Loretta — Restaurant in North Island

When we arrived there were people standing around perhaps waiting for a table, but it wasn’t clear. There was no sign and no one came to tell us that they’d be with us soon. I ended up going to the bar after a while to double check that we needed to wait and not just find our own table. The couple in front of us a got fed up and left after a few stern words to the staff. We were finally seated and the waitress was lovely. The service was great. I have a few allergies so asked the waitress what I could eat. To my surprise they don’t do gluten free pizzas. Most places now have gluten free options. Being a vegetarian as well there weren’t many options but I had potatoes and salad. For the price it was very disappointing. $20 for plain roasted potatoes and a salad that was over salted. The halloumi salad had 3 small amounts of halloumi in it and lots of salad leaves. In general the place came across like they were trying to be upmarket but skimping on the important things. The whole meal was disappointing, even my partner who eats meat, gluten, everything, said his schnitzel (which was chicken, not pork as he expected), was over salted and disappointing. He didn’t even end up finishing it. We ordered dessert as we were still hungry, I ordered the pavlova which much in theme with the rest of the meal was disappointing. It was too sweet and did not go well with the coconut cream. My partner had mandarin and chocolate cheesecake which unfortunately was not up to standard either. We left $166 less and did not have a good experience at all. The only thing that made it was the waitress. She was lovely and kept refilling our water glasses. They looked understaffed in general, I felt sorry for the staff, running around stressed, leaving customers waiting and frustrated. Unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend going here at all, and my reviews are usually...

Revisiting Loretta on vibrant Cuba Street yesterday felt like greeting an old friend after too long away – I honestly couldn't pinpoint my last visit, but the warm welcome was immediate.

This cafe holds a unique position on the street; rather than sprawling outwards, it feels like a pleasant discovery tucked away, its modest street-facing window belying the inviting space within.

Stepping inside confirmed its reputation for a laid-back, friendly atmosphere. The service was spot-on – efficient, attentive, and genuinely helpful without being intrusive.

While I'd often heard Loretta lauded for its wood-fired pizzas (a claim seemingly validated by the nearby tables), I found myself drawn to their brunch offerings. My choice was simple: scrambled eggs with a side of mushrooms. Yet, the execution was superb. The eggs were perfectly cooked, and the mushrooms were a standout – deeply flavourful and delicious. Taking a chance on a mocha paid off handsomely; far from the overly milky versions found elsewhere, it was robust, well-balanced, and thoroughly satisfying.

While my personal preference always leans towards a window seat for people-watching, and these are indeed limited due to the cafe's inward design, it was a minor compromise.

The overall experience was significantly better than average. Loretta delivers excellent food, great coffee, and a genuinely pleasant, casual vibe with top-notch service. It thoroughly deserves its recommendation and proved that even after years, it remains a Wellington favourite well worth...

Nice, fresh and original dishes, we went there with my wife for dinner after being refused entry at Kisa. Unfortunately the overall price (186$ for two), the minimal service, and a hit and miss food that wasn't perfect and small serving makes a combination for us not to come back but im sure some would enjoy. The small pizzas are amazing but at 24$ you can get a full scale one somewhere else (like Pomodoro). The 1/2 chicken was perfect if it wasn't for the drumstick bit being pink at the bone and while I hate overcook meat, this was clearly under as in unedible raw meat but I ve been told "thats how we cook it here". The woodfire oven roasted potatoes were the biggest let down as it was overcooked as in dry, half of them had black burnt charcoal on it and again mistakes happen but I haven't been offered anything in lieu or a refund when this issue was raised with the wait staff. Not what you expect at that price point, its like they don't care enough. The salmon gravlax, the asparagus pizzette, the focaccia with lot8 EVOO, the tahini woodfire cauliflower and the 1/2 chicken (minus the drumstick) were very tasty and worthy of 5 star. We also had the fish of the day, blue moki(32$) with roasted red cabbage and it was ok but missing a kick/sauce. I may give it another chance for brunch ? Or save my money to try another of some of those top notch restaurant we have...