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Hours
Tue
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Wed
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thu
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Sat
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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PRICE RANGE
$90.00 – $105.00
CUISINES
French, European, British, New Zealand, Scottish
Meals
Dinner
features
Does this restaurant have private dining rooms?
Details
About
We are a family-owned and operated contemporary restaurant, opened in early 2022. Our guests are invited to enjoy our small and ever-changing menu in the intimate setting of our forest green dining room. The kitchen is fully open so our guests are able to observe our highly skilled chefs in action. Our menu flows with the seasons, and we have taken the time to hand-pick our suppliers in order to showcase the outstanding produce that Aotearoa has to offer. The dishes are skillfully prepared by Chef-Owner Phillip Blackburne using French & British cooking techniques. The wine list features wines from New Zealand as well as examples from around the world.
PRICE RANGE
$90.00 – $105.00
CUISINES
French, European, British, New Zealand, Scottish
Meals
Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available
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5.0
57 reviews
Excellent
53
Very good
3
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
FreddyII
Wellington102 contributions
Feb 2023 • none
As the first Trip Advisor reviewer of this restaurant, a year ago, it was a pleasure to return. The five course set menu (or three course option) has changed and the price increased slightly. This restaurant is about the quality of the experience so I am pleased to note a price increase, rather than a quality decrease. Upon prior notice specific dietary requests can be catered for.
I really appreciated the wide variety of dishes. It is as though you took the best five dishes from the TV series "Masterchief" and presented them sequentially. A delight!
The only slight negative for the evening is the house brand sparkling water. This is made on site from tap water. That in itself is fine, but the machine does not remove the slight taste of Taupo water. As I commented when I left the restaurant, better filtration is required as part of the process.
For those reading this and other Embra reviews, do not be put off that Embra is ranked, by Trip Advisor, 29th out of 88 Taupo restaurants. Embra is pretty much in a league of its own regarding a fine dining experience. There just haven't been sufficient reviews to increase it's ranking, even though it has 5 out of 5. The top 4 restaurants in Taupo offer Indian food.
Written 3 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianne C
Waikanae436 contributions
May 2022 • family
We chose their five-course menu. $95pp. On the night we got carpaccio of kingfish, (a work of art), braised venison with cleverly decorated pasta, (very creamy), butterfish grilled, beef bavette with spelt risotto, and a chocolate dessert. Such a brief summary doesn’t do justice to the complexity of each dish. Having poor teeth, I asked about the beef, knowing bavette would normally be just seared on the outside. I would have no problem, I was assured. Sadly, though the pieces of beef were tiny, the connective tissue, uncooked, was still strong. The spelt was a bit under-cooked I thought. Quite firm. Dessert: as I scooped into the chocolate mousse, something round and white was revealed. Sorry to say I thought of an eyeball, but of course not! Gave it a sharp tap and it broke open and a transparent jelly oozed out. This had a lemon flavour, and the white coating was chocolate. Masterly, but……The mandarin sorbet was exquisite. The chocolate lace embellishment atop the mousse had been made on a bed of finely chopped nuts. Too fine, I thought, because it was just gritty on the tongue. Wine list is small but quality. Allow about $14 per glass. Beer $10\glass. Complimentary bread and honey butter to start were delicious, and we were offered extra if desired. Service professional but understated. The place is too small to stand on ceremony. Maximum of 20 fully booked, would be my guess. Booking essential, and they require that the entire table must enjoy the same number of courses. 5 courses $95pp, three courses for $85pp. It’s a no-brainer.
Written 28 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrina P
London190 contributions
Aug 2022 • family
This was a true treat for the taste buds. We decided to do the 5 course degustation to sample all of their meals and I would highly recommend doing this. The portion sizes are small but packed full of flavour and high quality, fresh produce. I was very full after all of the courses though! It truly was the best dining experience I have had in an extremely long time. The service was fantastic and the staff were attentive, helpful and explained each course as it came out. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant if you have children who are fussy eaters! Otherwise it’s absolutely fantastic and I will most definitely be going back for another meal!
Written 20 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ShanNZ1993
Taupo4 contributions
May 2022 • couples
Embra is by far the best fine dining restaurant in Taupo. My husband and I are local and been to many restaurants in the area but Embra is something different. Each dish is presented nicely and tastes amazing. We did the 5 course set menu paired with the 5 wines. The wines were all well chosen and matched the dishes. It was nice to be educated on each wines origin and flavours. With the menu you are provided with home baked sourdough and a small appetiser free of charge. Very much reminded me of dining in Europe. These little things made dining at Embra an experience. The service was great and owners very friendly.
Written 7 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OnAir293603
Auckland43 contributions
Aug 2022 • couples
Embra is a wonderful asset got Taupō which, to be fair, was lacking a true fine dining/degustation experience. The food was fabulous. The presentation was exceptional.
The unfortunate thing for us was having to share the room with a party of about 10 people. The room was limited and the noise being generated by the group took away from being a top notch night. I noticed there was another section which could’ve been used for the large group. I’d suggest using this space for groups and leave the small room for couples. Alternatively, the restaurant could’ve forewarned us and we might’ve chosen to change our allocated time or postponed to another night.
Would I go back? I wouldn’t hesitate. My suggestion (if you are thinking of a romantic evening for two) ask if there is a large group booked and if they are going to be in the same space.
Written 7 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BKN1975
Auckland Central17 contributions
May 2022 • friends
Got this Embra recommended and went there for dinner with friends. Absolutely brilliant place. Just a place after my liking. Small, service great, waiters knowledgeable, see the chef prepping the food, atmosphere great. Yes it is a bit pricey but it is worth every cent in my opinion. And let's face it you get what you pay for. 100% recommended for a good night out.
Written 30 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurie
2 contributions
May 2024 • couples
We must have hit an off night. After reading the reviews here and hearing good comments from a couple of locals, we were expecting an excellent meal. Sadly, we were disappointed with the food.
We ordered the three course dinner. We started with the chicken and duck terrine. It was filled with large chunks of both, was over decorated with dots of sauce, and was quite bland in flavor. Our main dish was flounder. It was overcooked and quite tough and served with a bland creamy sauce. It was an unusual texture for flounder. The fish came with potatoes and cooked greens which were quite tasty. Dessert was a pastry with pear and cinnamon ice cream. The pear was raw and was cut into small balls, pea size, which were not very ripe and were visually disconcerting. It didn’t have much flavor. This dish was also over decorated with dots of sauce. The ice cream was delicious, however.
The staff were lovely and the service was friendly and professional. We’ll give Embra another try and hope for a better food night.
Written 4 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JMTY21
Taupo2 contributions
Jul 2022 • family
I have been lucky enough to dine here twice since the restaurant opened and both times I have had an incredible experience. The tasting menu (which was different both times) was delicious and expertly prepared and presented. The service is impeccable - the wine matching just topping everything off and we were really able to enjoy the whole experience. Definitely a destination restaurant and a must have for your next visit to Taupo!
Written 4 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jen Shieff
5 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
My family and I had an outstanding dinner at Embra last night, a return visit for me. Top quality cuisine (Scottish/English/French) is on offer with a fixed price three or five course menu which changes every three or four weeks. Presentation, flavours and service are oustanding. There's remarkable attention to detail at every step. It's a delight to find Embra sitting quietly in Taupo, when it's the sort of restaurant that could also sit confidently in any big city in the world. Wine matches, food sourcing, the server's descriptions of each course's food and wine are done with utmost care. Individual dietary preferences, invited at booking time, are treated with respect.
Written 23 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fambamm2017
Wellington50 contributions
Apr 2022 • family
Four of us went for an adult family dinner. We were seated where we could see the chefs work it was marvellous. The food was beautiful, and we were plenty full at the end of the degistation meal. one of our number was not at all keen on fish but she loved both fish dishes.
The food was a total delight to eat. We also had some dietary requirements that we had email ahead about and they were very good in their care and response to those.
Written 17 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FreddyII
Wellington102 contributions
Mar 2022 • none
Embra is a newly opened restaurant on the edge of the Taupo business district. with good parking outside. One of its nice features is being in a standalone building.
There is a set menu of five dishes. Each dish is complex and an enjoyment to any discerning restaurant goer. Also, they were able to make adjustments for dietary needs. The menu is seasonal so I will not comment on individual courses other than to say we enjoyed them all. At the end of the meal we felt that the total quantity of food from the five dishes was about right.
Opening a restaurant in these Covid times is a challenge and I hope Embra succeeds, after all I would like to return next time we are in Taupo for a holiday. No hesitation in awarding a score of five.
Written 7 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianne R
Laguna Beach127 contributions
Oct 2023 • couples
Fixed menu with pairings if desired . The restaurant is hard to find for first time diners. We had the set menu for Saturday night with several courses . I am not a meat eater, so I ended up giving my husband the meat servings. The chef was willing to substitute a 3 course for me but, I was not interested . The wines were good and I did enjoy the pecorino dessert .
Written 29 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FranNewZealand
Palmerston North310 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
Our 2 nd visit whilst passing through Taupo & certainly not our last .
Absolutely delicious food beautifully presented by very friendly & knowledgeable wait staff .
Fascinating to watch the preparation in an open kitchen - all flowed so well - everyone knew their jobs & executed brilliantly & flawlessly .
Our dish of the day was the squid cannelloni- great presentation & so tender .
We had a degustation recently at the Lake House in Daylesford which is one of Australias top restaurants & Embra is up there at a fraction of the cost .
Will be booking in again for when we pass through in June !
Highly recommended.
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sousgirl
Hamilton10 contributions
Jun 2022 • couples
Birthday dinner was made extra special, being seated next to the open plan kitchen. Found a lovely hand written birthday card which was so special.
5 course meal with wine matching. The wines we hadn’t tried before and explained beautifully. The chef is so talented what an experience. Highly recommend.
Written 4 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally B
Te Puke63 contributions
Mar 2023 • couples
Crickey - what a find! So glad that I did a fair bit of research before booking our night out in Taupo on Easter Saturday. This is not a restaurant you would usually just walk by as its in a residential street but its gorgeous - small but perfectly formed, as was the 5 course tasting menu complimented by the wine match. Every course was a delight, the wine matches perfect and the super friendly staff just rounded it all off - our new favourite in Taupo, highly recommend
Written 10 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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