leonardo's pure italian

12 of us dined here last thursday for our christmas celebration.  the service was extremely poor and it wasn't that busy.  i had to prompt staff to remove plates, requested dessert menus, water wasn't refilled, in fact the only time we got any service was when our meals arrived.  we did enjoy our mains, but the desserts were stale and curdled.  one of the guests was violently ill later that night, and believes it was due to the panacotta she had.  i won't be returning.

we had heard good things about this place but were very disappointed - took over an hour waiting just to get drinks menu and then only after asking. had garlic bread, cold mains and very little service in the two hours we were there. other tables around us (sitting outside) were obviously getting similar service!! we won’t be back.

one of the best italian restaurants in town. located on the famous eat street with and indoor and outdoor setting suiting to your mood and requirement. both settings have good capacity of 30-40 pax capacity each. limited selection however anything from the menu is worth trying and delicious. so we had the veg bruschetta and pasta which were amazing. my friend had a non veg pasta with chicken and her face said it all as to how proudly was she enjoying it. also classic collection of wines ! a perfect authentic italian restaurant with classic setting and pricing. definitely visiting here again for my next meal :) !

we ordered take away ravioli and risotto because it was raining. but the food is so unique and awesome, despite of being in takeaway containers. will definitely come back next time.

the food itself is nice. but wait time is too long (45mins for starters, 1 hour for main). most interesting thing is: i already finished my risotto before the waitress finally come up with a side dish that’s supposed to go with my risotto. but she took it back immediately, saying ‘never mind because the risotto is already finished’, leaving us wondering what just happened?!

not recommended....

not sure how previous comments could fault the wait staff. every staff member we came into contact with was absolutely wonderful - friendly and so keen to make us happy. food was authentic italian and leonardo makes his grandmother’s tiramisu with passion - best this side of italy!

located in eatstreet, another winner i must say. fab food, amazing service.. top notch... the risotto, lamb, everything was great. excellent variety of beers of course

the experience here was excellent. i cannot fault any of the dishes that came out. main servings were quite large so i recommend sharing the entree if you want to have a dessert to yourself! service was professional, speedy and on point. love the little 250 ml wine jars, (i had the house pinot gris, which was deliciously paired with my dishes) and thought it was a nice touch to have leonardo (the man behind the name) serve us our main meals. prawns were cooked just right, and the seasoning was hot but doable with the focaccia. i really enjoyed the perfectly seared tuna steak, with a well balanced rocket, tomato and cucumber salad to offset the flavors. i tasted my partners pasta which was an explosion of flavor mixed into al dente pasta. the highlight for me however was the creme caramel, which was flawless, silky smooth and melt in your mouth deliciousness. i would go back just to have that with a coffee.

1st time eating in eat street. the menu is short. less than 10 items per session. we love the food. tasty, full of flavor. service is awesome. would come back to this restaurant next time we are in rotorua.

beautiful dinner date after a long tiring day full of activities in rotorua, the risotto wasn't the best but everything else was super delicious. ✌🏼️

excellent service. extras were free.. professional service.. a moist restaurant no doubt. .setting the standard for restaurants in rotorua. food was superb and i was served in good time.

we came here because of the high rating but were surprised at how average the food was. i had the carbonara and it was average at best. the meat tasted artificial and the pasta bland. i had the creme caramel too which was ok but maybe a bit too sweet. i wouldn't come back.

for wholesome food full of fresh flavours look no further than leonardo's pure italian and "pure" it was. when you think italian, pizza and pasta often spring to mind, but leonardo's is definitely not your average cheap pizzeria, in fact you won't even find pizza on the menu. the luscious eye fillet steak was complimented with a selection of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices and smothered with a delicious pepper sauce! with advice from his grandmother in italy, leonardo has nailed it! service was great and very friendly and between that and the food you will feel right at home. located in the heart of rotorua in eat street the atmosphere is buzzing; so you won't miss out on any of the action. seating available inside and out.

ok. but nothing amazing.
chicken was covered in so much chilli, it was a little difficult to eat.
the pasta wrap was ok, albeit a little dry/bland.
i think for what it was, it was over priced.
sorry if we just caught you on a bad night... on the plus side, the service & staff were great.

eat streat is the place to eat in rotorua as it seems everyone in town is here! leonardo's was a good spot for classic italian comfort food. service was great as were the pastas. the bruschetta was a little average however.