Fat Pipi Pizza — Restaurant in South Island

During our visit to Hokitika, we dined at Fat Pipi Pizza, and it did not disappoint. This cozy little spot has earned quite a reputation, and we were excited to try their offerings.

Food & Menu

We ordered the renowned Whitebait Pizza and another pizza (unfortunately, the name slipped our minds). The Whitebait Pizza lived up to the hype — it was unlike any pizza we’ve had before, a true West Coast experience. The crispy, golden crust provided the perfect base for the delicate flavor of the whitebait, and it was topped with just the right amount of seasoning to enhance the fish without overpowering it. It felt both simple and sophisticated, a perfect tribute to local ingredients.

The second pizza was equally impressive, with fresh toppings and a well-balanced flavor. The crust was thin and crisp but held the toppings without becoming soggy, a mark of a well-made pizza. Both pizzas were generously portioned, ensuring we left satisfied.

Atmosphere & Service

The atmosphere at Fat Pipi is casual and inviting. We sat outside, enjoying the seaside air and the laid-back West Coast vibe. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed without being overbearing. They even checked in to see if we were happy with the whitebait pizza since it’s such a specialty item — a nice personal touch.

Price & Value

We found the prices reasonable, especially considering the quality and portion sizes. The pizzas were more than enough for two people, and we appreciated the thoughtful preparation. The unique nature of the whitebait pizza alone makes it worth the visit.

Final Thoughts

Our experience at Fat Pipi Pizza was fantastic. The combination of a relaxed vibe, local flavors, and great service makes this place a must-visit in Hokitika. If you’re in the area, definitely give the Whitebait Pizza a try — and maybe write down the names of all the...

It is a popular place both for take out and eat in. For eat in order at the counter, get a number and they bring it to you when it’s ready. You help yourself to cutlery, napkins and water. They take credit cards but with a surcharge. They have a large selection of pizza varieties. Many are creative in their ingredient combinations. The pizzas come in two sizes medium ($22) and large ($28). The large is a good size for two people. Large pizzas can be ordered with halves of two different types for $32. We got the mariner which has a variety of seafood- shrimp, mussels, smoked salmon and fish along with capers and red onions and the Greenpiece vegetarian pizza which has a good amount of various vegetables (mushrooms, spinach, olives, zucchini and red onion) and roasted red pepper pesto along with feta cheese over the mozzarella. It was tasty. Their salad is very good and recommended. Beside the indoor tables, there is covered outdoor seating at picnic type tables. They have dried hot peppers and black pepper to add to your pizza but unfortunately no powdered garlic or oregano (which are standard in pizzerias back in New York City where...

Decent pizza, apparently very well known especially for their whitebait and marina. Hence we waited till they opened, order the iconic ones and went onto our next pit stop of the roadie so unfortunately didn’t get to eat it fresh. Despite this, still easily heated up and tasty. Bit bland for the typical meat lovers or pepperoni pizza I go for but definitely unique in the toppings. Don’t think you’ll be able to find pizza toppings like this anywhere else so for originality it’s a five star. Taste wise bland like I’ve already described, it’s ok, I’m not wowed and the cost is up there in the thirties. A solid pizza but would I get this again? Defs not unless we go on another South Island trip and stop by for a well known/novelty item. Nice to try but really just paying for the experience of trying unique toppings. Chowder was also ok, though I’ve found on this trip that fish and chip shops do a decent chowder, and for less. TLDR; decent pizzas, well made, bit bland and cost ratio not quite worth but nice if you wanna try a unique pizza. We shared two medium pizzas between four people (3...