I had the pleasure of dining at Bon Appétit in Dunedin today on a double date, and it was a delightful experience. From the moment we arrived, the ambience was lovely, with a beautiful ocean view even from our table indoors (the patio was full, but we were graciously seated at the best table inside). The staff were impeccably dressed, professional, and welcoming, and the bathrooms were spotless—a small detail that says a lot about the establishment.
Our server, Ryan, was truly exceptional. Friendly, helpful, and accommodating, he made our dining experience seamless and enjoyable.
We started with drinks: I ordered the Ocean Breeze cocktail, which was perfectly balanced. My husband enjoyed a Negroni, our friend had a Chardonnay, and her husband had an Old Fashioned. A small critique for the Old Fashioned—it came with multiple ice cubes instead of the traditional single cube, which wasn’t to his preference, but the drink itself was fine.
For food, we shared the house salad, the octopus appetizer, and the bouillabaisse as my main dish. Our friends opted for the tuna and lobster stack and the grouper sandwich. My girlfriend has dairy and gluten intolerances, and Ryan went above and beyond to ensure her dietary needs were met.
Overall, the food was very good, with just a couple of notes: the octopus dish, while flavorful, has changed over the years. It arrived with a buttery sauce and lots of vegetables but not much octopus. When I requested a simplified version without the buttery sauce, Ryan quickly replaced it—still tasty, but again, light on the octopus. On the other hand, the bouillabaisse was phenomenal, and my friends had no complaints about their dishes—they thoroughly enjoyed their meals.
Bon Appétit impressed me with its beautiful atmosphere, attentive service, and delicious food. While there were minor tweaks to preferences, the overall experience was excellent. I would absolutely return!