Jano Bistro

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#12 of 814 Restaurants in WellingtonFrench, International, $$$$

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Jano Bistro

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About

Jano Bistro is a seasonally-inspired restaurant, showcasing the best of local New Zealand produce and progressive dining. Located in cute, historical cottage, diners are encouraged to sit back and relax, and indulge their culinary palate.

Features

CUISINES

French, International, European, New Zealand

Meal types

Dinner

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Gift Cards Available

Mastercard

Private Dining

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Visa

Wine and Beer

Location

270 Willis Street, Wellington 6011 New Zealand

Is this restaurant a hidden gem or off-the-beaten path?

Yes

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Hours

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Closed today

Sunday

Closed

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

Closed

Wednesday

5:30 pm - 11:30 pm

Thursday

5:30 pm - 11:30 pm

Friday

5:30 pm - 11:30 pm

Saturday

5:30 pm - 11:30 pm

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4.7

214 reviews

Excellent

173

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Departure49170983104

7 contributions

Fine dining done well

Jul 2024 • couples

Food was REALLY good, with some unusual combos and flavours. The fish just melted in your mouth, the Hare had amazing flavours, and dessert was to die for. Disapointing the cheese course was charged as an optional extra and not included, especially considering it was a cheese 'foam' The wine pairings were so-so. All were awesome wines, but not all of them paired particularly well with the food. The service was something special though. Really, really good attentive staff A lovely relaxed atmosphere with background music tgat wasnt intrusive However the portion sizes and the wine matches were small and the food not very filling. I have a small appetite but left feeling hungry, and the price was high considering the lack of food we got overall. Great for a special occasion, just don't expect to go away sated the amount you spend (over $500 with all the little extras)

Written 3 July 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.

Alipa50

Wellington1670 contributions

A special culinary experience

Mar 2024 • couples

Very professional service during our dining experience and Knowledge staff proud of their products and service. The experience menu started with pumpkin and hazelnuts with slices of truffle. This was followed by tuna, butter fish and then lamb. The seven course menu included sweet items of Beaufort cheese with apricot and a tasty feijoa sorbet. At $180 per person this is a top end food experience lasting at least 2 hours. Wine matching was an additional $90 each and the wines were expertly matched to the plates of beautifully presented foods.

Written 24 March 2024

NZGirl69

Wellington139 contributions

A very fine dining taste of Aotearoa

Nov 2024 • friends

We had a double celebration, so wanted something special to mark them, and Jano did that perfectly. A remarkable degustation experience that takes you through a journey of Aotearoa with locally sourced and seasonal produce, turned into works of art that taste even better than they look. Every dish was met with squeals of delight from our table, and we loved every mouthful, even as we managed to squeeze in the last macaron! Set in a cute wee cottage off the beaten track, its unlikely exterior hides the magic inside. The wine matches were mostly spot on, and we discovered some we'd never heard of and will track down again. But the highlight was the service - presenting every dish with expert knowledge and enthusiasm, attentive but discrete, professional but friendly. Highly recommend for all of the above - it's on the expensive side, but worth it!

Written 27 December 2024

RossY415

Brisbane519 contributions

Faultless intimate dining

Apr 2022 • none

Set in a Victorian cottage this small restaurant with a really small kitchen does a brilliant job. The 6 course tasting menu at NZ $115 was exceptional value, the amuse bouche were varied, complex and delightful, the snapper with green mandarin (including mandarin oil) was a revelation, the Canterbury lamb with quince, potato and mustard greens (BBQ beetroot substituted for a vegetarian) was thoughtful and well balanced. The feijoa dessert spoke of it's kiwi origins and the petit four were perfection. The signature wines were also really good, we had a Vincent Careme Vouvray and the Chateauneuf du Pape, both were well priced and amazing. Service from our American wait person was responsive and the wine advice from the French owner was much appreciated.It was hard to know how they can do this for the money, we loved it.

Written 14 January 2023

g40max

London48 contributions

A Wellington must

Jan 2023 • couples

We had the degustation menu here. It was an excellent showcase of NZ produce and French classic cooking techniques but with finesse you’d expect from a modern bistrot dégustation menu. At 120 NZD a head (+60 for the full flight) it was good value too. The front of house and maître d’ (same person) was bright, friendly, and knowledgeable. The food was served and explained by the chefs (who are also the owners). The whole experience was excellent, intimate, non-fussy, and sophisticated all at the same time.

Written 9 January 2023

Craig L

Perth326 contributions

Brilliant food, service and ambiance. Really exceptional!

Oct 2022 • couples

We really enjoyed an excellent degustation where each course was bought to the table by one of the chefs who carefully told us how the dish was prepared. We found the whole experience really brilliant. Sure a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for here. For us one of the best restaurants we have visited in many a year, and it deserves great accolades. We did not have matching wines, however the wine list we chose from was extensive and the staff friendly and knowledgeable.

Written 12 October 2022

Excursion10029788043

6 contributions

Truly brilliant food and service

Oct 2022 • couples

Truly beautiful degustation with excellent service made this a really memorable dinner. We loved that the chef for each dish presented it at the table and explained the great care that went into preparation. Must be one of the best fine dining places in the whole of New Zealand

Written 6 October 2022

chocolatechaos

592 contributions

Good probably just not on my visit

Jun 2022 • family

Good but just not on my trip. Really wanted to like this place and had high expectations as I’ve just relocated from London and eat out a lot so wanted to find a local place that reflects European standards. Staff knowledgeable and courses explained well but every single dish was cold. All of them and as we were seated by the kitchen, it made no sense. I overlooked the first three lukewarm dishes thinking maybe it was intentional though doubted fish should be half cold. Even the jus the poured I was thinking please be hot so the dish is warmed but even the jus was luke warm which was disappointing and rather annoying. When the pork came out cold I had to return it and it took an exceptionally long time to heat up a tiny portion whereby my companion had finished my wine was gone and the result was rather tough pork. I’d possibly try it again but I am in no rush as I think one course being cold is disappointing but all of them lukewarm? So either people don’t complain about cold food or my bad luck on that day.

Written 14 June 2022

TheSnakebite

Ohoka722 contributions

Problem With Booking As A Single Diner

Oct 2022 • solo

I had a really weird online booking experience as a solo diner (I was on business solo) so I didn't manage to actually book so cannot rate the food. However if I entered online as a single diner (+1) then there were no tables available. So I was curious so tried agan with +2 for the same date & time (couples) and could book a table online. Ended up going to Great India who were very happy to accomadate single business diners.

Written 26 October 2022

Alexis H

London22 contributions

Outstanding!

Oct 2021 • none

Our experience at Jano has to be one of the best I have had! The food was exquisite and I really appreciated the chefs serving up each dish, with an explanation of how it was prepared and how it should be eaten. The wine pairing was also excellent and really complemented each dish. I love the fact the restaurant has a limited number of covers so the experience is intimate.

Written 30 October 2021

St P M

Porirua6 contributions

Absolutely Stunning Top Class

Jul 2020 • none

This delightful little Restaraunt located in a very old house has a history of magnificent previous restaurants and without a doubt, it's holding the tradition. A warm and delightful welcome on a freezing Wellington winters evening greeted us on arrival. Up the tiny staircase to our friends in pleasant and comfortable seating arrangements. We selected the 5-course menu and this was delivered to the table with superb commentary by a wonderful French Chef who explained everything beautifully. The wine list is on the small side and rather expensive but good quality. The courses were not rushed and each one though small was completely delightful. all in all a stunning dinner and one we can thoroughly recommend. Charges at $95.00 per head are at the upper side and with wine one can expect to pay considerably more but its definitely worth the cost and we will return. Our rating 120%

Written 2 July 2020

Brenda G

Lower Hutt8 contributions

What a great all round experience

Jun 2021 • couples

Superbly presented and delicious food. The depths of flavour were particularly noted. We found the staff attentive and friendly. It is always appreciated when the chef brings the dishes to the table and describes the ingredients and cooking methods.

Written 18 June 2021

Nani N

Lower Hutt7 contributions

Really special

Feb 2020 • family

Just a beautiful experience. Each course was so clever and delicious. It's certainly a but expensive but I actually feel under charged due to the sheer amount of love and work that must go into creating these dishes. It was also no problem to cater to the fact some of our group were vegetarian and some vegan. The building itself is stylish and homely and the waiter lovely and friendly. We really felt looked after and would highly recommend.

Written 24 February 2020

Natasha A

Wellington5 contributions

Milestone birthday celebration

Nov 2022 • friends

We went here last night with my husband and in laws to celebrate his birthday. The meal was exceptional and genuinely the best meal I’ve ever had. Every dish was a revelation and discovery. From the very first dish which blew our minds with the experience of flavours and temperatures changing from I’ve cold to warm in one mouth full. Not a cheap experience by anyones standard but was absolutely worth it and if you have a reason to celebrate I can’t think of a better place to do it.

Written 19 November 2022

likelife2014

Wellington6 contributions

An Amazing Experience From Start To Finish

Feb 2020 • none

From the very beginning of the evening to the very end my wife and I had a wonderful time. The staff at Jano were very warm, knowledgeable about what they were serving. We loved the food. Much of it was completely new to us even though we've often dined at a wide range of different restaurants. It was all so delicious. It was very difficult to pick a favourite dish because everything that was served up to us was incredible. We will be back again. We had an amazing experience at Jano.

Written 26 February 2020