Volare Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria has been a proudly authentic Italian presence in The Gardens since 2002, serving the Manukau area and beyond from 91 Charles Prevost Drive, just three minutes from the Hill Road offramp of Auckland's Southern Motorway. It was born from a simple desire: to give the area something its owners felt was lacking — a comfortable, generous suburban restaurant offering high-quality food in an intimate, inviting neighbourhood setting.
The menu is assembled from the freshest ingredients and spans much-loved daily classics — breads and starters, entrees, pasta and risotto featuring fresh homemade pasta, chicken, meat and seafood mains, sides, pizza, desserts and a dedicated kids menu — alongside weekly specials designed and selected by the restaurant's Italian chef. Wine, cocktails, other beverages and two set menus round things out, and a weekly specials email keeps regulars in the loop.
Beyond the dining room, Volare helps make special occasions a success, from birthdays to wedding receptions: a private function room upstairs caters for up to 30 guests, the entire restaurant can host up to 74, and a celebration cake can be supplied with two to three days' notice. Dine-in and takeaway service runs from 5.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday.
Since 2002, Volare Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria has been doing one thing with real conviction: bringing the flavours of Italy to the suburban heart of The Gardens, Auckland. Just three minutes from the Hill Road offramp of the Southern Motorway, this much-loved local has spent more than two decades proving that high-quality Italian dining doesn't need a city address.
Volare was born out of a simple desire — to give the Manukau area something its owners felt was lacking: a comfortable, generous suburban restaurant offering high-quality food in an intimate, inviting neighbourhood setting. The result is a one-of-a-kind establishment where a cosy, relaxed, authentically Italian atmosphere meets a menu inspired by the fresh ingredients, delectable aromas and irresistible flavours of Italy. Put succinctly, Volare is an experience you need to have.
The much-loved daily menu covers every Italian craving. Start with breads and starters, move on to the entrees, then settle into the pasta and risotto section — where fresh homemade pasta takes centre stage. Beyond the pasta, the kitchen serves chicken, meat and seafood mains, sides, and pizzas from the pizzeria side of the menu, each dish presented in a simple yet oh-so-pleasing manner.
There's plenty to round out an evening, too: a desserts and after-dinner drinks menu for those who like to linger, a dedicated kids menu for younger diners, and a drinks list spanning wine, cocktails and other beverages. For tables that prefer to keep things easy, two set menus take the guesswork out of group dining.
The daily menu is only half the story. Each week, Volare adds a selection of specials designed and selected by its Italian chef — a rolling showcase that keeps even the regulars guessing. Diners can view the week's specials on the website, and subscribers to the mailing list have them emailed directly each week. As the team puts it: goditi il nostro bel cibo — enjoy our beautiful food!
From birthdays to wedding receptions and everything in between, Volare has made a name for itself as a celebration venue. A private function room tucked away upstairs caters for up to 30 guests, while those wanting the full experience can take the entire restaurant for up to 74 people. The team can even supply a beautiful celebration cake — special requirements should be let known two to three days before the reservation.
Not every great Volare meal needs a table. Alongside dine-in service, the restaurant runs a full takeaway selection, with both available from 5.30pm Tuesday to Sunday. Order ahead, collect your meal, and bring a little Italian flavour home.
A favourite quote on Volare's own site — courtesy of George Miller — captures the affection locals have for the place: "The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you're hungry again." Volare agrees wholeheartedly. To reserve a table, call 09 267 6688 or email manager@volare.co.nz with your name, date, time, party size and any special requirements — and follow along on Instagram and Facebook at @volareauckland for the latest.