Astoria Espresso & Wine Bar — Restaurant in North Island

A few months ago, I visited Astoria on a weekend with a friend just to grab a couple of coffees. It was a cold day, so we stepped inside to order. When I told a staff member we wanted two coffees to go, she told us we had to leave and order from the outside takeaway window. I was surprised — we were already inside, and I couldn’t understand what difference it made. When I pointed this out, she reluctantly took the order but snapped that “next time” I should use the window. I told her there wouldn’t be a next time, and I meant it.

Fast forward to today, I had to return for a lunch meeting, so it wasn’t my choice. The food was okay, nothing overly special, but the service was disappointing once again. After finishing our meal, we wanted to order coffees and drinks. For at least 10 minutes we tried to get someone’s attention, but we were completely ignored. At one point, it even felt deliberate. In the end, we gave up and decided to go next door for drinks instead.

When paying, I mentioned to the staff member handling the bill that while the food was fine, the service had been poor. Her response was dismissive: “We’re busy today.” I explained that we’re paying customers, and we were planning to order more but felt ignored. Her reply? A curt “Okay, see you later.”

That level of rudeness sealed it for me. In times when customers think twice about where to spend their money, the least any restaurant can offer is decent service. I gave Astoria a second chance, but both times I was treated poorly. There...

Wow, just wow. The bread, it is a surprising raised football, with a dipping plate of high quality olive oil and balsamic, super good introduction. The meatballs are divine, what sauce, do not miss it. The magarita pizza, have not fear, it is superb. The bucatini, so interesting, beyond Al dente, really firm, huge hollow noodles in an excellent sauce. And the crisp salad, lovely olives, a refreshing delight. On to the deserts, yes the tirisimu is terrific, but the dark chocolate mouse, sorbet and preserved cherry wins hands down. There was so much more to try on the menu, and clearly everything is of sky high standard, so we will be back for the gnudi. The staff were wonderful, attentive, accommodating, brought the chef over to explain details. International standards,...

Absolutely fabulous!! A must visit!!

Back in October we visited Astoria as a party of 5 girls from Christchurch. David and Steve were exceptional hosts and took great care with us to choose our drinks and meals, although I highly doubt any selection would’ve been a disappointment. I ordered the spritziatta cocktail and it was so delicious that I had 3 by the end of the night…🙈 The girls ordered various cocktails that were just as delicious! I must applaud the energy that David and Steve brought. They had us girls giggling all night and really made us feel so welcome. The food was impeccable and the service was the maraschino in the Prosecco 🍒🥂 I will most definitely return to Wellington solely to dine at Astoria. Thank you David, Steve and the...