Fenice Cafe (Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand)

Came here for a quick lunch after craving for some Italian dish as I heard they prepare authentic pizza here. It was a quick lunch so this will be a brief review as I only ordered a couple of dishes, and yes one of it was a pizza. But before we go on to that let me tell you about the place, if you are in the Waiheke then this is a good spot to have a feed, with great views of the Oneroa Bay if you opt for an Alfresco Dining or even if you sit back and enjoy the shade, the atmosphere inside is perfect as well, small, cute and with a bit of an Italian rustic flair.

Like your typical Italian fare, I heard from a colleague that their menu changes regularly depending on the season, so what is on the menu now may be different in a couple of months’ time, a good way to discover new dishes.

Now let’s go to the food. As mentioned, I only ordered a couple of items starting with a Calamari Fritti (NZ$23.00), a deep-fried crispy squid served with dill pickle mayonnaise, a bit of arugula and a lemon wedge. Quite a small serving there where around 8 pieces of calamari on the plate but it was good, nice, and crispy from the outside and perfectly cooked from the insides.

Then we had this Margherita (NZ$24.00), a tomato-based pizza with fresh mozzarella and basil. Fresh out of the oven, they look similar to the ones we had in Italy, thin with slightly burnt edges, ample topping, just enough so you can enjoy all of the elements of the pizza like the amazing dough, which was thin, chewy and crispy on other parts. It is a legit pizza Italian style.

To top it all off I had this Cappuccino (NZ$5.50) which I can say it’s one of the best coffees in Auckland.

Overall food was excellent but quite pricey compared to others, the service was a bit on the slow side, otherwise it’s an excellent place with nice views and genuine Italian food.

Fenice Cafe & Restaurant
Address: 122a Ocean View Road, Oneroa, Auckland 1081, New Zealand
Phone: +649 372 8711
Website: https://www.fenice.co.nz/