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Reviews for When In Rome Restaurant

by Georgina D.
12th May 2013

When in Rome is definitely my favourite restaurant in Nelson!!! I’ve been there several times and I’d definitely recommend it !!! The atmosphere is cosy, the place is very clean and the waitresses and the managers are very friendly. I’d suggest trying any of the dishes, but I’m particularly a big fan of pasta di pollo!!!

by Susi B.
24th April 2013

Well presented restaurant, Felt very comfortable. We were keen to try the secondi piatti, though there were lots of variety in pasta and pizza available. The calamari dish was very tasty and something completely new, resting on delicious bed of orzo rice. Fish of the day was full of flavour also, to be honest every dish ordered got very good reviews. Dessert again was supremely yummy and beautifully presented. We will definitely be returning to when in Rome!

by Chris H.
23rd April 2013

I don’t normally write reviews, but with When in Rome I had to make an exception…

I travelled back down to my home town Nelson over Easter and dined with friends for the first time at When in Rome prior to walking the Abel Tasman track. I was a little hesitant to visit When in Rome after reading the recent reviews on MenuMania but I liked the idea of carb loading on pasta prior to 3 days of walking so decided to give it a go anyway.

The ambience in the restaurant was nice and the restaurant was exceptionally clean. We were seated promptly and the service was very friendly. After reviewing the menu I ordered the Suprema di Pollo. The waitress explained that the pasta and food is prepared freshly and sometimes takes a bit longer to come out and we were all fine with this. After around 10-15 mins our mains all came out together – I chuckled as some restaurants back in Wellington would struggle to get drinks out in this time. The meal was well presented and the portion was huge with generous helpings of pasta topped with a large chicken breast and various garnishings. The chicken was well cooked and still moist inside, and the bacon on the outside was crispy like it should be!

Compared to most dining experiences in Wellington, this was top notch and I couldn’t believe how cheap our bill was. Nelson people just don’t know how lucky they are I guess.

@Gill W, Just a heads up for next time you are in town, yes ordering dinner at 8:50pm on a Tuesday night is a tad late for Nelson – this is a town with less than 40k people we are talking about, most restaurants close shop at 9pm or earlier if it’s quiet!

by Tim M.
18th April 2013

Been three times and always disappointed. Lasagna plain boring, pizza average, pasta ok only. Just not good enough.

by Joanne L.
9th March 2013

Easily my favourite restaurant in Nelson. As a gluten-intolerant vegetarian my options are often limited on a menu, but not here, the gluten free pasta and pizza options made my day! pizza was really great with a lovely crispy base and the pasta here is just cooked to perfection – I will definitely be a regular here – thanks When in Rome

by Gill W.
19th February 2013

We went to When in Rome last night at around 8:50 . It was half empty (no reserved signs on the tables) but the waitress asked if we had a reservation, which we didn’t. She looked around, made that noise that tradesmen normally use when they make out a job is more difficult than it actually is… when you suck air backwards through your teeth… but found us a table. Brought the menus but told us that there was no Pomodoro sauce. Left the specials menu but they were sold out of soup of the day and fish of the day. I can understand the specials being gone as I presume that only a certain amount of portions would be made but the pomodoro! Never have I been to an Italian restaurant to be told they have ran out of a sauce. As a vegetarian this left very little option. My husband had the suprema di pollo, very disappointing, quite a small portion for the price. Also advertised as open till ‘late’ not sure what defines late in Nelson as we felt like they were ready to close right after we sat down!

by Kristine S.
11th January 2013

I went to When in Rome tonight with my elderly mother and a friend. Because the only seats available were adjacent to the kitchen window/pick up and door and near the toilets, we decided to sit outside to dine. The storm of the day had passed and it was rather pleasant . We ordered our meals.

After waiting 45mins I was starting to get a bit chilly and rather famished, so I went to the waitress inside to ask her how long before our meals would arrive… thinking it was reasonable to expect some food in that kind of time frame.

I asked the waitress if she could find out how long before the meals would arrive. she was initially, unwilling to give a time frame, but when I pressed her as we felt that if they weren’t about to arrive we would need to come in side as we were getting too cold out side. she informed me the meals could be another 20 mins. I was disappointed to hear this and expressed it. I said I would of liked to have been told about any delays, so we could have decided when we arrived if we were willing to wait that long. At this point she pointed out a large table of people and informed me that they all still had to get their mains. Another woman making drinks at the bar, turned and said to me that ”If you come in to a restaurant and there is a big table that hasn’t been served their meals yet than you could surely expect a delay”…………………so, instead of any apology for the long wait we were experiencing, or the fact that we hadn’t been informed that there would be one…. I was admonished for not noticing where other restaurant guest were at in their dining experience, upon my arrival and making a accurate estimate of the situation in the kitchen………..I am shocked at such a response……equally so, in that I was told this was the manager, who said this to me. We came in side and in all waited 1 hour and twenty minutes. For our meals to arrive. The last twenty minutes we discussed alternatives way to get fed, even contemplating going and getting macdonalds. When the food came it was good. I think? Perhaps we were just starved. It might have been nice if we had been brought a complimentary bowl of olives….or something whilst waiting. Really the food taking such a extraordinary amount of time to get to us is one thing, but for me having no apology and being told I should have seen it coming was the worst part,….. and by the manager?
I must say that the young waitress with the coloured scarve who reseated us inside….was polite and diplomatic. She did apologize about the wait.
I am giving a terrible rating because of how I was treated by the manager……………and that we weren’t warned of the delay, which I would expect for this kind of wait.

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 11/01/2013    Hide »

Hi Kristine, please accept our sincere apologies. There is no…    More »

Hi Kristine, please accept our sincere apologies. There is no excuse for such experience. The food we prepare does take time as everything is handmade to order and is fresh. For instance nothing is frozen that is microwaved and put on plate to be served. For this reason especially if we have large tables of 15+ people (like we had two last night) the service slows down. However, as you have rightly mentioned it is our responsibility to make you aware of the situation. Unfortunately it was just “one-of-those-nights” when things don’t work according to plan and the combination of being busy and being short staffed effected the service we provide and you deserve.

We really appreciate your feedback without which we are unable to correct our mistakes. All the staff at the restaurant will really feel grateful if we get another opportunity to serve you. One of your main meals and glass of wine will be on the house.

by Bevan D.
4th October 2012

Nice and clean premise with tasty food, worth trying.

by Bev L.
27th August 2012

Wait staff friendly. Average Food. Long wait for the food. Far too many tables in a small space.

by Ratna B.
15th August 2012

We toddled in on Monday night without a booking and was surprised to see the restaurant full. It’s unbelievable in middle of winter in Nelson. We managed to get a table soon. The waitress who looked after our table was simply lovely. Very attentive and friendly. The menu itself is very well presented. We had a mushroom and blue cheese soup and garlic bread, followed by veal and calamary as mains and then tiramisu to finish. It was all excellent, from presentation to taste. We will be back again with some friends soon!

by Janet B.
7th August 2012

We have just dined at your restaurant after being told that is was a nice place to dine at. Another customer complained about his meal as being cold (I had the same I would say not cold but the tomato base under the calamari could have been hotter and on a warmed plate would have helped) the meal was sent back to the kitchen and then we had to endure listening to the chef swear and curse about this meal being sent back, this was too much for the diner who complained that he and his partner walked out. What should have been a nice meal was taken away by the chef and his response and also having to listen to him swear in general chat is not what I want to hear when out for a dinner. I will give the front of the house person 100% for trying to rescue the situation as we paid for our meal.

by John
14th June 2012

Just ate there tonight, we were all really happy with our meals, pizza, pasta di pollo, Cannelloni and garlic bread were all perfect sizes. Great relaxed service. Look forward to going again. Their Rum is really good too

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 15/06/2012    Hide »

We are really glad to know that you enjoyed your evening. Thanks…    More »

We are really glad to know that you enjoyed your evening. Thanks for the lovely review. We are hoping to see you again soon

by Anastasia C.
31st May 2012

We have been dined out recently. My husband love the pizza. Best ever. I have had lasagna. It was very nice but it was served in small dish. (for lunch probably ok not for dinner). Just for suggestion, it can be served in a slightly bigger size and few more bread instead one only.

by Maria
25th November 2011

My husband and I went to this restaurant a couple of weeks ago on our trip to Nelson and Golden Bay and it was by far the best on our trip.
We really enjoyed the food and italian wine for a very reasonable price.
Haven´t tried the rest of the menu but or gamberoni starter, padrino pizza, and stuffed calamari were dazzling, not to mention the tiramisu! mamma mia!!

Highly recommended!

by Lucy M.
1st September 2011

Two friends and I ate here last week. One ordered a takeaway pizza to be ready for 6:30, while the other friend and I ate in. Unfortunately the takeaway pizza wasn’t ready on time and my friend had to return to the restaurant after meeting a plane to pick it up.
The garlic bread wasn’t really garlic bread, more like herb bread with balsamic vinegar, which was fine, but should be advertised as such. The other bread on the menu was much nicer.
The pizza was the biggest let down. The crust was burnt and so were the sundried tomatoes were burnt. Disappointing, we’ll stick to proper pizza restaurant next time.

The best thing was the service, the young girl was very friendly, polite and despite being yelled at by someone in the kitchen, kept a smile on her face.

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 2/09/2011    Hide »

Yes I remember the incident in question. As you must have read…    More »

Yes I remember the incident in question. As you must have read underneath, we take all comments sincerely and try our best to work on any issue that has been raised by our guests. The chef who was in charge of pizza section that night (and was most likely the “yeller”) is a recent addition to the team and already has been given his final notice for various reasons.

We appreciate your comments and offer our sincere apologies.

by Riki
29th July 2011

Great evening guys. Girl friend really pleased that we arranged her surprise B’day dinner at When in Rome. Well, my birthday is coming soon and we will be back again with the full gang and promise we’ll try not to be so noisy

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 1/08/2011    Hide »

Thank you Riki. We will be only too glad to have you guys back….    More »

Thank you Riki. We will be only too glad to have you guys back. Please let us know closer to the time so that we can organise a nice table for your group. See you soon!

by Ian
19th July 2011

Very average service with a very disinterested waitress. The deserts were terrible and VERY slow they were so bad they were not eaten. Please look at a recipe before trying to make cream brulee..

Mains were nice and quite prompt, plus a good size but they were left under the heat lamps for quite some time before being brought to the table. Also saw another diners salmon sitting under the heat lamps for a good 15-20 minutes.

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 19/07/2011    Hide »

Hello Ian, I am sorry to know you did not fully enjoy your…    More »

Hello Ian,

I am sorry to know you did not fully enjoy your evening at When In Rome. We take complains very seriously and would like to assure you that your criticism only helps us improve. The waitress in concern is with us for over 18 months and is always great at her job… may be it wasnt the best night for her… I will have a chat with her regarding this.

The creme brulee is something we have had in the menu since day one and is popular among our regular patrons. We have a group they come every week only for creme brulee and coffee. The recipe has never been changed. But again, I will try it straight away and talk to my boys in the kitchen.

I am glad to hear you enjoyed your mains. The heat lamp is there to do exactly what you saw it doing but there is no way anything can sit there for more than 3 minutes. The way the kitchen is structured it is not possible. There must be orders for different tables, to be honest it can get confusing unless you are standing and watching exactly whats going on in the kitchen and what is coming out. We couldnt have served promptly to you as you have mentioned if it was under the heat lamp for quite some time. But honestly speaking if I did not know how the kitchen system works I would be confused too, staring at the heat lamp window.

However I thank you for your comments, it definitely gives us a reason to have a quick review of our service etc.

by Heath L.
12th June 2011

I was just in Nelson to follow up on a business option and decided to check out the local restaurants. I walked past When in Rome and decided to enter as it looked so inviting, warm and fairly busy.

Staff approached me quickly with a smile and led me to a table. I ordered a glass of Ned Pinot Gris which was just amazing and the food I ordered was just the same, full of flavour and just a delight to eat, will most definitely visit whenever in Nelson.

Just been back to When in Rome yesterday 29/07/11 and the food, service was as good as when I was there last. I was supprised to read the latest review, in my long experience of business, the latest review and added comments clearly are a personal attack and bigoted one at that on the owner of When in Rome.

I would suggest the owner speak to the people at MenuMania as those comments and the ones added under their profile name do fall outside their review guidelines and appear to have have possible sinister racist overtones.

I would suggest people to ignore that review and visit to make up your own mind.

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 1/08/2011    Hide »

Thank you for your encouraging comments and advice regarding a…    More »

Thank you for your encouraging comments and advice regarding a fake review. We took your advice and sorted out the problem. We are very pleased to hear your second experience at When In Rome was equally enjoyable. We will be honored if you visit us again when you are next in Nelson. Thanks for your support.

by kevin g.
28th April 2011

good ambiance, average service,main menu dish adequate presentation, lean on substance.menu stated ravioli served on selection of breads,waitress when questioned disputed the breads but was quickly silenced by staff member.one slice arrived promptly.kids menu poor presentation and very very small.This is not sour grapes for refusing my entertainment voucher it was after all a public holiday,I should have read the fine print

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 17/05/2011    Hide »

Hello Kevin, Thanks for your comments. I can assure you we take…    More »

Hello Kevin,

Thanks for your comments. I can assure you we take all feedbacks openly and try our best to correct any problem that is pointed out to us.

I have staff on training both in the kitchen and in the front of house that could have been the reason behind the missing bread. On our menu the description of the Ravioli is “Regal smoked salmon filling… served with homemade bread” so it is actually slice of bread that gets served with the ravioli. The kids meal is always smaller than a normal meal. It is basic, less fancy because that is what we have noticed kids prefer… but I will look into it closely and talk to head chef about it. I am sorry about the Entertainment voucher. Because we did not put surcharge for holidays we decided not to accept any vouchers that night. Please accept my apologies.

by Rebecca D.
3rd July 2010

Pizzas are really great! Loving the $10 lunch special too. Been there twice in the last month and will definately go again.

by Trudy J.
20th June 2010

What a surprise!

I have been to When In Rome two days after they had opened in October 2009 and to be honest thought of the meal good but not extraordinary. Since then I have been out of Nelson and last week upon returning home my friends organised a dinner at When In Rome.

Things have changed indeed. The food firstly looked fantastic. Could not believe I was paying only $19 for the Ravioli which was looking so fancy and tasted out of this world. Also had a bite from Vanessa’s pizza which was delightful. Staff was friendly and attentive as usual. The chef’s special dessert was again I thought under-priced… only $9 for a yummy banoffee pie!! Well you guys have surely become my favorite restaurant. We will see you soon.

by Jake M.
11th May 2010

Me and my family went to When in Rome tonight, and will definitely be going back there again. Service was excellent, food was excellent and design and layout of the restaurant was superb. I had the pizza and chocolate sundae, best I’ve ever tasted anywhere.

by Ulia
1st May 2010

What a nice name to start with.I absolutely loved when in Rome, the food is amazing, the deco is superb, the service is very good and with realistic prices.
I had the salmon ravioli with creamy pesto sauce that was yum and to finish it I had the tiramisu equally as good.

Well done When in Rome. Keep it up

by Noeline M.
17th April 2010

We walked in When In Rome last Monday without a booking and was amazed to see it full on a Monday night (in Nelson!). We were told if we would like to have a drink next door at Sprig & Fern and the girl will find us a table in thirty minutes. In due time the waitress came to Sprig & Fern to let us know our table was ready. All four of us thoroughly enjoyed the food and service. And it was great fun watching the going ons in a busy restaurant. It was busy but service was fast and everything seemed stress free. While leaving we mentioned to our waitress what a great time we had and she asked us to write a review and it is well deserved too. We will be back with more friends… and yes this time we will reserve a table before hand.

by Rochelle
16th March 2010

I do travel a lot within NZ because of my work inevitably I eat out 5 days a week sometimes more and when you do that you start to appreciate when you get a good meal for a realistic price served by a friendly face and thats exactly what I’ve got at When in Rome.
You guys made my stay in Nelson extra special.
I will be seeing you again next month for sure.

by kerry
15th March 2010

Having been to Italy on my OE I really developed a liking for Italian food. Going to ‘When In Rome’ for the first time made me feel like I was back on holiday with great authentic food and lovely atmosphere. I’ve been back several times now for a reminder of a great holiday and just love the food. The prices are spot on for the kiwi budget which means a bottle of Chianti is not out of the question.

by Bronson U.
13th March 2010

My overall favorite restaurant in Nelson. I have been going since it first opened its doors and have never been disappointed. Awesome food, awesome atmosphere and awesome staff that always make you feel welcome and satisfied.

The Pizza has to be my favorite on the menu, as is authentic Roman style pizza, just the way i like it And when i feel in the mood for something different, I’m never disappointed with my meal what ever i have on the menu. And the desserts are always a treat, and just the best thing to finish off an awesome meal.

When in Rome 100% !

by jeanette s.
12th March 2010

After a very average meal in another nelson restaurant, my girlfriend and I went to When In Rome for a sweet treat to perk up our night. Well done when in Rome you made our night extra special! The service is exceptional and truly beautiful sweets. You made our night. Cheers!

by Katie A.
6th March 2010

We went to When In Rome while I was visiting Nelson for the weekend. We heard good things about it in Wellington from some friends. I must say I am very impressed. The decor is so classy but food was so reasonably priced. Italian is one of my favourite cuisines and I lived in Italy for a while… so I know the food well. I must say this is as good as it can get. Loved the garlic prawn as starter. My friends had Antipasto which looked great and they enjoyed it thoroughly. My main meal was Carbonara which was really tasty. For dessert the Chef’s special was just perfect. Service was attentive and friendly with a good touch of humor. However I have one major complain… When In Rome is in Nelson and not in Wellington where I live.

by Pioneer P.
1st March 2010

After the demise of Venice Cove we were really up for a good Italian Restaurant in the Nelson area. Well, I’m afraid this wasn’t it. The antipasto starter was pathetic with ordinary ham hidden under the Parma,the cheese was a few cubes of supermarket feta, the salmon was passable and the rest was salad. This starter for two may have filled one. My wife and daughter decided on pizza and what arrived had to be on the thinnest base ever in fact it was akin to crispy tissue with a topping spread as thinly as possible, I tell you it was worthy of Weightwatchers. For my main I ordered the Pallo Romano (it may have been the other way around)and what arrived was a starter size dish of something that had been in the oven all afternoon, the chicken was dry and the aubergine unrecognisable. For dessert I had to try the Tiramisu, I wish I hadn’t, it was a dry affair and had little resemblance to the real thing. I asked the waitress if it contained alcohol and the next thing you know a glass of brandy appeared on the table (no amaretto or massala then)presumeably I had to pour it in myself.
The staff unfortunately were too attentive and it was a case of as the last forkfull was going in the mouth and there she was ready to collect my plate.(No rush then!).
I have the say the restaurant is an unfortunate shape and most seating seems to leave you in a corridor situation,. Certainly not a romantic venue!! We won’t be going back.

Comment from Arko B. of When In Rome Restaurant 2/03/2010    Hide »

Firstly we appologise for the experience you had at When In Rome…    More »

Firstly we appologise for the experience you had at When In Rome and we appreciate the time you have taken to give us the feedback. As a business we take all comments seriously and try to address issues as much as practically possible.
So far we have not come accross any critism about our Antipasto. We try to make the best within the price frame. We only use Parma ham and Proscuitto Emiliano. We buy our Feta from MedFood.The Antipasto also includes Artichokes, olives, breads, fruits and sundried tomatoes etc. The Polo Romano is very popular and we have regular diners who would come just for that.We do the Pizza following traditional roman style.This can be verified if you search on google. The tiramisu again is something that people always appreciate and it does contain little alcohol.Unfortunately we have been having staff training and people on trial lately and that must be reason behind the service.We are really sorry about that and wish we can only make it up to you. The size of the restaurant is something we can not do anything about.We have been told many times that it is a very beautiful restaurant and is always busy. We do have a narrowish area with only 4-5 small tables which couples do prefer.The main section is quite wide.We will be looking into some of the issues you have mentioned but unfortunately there are matters that we cannot do much about. Thanks again for your feedback. – When In Rome Management

by Anna S.
8th February 2010

Fabulous pizza! Generous servings and delicious food !
The wait staff are friendly, prompt, polite and I hope they are earning more than minimum wage for their service was way above par !
Thank you for a brilliant meal and experience

by Tamsin
8th February 2010

Delicious food, great selection of wines both local and Italian, lovely environment and very friendly and helpful staff.

I would recommend the balsamic Chicken dish ,which is on the new menu, I also really enjoyed the Tiramisu.

by Jan
29th January 2010

We were visiting Nelson as part of a 3 week holiday from England. We chose to eat at this restaurant because it looked clean, tasteful and inviting. We weren’t disappointed. Really friendly staff, lovely food and a very reasonable price. I want one of those chandeliers. Where are they from?

by Andy
2nd December 2009

A reasonably priced meal in an upmarket setting. Comfortable seats which is always appreciated. We had Al Ragu and Canneloni followed by the Panacotta.
All very nice.
My only critisisms are small ones. Maybe a bit of sound baffling to deaden the noise of the coffee grinder, or grind the coffee earlier and store it?

by Beryl P.
27th October 2009

This is a great little restaurant. The ambiance is great. The service fantastic, cheerful and prompt, yet not over-the-top. The menu is varied and interesting and the food does not disappoint. The wine list has a good selection of local, NZ and international wines.

And all at reasonable prices, (with no surcharge for a statutory holiday).

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