Vin Alto Restaurant and Functions

About Vin Alto Restaurant and Functions

Vin Alto is a beautifully renovated winery restaurant set in the Clevedon hills, around 40 minutes from Auckland CBD. Surrounded by nature, it pairs classic Mediterranean alfresco dining among the olive trees with modern touches inside — and a simple invitation to sit back, relax and let the team take care of you.

The kitchen's creative, elegant menu runs from homemade fresh bread and house marinated olives through entrees like Clevedon buffalo curd, tuna tartare and pan-seared scallops, to mains such as 300g scotch fillet on truffle and rocket mash, sous-vide lamb rump, confit duck leg and pan-fried market fish. Desserts, a children's menu and coffee round things off, with pre-booked five, six or seven course degustation menus for something more leisurely.

The drinks are a destination in themselves: an extensive wine list spanning champagne, New Zealand sparkling, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay, rosé — including a Clevedon-made m.a.u pink ensemble — pinot noir and international reds, plus ports, a dessert wine of the month, and international and local NZ beers. With weddings and functions also a specialty, Vin Alto suits an intimate evening out or a get-together with family and friends: dinner Fridays from 5pm, Saturdays from midday, and Sunday lunch from midday to 4pm.

Vin Alto Clevedon: Renovated Winery Dining 40 Minutes from Auckland

Vin Alto is a beautifully renovated winery restaurant in the Clevedon hills, about 40 minutes from Auckland CBD, where classic Mediterranean alfresco dining meets modern, elegant cooking. Surrounded by nature, olive trees and birdsong, it's designed for lingering — sit back, relax, and let the team take care of you. It's a destination for an intimate evening out or a get-together with family and friends, with weddings and functions a specialty.

From winery to dining room

The building is half the story. Vin Alto occupies a renovated winery that has kept its rural soul while gaining beautiful modern touches, and the outdoor alfresco area delivers a genuine Mediterranean feel: tables among the olive trees, tui in the branches and wide Clevedon skies. It's a destination venue in the truest sense — the kind of place people drive out from Auckland for a special night or a long, unhurried afternoon.

What's on the plate

The menu is creative and elegant, and it moves with the season and availability. Meals can start simply — a homemade fresh bread selection with whipped butter (gluten free), house marinated olives or pickled vegetables — before moving into entrees that lean local and produce-driven. Clevedon buffalo curd arrives with roast pumpkin puree and beetroot crisps; tuna tartare sits on a tostada with burnt pepper yogurt and crispy shallots; pan-seared scallops rest on grilled chorizo; and there's lamb sweetbread and a roast portobello mushroom stuffed with olive tapenade for good measure.

Mains run from a 300g scotch fillet on baked truffle and rocket mash with a red wine and shiitake jus, to sous-vide lamb rump on kumara puree, pan-fried market fish with capers, confit duck leg over garlic, feta and dried tomato tagliatelle, and a spinach, tahini and lentil stew with labneh for vegetarians. Desserts like baked vanilla cheesecake with morello cherries and coconut panna cotta with coconut sorbet close things out, a children's menu covers the younger guests, and coffee, tea and hot chocolate round off the meal.

An extensive wine list

The wine list is a genuine drawcard. It opens with champagne — Laurent-Perrier and Veuve Clicquot — then travels through New Zealand sparkling, sauvignon blanc from Marlborough and Martinborough, pinot gris and chardonnay, rosé, Central Otago pinot noir, Hawkes Bay syrah and Italian reds like Chianti and Montepulciano, finishing with ports and a dessert wine of the month. Many wines are poured by the glass, so you can build a flight across regions. A local highlight: the m.a.u pink ensemble rosé is made right in Clevedon. Whether you're after bubbles for a celebration or a big Waiheke red for a winter night, there's depth across the list, with international and local NZ beers alongside.

Degustation, weddings and functions

For a longer sit, Vin Alto offers degustation menus of five, six or seven courses — each beginning with the homemade bread — available by pre-booking only, with optional wine matches. Booking ahead is essential. The venue is equally set up for celebrations: a dedicated weddings programme covers your day from food to drinks to hire, and the functions team handles birthdays, anniversaries and other special events. eGift cards are available if you'd rather gift the experience to someone else.

Planning your visit

Vin Alto serves dinner on Fridays from 5pm until late, opens Saturdays from midday until late, and does Sunday lunch from midday to 4pm; it is closed Monday to Thursday. Reservations can be made through the website, or you can phone or email the team directly. Between the drive out, the olive trees and that long wine list, a visit here is worth treating as an occasion in itself.

Signature items

• Tuna Tartare
• Clevedon Buffalo Curd
• Sous-Vide Lamb Rump
• 300g Scotch Fillet
• Seven Course Degustation
• Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

Menu

Mains

• 300g Scotch Fillet — On baked truffle and rocket mash with a red wine and shiitake jus.
• Pan-Fried Market Fish — Butter, white wine, parsley and capers on green beans with potato crisps.
• Sous-Vide Lamb Rump — On kumara puree with baby peas and a pickled cucumber butter.
• Confit Duck Leg — On a garlic, feta and dried tomato tagliatelle with fresh herbs.
• Spinach, Tahini and Lentil Stew — With fresh herb salad, preserved lemon and labneh.

Sides

• Fries — With tomato sauce or aioli; vegetarian.
• Mixed Vegetables — Gluten free and vegetarian.
• Gourmet Potatoes — With herb butter; vegetarian.

Entree

• Tuna Tartare — Burnt pepper yogurt, sesame seeds, spring onion and crispy shallots on a tostada.
• Pan-Seared Scallops — On grilled chorizo with wild rocket and chilli butter.
• Lamb Sweetbread — Turmeric and cauliflower puree, pickled red cabbage and pinenuts.
• Clevedon Buffalo Curd — Roast pumpkin puree, beetroot crisps and toasted bread crumbs.
• Roast Portobello Mushroom — Stuffed with olive tapenade, finished with parmesan and sundried tomato crumb.

Desserts

• Coconut Panna Cotta — Honey roasted walnuts, shaved white chocolate and coconut sorbet.
• Affogato — Espresso with vanilla bean ice-cream; add your favourite liqueur.
• Chocolate Waffles — Vanilla mascarpone, caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce.
• Baked Vanilla Cheesecake — Morello cherries, toasted almonds and vanilla ice cream.

To Start

• Homemade Fresh Bread Selection — Served with whipped butter; gluten free option available.
• House Marinated Olives — Marinated olives to start the table.
• Pickled Vegetables — A light, tangy opener.

Wine List

• Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee — Champagne, France.
• Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee 375ml — Half bottle, Champagne, France.
• Veuve Clicquot Rosé — Champagne, France, NV.
• Veuve Clicquot Brut — Champagne, France, NV.
• Nautilus Estate Cuvee Brut — Sparkling, Marlborough, NZ, NV.
• House Prosecco — By the bottle or glass.
• Nautilus Estate Sauvignon Blanc — Marlborough, NZ; by the bottle or glass.
• Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc — Martinborough, NZ; by the bottle or glass.
• Gibbston Valley GV Collection Pinot Gris — Central Otago, NZ; by the bottle or glass.
• Nautilus Estate Pinot Gris — Marlborough, NZ; by the bottle or glass.
• Pencarrow Chardonnay by Palliser Estate — Martinborough, NZ.
• Man O War Chardonnay — Waiheke, NZ.
• Man 'O War Pinque — Rosé, Waiheke, NZ.
• m.a.u Pink Ensemble — Rosé made locally in Clevedon, NZ.
• Pencarrow Pinot Noir — Martinborough, NZ.
• Lake Hayes Pinot Noir — Central Otago, NZ.
• Saddleback Peregrine Pinot Noir — Central Otago, NZ.
• Amisfield Dry Riesling — Central Otago, NZ.
• Thorn-Clarke Sandpiper Merlot — Barossa, Australia.
• Man 'O War Ironclad — Red blend, Waiheke, NZ.
• Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz — Barossa, Australia.
• Babich Black Label Syrah — Hawkes Bay, NZ.
• Sebastiani Sonoma Zinfandel — 2017, California, USA.
• Gran Sasso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC — 2017, Abruzzo, Italy.
• Leonardo Da Vinci Chianti Fiasco — Chianti, Italy.
• Dessert Wine of the Month — Please enquire.
• Cockburn's Special Reserve Port 90ml — NV, Oporto, Portugal.
• Cockburn's Vintage Port — Oporto, Portugal.
• Dow's 10 Year Old Tawny Port 90ml — Oporto, Portugal.

Degustation

• Five Course Degustation — Five courses with bread to start; wine match available. Pre-booking only.
• Six Course Degustation — Six courses with bread to start; wine match available. Pre-booking only.
• Seven Course Degustation — Seven courses with bread to start; wine match available. Pre-booking only.

Coffee And Tea

• Flat White, Latte, Long Black — Classic espresso coffees.
• Hot Chocolate, Mocha — Warm chocolate picks.
• Tea Selections — Ask the team for the current tea selections.

Children'S Menu

• Spaghetti Bolognese — Finished with parmesan.
• Kid's Fish and Chips — Ask your waiter for today's fish.
• Kid's Chicken Tenders — With fries and salad.
• Kids 18cm Pizza — Add fries as an extra.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Vin Alto located?

424 Creightons Rd, Clevedon, Auckland 2582 — a rural winery setting about 40 minutes from Auckland CBD.

When is Vin Alto open?

Friday 5pm–late, Saturday 12pm–late and Sunday 12pm–4pm. Closed Monday to Thursday.

Is there a degustation menu?

Yes — five, six and seven course degustation menus, pre-booking only, each starting with homemade bread and with optional wine matches.

Do you cater for children?

Yes. The children's menu includes spaghetti bolognese, fish and chips, chicken tenders and an 18cm pizza.

Can Vin Alto host weddings and functions?

Yes — weddings are a specialty, with dedicated pages covering food, drinks and hire, and the team also caters for birthdays, anniversaries and other special events.

How do I book or get in touch?

Phone 09 2928845 or mobile 0212897776, email enquiries@vinalto.co.nz, or use the reservations page on the website.

Are there gluten-free or vegetarian options?

Gluten-free bread is available and there are vegetarian entrees, mains and sides. The menu varies with season and availability, so ask the team on the day.

Tips

• {"body":"The five, six and seven course degustation menus are pre-booking only, with optional wine matches.","title":"Degustations need pre-booking"}
• {"body":"Friday is dinner only from 5pm; Saturday runs from midday till late; Sunday is lunch service, 12pm–4pm.","title":"Time your visit"}
• {"body":"The m.a.u pink ensemble rosé on the wine list is made in Clevedon, and Clevedon buffalo curd features on the entree menu.","title":"Drink local"}
• {"body":"The Mediterranean-style outdoor dining among the olive trees is the signature setting — tui song included.","title":"Go alfresco"}
• {"body":"There's a dedicated children's menu, so family get-togethers are well covered.","title":"Bringing the kids?"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Children's menu with spaghetti bolognese, fish and chips, chicken tenders and an 18cm pizza.","dietary":"Gluten-free bread available; vegetarian entrees, mains and sides; menu varies with season and availability."}