Sugo

About Sugo

Sugo is an Italian-inspired restaurant at 19 Wharf Street in Tauranga's CBD, describing itself as a place for food and family, good friends and good times. The kitchen focuses on fresh, quality produce sourced locally where possible, delivering on flavour in a relaxed environment.

The menu runs from breads and shared entrees through to house-made pastas, main plates like a 200g handpicked eye fillet and a 12-hour braised lamb shoulder for two, and Neapolitan-inspired pizzas such as the Sugo Margherita and Sicilian Chicken. A dedicated plant-based menu is available, alongside extensive gluten-free and dairy-free options throughout.

Sugo runs a full weekly calendar of rituals - Sugo's Early Diners Club every day, Pizza Night on Mondays, Wine Down Wednesday, Steak Night on Thursdays, Aperitivo Hour on Fridays, and Saucy Sugo's Bottomless Brunch every Saturday. Bookings are taken for lunch and dinner, walk-ins are welcome, and groups of 12 or more can arrange a set menu.

Sugo: Italian-Inspired Dining on Tauranga's Wharf Street

On Wharf Street in Tauranga's CBD, Sugo describes itself simply as a place for food and family, good friends and good times. The kitchen leans on fresh, quality produce sourced locally where possible, delivering Italian-inspired flavour in a relaxed setting.

From Breads to Braised Lamb

The menu opens with shared breads and entrees - a charcuterie board of cured Italian meats, a burrata with spiced praline, and a truffle and parmesan arancini among the standouts. House-made pasta includes a snapper and prawn ravioli with seafood velouté, and a Bologna style beef cheek lasagne, while the main plates run from a 200g handpicked eye fillet with café de Paris butter to a 12-hour braised lamb shoulder, built to share between two. Neapolitan-inspired pizzas round out the savoury menu, from a classic Sugo Margherita to a Sicilian Chicken topped with olives and capers.

A Full Week of Rituals

Sugo runs a packed weekly calendar. Every day, the Early Diners Club offers two courses for guests seated between 4:30 and 6pm. Mondays bring Pizza Night, with hand-stretched pizzas and a carafe of Italian wine at a set price, while Wednesdays are Wine Down Wednesday - buy any bottle from the wine list and bring your own, corkage-free. Thursday is Steak Night, with juicy steaks served with fries, rocket and compound butter, and Friday's Aperitivo Hour runs 3pm to 5:30pm with spritzes and snacks. Saturdays bring Saucy Sugo's Bottomless Brunch, a two-hour package of food and bottomless drinks from 11am - it fills fast, so booking ahead is recommended.

Dietary Care

Sugo maintains a dedicated plant-based menu, and extensive gluten-free and dairy-free options are marked across breads, entrees, pasta, mains, pizza and dessert. Guests with additional allergens or gluten-free needs are encouraged to talk to their server.

Visiting Sugo

Sugo is open Monday to Friday from 4:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm, at 19 Wharf Street, Tauranga. Bookings are taken for both lunch and dinner services, though walk-ins are always welcome. Groups of 12 or more can call or email to arrange a set menu, and gift vouchers are available. Note that a 2% surcharge applies to contactless and credit card transactions.

Signature items

• 12 Hour Braised Lamb Shoulder
• Truffle & Parmesan Arancini
• Snapper & Prawn Ravioli
• Bologna Style Beef Cheek Lasagne
• Sugo Margherita
• Chicken Saltimbocca

Menu

Dolce

• Wildberry Sorbet — Gluten free, plant-based
• Lime Leaf Coconut Mousse — Rum roast pineapple, raspberry (gluten free, plant-based)
• Basque Cheesecake — Mulled wine poached pears, walnut crumb (gluten free)
• Tiramisu — Espresso, lady fingers, mascarpone zabaglione, cacao
• Orange & Cardamom Brûlée — Sugared sable (gluten free available)
• Affogato — Vanilla bean ice cream, espresso, available with alcohol (gluten free)

Pasta

• Snapper & Prawn Ravioli — Roast cauliflower puree, autumn greens, seafood velouté, yuzu butter
• Bologna Style Beef Cheek Lasagne — Bechamel, aged parmesan, olive oil
• Kumara & Walnut Gnocchi — Pancetta, gorgonzola sauce, pangrattato, porcini (vegan available)
• Braised Wagyu Beef Pappardelle — Toasted sesame, lemon sour cream (gluten free available, dairy free available)

Sides

• Fries — Parmesan, aioli
• Salad Greens — Parmesan, lemon, olive oil
• Broccolini — Parmesan, burnt lemon dressing, almonds

Breads

• Charcuterie Board — Cured Italian meats, house pickles, garlic pizza crust (gluten free available, dairy free available)
• Roast Garlic & Herb Pizza Crust — Add cheese (gluten free available, vegetarian, plant-based available)
• Rosemary Focaccia — Basil pesto, hummus, extra virgin olive oil (vegetarian)

Entrees

• Marinated Mixed Mediterranean Olives — Plant-based, dairy free, gluten free
• Burrata — Rocket cream, courgette, spiced praline, garlic crust (gluten free available, vegetarian)
• Tiger Prawns — Prosciutto, nduja aioli, herb oil (gluten free)
• Seared Beef Eye Fillet Carpaccio — Capers, rocket, parmesan, olive oil (gluten free)
• Truffle & Parmesan Arancini — White onion and crème fraiche soubise sauce, truffle, crispy shallot
• Clevedon Buffalo Ricotta Tortellini — Pumpkin puree, burnt butter, sage, pine nuts
• Salt Baked Beetroot & Cashew Nut Cheese Salad — Beetroot XO, life bread, olive oil (plant-based, gluten free)
• Snapper Crudo — Citrus fennel slaw, spiced vinaigrette (gluten free, dairy free)

Main Plates

• 200g Handpicked Eye Fillet — Paris mash, café de Paris butter, green leaf and parmesan salad (gluten free)
• Leek Risotto — Stracciatella, burnt lemon dressing, crispy leeks (vegetarian, gluten free, plant-based available)
• Chicken Saltimbocca — Creamed leeks, prosciutto, sage, lemon vinaigrette (gluten free)
• 300g Pork Scotch — Jerusalem artichoke puree, pear jus, sprout and bacon slaw (gluten free, dairy free)
• 12 Hour Braised Lamb Shoulder — Rosemary crust, roasting juices, lemon, served with Paris mash and green leaf & parmesan salad (serves 2, gluten free)

Neapolitan Inspired Pizza

• Prosciutto Di Parma — Tomato base, fresh mozzarella, shaved prosciutto, rocket, parmesan, olive oil (gluten free available)
• Salami — Tomato base, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, roast capsicum, red onion, olive oil (gluten free available)
• Sugo Margherita — Fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, olive oil (vegetarian, gluten free available)
• Cavalfiore — Cauliflower, buffalo mozzarella, courgette, kale, pine nuts (gluten free available, plant-based available)
• Sicilian Chicken — Chicken thigh, olive, capers, oregano, rocket (gluten free available)

Frequently asked questions

Where is Sugo located?

At 19 Wharf Street, Tauranga 3110.

What are the opening hours?

Monday to Friday from 4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm.

Do I need a reservation?

Bookings are taken for lunch and dinner, but walk-ins are always welcome.

Can I book for a large group?

Yes, for groups of 12 or more, call or email to arrange a set menu.

What's on during the week?

Pizza Night Mondays, Wine Down Wednesday, Steak Night Thursdays, Aperitivo Hour Fridays, and Bottomless Brunch Saturdays, plus a daily Early Diners Club.

Does Sugo cater for dietary requirements?

Yes, there's a dedicated plant-based menu, with gluten-free and dairy-free options marked throughout - talk to your server about allergens.

Is there a surcharge on card payments?

Yes, a 2% surcharge applies to contactless and credit card transactions.

Tips

• {"body":"Saturday's Bottomless Brunch fills fast - reserve in advance.","title":"Book ahead for Bottomless Brunch"}
• {"body":"Buy any bottle from the list and bring your own, corkage-free.","title":"Try Wine Down Wednesday"}
• {"body":"Seated between 4:30 and 6pm for a two-course deal, available every day.","title":"Go early for the Early Diners Club"}
• {"body":"Runs 3pm to 5:30pm with spritzes and snacks.","title":"Catch Friday's Aperitivo Hour"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Dedicated plant-based menu available; gluten-free and dairy-free options marked throughout - talk to your server about allergens","payments":"2% surcharge applies to contactless and credit card transactions"}