As a bastion of Italian cuisine, the humble pizza’s hearty constitution never fails to delight both the eyes and the stomach. While there are many establishments serving up laudable renditions of arguably the greatest gift Italy ever gave the world (followed closely by pasta, Peroni and gelato), we’ve rounded up a few of our favourites. Location: Mount Eden Despite opening a few years ago , you’d still be hard-pressed to find a table at this Dominion Road outpost — a testament to its divine offering. Here, the wood-fired oven is the method of cooking for most dishes, including a range of utterly mouth-watering pizzas. Ideal for sharing, but the perfect size to keep to yourself too, our favourites are the tomato, garlic and oregano (with added stracciatella, of course), and the lardo with mozzarella, parmesan, honey and black pepper. And be sure not to look past the famed woodfired carrots, served with ricotta and pistachios. We’d eat this all day if we could. Location: Herne Bay This Jervois Road stalwart of more than 30 years has recently emerged from a glow-up, reopening as Andiamo Bar & Dining Room — a little fresher, a little looser. Happily, the kitchen’s way with a pizzette remains intact, and the Neapolitan-style pizzas are as satisfying as ever alongside the house-made pastas that made this neighbourhood favourite, well, a favourite. Location: Grey Lynn This perennially busy Grey Lynn osteria always draws a crowd for its delicious food and beverage offerings. Its delightfully doughy pizzas are a large part of this appeal. We love the signature prosciutto and grape pizza with parmesan and thyme, as well as the unusual but delicious potato option, served with caramelised onion cream and mozzarella. Squisito Trattoria Location: Herne Bay While we’d always recommend dining in at the new Jervois Road trattoria, can we just say the addition of the takeaway pizza window to this busy neighbourhood has been a godsend. Squisito’s woodfired manuka pizza is easily one of the best in the City, with topping options that run the gamut from tried-and-true classics (Margherita, Prosciutto, Capricciosa) to more unexpected takes. Here, the Gamberi is a must-try, featuring garlic prawns, chilli, courgette and San Marzano tomato. Toni’s Pizzeria Location: Pinehill Traditional, authentic and fresh are three words we would use to describe Toni’s Italian Pizzeria in Pinehill. Offering simple but satiating pizzas that any native Italian would be proud of (including toppings like hot salami, jalapeño and fresh garlic, and hot salami, ham, sausage, blue cheese, bacon, onion and garlic, as well as a selection made especially for kids) this delicious spot is easy, uncomplicated and hits the spot every single time. Location: Remuera This relatively new Italian eatery has all the makings of a future classic. And while its menu offers share plates, moreish pasta and an impressive line-up of wine, the pizzas are what draw us back time and time again. Authentically made to boast that perfectly chewy base, each pizza here is made with great care and attention. For our part, we can never go past the Funghi. Topped with Ora’s Farm mushrooms and truffle caviar, it’s divine, sumptuous and perfect for sharing. Location: Mt Eden When the craving calls for a quick, comforting slice rather than a sit-down affair, Needo delivers. The casual Italian eatery opened its Mt Eden Road outpost in late 2025 — its fourth locale, joining the CBD, Commercial Bay and Manawa Bay — serving hearty pizza by the slice alongside freshly made pasta and a handful of trusty salads. Think home-cooked comfort with none of the washing up: easy, wholesome and exactly what a weeknight demands. Location: Viaduct Harbour Since opening with great aplomb in 2022, Bivacco has become a go-to destination for a delicious long Italian lunch. Here, the pizzas here are unparalleled, and are made even more perfect when enjoyed overlooking the sparkling waters of Viaduct Harbour with one of Bivacco’s delicious cocktails in hand. And while you really can’t beat the Margherita here, those craving something more lavish will find it in the goats cheese pizza, adorned with pear, vincotto, fennel cream and rocket. Perfection. Location: Birkenhead Head over the Harbour Bridge to discover a hidden venue that is so under the radar, you know it’s bound to be brilliant. Here, the woodfire pizza menu is endless, offering an abundance of seasonal ingredients and traditional flavours. If you find yourself torn between options, rally a crew and try the Four Seasons, the Funghi, and a four cheese calzone to share for the ideal Italian indulgence. Location: Ponsonby Ponsonby Road favourite, Farina, has been an enduring go-to since it opened in 2014, and while its menu of pasta dishes and ‘secondi’ like Gamberoni offers a bevy of delicious bites, it’s the pizza we’re highlighting this time. Whether you dine in or takeaway, Farina’s Napoletana pizzas are all utterly delicious and offer a diverse array of toppings to satisfy any kind of craving. Location: Commercial Bay Led by masterful Chef Nick Landsman, Gloria’s modus operandi has always been taking the easy lunchtime experience to bold new heights. With a focus on slow food made fast, Landsman’s commitment to quality and convenience shines through in every delectable bite, particularly when it comes to the eatery’s pizza al taglio, made with the utmost care and attention to flavour and finish. Our pick? Four cheese and mushroom — with gorgonzola, goats cheese, mozzarella and parmesan pairing with mushroom and a tangy green sauce. Location: Northcote Point Consider this your excuse to cross the bridge. Opened in early 2026 by the team formerly behind Karangahape Road favourite Candela, together with the family behind Clarence Road Eatery, this sunny neighbourhood trattoria sits just beside the Bridgeway Cinema and is anchored by a custom pizza oven shipped all the way from Florence. The woodfired pizzas that emerge from it are beautifully blistered and utterly moreish, joined on the menu by handmade pastas, seasonal seafood and a tight, Italian-leaning wine list. Warm, welcoming and rooted firmly in its neighbourhood, it’s the kind of local worth making a habit of. Location: Grey Lynn The new-wave slice shop Auckland didn’t know it needed, Brave Pizza landed on Great North Road in late 2024 and has been drawing devotees ever since. Taking cues from pizza parlours through the ages (with a distinctly New York bent), Chef Tom — whose pizza education began in Seoul, of all places — turns out thin, snappy pies that swing from nostalgic classics to inspired inventions like the jalapeño popper and a rich truffle-mushroom number. Unfussy, a little bit cheeky and seriously delicious, this is takeaway pizza at its best. Location: Kingsland This eatery’s sourdough pizzas hit the spot every time, and we recommend enjoying them on-site for ultimate freshness. Petite enough to eat a whole one to yourself (although, we recommend sharing so as to try more than one iteration) Umu’s exceptional, fermented dough and beautifully fresh ingredients will ensure you don’t feel too full afterwards (certainly an added bonus). Location: Princes Wharf Somm’s Sunday pizza offering is a delicious way to round out the week with friends or family. Every Sunday, the cellar door serves its moreish pizzas in a two-for-one deal, making a relaxed afternoon here all the more appealing. Somm’s mouthwatering pizzas are made with 72-hour poolish dough (a technique that delivers a lighter and more airy texture and a soft but structured crust) and boast toppings that include a simple pomodoro with garlic, fior di latte and basil, an indulgent raclette option, finished with ‘nduja, honey and rosemary, one with flavoursome palermo peppers, eggplant and mozzarella, and a mortadella option with zuni pickle. Location: Ponsonby If you have a sizeable group to cater for and pizza’s are the go, look no further than Ponsonby Road eatery Elmo’s. There’s something for just about everyone on its menu of woodfired pizzas although a few certainly stand out. The Discovery of Honey pizza is a bit of a showstopper, featuring an amalgamation of four cheeses topped with spiced honey and crispy sage, as is the Truffle Shuffle, boasting a white base of taleggio béchamel and topped with mozzarella, wild mushrooms, black truffle cream, pancetta and chives. Location: Ponsonby Central The pedigree here speaks for itself: Mulleti is the latest venture from Dante’s founder Enis Baçova, who has traded Naples for Rome with this newcomer, opened in Ponsonby Central in June 2026 and inspired by the neighbourhood bakeries of Rome, where locals gather throughout the day for pizza, baked pasta and aperitivo. Expect crisp, tray-baked Roman-style pizza sold by weight, comforting pasta al forno and golden fritti — each slice cut fresh from the tray, weighed, and served hot over the counter. Carrying the subtitle Nonna’s Kitchen, the eatery is a tribute to the Baçova family’s matriarch, created by Enis alongside his sister Riljeta to capture the spirit of a traditional Roman forno with the familiarity of a family kitchen. Time your visit for the golden hour: an afternoon aperitivo service kicks off from 3pm, inviting you to slow down over a spritz and a few shared bites. Takapuna Surf Club

Location: Takapuna Bringing the easy charm of an Australian surf club to the Shore, this all-day bar and eatery from the team behind Queens Rooftop sits perched above Takapuna Beach, with sweeping views across the water and plenty of sun-soaked spots to settle into. The menu reimagines nostalgic clubroom dining, and the standout is the woodfired pizza, perfected in an imported Italian oven and served atop purpose-built stands. With no less than eight varieties on offer, we can never go past the number two, with spicy salami, ‘nduja, pomodoro and basil. Order a cold beer alongside, claim a seat with a view and let the afternoon get away from you. Location: Ponsonby One of Auckland’s most beloved Italian stalwarts has long been known for serving some of the best pizza in town. Here, Prego’s hearty selection has something for any craving, although one we can virtually never look past is the Bianca with truffle mushrooms, white mozzarella, ham, rocket and Grana Padano. Location: Grey Lynn Merging traditional Italian flavours with New York’s signature thin-crust pies, the pizza at this Grey Lynn local demonstrates what beauty can be born when cultures collide. The Eastside (artichoke, lemon and parmesan) and On Madison (black olive, roasted garlic and feta) are two of our favourites, though any flavour here is guaranteed to please. Location: Ponsonby , Takapuna & Eastridge If anyone needed convincing that Auckland can hold its own on the world pizza stage, Dante’s is the proof. Helmed by the talented Enis Bacova, the VPN-certified pizzeria was crowned Best Pizzeria in New Zealand for 2024, and ranked #6 in Asia Pacific and #46 in the world on the prestigious 50 Top Pizza list. Its traditional Neapolitan pizzas — built on a meticulously crafted Italian sourdough base with a light, chewy crust and San Marzano tomatoes — remain the benchmark, and with three locations across the city, a taste of the world’s best is never far away. Location: Parnell A neighbourhood favourite for 25 years, Non Solo Pizza welcomes all with open arms — and nothing says ‘welcome back’ like one of its delicious pizzas. Personally, we love the Nerrano, with marinated zucchini, chilli, basil and whipped stracciatella, as well as the more classic Spicy Salami with tomato, fior di latte and salami. Both topped with lots of fresh basil, of course. Location: Auckland CBD When the occasion calls for a metre-long pizza (and more do than you would think), there’s no one else we would turn to but the doughy dab hands, known fondly as Toto’s. Whether you go for a half-and-half or a full metre of one flavour, you can dine-in at the Hardinge St premises or take the big box away. We like the never-fail Boscaiola, with truffle and mushroom, or the Parma, with prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, parmesan and basil. Location: Auckland CBD Boasting one of the most extensive (and delicious) pizza menus in the CBD, That’s Amore brings a dose of Italian flavour to Courthouse Lane. You might have trouble choosing a flavour, but you’ll have no trouble eating these moreish and approachable pizzas. The Master and Margarita Location: Grey Lynn , Birkenhead Chef Ivan Janic specialises in perfectly wood-fired, Roman-style pizza at his Surrey Crescent spot The Master and Margarita. Thinner and wider in diameter than their Neapolitan counterparts, these 15-inch sourdough beauties have a pillowy crust without being super doughy, which lends a welcome lightness to the classic treat. As far as toppings go, there is a comprehensive array on offer here, but we love the current winter special of rosemary roasted potato pizza with gorgonzola, goats cheese, caramelised onion jam and mozzarella. Delicious. Location: Parnell Auckland’s pizza scene has finally gone deep. Opened in 2025 on Parnell Road, Hello Chicago is the city’s first dedicated Chicago deep dish venue, all thick, buttery crust, cheese that stretches for days and rich tomato sauce ladled generously over the top. Fair warning, this is pizza that takes its time (expect a 30 to 40 minute wait, and yes, you’ll probably need a fork), but that is entirely the point. Settle in with a cold beer while the signature Steakhouse deep dish with its caramelised cheese crust works its magic, and be sure to save room for the deep dish cookie. Location: Britomart Tucked down Roukai Lane, where it slips past Miann to connect Takutai Square with Customs Street East, Bar Ziti is the laneway spot bringing easy-going Italian flavour to Britomart. Specialty woodfired pizzas sit at the heart of the menu, made for pairing with ice-cold Peroni on tap, playful cocktails and a considered wine list. The setting makes it all too easy to linger, particularly during aperitivo hour, running weekdays from 4pm until 6pm with $12 Peroni, $12 house wine and complimentary bites. In true Italian fashion, there’s a takeout window serving morning coffee and pastries too. Napoli Contemporanea Location: Parnell Dante’s is no longer the only pizzeria in town with world-ranking credentials. At his Parnell Road spot, owner Rocco Pezzullo, who has been making pizza since he was 18, has earned a place on the prestigious ’50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific’ list for the second year running, climbing from 49th in 2025 to 37th for 2026. The draw is soft, airy Neapolitan dough and thoughtfully sourced ingredients, from the San Marzano-topped Regina Margherita to the ‘nduja-laced Vesuvio. Coeliacs, take note: the gluten-free offering here is among the best in the city. Whatever you do, don’t skip the espresso to finish. 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