Heritage
The story of Gina's
Gina Maio was born in Calabria — Italy’s south — and grew up with the rhythms of a family table: slow food, loud conversation, and hospitality that starts before you sit down. She later lived in Melbourne, where she met her husband, Bodo Luckfiel; together they made their way to Aotearoa and opened their first restaurant in Mount Eden in 1973.
In those early years, “authentic Italian” in Auckland meant improvisation: good olive oil was hard to come by, and staples we take for granted today were treasures. Hospitality profiles of the restaurant have told the tale of Gina hunting down ingredients wherever she could — including oil from unlikely places — while friends and family visiting from Melbourne helped keep the larder honest with cheeses and smallgoods carried across the Tasman. It was scrappy, stubborn, and deeply Italian: make do, make it delicious, make people feel looked after.
The restaurant’s journey followed Auckland itself — chapters on Victoria Street and Symonds Street — before coming home to Mount Eden Village, where it belongs. Today we still cook in that same spirit: warm, hearty plates, generosity over fuss, and flavours that nod to Calabria and to the regulars who’ve been walking through the door for decades.
“The table is set the old way — come hungry, leave looked after.”
Thank you for choosing our restaurant — we hope you enjoy your meal as much as we enjoy serving you.
A few dates from the kitchen diary
- 1973 Gina & Bodo open in Mount Eden — Italian hospitality lands in the village.
- Later years Chapters on Victoria St & Symonds St as the city grew and the crowds followed.
- Today Back on 448 Mount Eden Road — garden bar, long tables, same generous heart.
