wow we had the time of our life!it was just amazing. service fab,food exquisite and place gorgeous!i had a meal that the chef kindly cobbled together which was garlic prawns,potatoes in garlic sauce and sole fillet all amazing!then for dessert i had the best self saucing chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream,cream and custard.
honestly i have no bad comments for this place i could eat here everyday and i am pretty shocked with the negative comments i think you are talking to the wrong restaurant.
from the girl that said the table felt like the sea

It really is hard to find a fault with Plato – the Kiwiana style may not be to everyone’s taste (especially foreign visitors), but the food and service is nigh-on impeccable; a well thought-out, well-executed menu with plenty of options (the gnocchi with wilted spinach, walnuts & blue cheese is a standout), a nice variety of drinks, fantastic coffee, and prompt, friendly service. Extra points too for understanding the importance of good bread!

An understated, yet superb restaurant than Dunedinites should be proud of – and judging by the numbers there on a cool Monday night recently, we are.

I cannot fault the absolutely AMAZING meal we had at Plato on Friday night. Squid for an entree,which was just beautiful! For mains my partner had steak and I had chicken – both meals were absolutely superb! Flavours were AMAZING! Although I was full, we got a raspberry and coconut cake to take away and eat later…once I had a taste of it I couldn’t wait til later! It was the nicest dessert I have ever had from a restaurant – seriously! This is our third time at Plato, and it has always been nice, but Friday was my favourite meal out yet! Service was polite and timely too Yay, Plato!

Had always wanted to go to this restaurant as had heard great things. I was not disappointed. I had the squid as an entree which was amazing and will be sure to return to have it again, my main was blue cod and once again amazing. Friendly service, however the most appealing thing is the decor.

I have been to Plato on two occasion and have loved both visits. On Saturday evening- I had the most delicious whitebait omelet with free range eggs and kelp coated blue cod which was devine. The service was great and we were very well looked after. To finish we shared the baked lemon cheesecake which was lemony and fresh. A perfect way to end the meal. I would recommend Plato to anyone, especially for a treat or celebration.

I have been twice now and I really wanted to like this place but the food is just so-so. There’s not enough flavour. For example, I ordered a curried fish and it was so bland it may as well have been boiled fish. Everyone knows that if you order something ‘curried’ then it’s going to be spicy and full of flavour, so why on earth take all that out of it? Also, service wasn’t great – noticed a senior waitress rolling her eyes and making faces about tables to other staff, which is fine – but not if customers can see you doing it.

Was expecting a little more ‘oomph’ from this restaurant. The service was excellent; unfortunately the service was let down by the food which was just plain average. Lacked flavour and lacked that special something which would bring me back here again anytime soon.

All I can say is that this is no longer the restaurant it once was, the place now looks like a junk cellar and the staff are longer friendly and professional.
Our meals arrives 40 minutes after we ordered,when we made a polite inquirey after 30 minutes we were told the chef was “in a bad mood”.The fish was undercooked and cold!!
My wife wanted a word with the chef and walkes over to the kitchen only to find him texting and was ignored.NEVER AGAIN.

Wow. Best restaurant I’ve been to in Dunedin. Service was fantastic and the food was even better. I had the lamb and it was delicious and perfectly cooked. The wine list is also amazing with lots of Central Otago Pinot Noir (what I like to see)

Having dined twice at Plato in the last month, I would have to say its quickly becoming our most favourite restaurant in Dunedin. Food is consistantly good. Service is great too.

Huge fan of Plato. I have been there 3 times now and was not disappointed on any of those visits. My fish was cooked to perfection and the berry crumble was delicious. The service is also always fantastic, the waiters are attentive and are very personable. Plato is probably my favourite restaurant in Dunedin.

We have been to Plato many times since it opened and have always had great dining experiences. We had a meal there last week – no complaints about service; food was a little disappointing compared to the high standards experienced in the past – one consistent complaint from our group of eight diners was the servings were too generous; my squid entree was absolutely perfectly cooked but was almost large enough to be a main; my tuna main had flavours that were mismatched and was also too large – two decent sized tuna steaks with two tuna nigiri sushi is too much food. I guess this is better than leaving the restaurant hungry but the portions were so large it was off-putting when the meals arrived. My wife had Goan fish curry and didn’t like it much.
We will return though as this restaurant has been among the best in Dunedin for the past few years. I just hope they’re not starting to rest on their laurels

Must say this place is very over rated. Not deserving of the Cuisine award. No positive aspects of the whole experience. Who really wants to sit in a place that looks and smells like an opportunity shop. Would never return and would not recommend.

Having just had a disappointing experience at another high-end local restaurant, I was reminded how much I like Plato, especially for fish. The food is generally fresh, well prepared, and interesting without containing too many competing flavours (the downfall of many local ambitious chefs). Service is informal but competent and friendly, and I like the kitsch decor and the reminders that this was once a seamen’s hostel.

We had trouble getting a booking, but were seated in the upstairs lounge bar for drinks before our table was ready. The staff had a excellent knowledge of the wine. For entrees we had the pork belly and three cheese mushrooms, main was goan fish curry (I’ve been to Goa, India and this was an exceptional interpretation of this dish) and pan fried salmon with tasty gnocchi, with this we had a side order of wok cooked veggies in soy. We were pretty full by this point but managed to squeeze in the coffee brulee which ended the meal marvellously. Highly recommended and excellent service.

A few weeks ago my husband and I had dinner there. I had the monk fish which was really boring. Nothing really wrong with it, but I could have eaten it at home alone watching TV.

My husband had the tuna which was really bad. They had some Indian spice on it and he was unable to eat it. I tried it and did not like it as well.

The worst part of the dinner was when I told the hostess ( maybe owner) that our dinner was a disappointment she got very flustered and grabbed the dishes off our table scattering silverware all over the floor. She left in a big huff, practically asked us to leave, and oh yeah…charged us $140 for food we could not eat.

So who ever you are hostess/owner. Try being nice to your customers. We will not be back.

Margaret Knox

Had high hopes for this place but it was pretty average. I am from Wellington so have high standards when it comes to food. The food was just ‘OK’. I felt there was some strange combinations on the menu also. But the thing that will ensure I never go back was the rude chef. He was at the front desk when we arrived and looked like he didn’t want to help us at all (how was I do know who he was) and then came out once we got our food as he thought we thought something was wrong with it (my partner was eating a whole flounder for the first time so was a bit nervous as to how best to eat it). Maybe he just has a strange sense of humour, or maybe he is just rude!

I’m slightly suspicious of the negative reviews too. I’m quite a regular at Plato, and have been for the past..5 years or so. The food has ALWAYS been excellent (especially all the seafood and the espresso cake.. yums!), and service ALWAYS impeccable. Definitely my favourite place in Dunedin…there isn’t even a close second!

Excellent meal and great surroundings…definitely recommend.

delicious food. amazing staff. left me eager for more

A very Interesting quirky place, very difficult to find and nobody appeared to know where it was! Well we finally found it under the bridge and were not very welcomed by the Maitre D on the night, even though we had rung and tried to book the day before!

Once we got there the food was very good even thugh two of the menu items advertised were not available on the night. I had the Paua for an entree which was very nice and the steak for a main which was ok? Will we return again? Not to sure!

Not sure what the negative reviewers above are talking about – slightly suspicious of them actually, as this is a Cuisine award winner which genuinely deserves the accolades.

Food always delicious, generous and atmosphere laid back and warmly welcoming (even for our 4-year-old girl). Nothing too much trouble, staff knowledgeable and friendly and food never too ‘nouvelle’ for my tastes, anyhow.

Top marks, Plato – don’t change a thing.

We had a christmas function at plato and found the service awesome and food devine.
We had the function room which has a nice atmosphere with the fire going and found the staff to be very freindly and helpfull would recommend to any one as this is a hidden treasure of dunedins.

I recently went to this restaurant with friends as I am not from Dunedin. I then read this page afterwards. I agree with all the positive reviews as it was the best meal out I’ve had in a long time, and can only assume that the negative comments were made by people with some kind of axe to grind. We had a superb evening and found both the food and the staff fabulous. We couldn’t fault it. I’ve never thought about it before but I can understand why a restaurant would not want a birthday cake brought in. After all, isn’t it like bringing your own entree? We ate mainly fish; I ate squid and then salmon and found it cooked perfectly for my taste. Chocolate cake to die for. Wouldn’t go anywhere else in Dunedin.

Amazing service, absolutely delicious food, and a great atmosphere!
Most definately one of the top restuarants in Dunedin.

We went there for my husband’s 30th. On ringing the restaurant (to check that they were open so I could drop off his birthday cake) I was told that firstly, I would be charged ‘cakage’, then later that I simply couldn’t bring it. Their position being that they sold food. We weren’t trying to take our own entrees! Isn’t a birthday cake slightly different?! Unfortunately it was too late to go anywhere else. We’d always had nice meals there which is why we chose it. But could not believe that they would not allow a birthday cake to be brought!! Contrast this with ANY other restaurant I’ve ever taken a cake to and they are all more than willing to bring the cake out, light candles etc. My husband wrote a polite letter which has never been replied to, further arrogance. Sadly for them he works for a company that often entertains, and had gone to Plato frequently – won’t be anymore.

Not very happyt!!!
Service shocking… I have never been spoken to by the chef in my whole life – told me to f*** off as was not satisfied with my meal.
VERY UNIMPRESSED The chef was stating that my fish was cooked correctly – no it wasnt and then told I wax the TYPE who complains about everything! I recommended them in the past but NOT NOW!!! Goodluck to you grumpy chef

For a high price, the food quality was pretty poor, not to mention EVERYTHING was undercooked – venison, salmon, and crayfish. Also, there were very strange combinations of flavors. However, the staff were great, but the meal took 2 full hours for 4 people.

i died from eating there food.
died and went to hevan that is!

Simply awesome! Great food, service and really nice environment. Simply the best in Dunedin!

One of the best meals at a restaurant I have had since moving to Dunedin 3 years ago from overseas. It was refreshing to leave completely satisfied nor with the need to have a wee snack a couple of hours after finishing mains. Highly recommend the chicken main and the chocolate cake dessert. Make reservations – even packed on a Wednesday night!

I really like Plato, great food, nice service, good philosopher. A fun quirky decor, very friendly and enjoyable place to go. Not to expensive considering the quality of food.