I absolutely loved this! I ordered the lamb, it was cooked perfectly and the potato gratin was excellent. My friends ordered the steak and the venison and enjoyed it. The food left us feeling very nourished. Decent serving sizes too. The service was also good. For desert we got the rhum baba with pineapple. This was very nice and also creative, the caramel ice cream was slightly salty and the desert was served with basil but it all worked and was surprisingly tasty. Over-all I think Gusto strikes a good balance between serving good hearty reliable food but still has a few twists and interesting flavours to distinguish it from any other good bistro.

Went on a Tuesday night for an early dinner with the children. Was hoping for a big salad and glass of nice wine. No “big salad” on the menu but absolutely spoilt for alternative choices. The children had the salmon (with an avocado salsa and vanilla poached prawns) and the smoked eel (sarladaise potato, cider-apple, curly endive, pancetta & horseradish cream) from the entrees, I had the goats cheese soufflé (with truffle fraiche, pea puree, curried almonds, broad bean & pea salad) and the husband had the paella. The kitchen sent out four complimentary shots of their summer gaspacho which was full of summer flavors and I’d have adored a bowl of it. Everyone’s meal was perfection visually and on the palette. Each plate went back to the kitchen clean.

My husband’s paella was a risotto take on the dish and wonderfully creamy and flavorful -you could really taste the herbs and saffron with just a mild chili heat. My soufflé was lovely, but the pea puree and salad (broad beans, peas, pea shoots and micro greens) stole the show. For dessert, my son and I shared the affogato and cava soup. Affogato really isn’t my thing (though the ice cream part was lovely), but the cava soup was incredibly fresh and flavorful. I could have made a meal out of it alone.

On the service side, our waitress was lovely and just the right amount attentive. I’d be reaching to complain about anything but the only possible improvement on the night would have been a friendly maitre d’. I’m all for taking your job seriously but he could definitely have been more welcoming and friendly.

In the end, it wasn’t the cheapest meal ($250 included a bottle of wine) but well worth every penny and we’ll definitely go back.

My partner and I have been here several times, each time outstanding, the food, the service. We dinned there Saturday and they have a new menu, what lovely choices to pick from. For starters we shared the tapa’s, I had the lamb and my partner had the steak, presentation lovely, cooked superb and very tasty. This is my favourite restaurant in the whole of the Hutt Valley and our waitress was very pleasant

The decor is the first thing you notice when you arrive at Gusto; it’s warm, intimate and inviting with its wood panelled walls and makes good use of a small space. The palette cleanser was a very nice touch and we began our meal by sharing the ‘flight of tapas’ – perfect for people who can’t make up their mind or want to sample some new flavours. I had the saute prawn, calamari and tomato linguini next, which was obviously handmade. (I’m always bemused when waiting staff present me with a spoon when I order spaghetti or linguini – am I expected to sip my meal like soup?) My partner enjoyed the combination of flavours in his confit of duck main course. The service throughout our meal was unobtrusive and efficient. A very lovely venue for a special occasion meal.

Along the lines of some of the other reviews… This really is a lovely restaurant with nice ambiance and great food. You do pay through the nose for it (we were converts thanks to our entertainment book)- and the gentleman who is front of house takes himself a little too seriously. For a special occasion it is ideal. (We went there once just for desert and that was worth it too.)

I loved this place. Lovely staff, warm and cosy on a cold night, and the food was fabulous. I would have eaten my scallop and pork belly dish many times over if I could. Would have even gone for twice in one night had I known it was going to be so divine.

This is the best place to eat in Lower Hutt for sure and def gives wgtn a run for its money.

great food and lovely little complimentary of the chefs bites to keep us very happy.

all in all a great place to eat!!!

THE GOOD THINGS:nice waitress, tender perfectly marinated scotch fillet, to die for ika, presentation, awesome hand-cut chips, nice environment for a special occasion, good variety menu, fresh seasonal produce, clean.
THINGS TO IMPROVE ON: scary, dismissive front person, food arriving at different times(approx 8mins)

Would go there again for a special occasion.

This was an overall very disappointing dining experience. The service was nonchalant veering on curt. While we got the impression this restaurant rates itself highly, we found the food was standard and lacking imagination. My partners steak was chewy, unpalatable and overpriced. While my choices were ok, the portions were so small that I stopped by a chain burger outlet on the way home to fill up.

Our party of six had mixed feelings about this restaurant. On the plus side, the decor and surroundings are excellent, probably the best in Petone, and one of the finest in Wellington.

Unfortunately the food was disappointing, especially given the price: $28 – $35 for mains, plus extra for vegetables etc. I had the fish of the day, served on mashed potato and cauliflower. While the fish was very tasty, the potato and cauliflower were tepid, as the dish was served on almost cold plates.

The side salad was a disgrace: plain Mescalin lettuce leaves, with an oily dressing – not what I would describe as a salad!

The cheese board to follow was woefully short of bread for the cheese supplied. Two of the cheeses were bland, one was passable, while the last was very nice…

I passed on dessert – $14 is a little steep on a Tuesday night.

The service was average, but acceptable. However, overall I think this place is a little pretentious, and trying to be more upmarket than it warrants. I won’t rush back.

On two occasions we have held our Directors Christmas function (party of 14) in their private room. On both occasions decided upon the 3 course set menu. Service superb, well organised, their steak is always cooked to perfection, other courses great, excellent value for money (3 x courses $55 per person)great wine selection also, so for a special occasion I defy you to find a better venue than ‘Gusto’ cnr Queen & Jackson St Petone including restaurants within the greater Wellington region, we will be back again in Dec 2010. Cheers John

I came here for my husband’s birthday last year and was highly impressed. The restaurant itself is like someones house, so cozy and warm. The food is exceptional. We had ragout of hare, rack of lamb with black pudding and other delightful food. Stunning wine list. Service fantastic with attentive staff.

I had heard great things about Gusto and I was disappointed by the food and service. The food was well cooked and tasty but nothing special – and for the price I was kind of hoping for something special. The service was unfriendly and a bit patronising – we didn’t feel welcome and we wouldn’t go back.

A confident restaurant that provides lovely food and has very good service and attention to detail. Excellent choice of food including for vegetarians, presentation and flavours very good. Busy both nights we were there, yet managed the delivery really well.
Choice of wine excellent and not overpriced.
Efficient and friendly staff, who knew the menu well. We will be back.

My party of six dined at Gusto on Saturday evening. Four of the group had never been before, but after a lovely evening with superb food, everyone will be going back again soon. Between us all, we tried a few things on the menu such as the Rabbit Risotto, Chicken Terrine, White Bean Soup, and Smoked Eel for entrees. For mains, three of us had to have the Snapper which was lovely with it’s crispy skin, Salmon, Pork, and Angus Beef. Dessert was for those of us who couldn’t pass up the opportunity for homemade ice cream, chocolate mousse, and the Gorgonzola cheese and jelly. We had a great time, the atmosphere and service was terrific and I can’t wait to go back. After years of slim pickings on the Hutt restaurant scene, Gusto is a place to enjoy.

Food was very nice, in fact quite an inspired menu. Our waitress seemed a little brisk at first but we realised that was just her style. I would like to have seen more Spanish wine on the list but the wine we had was perfectly adequate. I had fairly high expectations, and they were met. What more can I say? I’d like to return to try another dish.

Was very excited to read the menu but was heavily disappointed with the whole experience. I had snails as a starter and was expected to eat them with a knife and fork – not the best way to get a snail out of its shell and when I did they were very salty. The main courses were OK but were way overpriced for the quality. The wine waiter was young and very inexperienced and the maitre’d also came across as very inexperienced and a little scruffy. Don’t get me wrong – if I had paid $15 for the meal it wouldn’t have been an issue but if you’re going to pay Arbitrageur prices then you expect a high standard. Gusto could be a great restaurant – at the moment it’s very much a wannabee.

Very nice, would come back.
Dined with my partner after in Apr-08 after reading a review in the paper
The food was very good, the ambience nice although we got placed into a table which had waiters rushing past behind both of us, and service was a bit slow. However the restaurant more than made up for it – our dessert was slow coming out, so we received complimentary dessert wines, and then when the dessert did arrive, mine was served with feijoa (which I dislike instensely) when the menu stated plum. The waiter was very good, allowed me to choose another dessert, and then when we came to pay the bill, took a dessert off the bill. Will definitely come back here again, these guys went out of their way to make sure we had a good experience in the end. And the food was very good

The restaurant itself has a lovely atmosphere and is very warm and relaxing. The service was excellent as well. I was a bit disappointed with the food. It was OK, but not a stand out. If they could just raise the bar with the food it would be 5 *s for me.

This is the best restaurant in the Lower Hutt region. The atmosphere is sophisticated and the food is delicious. I have been twice and tried many different things on the menu (dinner for 8, and then 4). It is my new favourite place, perfect for any occasion.