The ABSOLUTE BEST dining experience we have had in a LONG time. Atmosphere was great but food was…read moreoff the charts. Went to bed thinking about it and woke up still excited. Can't wait to go back. The MOST unique, fresh, flavourful Food / dining experience we have had. We travel extensively and this was off the charts food. A standard above and beyond all charts. A must try place.

Revelation in Asian dining in provincial New Zealand earns 5+ stars for quality service ambience…read more 2 couples, 4pax, foodies / vinophiles enjoyed an affordable evening at Soerabaja restaurant in Hastings Hawkes Bay NZ, which is a world class wine region. Choosing OPTION 2 : mixed starters, 3 mains, rice accompaning with BYO wines for nz43 p/p which is exceptional VALUE when the QUALITY of the food / ambience / service is taken into account. HIGHEST standard of Indonesian cheffing in our experience in this country. Recently arrived for that purpose a couple of PROFESSIONAL Indonesian chefs. Business owners on site front and back of house: one Kiwi and one native of Indonesia, but long time resident of New Zealand. Husband / wife team ensured standards were VERY HIGH on all counts. Being used to bog standard provincial NZ deep freeze to deep fryer, then add sugar method of food prep, Soerabaja was a revelation for us. EVERY dish was excellent. Service was smart and caring and we felt WELCOMED. The room and wash facilities SPOTLESS clean and tidy. memorabilia from the mother country made the experience COMPLETE. Twas a great night out for us and we extend our wishes for their SUCCESS in this tuff market. Please support this NEW BUSINESS in Hastings Hawkes Bay Wine Country NZ. It's a pleasure for us locals to bring that special bottle from our personal cellars. Saves the restaurant from keeping stock of 'who knows' which we usually don't wish to consume. Pleased to pay their BYO charge for our TREASURES which we KNOW we wish to enjoy with a professionally prepared meal OUT !

Blown away by the dining experience. Authentic, flavourful food. Ambience was welcoming -…read morelighting, soft music in background and wonderful service. YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE. Hands down the best Indonesian food I have had in my 8 years in NZ and I have eaten at quite a few Indonesian restaurants throughout NZ.

Not sure if it was the owner but the person that took our order was a total 'A' hole with a capital…read moreA. Too many fries and only 1 piece of fish. $3 for catsup and $3 for tartar sauce. No beer, no malt vinegar, no napkins, had to twist his arm for a wooden fork.

I was on my way to breakfast and was leaving the immediate area, but wanted to make a stop here to…read more"check-it-out", get a little take-out for later! I had been travelling throughout NZ and pretty much been hitting several F&C shops from Auckland to Wellington, Napier, and in-between. Granted, I didn't hit every shop in this amazing country, by any stretch, but in the 2 weeks here, I hit as many as I could. My criteria for F&C (all food, actually) is all about value, as I am certain that most of the time you can get superior quality without having to get banged for your bucks, and the Frying Dutchman is proof in the puddin'! I'd have to say it was the best I had in all of New Zealand, there were comparable, maybe (I said, just maybe) a few a tad better, but the price, the friendliness, and quality is unmatched. Heck, if I were a local, this would be my go-to, without doubt. The owner and his pop were there, and they were great folk (which seemed to be par for New Zealanders in general). They were happy to chat me up, and giving me and my sweet pie some sweet info about fish, the area, etc... I ordered one Hoki (fish o' the day) and Tarakihi (because I could compare it to others I'd tried). The intent was to put it on the back seat, got get breakfast, then try it later; but the smell and the golden battered, large pieces were making my mouth drool, so I had to pull a few chunks. AND, MAN-O-MAN-O, MANNNN, juicy, flaky, mouthwatering perfection. The batter was perfectly crisp, not that thick (crappy) bready/heavy kind, light in color, clean, fresh (seemed to be in fresh oil that is mixed with other foods). It was so good that I ate it sparingly over two days, like rations, as I continued my travels; and guess what... I never heated it up after that, and it was still delicious!!!! Of course, I recommend, you get this, and eat it fresh out of the fryer, which I wish I did (and then I would have ordered a lot more to go)! If I ever make it back to NZ, it goes without saying, it'll be on my itinerary to hit this place up again, fo' shur!

Very good fish and chips. Very popular shop too for obvious reasons. The batter was very light and…read morecrispy and the fish was clean and fresh. Good feed for the Fam!

Such an awesome find in Napier! So much so that we ate here the two nights we had in town! The fish…read moreand chips can't be beat and neither can the prices. The chips were up there with the ones we had in Belgium! Mostly known for their fish and chips but lots of other things to choose from on the menu too. Hot dogs, burgers, chicken... All fried, so beware if you are trying to eat healthy.. this is not the place. We got two pieces of fish and two orders of fish and it was a TON of food. All for $12 Great prices and great food. Definitely a must go!

Busy, lively place to grab "breakfast all day" although they have plenty of other options for lunch…read more(salads, sandwiches, pastries) to choose from. It's cozy & service was quick and friendly. Came here twice during our short visit in Havelock North. Will definitely be back.

Food is delicious and filling. Accomodating for food sensitivities (gluten free)…read more Service - staff are super friendly and happy. Cute, happy and wonderful vibe. Would 100% come back here

The fact that we had to make a reservation to eat at 5.30 tells you everything you needed to know…read moreabout this place. Every table but one has reserved signs on when we arrived We first visited in 2019, and in 6 years it's only improved. We both had the Hawaiian fish burger, which sounds simple enough, but it's the freshness of the fish that makes it special. Definitely give that a try. Great selection of other fishy goodies too.

This was our first dinner in New Zealand, and we got off to a great start. We had reservations,…read morewhich was good because the restaurant was full. The atmosphere was nice, service excellent and the food was delicious!

A must when in Hawkes Bay!!! If you want to experience the…read morebest of food, wine and great views of Te Mata Peak then come here. The menu reflects the bounty of the on-site organic kitchen garden, plus ingredients sourced from local farmers and fishers. And the wine... they're divine! Service is impeccable! Love, love it here. This is our favorite place in the whole wide world!

Came here for wine tasting and lunch to celebrate my birthday. The sommelier was very informative…read moreand made sure we're were taken care of and gave us a mini tour of the only wine they bottle there. Went to lunch afterwards. It was nice change from sitting at the chefs table. Fascinating to watch the works of a kitchen as food is order, being prepared, and served. The chef also checked in on us. It was a wonderful birthday experience.

In general I feel like Neopolitan pizza is just the best already. I mean I feel like the rest of…read moreItaly should just not even bother and stick to just pasta, but I digress. At Alessandro's they have a calzone that's pretty solid, and unfortunately they don't automatically give you a side of marinara with it, but if you just order it separately believe me, that alone will more than make up for the oversight. Alessandro's marinara was stop-your-heart delicious. My wife was really enjoying her pizza as well obvs. The service was pretty great too, but seriously ... those pizzas. If you go to Havelock you HAVE to go to Alessandro's. I think I'll try the pasta next time.

Came here on the recommendation of a friend, and it was a very good pizza. Nice traditional Italian…read moreflavours and a pizza dough made with a starter and rested for 3-4 days to add that authentic flavour. Our toppings included prosciutto, mozzarella and fresh rocket. A nice woodfired taste, but the only criticism would be that our base was a little too charred (maybe left a bit long in the oven).