cotto

just the thought of cotto makes me so happy. thisplaceis a reason why i love k rd so much (well actually, there’s just too many amazing places on this st 😩😍). i was slightly disappointed with the strong smell from their pork belly dish, but it may be my own bias..? so other than that, i’d actually get anything from their menu (& this is rare coming from me - ie a huge compliment cotto fam). much love for cotto, arguably one of the best italian restaurants with hand-made pasta and beautifully tasty dishes. (ps it’s just me arguing with myself lmaoo - just my opinion 🤗😛, but either way y’all should give thisplacea try) ✌️

it was my first time here and i was wondering where was i hiding these past few years? i just wished i knew of thisplacelong time ago as these guys prepare an amazing italian fare. i had been to italy many times and thisplacereminds me of the food there, aroma, texture, colour, ingredients etc. located beside the bridge in k’road, just across coco’s cantina (another great restaurant) this is theplacei usually don’t wander around but now that i was introduced to this place, i felt the need to discover what’s around it. theplaceis quite spacious specially for a k’road establishment, there were ample seats and it was not cramped.

i would give thisplace10 stars the food was so great!! we had to wait for a table and was a bit sad there was no prevalent vegan option on the menu but the food was just so good i don’t care, had a lovely waitress too :)

niceplaceand service. had a lovely asparagus gnocchi. it was almost perfect. some cold cheese on top was not quite right for my taste. i like it and it is very well made, but this is not classic italian food- it is more a (nice) interpretation.

heard about thisplacefrom a few friends so decided to give it a shot. glad i did. the food is rich and deceptively filling. we over ordered but not complaining as we got to try a range of great dishes. the dumplings and duck were notable standouts.

after long anticipation, me and my mate finally manage to find time to check out this restaurant. we arrrived at 6pm without booking, and was pleased to find a seat without any waiting.
now about the foods. as many before has pointed out, the lamb rib are indeed phenomenal, the only id wish for is more honey balsamic. we tried the beef shin maltagliati and gnocchi. the maltagliati were cooked to perfection. the gnocchi were great, rich and creamy, definitely a great choice for vegetarian. the deserts were good but a bit overpriced. and the fact that they charge sparkling waters for $10 is less than ideal.
overall, cotto is still a greatplacefor italian lovers, with delicious foods that doesn't break the wallet. would recommend.

undoubtedly, the best italian spot i’ve visited in auckland and it was refreshing to find aplacethat serves other dishes besides pasta and pizza. 

we ordered five dishes and one dessert between the two of us. we chose the fried eggplant w/ whipped ricotta, lamb ribs honey balsamic, tortellini w/ sweetcorn, pancetta and taleggio, pork belly cucumber chilli, and the tiramisu ice cream biscotti.

i was blown away by every single dish and the only fault i could find was that the biscotti was too hard and impossible to bite into. although i loved all the savoury dishes, my favourite by just a margin would have to be the lamb ribs. both the flavours and texture were absolutely amazing and quite new to me.

service was warm and the dishes came out at a reasonable speed, we didn’t have to wait between any of them except for dessert which was the preferred option anyway.

this is a greatplaceto go with friends who like to share plates. the prices were really good, the portions not massive, but the food being really rich and heavy, you will be leaving with a full stomach. stellar food & service, but definitely suggest you book at table beforehand, it gets busy!

i came here on a wednesday evening with my friend and theplacewas packed, we managed to get a table though. if you are looking for a quiet place, then cotto is not for you. the service is fantastic and super attentive. however, the food was really a let down and we were both disappointed. everything was far too salty and underwhelming. unfortunately, we won't be rushing back. overall, a really coolplacewith great service, but the food needs some attention.

came by without a booking and managed to get a seat at the balcony outside overlooking the motorway. niceplaceto sit and chat since it's not too noisy, just be aware that you will be facing the sun until it sets.

even though i was seated outside i didn't have to wait too long to get my order taken. i went with the pork belly and the beef short rib cappelletti. the pork belly was nice and crispy. the cucumber and mint salad that came with it was quite refreshing and mixed well with the crispy pork. the cappelletti was quite delicious, although it the filling was mostly ricotta and salsa verde rather than the beef ribs. it was still really tasty. had the chocolate nemesis for dessert which was really rich and delicious. the mascarpone on top was a bit sharp which contrasted with the sweetness of the caramel and the pudding.

it was a really delicious meal, although the only fault that i have was the serving size, i felt it was a tad small, particularly the chocolate nemesis. the prices are decent though so ordering an extra plate wouldn't cost a whole lot more.

a really niceplacefor pasta but they do seem to be quite busy with around 30-minute waits. worth the wait if you have the time or patience.

thisplacehas been so over hyped it’s shocking. the food i tried included the lamb the ravioli the pork belly the chickpea fries the pumpkin frittata. they were all very very average. the worst was the spinach and ricotta dumplings. it tasted like wilted spinach with very little ricotta and completely lacked any seasoning/flavour. my mates felt the same as i initially assumed it was just me. i’ve honestly been to many many better restaurants in auckland this was perhaps my least favourite.

heard a lot about thisplaceand had to try it out. packed to the rafters last night, we waited 90mins for a table. happily popped into shanghai lils for a tipple while we waited! the host in cotto was great, very friendly and accommodating. food was good, although some dishes were very acidic and others just lacked that zesty lemony kick! beets were roasted beautifully but a tad too sour! dumplings were somewhat bland, needed more goats cheese and more acidity.. some acidity! we were told the sprouts were sold out but magically arrived (after we changed our order & ordered the pork!). i loved the idea but a bit flavourless to be fair. pork belly okay.. crackling a little chewy! duck ravioli were so so.. good pasta but for $20 the duck was hard to find! gnocchi and gorgonzola was more-ish and delightful! burnt orange panna cotta was panna cotta like but needed slightly more gelatin to hold its shape yet keeping that wobble. the burnt orange flavour was very prominent, a little too prominent for me! flavours almost there and will be back! although service was minimal and hospitality was non existent! i ended up having to walk to the counter to find a waiter texting and ordered my dessert from there. come on guys, so much potential!!!

after hearing 2 friends rave about thisplaceand reading the stellar review in viva i knew i had to try this place. cotto doesn't take bookings for smaller groups but showing up before 6 on a friday night is fine if you're after a table for two. the menu is different from the one on zomato at the moment as it's been updated for autumn.

for starters we ordered the foccacia and farinata. i saw a video of the foccacia being made on cotto's instagram so i was really excited to try it but as someone who really doesn't enjoy liquorice type flavors i really didn't like the star anise flavour in the bread. the farinata on the other hand was a pleasant cheesy surprise. it's pretty much like when you accidentally get some cheese on the sandwich press when you're making a toastie, crispy and delicious. the beetroot starter was surprisingly sour, not super sweet like beetroot can be and went well with the crunchy dollops of hummus it came with.

the winner dish of the evening for me had to be the lamb ribs small dish - beautifully seared with a crunchy oily side but still tender and with lots of lovely fat that makes lamb so tasty. from the big dish menu we got the beef cheek pasta. the flavours in this dish is bit more subtle compared to the other ones so i think i would've enjoyed one of the other mains more. for dessert we had the chocolate truffle cake with salted caramel. rich and decadent, its definitely one for sharing after a heavy meaty carby meal. service was pleasant enough although a bit disjointed.

food: 5/5
service: 3/5
instagrammability: 5/5
value for money: 5/5

awesomeplacewith a great atmosphere

tried most of the menu and would say you definitely can't miss the homemade focaccia, olives, brussel sprouts, lamb ribs or beef ragu :)

can't wait to come back!

my partner and i had a mid week dinner here with family. i had high hopes when i was told it specialised in fresh pasta but it was a huge disappointment. firstly, they have very few wines available and they were out of one of the whites.

we had the spinach and goat's cheese dumplings in sage butter as a starter to share and it was the only good dish we had. i had a beef ragu which was already too rich and salty before they drowned it in unnecessary parmesan. the parmesan should have been on the side.

two people got the special lamb shoulder cannelloni of the day and the dish was a mess. the cannelloni was crispy and toasted, sitting on a plate of bechamel sauce. the cannelloni had more olives in it than lamb, and olives were not listed on the menu!

the third person had a risotto and it was underwhelming. the flavours did not work in the dishes we had, everything was complicated when it didn't need to be. pasta can be amazing, even when it is simple. a real disappointment thisplacedoes not understand that.