Coco's Trattoria is a family-owned Italian restaurant at Bayfair Shopping Centre on Girven Road, Tauranga. Run by hosts with more than fifteen years in the hospitality industry, it has a clear ambition: to be the Bay of Plenty's number one Italian eatery. The kitchen blends time-honoured Italian recipes with a modern, Kiwi-inspired twist, cooking with fresh, locally sourced ingredients for food that is authentic yet a little bit innovative.
The menu is built the Italian way — made for sharing. Diners can move between handmade pasta, from slow-cooked beef ragu to prawn spaghetti with chilli and lemon, and handmade pizzas on a traditional dough recipe passed down through generations, light and crisp and topped with rich Italian tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. A grill section adds open-flamed meats and locally sourced seafood, from steamed mussels to a 250g eye fillet, while sharing plates bring house-baked bread, burrata and arancini to the table.
Drinks get equal care, with a curated wine selection spanning New Zealand and Italian wineries, alongside beers, ciders and a cocktail list that mixes the classics — negroni, espresso martini — with house signatures like the Peachy Keen and Mango Daiquiri. Alfresco dining lets you take it all outdoors, a taste of Italy with a distinctly Kiwi backdrop.
Whether it is a family dinner, a romantic evening or a special occasion, the aim is a warm, inviting atmosphere with attentive service. Vegetarian and gluten-free options feature on the menu, vegan dishes can be requested, and gift vouchers are available for gifting a long Italian lunch.
Coco's Trattoria sits at 19 Girven Road in the Bayfair Shopping Centre, Tauranga, and it arrives with a clear ambition: to be the Bay of Plenty's number one Italian eatery. The restaurant is family-owned and operated, backed by more than fifteen years in the hospitality industry, and the kitchen's philosophy is simple — authentic Italian flavours given a modern, Kiwi-inspired twist, cooked from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
What that means in practice is a menu of the Italian classics people love, done carefully and served generously. Pasta and handmade pizza lead the way, joined by fresh seafood, seasonal antipasti and a grill section built around open flame. And in the traditional Italian manner, the whole menu is designed to share, so tables fill with a little of everything rather than one plate each.
The pizza here starts with a traditional dough recipe passed down through generations, which the kitchen credits for a base that is beautifully fluffy yet light and perfectly crisp. Toppings stay true to Italian tradition — rich Italian tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. The Margherita is the benchmark, layered with tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil. The Diavola turns up the heat with spicy salami, the Mafioso loads on salami, bacon, ham and chicken, and the Ortolana brings eggplant, zucchini, roasted onion, feta and basil together.
The pasta selection pairs handmade pasta with a balance of traditional and contemporary flavours. Highlights include the pappardelle ragu with slow-cooked beef, tomato and parmesan; spaghetti gamberi tossed with pan-fried prawns, chilli, garlic, lemon and olive oil; ravioli filled with mushroom in a sage and butter sauce; and the lasagna, layered with beef ragu and béchamel. The penne della coco comes in a rose sauce with tomatoes, feta, spinach and onion, with the option of adding chicken.
The grill takes its cue from Italy's coastal kitchens, cooking fresh meats and locally sourced seafood over an open flame for a rustic, smoky character. Mussels arrive steamed in a rich tomato sauce with feta, salmon comes grilled with a creamy leek sauce, pork scallopini is served with cacciatore sauce, and the 250g eye fillet lands with a creamy mushroom and bacon sauce.
Round out the meal the Italian way with the sharing plates: freshly baked handmade bread with cheese, chilli, herb or garlic; burrata with peas, tomatoes, beans, greens and toasted almonds; and arancini — crumbed risotto balls stuffed with garlic truffle and provolone. Sides of truffle-oil fries with parmesan and aioli, Greek salad and sautéed greens with pecorino Romano finish the table nicely.
One of Coco's signature pleasures is alfresco dining. Eating outdoors, the team says, transports you straight to the heart of Italy while you soak up the charm of New Zealand — and it is hard to argue with a plate of pasta and a chilled glass of wine in the open air.
The drinks list is curated with care. The wine selection highlights exceptional choices from both New Zealand and Italian wineries — chianti and montepulciano sit alongside sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, prosecco and a rosé. Beer and cider run from the tap to the bottle, including a zero-alcohol option and an alcoholic ginger beer. The cocktail list pairs classics like the negroni and espresso martini with Coco's own signatures — mango daiquiri, blackberry bramble, purple rain, peachy keen, southside fizz, bellini classico, spritzes and sours.
Coco's Trattoria opens daily from 11:30am and serves through to late evening, with the website listing service until 10pm. Reservations can be made online, and the team also helps organise special events — reach out through the contact page. The menu includes vegetarian and gluten-free options, vegan dishes can be requested, and diners with allergies are encouraged to tell their server. Gift vouchers are available for anyone keen to pass on a long Italian lunch. Whether it is a family dinner, a romantic evening or a special occasion, the promise is the same: fresh ingredients, timeless Italian taste and a warm, inviting table in Bayfair.