SCORE: 17/20

As popular today as it ever was, Prego has an irresistible attraction for diners of all persuasions. A family meal? Let’s do Prego. A celebration? Prego sounds good. Business lunch? I’ll book into the courtyard. Dinner with friends? Can’t go past Prego. This Ponsonby institution has been around since 1986 but has never been left in the past. Staff know how to hustle, never forget a regular and can turn a table at lightning speed. They don’t miss a trick; your empty glass will be filled in an instant. Although they don’t serve up purist renditions of Italian food, the fare is always honest, hearty and tasty. Silken duck-liver parfait is served with fig jam, lightly roasted grapes and lavash. The roast-duck risotto with mushrooms has become legendary and the seafood soup with a broth made from tomato, dill and Pernod would be at home on the tables of all the great Italian movies. Yes, it’s noisy, boisterous and busy – but that’s part of the attraction. That the restaurant has survived years of ups and downs, including a global pandemic, is testament to good management, a loyal customer base and an enduring truth: give people what they want, and they will come.