This is our favourite in Takapuna. We love everything about this place – the decor with the wood fired oven, the service and the food. We’ve been coming here since it opened (about 18 months ago) and the menu was on a piece of A4 paper. We love their gnocchi – and their pizzas! I’ve never heard a bad word from any of our friends that frequent Al Forno’s, and our work collegues often come here for lunch as well. We’ve also recently started ordering takeaways – so now we can eat beautiful food at home!

We have been to Al Forno a number of times now, by ourselves and with friends. Each time we’ve been met with great service and excellent food. You *have* to try their anchovy pizza bread before your meal, and the Limoncello gelato for dessert is amazing.

Good busy place with good food and a good range of Italian wine.
I fully recommend Al Forno, but you should make a booking. Quality: 8 out of 10, service: 9 out of 10

Btw: Milan’s review looks like written by a restaurant employee

My pasta vongole where again very good.

We dined here in November and were so disappointed. I ordered the linguine marinara. It arrived looking delicious with several mussels & clams in their shells on top of the meal. When I got to the last shellfish it looked green and when I flicked it out of the shell the whole table could smell a vile and revolting rotten smell. I hate complaining at restaurants, but I told the waitress. She went away to speak to the chef. When she returned there was no apology and she just said ‘you have to understand that we cook the shellfish fresh in their shells so can’t tell if the product is off or not’. She asked me if I was finished with the meal, which of course I was because my stomach was churning and I felt like dry retching. When we left they charged us the full price. I paid $28 for a pasta with a rotten, vile clam on top. I understand that they can’t always tell if shellfish is good or bad, but we were disgusted with their response and the fact that they charged us full price!!!
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In reply Maria: You obviously don’t remember us because I had not finished the meal. I had eaten the shellfish throughout the meal and it was the last clam that was rotten. I would not expect to have to ask for a discount when being served rotten seafood. Even an apology would’ve been nice. I think your reply sums up your customer service.

I went to Al Forno with a group of friends on Friday night for dinner. It was extremely packed but glad we got a seat because the food was absolutely amazing! I had a pasta dish and my other 2 friends both had pizza and for dessert we all got the Tiramisu which as we got told was homemade by the owner. We were astonished by how amazing the food was and not to mention the customer service! Very pleased with our dining experience and will definitely be back again soon! =)

Upon Entering Al Forno, one is greeted with a quaint and picturesque Italian restaurant, an aroma of wood fired pizza in the air. The hand painted scene of what could only be a countryside in Tuscany spans the wall, adding to the already pleasant atmosphere. The music, while perhaps leaving a little to be desired, contributes to the relaxing mood of the establishment, and cannot be said to be a negative factor.

Multiple visits to Al Forno each lead to similar and expected results; one would agree that I have become a regular. The staff was attentive and friendly, but not overly zealous. The reasonably priced menu offered large variety and each meal was as desirable as the next, making it difficult to decide which meal to order. Furthermore the modest and genuinely pleasant selection of wines is no exception to the degree of fine dining presented by this restaurant.

The food arrived briskly and staff were more than happy to attend to any whim or desire one might have. The wood fired pizza is particularly sublime and a ‘must have’ for any newcomer to this restaurant; rarely would one find gourmet pizza made to such perfection. To assume that the pizza is but their only specialty is a gross understatement and perhaps derogation to the focused and experienced chefs. The beef, each time I have had the opportunity to try it, has been made exquisitely and to exact order. The chicken has always been made well, rivaling any other item on the menu. Even those with a palate unaccustomed seafood would be hard pressed to turn it down at this particular establishment. The prawns are flavoured wonderfully and the pasta cooked nothing short of exceptionally. Each dish appeared to be better than the next.

Al Forno restaurant not only accommodates small hosts of people, families or couples wishing to go on a romantic evening, but also parties of more than ten people. Stunning appetizers are presented when parties are in order and one has the privilege of indulging in a multitude of meats, cheeses, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and more. The highlight of these appetizers is the prosciutto and the extraordinary salami; which indeed but open the appetite and prepare you for the always impeccable main course to come.

Overall Al Forno Restaurant should be recommended to any and all. This restaurant offers not only delicious food but an experience which one is not likely to forget. Such an experience as to lift the bar and expectations of any other restaurant one would go to. One could not recommend a particular dish on the menu, for each is a satisfying as the next and would not be a letdown in any case.

I took my husband last week for a dinner in al forno.From my experience being twice there i did’t like it at all,the restaurant wasn’t that busy but was very loud,the staff that night was very lazy and not happy.We were waiting half an hour for our main meals and they arrived cold and no taste at all,i wouldnt recomend to anyone and we wont be going there anymore …