Recently dined here and thoroughly enjoyed it!!
Wait staff were polite and personable. Atmosphere was relaxed yet still restaurant standard (as oppossed to more casual dining).
The specials menu was a great deal, offering a variety of options.
Have come here on both my recent trips to Paihia, and would do so again!

My wife and I visited La Scala for my birthday dinner. We have visited the restaurant every time we have stayed in Paihia. It is able to cater for the discerning diner as well as families. The decor is pleasant with the tables not crowded together giving a nice open feel. The waiting staff were efficient, the meal soon arrived and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The wine is reasonably priced and the meals were dished up with flair and thought. Certainly won’t be crossing this one off our list in a hurry!!

After having spend 6 days traveling around the North and not being overly impressed with meals when dining out we found ourselves in Paihia for our final night.

I recall dining at La Scala several times, albeit several years ago, and thought it unlikely it would still be up to the standard I’d come to expect and enjoy, as I spend too many mealtimes in restaurants throughout NZ.

I was not disappointed.

I selected the $26.50 menu.  I thoroughly enjoyed my blast to the past Shrimp Cocktail, followed by the fish of the day with nice crisp fresh vegetables (that I’d been craving all week) finishing my meal off with just the right sized portion of pavlova and ice cream.  

The ambiance was as I remember, non evasive background music so you’re not competing when conversing.  Not a sound from the kitchen – quite perfect really.

I strongly recommend this restaurant especially to all reps that enjoy a wholesome home cooked meal when away from home.  

This is true value for money.

My husband and I ate at La Scala last night. We have been travelling New Zealand for 6 weeks and this is the best restaurant meal we have had so far. We were made to feel welcome as soon as we walked in, and when we ordered nothing was too much trouble with regard to the slight alterations we wanted to make to the offered menu. My husband had a half-portion of the pasta carbonara and then prawns and avocada salad – both were delicious he said. I was offered some warm and tasty bread rolls while I waited for my main course – Chicken filo parcel with lovely freshly steamed vegetables. Really good. And we ended with sticky date pudding which just melted in your mouth. We would certainly recommend La Scala to anyone.

Our family of six went to dinner. We were so impressed. Service great, comfortable surroundings, an excellent dinner, with three courses for adults for 26.50. Each. Beautiful shrimps in the cocktail, great tender steak, such a tender lamb shank, tasty sticky date pudd. Chn had yummy kids menu plus. Ice-cream sundae for 9 dollars, so cheap! We will certainly return. Excellent thank you.

This restaurant was very disappointing.I’m not going into any detail because I can’t be bothered with the place.After putting up with really loud music coming out of the kitchen,a crappy meal,poor service and high prices, and to top it off,when we got back to the Motel and told the staff of our bad experience.They said “Everybody complains about that place”. Never again.

I travel to Northland regularly for work. I stay in Paihia. Tonight I made the mistake of choosing to dine at La Scala. Service was worse than terrible, food was below average and wait staff didn’t know what they were doing. Starter was just like cheese on toast with a flash name. Main was Sirloin Steak but I think it was rump, potatos were dried out and crumbly inside, hardly any mushroom sauce. The we get onto dessert, pavlova and ice cream, it was the smallest slice if pavlova I had seen, no ice cream. Then to top things of the people at the next table ordered red wine but the waiter brought them white. When the said they wanted red the waiter said she doesn’t know her wines. One of the waiters was also running round with a Bluetooth ear piece in. Wouldn’t even give this place one star!!!!

I will get right to the point of this restaurant.My friend ordered the fish of the day, it was bland over cooked and dry, the boiled veges it was piled on were the same.
I ordered the eye filet, this to was over cooked dry and very chewy, it accompanied about half a tablespoon of mushrooms, and a sauce which tasted like bistro gravy mix. after about maybe two mouthfuls of this food, I couldn’t eat it. We were both disappointed in our food, if you wont to call it that. A bar meal would of been better than this crap and a dam site better. La Scala, you need to get anew chef.

My husband and I dined at La Scala just this last week and we were really impressed with the service and the meal. A great night.

I took my partner to La Scala, impressed by the friendliness of the wait-staff, v accommodating. Food was well presented and tasty and well priced as was the wine. Overall enjoyable evening had by both of us

Unfortunately this restaurant consistently disappoints their diners. The seafood “extravaganza” is nothing more than a combination of frozen and crumbed seafood nibbles that you would expect from a tavern type establishment. Waitress forgets to place our order, wrong bottle of wine corked and presented at the table, frozen and then burnt dinner rolls and rubbery chicken with no cheese or pesto. Our table were extremely disappointed with our dining experience.