Rocco has had a “refurbishment”.
Looks fantastic. Darker, moodier.
Some things are the same.
The welcome, the wickedly handsome (should it be allowed) bar guy, the service, the inestimable Mark, one of two ultra charming owners, and the food.
Oh yessssss…the food.

Sara Ginelli, chef, was there at the beginning, and while Rocco has delivered well in her absence I am glad she is back at the helm. That girl rocks.
Our food was exceptional.
My beloved and I and four good friends were celebrating.
We arrived early and were the last to leave.
We were having fun!
I won’t detail the menu, you can look it up on their website but we were all delighted by innovative food and un-paralleled service.
The wine list is extensive and interesting. We enjoyed Pinot Noir, Herzog ‘07 from Marlborough and Valli Bannockburn ‘07 from Central Otago.

Mark and Blair also own Ponsonby Bistro, which is well worth a drop in. Try their sublime freshly shucked oysters.
Don’t know how they do it but one of them always seems to be on deck at each establishment. Their hands on approach is a huge part of their success. That and judicious staff selection and training.


Rocco is fun, relaxing, welcoming and they are getting it right. All of it.

We were introduced to this restaurant by the owners friend in Noosa and after a few years we finally made it to Rocos. Based solely on the recommendation I organised a night with my colleagues and their partners from work; we were not disappointed. The place is small and busy but not claustrophobic. The cuisine is excellent and combined with the attentive service the experience is certainly value for money.