Dantes Pizza

Went to Dante’s for a celebratory lunch on a very cold day. I prefer NY style pizza over Neapolitan style but Dante’s deserves a 5 star rating. The margherita was served up to us remarkably fast, piping hot and delicious. One of the guys working behind the counter treated us to a slice of his lunch pizza and it was also excellent.
Espresso and service were great. Looking forward to my next visit!

I went there with my wife and daughter, and while the pizza was ok, the owner was the rudest person. After enquiring about the menu he decided to pull the «don’t you know who I am» line and was quite indignant. Won’t be going back in a hurry.

I wasn’t expecting to have good pizza while in NZ but stumbled on this cute little pizzeria in a lane way. Both pizzas were excellent with authentic crust and tasty EVOO. Had the margherita and the prosciutto and would recommend both.
The only knock is that the beer selection is a little weak. Only options are Italian and they would benefit from bringing in local craft beers for the locals and tourists alike.
Service is friendly and efficient. Pizzas came out of the wood oven in record time. Would definitely come back the next time I’m in Auckland.

We ventured out a bit late on a Sunday evening, only to find so many restaurants closed. Happened upon Dantes Pizza and were very glad we did — the most authentic pizza we’ve had since we were in Italy! All three pizzas ordered were magnificent– perfect chewyness to the crust, fresh toppings… Almost wish we were staying in Auckland for another day so we could go back.

We had the special for the evening, the owner came out and chatted, such a sweet guy! The pizza was delicious, better than we have had in Italy! Nice fresh ingredients! Best pizza crust ever!

Ventured to ‘Dante’s Pizza’ this evening, and might I say, what an absolutely magnificant turn out!
Speedy, wonderful, flamboyant service, and a great product. Fantastic pizza!

Finally made the long journey over the bridge to the North Shore’s hippest foodie hub, Fortieth and Hurstmere for dinner last night, where we dined at Dante’s Pizzeria. Given that Dante’s has won the coveted best Napoletana Pizza award by the VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana authorities — yes there is a pizza council which assesses authenticity!) in 2015, our expectations were sky high. In this instance, I’m happy to report, they were absolutely met. We had the Margherita and the Carne (think meat lovers) and both were absolutely excellent. The Margherita in particular deserves a shout out, the mozzarella on top was the stuff that dreams are made of. Featured above, was the dessert we had, the Torta Della Nonna –a shortcrust pie with a thick lemon infused Italian custard/​cake filling, with a side of lemon sorbet. We absolutely loved the Torta, however the sorbet was a bit thick for our taste. All in all Dante’s was fabulous, highly recommend

We ended up here because all the other places in Ponsonby Central were absolutely groaning with people, but we managed to squeeze ourselves in here at Dante’s. It was a pleasant surprise.
We were greeted very well with the owner who spoke with an enviably authentic Italian accent. He guided us through the menu and even pointed out a couple of «secret» dishes (tip: not all menus were created the same!)? The service continued to be exemplary throughout the evening.
The bf ordered the large ‘Carne’ meat pizza and I ordered the ‘Alla Romano’ which had prosciutto and lots of parmesan. I initially thought we’d just share one but I had clearly underestimated my partner’s appetite for pizza. When they came, they were absolutely beatific to look at. Depending on how hungry you were, I would say that one pizza is fine if you’re wanting to eat lightly but a pizza each is in order if you’re starving — you’ll have some left over but that’s okay. They taste fantastic, I’m a fan of thin crust and this place find a perfect balance of both.
Price wise, they’re pretty steep but I suppose you pay for atmosphere too. I’d still ideally want to pay less but I didn’t regret the experience. This is a great date place (grab a bench inside!) or if you’re with friends, share one of the tables outside.

Confirming what others have mentioned. This is a darn good pizza. Light crust, simple tomato sauce and great cheese. Cooked quickly, and devoured immediately. Give it a shot!

Minimalist, simple and super duper fresh authentic Italian pizzas that are cooked up in a very long blink of an eye ;) (90seconds was it?)
It’s so hard to hide anything when you only have a handful of ingredient to present. Each ingredient has a purpose that makes the pizza so well balanced and delicious.
If you don’t trust me, trust their wall of awards. Justified.

Best pizza, hands down. Seal of approval by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana– a prestigious culinary institute with strict standards for the Neapolitan pizza if you need hard evidence.
Ordered the Con Prosciutto and found it was an epic choice. Big fan of prosciutto already alone and on this pizza base with tomato, mozzarella, rocket and parmigiano after baking in the wood-​fuelled brick oven– it was divine! Friend who has been to Europe said it tasted like genuine Italian pizza– more winning. One pizza was a perfect share between three but for two hungry people it’d also do the trick.
For high-​quality, real Naples, Italian pizza– this is the place. Can’t wait to go back to try other toppings. Delizioso!

Wow, this pizza was great. I went here twice in a week because it was so delicious. The crust was thin and had the perfect amount of char. The sauce was fresh and seasoned perfectly. The mozzarella was gooey and added the perfect amount of salty goodness to the pizza. All of these ingredients joined together to create the perfect Neapolitan style pizza.
The restaurant is small and very warm. This is mostly due to the giant wood burning oven that takes up most of the volume of the interior. There are three large picnic tables for outdoor eating if you don’t want to sweat at the counter inside. You may have to wait for a seat though as this place was very popular; there was a very big crowd.
Who knew that Italian-​style pizza made its way to complete opposite side of the world. That is what you get at Dante’s; some real-​deal delicious pizza. I feel bad about how fast I ate it but it was just so good, I couldn’t help myself. If you are in Ponsonby, you have to go out of your way to get some of this pizza. It is truly remarkable.

Ah, pizza. To be quite fair with you, my love for pizza has slowly diminished over the years (shh, I know, I know) and what I mean by that is that I no longer crave it every day of the week nor do I call it my favourite dish in the whole world (sorry). However, when I do feel like a pizza, it has to be a GOOD one. And Dante’s pizzas are just that: crispy yet chewy, with a charred and bubbly base, fresh, flavoursome tomato sauce and minimal toppings. I shared a chorizo pizza with a friend and it was great! Chorizo was plentiful and the size of the pizza itself was perfect for two people, although I will not judge you if you eat it all by yourself — I can imagine it is entirely possible because the pizza does not feel greasy or heavy at all!
The service had its ups and downs: when I just arrived, the staff were all friendly and bubbly, yet something a little weird happened when me and my friend were finishing our meal. By the time we were almost done, the tiny place that Dante’s is has pretty much filled up (there was no one there when we arrived). As I was finishing my last slice I could hear the owner say to the incoming customers who were looking for a table that «these two are going to leave in 5 minutes» (pointing to me and my friend). I’m not sure if he meant that, or whether it was simply an accent/​miscommunication issue, but it sounded a little rude to me, like he just wanted us out. What if we were planning to order more drinks and chill for longer? Oh well.
All in all, come here if you want to enjoy proper, truly great pizza in a nice setting, although I would personally recommend avoiding busy times as the place itself can only accommodate a handful of people. Oh, and there’s always takeaway! :)

Dantes is the one and only pizza joint in Ponsonby Central. Originally based in Huapai in West Auckland, it’s had a modern upgrade with the possibility of sitting in, not just a takeaway option.
Tbh I am not a huge fan of pizza because I think it’s uninteresting to eat a lot of the same one thing, but Dantes knows pizza. Serving true Italian toppings and cooked in a wood fire oven. The menu is limited with only 5 pizzas but I think this is smart. They whip them up quickly and you aren’t left waiting a long time for something so delish.
The dough is nice and thin but has a great crispy crust. If you’re not a huge pizza fan like myself you will like dantes and should make the exception. The only change I would like to see is a more extended wine and beer list, just because it’s situated in Ponsonby Central where the atmosphere is boisterous and happening and a cider would go down nicely.
Rating
Food: ⁹⁄₁₀
Service: ⁷⁄₁₀
Value for Money: Good

Dantes Pizzeria is seriously the cutest pizza bar around! This place was originally recommended to me by my parents who always rave about their Regina Margherita pizza. I have been twice now and absolutely love it.
The first time I dined at Dantes, the service was friendly and very welcoming, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Before we took our seats, we were showed how they cook their pizzas and we were able to take many photos of the pizza oven… what an amazing oven! No wonder the pizza crust is delicious!
We ordered Chianti wine and a San Pellegrino drink. Both were delicious and perfect drinks to accompany pizza! We were torn between what pizza to order, because my parents swear by the Regina Margherita pizza ($ 24) with tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil. However, we wanted some meat on our pizza too. When we asked the waiter for advice, he told us that he would add chorizo to our pizza, free of charge. He also gave us some chorizo samples to taste. Delicious! We were really looking forward to it!
So, out came the pizza. It did not take long and smelt heavenly. However, no chorizo! I asked the waiter if he was adding chorizo. He replied that he forgot — which I think was probably due to the fact that we were up and down taking photos of the restaurant and he was also taking photos of us in front of the pizza oven. He then said he would make us a Chorizo Reale pizza (tomato, mozzarella and chorizo), free of charge because he got our order mixed up! Another pizza that would have cost us $ 24 was now going to be free. Two for the price of one! We were happy!
As for the pizzas, well, the fresh buffalo mozzarella was absolutely amazing. It was stringy and tasted delicious. I would happily order both pizzas again. While there are few ingredients on the pizzas, Dantes uses good quality and fresh ingredients, which taste wonderful. They are truly cooked in Napoletana style. But, the best part about the pizza was the thin crust. Being cooked in a wood fired oven gave it a nice crisp base on the outside, but it was still chewy in the middle — perfect!
Dantes Pizzeria has been one of my favourite dining experiences in Ponsonby Central so far. I recommend coming here for a quick bite to eat or on the weekend for a casual family dinner. I cannot wait to go back!

Wow! Best pizza I’ve had till date and was even better with the tap Peroni. What more can you ask for?
Went here with my girlfriend and we both of us left thoroughly impressed and satisfied.
Had the Regina Marghareta and Chorizo. Both the pizzas were amazing. But the Marghareta was just flawless and Devine. Our meal was ready in less then couple of minutes yet cooked to perfection and a good portion size. The chorizo pizza had a little kick to it (maybe not for the faint hearted) :)
What more can I say? Flawless pizzas and very friendly owners.
If you’re looking for a proper pizza, look no further. We will be back!

This pizza was totally delish! I loved how there were very few ingredients and they were all fresh. I went with my partner and between the two of us we ate two pizzas — they’re pretty light, especially if you’re pretty hungry. My partner and I both agreed that this was definitely the best pizza we’ve had in New Zealand and possibly the best outside of Italy. Dante’s Pizza was very much like the pizza we’ve had in Italy.
The service was excellent. The chef introduced himself to us and explained the menu, ingredients, etc and brought out our pizza quickly.
My partner’s only comment was that it might be nice to have a wider range of toppings. But, I quite like the limited range. I feel like the chef maybe wants to focus on keeping things simple and perfect. If I could change one thing, I would have drizzled a bit more olive oil on top.

Have high standards of authentic pizza, living near Keste in NYC, and having lived in Italy for more than a year. Dante’s is right up there with some of the worlds best. Amazing dough, cooked to perfection with love and care. The ingredients on top are fresh, and delicious. Mozzarella (Fior Di Latte) sourced locally and tomatoes from the homeland. Just perfect. Lovely location and sweet staff too.
Don’t miss this place, no matter what you do.

Okay, this place is waaaay tinier than I envisioned. Don’t bring 10 friends with you unless you’re prepared to wait.
Luckily it was a beautiful Wednesday evening when we checked it out. I was dreaming of amazing wood fired pizza like we used to get at our neighborhood joint in Bushwick, and I wasn’t (super) disappointed.
The crust was perfect, not too thin, bubbly and charred just right. The sauce was a little bit blander than I hoped, but solid. We got the Bella Italiana with rocket and fresh tomato slices and black pepper. It was quite nice.
The thing we felt was missing was some high quality chili oil to drizzle on the pizza and dip the crust in. Would have taken the experience over the top. They had Tabasco but it was too powerful for the delicate flavors of the pizza.
Definitely the best pizza I’ve had in auckland — worth a visit. But a little on the pricey side. Would love more varied toppings (mushrooms!!) and the chili oil (or at least red pepper flakes) and it would be out of the park.
Nice spot for a summer evening feed!

Without a doubt, my favourite pizza joint in town.
These guys are clearly professionals — they are the only pizzeria in Auckland to have the official tick of approval from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana AND their pizzas cook in 90seconds flat.
Just to be clear, if your looking for a ham and pineapple pizza or half-​and-​half toppings then Dantes definitely ain’t your jam. What you will find here is authentic Neapolitan pizza with few but quality Italian ingredients and deliciously crispy, thin bases.
My personal favourite is the ‘Con Prosciutto’ which has tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, rocket and parmesan… although I would imagine you’d be hard pressed to put a foot wrong no matter what you ordered.

Did you know it only takes 90 seconds in the oven for these pizzas to be done? Too bad Nelly wasn’t around to pump out a sweet hook for us just to prove the point — that wood-​fired puppy is hot. And a good thing too, because I couldn’t wait another second to fold over my thin, perfectly floppy slice TMNT-​style and get it as close to in and around my mouth as possible.
The toppings are simple and traditional, my Bella Italia was adorned with fresh tomato and rocket with buffalo mozzarella and black pepper. The only thing I might have added was a bit of chili oil, but I’m a glutton for spicy punishment. There’s not much more to say other than pizza perfection. Seriously, get here.

I got to say, I had a HUGE crush on this place before trying it… and now that I have I can say I am fully in love with Dante’s Pizza!
Dante’s was the first (and until recently: the only one!) pizzeria in New Zealand to receive membership into the prestigious culinary institute Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). I had never heard of the AVPN before but apparently they do not give away memberships easily so it must take quite a lot of passion and expertise to gain this international recognition.
As I often come to Ponsonby Central on a weekend, Dante’s was always busy so I never dared to brave the lines and wait for a pizza. But… Our love story all started on a cold Tuesday night when Dante’s did not look so busy. The pizzaiolo invited me in and said I could stand near the oven to keep warm. Wow! That was just so nice. The owner of the place was just as friendly and I ended up staying with them for a couple of hours, chatting, laughing and and eating a beautiful thin-​crust pizza and their most delicious off-​menu item: a saltimbocca.
I just love the taste of wood-​fired pizza (or any food for that matter). I think it is incomparable. And well those pizzas… they are not just pizzas… they are made with love, generosity and passion, with few but quality ingredients. The wood fire cooking just tops it off.
Also, I have to mention the owner and pizzaiolo were happy to answer any question I had about how they make the pizzas and why do they do this and do that…
If I thought it was wise to eat pizzas every day of the week, I would certainly be there every day! Seriously though… thank you Kevin and Davide for a lovely evening and for sharing your knowledge and passion with me!