Portofino Restaurant

About Portofino Restaurant

On the edge of Clive Square in the heart of Napier — New Zealand's art deco capital — Portofino serves classic Italian soul food in a setting as elegant as the city itself. Just a short walk from the beach and a hop, skip and jump from the Municipal Theatre, the restaurant is a celebration of the art of traditional Italian cooking.

The menu covers the classics: comforting pastas, scrumptious pizzas and heavenly desserts, all made from fresh, local produce, with inspiration drawn from the rich flavours of Northern Italy. Lunch runs from 11am to 3pm and dinner from 4:30pm until late, supported by a wine list, dessert menu, kids' menu, custom cakes and a takeaway menu.

Portofino was established in 1980 in Parnell, Auckland, and over the past 45 years has grown into a loved, family-owned name with locations across New Zealand. The Napier branch carries on the signature al fresco spirit — warm, authentic and unhurried — with knowledgeable, attentive staff devoted to meals that leave you utterly satisfied. Whether it's a long lunch by the square, a pre-theatre dinner, tiramisu and coffee in the afternoon sun, or a takeaway on the way home, Portofino Napier brings family, flavour and tradition together on one table.

Portofino Napier: Classic Italian Soul Food on Clive Square in the Art Deco Capital

On the leafy edge of Clive Square, in a city famous for its sun-bleached art deco facades, Portofino Napier pours a little of Italy into the Hawke's Bay. The restaurant describes its cooking as classic Italian soul food, served in a setting as elegant as the city itself — and the address helps: it sits just a hop, skip and jump from the Municipal Theatre and a short walk from the beach, making it an easy stop whether you're sightseeing, shopping or settling in for the evening.

A family table since 1980

Portofino's story began in Parnell, Auckland, in 1980. Over the past 45 years it has grown into a loved and trusted family-owned franchise with several locations across New Zealand — but the heart of it hasn't changed. The kitchen draws inspiration from the rich flavours of Northern Italy and pairs them with the freshness of New Zealand's local produce, creating the signature al fresco dining experience that has made the name a cherished part of the country's dining scene. Family, flavour and tradition, the saying goes, come together at the table.

What's cooking

The Napier branch is a celebration of the art of traditional Italian cooking, built on the classics done properly: comforting pastas, scrumptious pizzas and heavenly desserts, all made from fresh, local produce. Lunch is served from 11am to 3pm and dinner from 4:30pm until late, so the kitchen covers everything from a leisurely square-side lunch to a full evening out. There's a wine list to match, a dedicated kids' menu for younger diners, and a takeaway menu for nights when Italian favourites are better enjoyed at home.

Knowledgeable, attentive staff are part of the deal — devoted to making and serving meals that leave you, in the restaurant's own words, utterly satisfied.

Save room for dolci

If there's one part of the menu that gets people talking, it's dessert. The dolci list runs from the classics — tiramisu classico, panna cotta with a flavour that changes regularly, and gelato della casa, the delightfully fresher-tasting house ice cream — to cheesecake monterosa, an original homemade recipe layered with cream cheese, a biscuit base, lemon juice and a hint of liqueur. There's profiterol fondente, choux filled with custard and covered in chocolate, torta al cioccolato for the chocolate faithful, and sorbetto al limone, a refreshing homemade lemon sorbet.

Coffee drinkers can finish with an affogato — a scoop of French vanilla gelato served alongside an espresso, with or without a shot of frangelico, kahlua, baileys, amaretto or nocino — or simply a flat white and a biscotti. For those lingering longer, there are dessert wines, ports, grappa and an extensive list of liqueurs to close out the evening.

Made for occasions

Portofino Napier leans into celebrations. The restaurant offers custom cakes for birthdays and milestones, a Christmas Day menu for the big feast, and gift vouchers for the people who are impossible to buy for. Between the kids' menu, the generous desserts and the relaxed al fresco style, it's the kind of place that handles a family dinner as comfortably as a date night or a pre-theatre bite.

Plan your visit

You'll find Portofino at 2 Clive Square East, Napier South, steps from the square and close to the Municipal Theatre. Lunch runs 11am to 3pm and dinner from 4:30pm until late; reservations can be made through the booking enquiry page on the Portofino website or by phone on (+64) 6 835 8821. If you're timing a visit around a show at the theatre, the 4:30pm dinner service gives you room to eat properly and still make the curtain. And if the weather is doing what Hawke's Bay weather does best, settle in outside — this is, after all, a restaurant built around the pleasures of dining al fresco.

Signature items

• Tiramisu Classico
• Panna Cotta
• Gelato della Casa
• Cheesecake Monterosa
• Affogato
• Sorbetto al Limone

Menu

Port

• Garibaldi Marsala Tawny — Italian tawny in the marsala style
• De Bortoli 8 Year Old Tawny — Australian tawny with eight years of age
• Taylors Tawny — Classic Portuguese tawny port
• Taylors 10 Year Old Tawny — Portuguese tawny matured for ten years

Dessert Wines

• Deen De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon — Honeyed Australian dessert wine
• Moscato Sicilia — Sweet moscato from Sicily, Italy
• Jules Taylor Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc — Late-harvest sauvignon blanc from Marlborough

Mineral Water

• San Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water — Italian sparkling mineral water in a 750ml bottle
• Aqua Panna Still Mineral Water — Italian still mineral water in a 750ml bottle

Caffe (Coffee)

• Espresso — Short, intense and straight from the machine
• Macchiato — Espresso marked with a dash of milk
• Long Black — Espresso topped with hot water
• Flat White — Espresso with silky steamed milk
• Cappuccino — Espresso, steamed milk and a foamed top
• Cafe Latte — A milder coffee with plenty of steamed milk
• Mochaccino — Coffee and chocolate combined
• Hot Chocolate — A rich chocolate drink for non-coffee drinkers
• Tea — Classic brewed tea
• Iced Coffee — Chilled coffee served cold
• Iced Chocolate — Chilled chocolate drink
• Iced Tea — Chilled tea served cold
• Caffe Corretto with Grappa — Espresso 'corrected' with a shot of grappa
• Special Coffee with Liqueur — Any coffee with a pour of your favourite liqueur
• Biscotti — Crunchy Italian biscuit, the classic coffee companion
• Decaf — Decaffeinated version of any coffee, on request

Dolci (Desserts)

• Panna Cotta — Traditional Italian dessert — the flavour changes regularly
• Gelato della Casa — The delightfully fresher-tasting Italian ice cream, made in house
• Sorbetto al Limone — Refreshing homemade lemon sorbet
• Cheesecake Monterosa — Original homemade recipe with cream cheese, biscuit base, lemon juice and a hint of liqueur; flavour changes
• Profiterol Fondente — Choux pastry filled with custard and covered in chocolate
• Tiramisu Classico — The traditional Italian dessert, made the classic way
• Torta al Cioccolato — Italian-style chocolate cake
• Affogato (Without Liqueur) — A scoop of French vanilla gelato served alongside an espresso coffee
• Affogato (With Liqueur) — Vanilla gelato and espresso with a choice of frangelico, kahlua, baileys, amaretto or nocino
• Classic Cheese Board — A cheese board to share and finish the meal

Grappa & Digestivi

• Grappa di Casa — The house grappa, Italy's classic grape digestif
• Grappa Premium — A premium pour of grappa
• Limoncello — Bright, sweet Italian lemon liqueur
• Amaretto — Almond-flavoured Italian liqueur
• Sambuca Black — Aniseed liqueur, black style
• Sambuca White — Aniseed liqueur, white style
• Nocino Toschi — Italian walnut liqueur
• Frangelico — Italian hazelnut liqueur
• Campari — Italy's bitter orange aperitivo icon
• Averna — Italian amaro, bittersweet and herbal
• Amaro Montenegro — Italian herbal amaro
• Fernet Branca — Intensely bitter Italian herbal digestif
• Fernet Menta — Mint-fresh herbal Italian liqueur
• Galliano Original — Golden Italian herbal liqueur
• Cointreau — Crystal-clear orange liqueur
• Grand Marnier — Cognac-based orange liqueur
• Baileys Irish Cream — Smooth Irish cream liqueur
• Tia Maria — Coffee liqueur
• Kahlua — Coffee liqueur
• Chambord — French blackcurrant liqueur
• Midori — Bright green melon liqueur
• Malibu — Coconut rum liqueur
• Southern Comfort — American whiskey-flavoured liqueur
• Jack Daniel's Honey Whiskey — Tennessee whiskey with a honey finish
• Drambuie — Scottish whisky liqueur
• Ouzo — Greek aniseed spirit
• Pernod — French aniseed spirit
• Pimms — British gin cup, built for summer
• Jagermeister — German herbal liqueur
• Hapsburg Absinthe — Absinthe for the adventurous
• Agavero — Tequila-based liqueur

Brandy, Cognac & Calvados

• Vecchia Romagna Brandy — Italian brandy
• Courvoisier — French cognac
• Metaxa 12 Star Brandy — Greek brandy
• Remy Martin XO — Top-shelf French cognac
• Hennessy XO — Top-shelf French cognac

Frequently asked questions

Where is Portofino Napier located?

At 2 Clive Square East, Napier South — on Clive Square, a short walk from the beach and just moments from the Municipal Theatre.

What are the opening hours?

Lunch is served 11am to 3pm and dinner from 4:30pm until late.

Do I need a reservation?

Bookings are recommended — you can submit a booking enquiry through the Portofino website or call (+64) 6 835 8821.

Is there a kids' menu?

Yes, Portofino Napier offers a dedicated kids' menu alongside its lunch, dinner and dessert menus.

Can I get Portofino food to go?

Yes — there is a Napier takeaway menu for classic Italian favourites.

Can I order a celebration cake?

Yes, the restaurant offers custom cakes for special occasions; a per-person cake charge applies if you bring your own.

What's worth trying for dessert?

Tiramisu classico, the regularly changing panna cotta, homemade gelato, cheesecake monterosa and the affogato are house staples, with dessert wines, ports and liqueurs to finish.

Tips

• {"body":"Portofino is just a hop, skip and jump from the Municipal Theatre, and dinner service starts at 4:30pm — ideal timing before a show.","title":"Pre-theatre planning"}
• {"body":"Lunch wraps at 3pm and dinner starts at 4:30pm; visit in between for coffee and dessert instead of a full meal.","title":"Mind the afternoon gap"}
• {"body":"Reserve via the booking enquiry page or call (+64) 6 835 8821 — especially for Christmas Day, which has its own menu.","title":"Book ahead"}
• {"body":"The dessert menu is a highlight — tiramisu classico, panna cotta, homemade gelato and the affogato are house classics.","title":"Save room for dolci"}
• {"body":"A Napier takeaway menu covers the Italian classics for pizza-and-pasta nights in.","title":"Take it home"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids' menu; custom cakes for celebrations"}