Francesca’s Italian Kitchen I’d had a very good wander around the middle bits of Christchurch and while my original plan was to eat in one of the less formal eateries, I bumped into Francesca’s Italian Kitchen, next to the Isaac Theatre Royal, at just around the time when a seat and a menu felt like …

Pizza Pomodoro I’d been universally advised that I needed to check out Wellington pizza institution Pizza Pomodoro. It had been in my crosshairs to visit on my opening night but like everywhere else it was shut due to Labour Day. I ventured in after a lactic climb up Mt. Victoria. It’s essentially a takeaway and …

Amano I had been given a strong tip that I should check out Amano, an Italian in Auckland’s Britomart neighbourhood. When the advice came from a Frenchman telling me through gritted teeth that their Italian bakery – part of the restaurant’s operation – does the best baguettes in the city, much to his chagrin, I …

That’s Amore Auckland! Having safely landed and checked into my apartment for the week, I was in need of something inexpensive and substantial so I resolved to find as good pizza as the environs afforded. I quickly hit upon That’s Amore which was just a short stroll away. Promising Neapolitan style pizzas alongside the odd …

Osteria Ilaria I had been given a strong steer from the restaurant manager at Amaru that I should check out Tipo 00 and/or its next door sister place Osteria Ilaria. I found Tipo characteristically busy so headed to Ilaria which while also buzzing had a couple of potential corners into which to squeeze me. I …