Dante's Pizzeria

Located in Ponsonby Central, Dante's is the first pizzeria in New Zealand to receive membership into the culinary institute Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN), a movement which aims to promote and protect the name and the product of Pizza Napoletana. With national prize-winning pizza chef and owner Kevin Morris at the helm, a wood fired pizza oven constructed to industry standards and four consecutive titles as Metro magazine's 'Best Pizza', you can be assured they know how to make a great pizza.

Before we even get to the toppings, it should be noted that the dough is rested for four days before even being given the time of day. With some help from the oven that hums in excess of 900ºC, the bases come out in 90 seconds soft and crispy in all the right places, though sometimes a little blackened. As to be expected with the Pizza Napoletana style, the menu is simple and straightforward. Don't expect crusts stuffed with hotdogs or seven different kinds of meats. They offer six options with ingredients all sourced from the motherland. There's the classic Margarita, comprising mozzarella, tomato and basil, the cheese-less Marinara, the La Bella Italia with fresh tomatoes, cracked black pepper and rocket, the Con Prosciutto with cured ham, rocket, parmigiano, the Chorizo Reale with chorizo and the Agilo with garlic and rosemary.