MariLuca Ristoro is an Italian restaurant tucked down an alleyway off Mulgrave Street in Thorndon, Wellington, near the Parliament end of town and a stone's throw from St Paul's Cathedral. Chef Jeoffrey's menu offers an inter-regional array of traditional Italian dishes, emphasising freshness and simplicity with ingredients sourced locally and from Italy.
The Mulgrave Street site previously housed Maria Pia's Trattoria, a well-known name on the Wellington dining scene from 2002 to 2011. The name MariLuca dates from 2011, coined as a contraction of former owner Giuseppe Malaponti's two children's names, Marina and Gianluca. Current owners Jeoffrey and Yasmin Bisa took over the restaurant in January 2016 and chose to keep the name, continuing the tradition of warm, friendly service.
Jeoffrey brings 25 years of cheffing experience, including time sailing the Mediterranean Sea and as head chef at Maria Pia's, and this background shaped signature dishes such as Saltimbocca alla Romana, alongside newer additions like Pappardelle con Anatra (braised duck pasta) for more adventurous diners. The restaurant offers set menus for larger groups, gift vouchers, and hosts functions for special occasions.
Down a small alleyway off Mulgrave Street, hidden behind vine-covered walls, MariLuca Ristoro sits near the Parliament end of Wellington, just a stone's throw from St Paul's Cathedral and away from the bustle of the city's trendier streets. It's a spot with real culinary history behind it, and one the owners say is worth the wander to find.
Before MariLuca, the Mulgrave Street site was home to Maria Pia's Trattoria, a landmark on the Wellington dining scene from 2002 to 2011. When the restaurant changed hands in 2011, it took on the name MariLuca — a contraction of former owner Giuseppe Malaponti's two children's names, Marina and Gianluca. Current owners Jeoffrey and Yasmin Bisa took over the restaurant in January 2016 and chose to keep that name, continuing to build on the same warm, friendly service the site had long been known for.
Chef Jeoffrey brings 25 years of cheffing experience to the kitchen, including time spent sailing the Mediterranean Sea and, more recently, as head chef at Maria Pia's. That background inspired classic dishes such as Saltimbocca alla Romana, which the restaurant describes as a foundation of the MariLuca menu, alongside newer additions for adventurous diners like Pappardelle con Anatra, a braised duck pasta. Across the board, the menu takes an inter-regional approach to traditional Italian cuisine, emphasising freshness and simplicity with ingredients sourced both locally and from Italy.
For a quicker weekday meal, MariLuca also runs a Pizza & Pasta lunch special. Guests are asked to flag any dietary requirements at the time of booking, so the kitchen can accommodate different needs.
For larger gatherings, MariLuca offers set menus to groups of 12 or more guests. These set menus are customisable, and the team is happy to discuss preferences, though any changes beyond the standard offering are subject to a quotation. The restaurant also hosts functions for special occasions, promising delicious food and drinks, a relaxing atmosphere and exceptional service, with a set menu option available for events.
MariLuca gift vouchers are available in $50, $100 and $250 denominations, making for an easy gift for family, friends or colleagues who want to experience the restaurant themselves.
The walls at MariLuca carry handwritten proverbs and quotes the owners like to share, a nod to what they describe as the memory of a great Italian man who once passed through the Mariluca house. Lines like "In vino veritas" (in wine lies the truth) and "Canta chi ti passa" (sing and your troubles will fade away) add character to a dining room that's clearly proud of its Italian roots.
The Thorndon restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday, with lunch running from 11:30am to 1:30pm and dinner from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, plus dinner service on Saturday from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Metered parking is available nearby on Mulgrave, Pipitea, Molesworth and Murphy Streets. Bookings can be made online, and MariLuca also operates a second location on The Terrace in Wellington Central.