone managed to make it on the dot of our table time-I understand servers need to come around and ask if we want to go ahead but surely not more than two times? We were asked I think around four times and it just felt slightly pushy, again understand they have to keep us in check with times and things but please surely mentioning it once or twice is enough? Other than that no issues with service, food was delivered with courtesy, plates were cleared quite promptly and all was well. Seating arrangements are quite nice. Rowdy atmosphere but standard for k road and popular restaurants, nice to feel the place was packed out and everyone having a good vibe.

  • 5/5 Matt M. 1 year ago on Google
    Cotto was amazing. We loved the service, food & overall vibe. Our favourites were the dumplings & beef Ragu. One tip - get there early as gets very busy. We arrived at 5:45pm on a Friday night & was already full, we got the last table outside, but don’t worry even if winter, outside is still warm enough & you get a great view of the chefs making the magic happen.

  • 5/5 L L. 1 year ago on Google
    Great experience and great food. Loved everything. The lamb rib was slightly over cooked when we ordered the r second one. Apart from that perfect

  • 5/5 Alex K. 1 year ago on Google
    My goodness, the best pasta in town (Maltagliati ragu) and the best chocolate dessert in town (the nemesis). Super quick, no fuss, professional, friendly and a good vibe too.

  • 4/5 Lay 1 year ago on Google
    Very good food! Loved the taste of every thing! The atmosphere is very busy and bustling so getting the attention of the servers is a bit hard, but that’s what you would expect at peak hour and the boss jumped right in to help! Price is on the steep side but very reasonable if you are willing to pay for creative dishes made with care. Portions were good for me (a younger girl) but not sure about bigger eaters. And I’m still not sure about $6 for 4 pieces of focaccia lol 😅 Costed my friends and I $40 each including dessert to share, $60 if you pair with a drink 😁

  • 5/5 Bruce W. 1 year ago on Google
    Food was yummmmm and service was amaaaaazing!!! We chose to sit outside where it was surprisingly warm. Appetizers: Focaccia & Cauliflower Entrees: Lamb ribs, Spaghetti mushrooms & Spinach goat cheese dumplings. Mains: Cannelloni duck & Kumara Gnocchi Deserts: Tiramisu ice cream & Hazelnut chocolate mousse

  • 5/5 R & N. 11 months ago on Google
    Have had the pleasure of dining at Cotto twice and can say that the food is phenomenal. Cotto is a real gem, and one of my favorite restaurants in Auckland. The spinach and goat cheese dumplings are something I think about often. Sooooo good! I really hope you reopen Cotto! Thank you for existing and gracing us with your deliciousness. x

  • 3/5 Vickyrooo 1 year ago on Google
    Authentic Italian cuisine with small, shareable plates. Although small in portion, each dish was quite rich in flavour so it didn't take much to fill up. Service was great. The restaurant was a bit too dimly lit so needed some flash cameras out to see what we were eating. The dishes were beautifully plated so a bit brighter lighting would've been ideal.

  • 5/5 Cassandra 1 year ago on Google
    A little slice of New York-Italian in Auckland. Best Italian food in Auckland I've ever had. Everything tasted delicious, and in a cosy little spot on K Road. Definitely recommend coming here if you are a lover of Italian food! Service is good, and left very satisfied meal wise and overall experience.

  • 4/5 Eva 1 year ago on Google
    Such a solid meal and so much value. Gorgeous food for a surprisingly affordable price, yet quality was not compromised at all. ✨ Definitely recommend the lamb ribs!!!! SO GOOD! So delicious and super generous serving. The sage dumplings are ok, very doughy… the Tortelli is also okay, no complaints just nothing mind blowing. The pork belly and peppers was so yummy, pork belly oh so tender! Filled with flavor and the peppers cooked so well. The Stracciatella cucumber was quite a nice little refreshing starter! The lamb ragu was not bad, I was expecting a bit more based on reviews but it was substantial.

  • 5/5 Anniruth K. 1 year ago on Google
    Great food, soothing ambience. We walked in on a Wednesday night, had tables available. We were seated outside and it was beautiful. Ordered dumplings, which was brilliant along with the pork belly. For mains, we had tortellini, gnocchi, the lamb ragu. The winner being the tortellini and the Lamb shank Raghu. Totally worth it. To top this all off, the service was on point. Thank you!

  • 5/5 Ha H. 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious pasta and very affordable given the portion. The lamb ragu was absolutely gorgeous. Enjoyed it to the last bite. Good service and nice vibes as well. Perfect spot for an Italian dinner!

  • 5/5 shirl g. 2 years ago on Google
    Great food and the service was fast. It is also surprising for how affordable the menu is seeing as how everything tastes so good. Too good to be true! The cauliflower is one of my favourite on the menu, so flavourful!

  • 5/5 Bailey B. 2 years ago on Google
    Very tasty meal thank you - very rich, interesting flavours. Great service - polite and attentive. Nice and warm sitting on the balcony. We left with very happy bellies :)

  • 5/5 Roxanne P. 2 years ago on Google
    Good place to have a decent meal or to celebrate 🍾 something. Surprisingly affordable for its location. Staff are all nice and attentive to their customers. Will definitely be back.

  • 5/5 A R. 2 years ago on Google
    Kudos to the chefs. Watching them pump out the most amazing dishes all night. Favorite place to east in Auckland!! Missed on dessert last time but managed to save some room and was not disappointed!

  • 5/5 Tony S. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent flavoursome food, excellent attentive and friendly service. Every thing we tried was great, particularly the focaccia and the gnudi. Really good.

  • 5/5 Sam T. 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious kai. Entree- The spinach and goat’s cheese ‘dumpling’ was ridiculous. My partner had the lamb ribs honey balsamic and was in a trance. Mains were both vegetarian and very well balanced flavours. Partner found her risotto peperonata and found it a bit on the tangy/ salty side. I had the ravioli (pictured) and it demanded to be savoured. Otherwise, would absolutely visit again. Staff were very attentive and engaged.

  • 3/5 apas 1 year ago on Google • 108 reviews
    ["This place has a very nice ambience and seating outside! The service is super sweet and does everything to make you feel welcome. The place is very aesthetically pleasing too.\n\nThe food that we ordered was alright and simple, nothing special. The food on the menu sounds very interesting and unique such as the fermented fries, so you expect something interesting to try. Once we got it, it tasted like simple fries. I definitely had better and cheaper italian food.\n\nThe elderflower spritz was okay but tasted a bit watery, it would\u2019ve been nice to have more flavor to it.\n\nLastly, the bill had expensive drinks that we did not order. But it happens! The service was super kind, nothing to complain about.",null,[0,175]]


Call +64 9 394 1555 Open on Google Maps Open on TripAdvisor

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✗ Dogs allowed
  • Parking
    • ✗ Paid parking lot
    • ✗ Paid street parking
    • ✗ Somewhat difficult to find a space
  • Payments
    • ✗ Debit cards
    • ✗ Credit cards
    • ✗ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✗ Beer
    • ✗ Wine
    • ✗ Coffee
    • ✗ Alcohol
    • ✗ Cocktails
    • ✗ Hard liquor
    • ✗ Small plates
    • ✗ Vegan options
    • ✗ Late-night food
    • ✗ Happy hour drinks
    • ✗ Vegetarian options
    • ✗ Private dining room
  • Accessibility
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✗ Dinner
    • ✗ Dessert
    • ✗ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✗ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Outdoor seating

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