North Island
Pacifica Restaurant
Cuisine: French, Organic, International, Seafood
209 Marine Parade
Napier
Napier City 06-833 6335
Napier
Napier City 06-833 6335
Hours:
- Mon – Sat 6pm – Late
-
Facilities/Features:
- Business Dining
- Private Functions
- Private Parties
- Romantic Dining
- Payment Types: EFTPOS, Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Diners
- Price Range: Splurge, Above $35
- Alcohol: Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cocktails
- Seating for: 35-40
- BYO/Corkage: No BYO
- Parking: Free On-Street
- Takeaways: No
- Delivers: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Dietary Restrictions: Gluten-free, Soy-free
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Meals: Dinner, Late Night, Dessert
- Wi-Fi: Paid
Located on Napier’s Marine Parade, Pacifica Restaurant specializes in innovative locally produced cuisine.
The ever evolving menu is focused on seafood and wild game. All dishes are entrée sized to provide guests the opportunity to try a few different things during their night out. This new menu concept gives diners more flexibility, while encouraging them to experiment a bit.
For those ‘adventurous foodies’ Pacifica Restaurant also offer an 8-course chef’s tasting menu. This is a culinary odyssey which is an all night dining experience.
Both the food and the service are based on emotion rather than convention. There are no fancy table cloths or snooty waiters. Rebecca and her team are intuitive, well informed, and generous. They offer that all too illusive blend of professionalism and informality, the kind of service that encourages you to relax and to be served.
Open Monday through Friday from 6pm until late. Bookings are highly recommended.
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17 Reviews for Pacifica Restaurant
29th January 2013
I agree with David W. – this restaurant is a complete rip off. My partner and I visited on 15th January 2013.
You are not told that the portions are entree size until you get inside and seated. The portions are TINY, not even entree size based on our experience of NZ dining. The cheese board (10 dollars) was ridiculous-I have never seen such a small slither of cheese on a cheese board. When the bill came, the cheese board had been taken off as we had commented on it. However we were then offered a complimentary “surplus” cheese board, equally small. When the bill came back with the credit card, the cheese had been added to the bill. We ended up spending $72 and left feeling hungry and ripped off.
This was by far the worst dining experience we had in our month long visit in NZ from the UK.
You are not told that the portions are entree size until you get inside and seated. The portions are TINY, not even entree size based on our experience of NZ dining. The cheese board (10 dollars) was ridiculous-I have never seen such a small slither of cheese on a cheese board. When the bill came, the cheese board had been taken off as we had commented on it. However we were then offered a complimentary “surplus” cheese board, equally small. When the bill came back with the credit card, the cheese had been added to the bill. We ended up spending $72 and left feeling hungry and ripped off.
This was by far the worst dining experience we had in our month long visit in NZ from the UK.
1
20th November 2012
My husband and I dined at Pacifica on 20.10.12 for my birthday. We had such a lovely evening! I really don’t know what the other negative comments are about. We certainly didn’t need three mains each!
Pacifica accommodated our need for a lateish booking at 8.30pm, and seated us briefly at the bar before taking us to our seats. The restaurant decor is beautiful – wooden floors, lovely new tables and comfy chairs.
We were given sparkling water, and my only (minor!) criticism of the whole night was that we weren’t made aware that we were paying $10 for the bottle! I would have just had normal water for free!
We were given complimentary breads and dips, and then a complimentary amouse bouch (a fish soup).
The menu is made up of a variety of small(ish) mains for $25 each rather than entree and mains, with the idea that more than one can be ordered if desired.
We ordered a main each – I had tempura fresh water koura, crumbed scallops and smoked eel porridge; and my husband had ban fried blue nose fillet, crispy whitebait, morel mushroom and Kina cream. Both dishes were absolutely beautiful. We then ordered another main to share – more because we wanted to try another one than because we were hungry! One main each would have been sufficient! We had sesame crusted swordfish, crispy whitebait (which was added specifically for us as my husband is allergic to the sauteed prawns that would usually be on the dish), and coconut creamed paua. Again, a really great dish.
We ordered a dessert each to finish. I had a frozen chocolate milkshake, which is exactly what it sounds like and very nice. My husband ordered the apple parfait, and it was nothing short of stunning. Apple parfait, with apple foam, candied apple, apple jelly, some sort of apple crumbs, and white chocolate frozen creamy thing. It was AMAZING. We also had two chocolates to finish off the meal. We chose not to order any drinks and in the end the mealMore cost about $110. Given the huge amount of food we had it was well worth the price for a very special meal out. The hostess Rebecca was very attentive, as was our lovely waitress. My husband was previously a chef and is quite hard to please when it comes to cooking, and he gave each meal 10/10. Thanks Pacifica for a great night!
Pacifica accommodated our need for a lateish booking at 8.30pm, and seated us briefly at the bar before taking us to our seats. The restaurant decor is beautiful – wooden floors, lovely new tables and comfy chairs.
We were given sparkling water, and my only (minor!) criticism of the whole night was that we weren’t made aware that we were paying $10 for the bottle! I would have just had normal water for free!
We were given complimentary breads and dips, and then a complimentary amouse bouch (a fish soup).
The menu is made up of a variety of small(ish) mains for $25 each rather than entree and mains, with the idea that more than one can be ordered if desired.
We ordered a main each – I had tempura fresh water koura, crumbed scallops and smoked eel porridge; and my husband had ban fried blue nose fillet, crispy whitebait, morel mushroom and Kina cream. Both dishes were absolutely beautiful. We then ordered another main to share – more because we wanted to try another one than because we were hungry! One main each would have been sufficient! We had sesame crusted swordfish, crispy whitebait (which was added specifically for us as my husband is allergic to the sauteed prawns that would usually be on the dish), and coconut creamed paua. Again, a really great dish.
We ordered a dessert each to finish. I had a frozen chocolate milkshake, which is exactly what it sounds like and very nice. My husband ordered the apple parfait, and it was nothing short of stunning. Apple parfait, with apple foam, candied apple, apple jelly, some sort of apple crumbs, and white chocolate frozen creamy thing. It was AMAZING. We also had two chocolates to finish off the meal. We chose not to order any drinks and in the end the mealMore cost about $110. Given the huge amount of food we had it was well worth the price for a very special meal out. The hostess Rebecca was very attentive, as was our lovely waitress. My husband was previously a chef and is quite hard to please when it comes to cooking, and he gave each meal 10/10. Thanks Pacifica for a great night!
5
12th November 2012
Very nice restaurant on the inside. Well presented.
However there is a catch about this restaurant that you need to be aware of before you enter.
Firstly the menu is different on their website. I’m from Wellington so used to expensive meals. This however takes the cake. A ‘main’ was $25. Which I thought was a super good deal. However when entering and after being seated a waitress comes over and tells us, to get a full sized meal you need to order three ‘mains’ from the menu. So $75!!! This is not advertised anywhere and is very deceitful. I think they should be done for false advertising to be honest.
Now the menu looks fantastic, but it really isn’t that good. I had the quail and some duck. Basically the quail was tiny and served in a big bowl that looked like a light shade. It was really really hard to get to the food because of how deep the dish was so could not even eat my tiny morsel. I also had the duck with bacon. Basically it was bacon and eggs. There was one mouth full of duck. Seriously a massive ripp off and disappointing. We had a group of 6 and we all felt extremely ripped off. The food here is only average so I really don’t know what the other reviews are on about. I also found it very condescending that the waitress had to point out every little thing on my plate every time. Not only did she point it out but she touched my food twice. Please be aware that they are not mains as advertised. They are barely even appetisers. Up’s on the free tiny bit of bread and the tiny wee bit of pumpkin soup. That was free. I still had to go eat a hamburger afterwards so if you have a bit of cash to spend and don’t mind being hungry after 2 or 3 mains then this place isn’t that bad, Defiantly only worth 2 stars though.
However there is a catch about this restaurant that you need to be aware of before you enter.
Firstly the menu is different on their website. I’m from Wellington so used to expensive meals. This however takes the cake. A ‘main’ was $25. Which I thought was a super good deal. However when entering and after being seated a waitress comes over and tells us, to get a full sized meal you need to order three ‘mains’ from the menu. So $75!!! This is not advertised anywhere and is very deceitful. I think they should be done for false advertising to be honest.
Now the menu looks fantastic, but it really isn’t that good. I had the quail and some duck. Basically the quail was tiny and served in a big bowl that looked like a light shade. It was really really hard to get to the food because of how deep the dish was so could not even eat my tiny morsel. I also had the duck with bacon. Basically it was bacon and eggs. There was one mouth full of duck. Seriously a massive ripp off and disappointing. We had a group of 6 and we all felt extremely ripped off. The food here is only average so I really don’t know what the other reviews are on about. I also found it very condescending that the waitress had to point out every little thing on my plate every time. Not only did she point it out but she touched my food twice. Please be aware that they are not mains as advertised. They are barely even appetisers. Up’s on the free tiny bit of bread and the tiny wee bit of pumpkin soup. That was free. I still had to go eat a hamburger afterwards so if you have a bit of cash to spend and don’t mind being hungry after 2 or 3 mains then this place isn’t that bad, Defiantly only worth 2 stars though.
Comment from Rebecca & Jeremy R. of Pacifica Restaurant
15/11/2012
Hi Dave- Thank you for your comments. We do like to hear guest’s genuine opinions. I would like to respond to a couple of things that I think are a bit unfair about your comments.
1. My husband and I own and operate Pacifica. I greet every guest as if he or…
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21st October 2012
Lovely, beautifully presented and delicious food! Gorgeous staff. LOVED the twist on a Sago Pudding. We always recommend this restaurant to visitors as it’s a gorgeous experience. The food is unique and the whole concept very contemporary and yet traditional at the same time. The portions are very filling and just right. We had 3 courses and found the flavours were so scrumptious.
26
24th June 2012
Head Chef Jeremy Rameka will expand your tastebuds’ horizon at Pacifica. Expect to try dishes where the core ingredients are from lesser well know parts of the animal and presented sensationally. The degustation is the best way to taste a wide variety of dishes. Read our full review here: http://tweet2eat.co.nz…
1
29th March 2012
We found the food quite unique and the whole concept very different. On the face of it, the portions seemed very small, and I think that frightens a few people off the restaurant. My wife and I shared 4 dishes, thinking that would not be enough as they were small servings. However the flavours were so scrumptious, that we found that quite adequate, and we declined to order another dish, even though we were assured that it could be served very quickly, and despite the fact that I am a healthy eater.
I do still regret not having the farmed baby crayfish, but will save that for another occasion.
The service was fantastic, friendly and attentive without being overpowering. I would recommend Pacifica, but go with an open mind, prepared for a new experience.
I do still regret not having the farmed baby crayfish, but will save that for another occasion.
The service was fantastic, friendly and attentive without being overpowering. I would recommend Pacifica, but go with an open mind, prepared for a new experience.
11
3rd December 2011
I think Pacifica is the best restaurant in New Zealand and I must leave second place unfilled out of admiration for it. The food is as aesthetically appealing as it is delectable. Local produce occupies pride of place. The passion and knowledge of the wait staff is world class.
1
27th August 2011
Overpriced
Current menu entrees only at approx $24 each and are entree sized. So even if you are a light eater – you will need to order three of these. If money’s no object – you will have a fine meal.
Current menu entrees only at approx $24 each and are entree sized. So even if you are a light eater – you will need to order three of these. If money’s no object – you will have a fine meal.
1
3rd August 2011
We found this restaurant via MenuMania and what an amazing find it was.
From the moment we walked in the door to when we waddled out hours later all suitably replete the service & food was top notch. The food was presented beautifully and was a delight to eat, two of us had the Scotched Egg dish and it was an utterly divine dish, my Husband had the mutton bird and he said he was in heaven.
All the portion sizes are perfect proportioned and each dish was a taste explosion.
The waitress was attentive without hovering and their wine recommendations were perfect. Their wine list has such variety it was outstanding.
We enjoyed our dining experience that we will most definitely be recommending this amazing find to anyone we know who is heading to the Hawkes Bay
A top notch restaurant that must be tried.
From the moment we walked in the door to when we waddled out hours later all suitably replete the service & food was top notch. The food was presented beautifully and was a delight to eat, two of us had the Scotched Egg dish and it was an utterly divine dish, my Husband had the mutton bird and he said he was in heaven.
All the portion sizes are perfect proportioned and each dish was a taste explosion.
The waitress was attentive without hovering and their wine recommendations were perfect. Their wine list has such variety it was outstanding.
We enjoyed our dining experience that we will most definitely be recommending this amazing find to anyone we know who is heading to the Hawkes Bay
A top notch restaurant that must be tried.
3
12th March 2011
My favourite restaurant in NZ.
Casual, unpretentious … and simply superb.
Rebecca greets you warmly with a wonderful familiar feeling. The waiters know, understand and adore the menu – that’s SO important! They can also recommend wines to accompany each course – and they’ve never let me down with their recommendations.
The food is superb – bold and challenging.
I’ve had my first kina here – and adored it!
Pacifica is a foodie’s paradise! It ain’t cheap but damn! it’s worth it!!
Casual, unpretentious … and simply superb.
Rebecca greets you warmly with a wonderful familiar feeling. The waiters know, understand and adore the menu – that’s SO important! They can also recommend wines to accompany each course – and they’ve never let me down with their recommendations.
The food is superb – bold and challenging.
I’ve had my first kina here – and adored it!
Pacifica is a foodie’s paradise! It ain’t cheap but damn! it’s worth it!!
4
19th November 2010
Our dining experience at Pacifica was simply divine.
The tasting course was amazing as was the accompanying wine.
The wait staff was attentive, friendly and most helpful.
All in all the perfect dining experience. I recommend it to all.
The tasting course was amazing as was the accompanying wine.
The wait staff was attentive, friendly and most helpful.
All in all the perfect dining experience. I recommend it to all.
13
18th August 2010
I have been to Pacifica 3 times – the first two were amazing – some of the best food I have had in NZ – totally wanted to lick the plate!!! Unfortunately the third time Mr Rameka was in hospital so the B team was in charge – the uncooked food in the degustation was great – but the seasoning in the cooked food was a bit disappointing (oversalted or underseasoned). note to self – Make sure Mr Rameka is on duty when returning.. and we will!
Comment from Rebecca & Jeremy R. of Pacifica Restaurant
26/04/2011
I am sorry to hear that one of our regular guests had an experience which was not up to their expectations nor our usual standards. I can assure you that there has only been one time that my husband has not been at work – and he was indeed in the hospital. One…
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1
28th February 2009
I have been to Pacifica Restaurant twice and the service and food has been excellent both times. Great place to chill out or have a romantic dinner for two.
26th February 2009
Exquisite fine dining, with superb service. The owners really know their stuff and work very hard to deliver. A dream experience.
2
17th October 2008
Myself and a friend went there for my birthday in September and were very pleasantly surprised by the food and surrounding. i am a chef myself and have never dined out like that before, it was beautiful, i cannot speck more highly of the place
1st October 2008
Great service, great food and excellent wine cellar. Would highly recommend tasting course with selected wines – high on protein and taste, included tuna, snapper, rabbit, goat, venison cheese if you wished and finished off with the best citrus souffle I’ve had.
19th July 2008
Tonight we died and went to heaven! We had anticipated Pacifica was going to be a wonderful dining experience, but it went far beyond. The positives are too many to mention. The food was extraordinarily inventive, creative and simply delicious. The amount of time and effort that must into daily prep in the kitchen must be immense. We had the quail and the snapper, both of which were divine. We loved the service. These are lovely people, passionate about the food. The atmosphere was relaxing and the decor very classy. Yes, the prices are expensive, but it’s worth every cent.
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