Dolce Cafe, Restaurant and Bar occupies the upstairs level of The Forum on Market Street, right in the heart of Blenheim, Marlborough. The idea behind it is summed up in three words — eat, drink, unwind — and the space delivers on all three, whether you are settling in for brunch, a cosy dinner or a casual drink with friends.
The kitchen is anchored by a wood-fired pizza oven, but the menu stretches from brunch and lunch through to dinner, small plates, sides and desserts, built on fresh ingredients and bold flavours. The bar is just as much a part of the story: a carefully curated selection of wines, beers and spirits, and cocktails made with fresh, quality ingredients that balance classic flavours with creative twists — a refreshing spritz, a bold spirit-forward serve, or something new and surprising. The wine list leans proudly on the region, with Marlborough sauvignon blanc from the likes of Allan Scott, Lawsons Dry Hills, Jules Taylor, Lake Chalice and Jackson Estate, plus sparkling pours from Italy and France.
There is usually something on beyond the everyday menu, too: a bottomless brunch, table-side cocktail masterclasses, 2-for-1 pizza promotions, a Monday SuperGold Card lunch, the Credenza private dining room and seasonal Christmas event packages. The philosophy is simple — a space where everyone feels welcome, with quality at the heart of everything.
Tucked upstairs at The Forum on Market Street, in the heart of Blenheim, Dolce Cafe, Restaurant and Bar has built its name on a simple promise: eat, drink, unwind. It is a place that works just as well for a long brunch as it does for a cocktail at the bar, and its story — like its menu — is rooted in Marlborough.
The phrase is Dolce's own, and it is a fair summary. Wood-fired pizza is the anchor of the kitchen — pizzas are baked in the house pizza oven, and keep an eye on the What's On calendar for the popular 2-for-1 pizza promotions that pop up from time to time. But the menu stretches well beyond the oven door: brunch, lunch and dinner service covers everything from hearty mains to light, refreshing salads, with small plates, sides and desserts rounding out the list. Every dish, the team says, is designed to pair with a cocktail from the bar or a glass of local wine.
Sitting in one of New Zealand's most famous wine regions, Dolce takes its wine list seriously. It leans local — the sauvignon blanc section alone carries Allan Scott, Lawsons Dry Hills, Jules Taylor, Lake Chalice's The Raptor and Jackson Estate, all from Marlborough — alongside sparkling wines like Sartori Prosecco from Italy, Allan Scott's Cecilia Brut and Cecilia Rose, and Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut Champagne for the special occasions.
The cocktail program matches the ambition. Drinks are made with fresh, quality ingredients, balancing classic flavours with creative twists — whether that means a refreshing spritz, a bold spirit-forward serve, or something new and surprising. The bar is stocked with a carefully curated selection of wines, beers and spirits, and it is just as happy pouring a glass on its own as it is mixing one of its signature cocktails.
Dolce has turned its bar into a stage. The Table-Side Cocktail Masterclass brings the craft of mixing drinks right to your table, and the Bottomless Brunch has become a go-to for celebratory occasions. For private gatherings, the Credenza Private Dining Room offers a dedicated space, and Christmas event packages are released for end-of-year functions. There is a community side too: a SuperGold Card lunch runs on Mondays, making the start of the week a little easier for seniors.
Walk in and the setting does much of the talking — a terrace for sunny days, the bar in full swing, and the pizza oven doing its work. The philosophy, as the team puts it, is simple: create a space where everyone feels welcome, with quality at the heart of everything. Whether you come for a relaxed brunch, a cosy dinner or a casual drink with friends, the aim is that every visit feels genuinely looked-after.
Dolce Cafe, Restaurant and Bar opens at 10am every day of the week. On Mondays and Sundays it closes at 3pm — those are the days for the SuperGold lunch and a long weekend brunch — while from Tuesday to Saturday the doors stay open until late. You will find it upstairs at The Forum, 11/48 Market Street, Blenheim. Bookings can be made through the website's Book a Table page, by phone on 03 579 3182, or by emailing info@dolcerestaurantbar.co.nz. If you are planning something bigger, ask about the Credenza room or the seasonal event packages; if you are planning nothing at all, a wood-fired pizza and a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc will do nicely.