Ferdinando's Pizza — Restaurant in Observatory

UPDATE to the owner's reply: First of all Entertainer is an international app, not just South African (the owner should know this when they signed up to join the app); one can purchase a package with Entertainer based on location (which is available on their website). Secondly, self promotion in a reply to a complaint to a client is not a very effective apology and shows that my complaint was not taken seriously, as all matters mentioned was not even addressed in the reply. In fact stating I have three vouchers and can come back to use them, a feeble attempt at an apology, not a sincere apology or even an effort to rectify the matter(s) at all. Patrons and future patrons reading my review and the owner's type of reply will have them make up their own minds to this establishment, due to the nature of the reply. Lastly we did try to call to make a booking and got no answer, we did mention Entertainer when we were there, but was not informed about specific pizzas. The owner says pizzas of R120, yet only one is R120 and above, the rest are all under R120. The establishment should note that nowhere in Entertainer or the restaurant it states "please mention Entertainer on your arrival/before ordering". This is very questionable. Again also note that on Ferdinando's Pizza on Entertainer it says "Pizza" on redemption voucher NOT "Signature Pizza" or "Specific Pizza", other establishments in fact have this on their voucher redemption (which owners are obligated to inform Entertainer about beforehand) when you're allowed to only use it against specific items in a restaurant. Then Entertainer adds this to your establishment's app. For instance some restaurants specify "Signature Dish" and this then has you asking in a restaurant which specific dishes are covered by Entertainer. It seems this vagueness was done for a specific reason it seems, very misleading.

Please note: We did raise our concern with the waiter, that we were not happy, but nothing was done. The pizza was good, but what put us off is the fact when you want to use Entertainer (and drove all the way to this restaurant, after we already was shown away on Tuesday because there were electrical people doing an electrical check, but we came back today) and then being told you can not use Entertainer, as there's a separate Entertainer menu and the pizzas we ordered were not the Entertainer pizzas; (and you budgeted for using Entertainer and now had to pay full price), this is not so great. I am sure Entertainer will look into this as well. Why? Because they have a separate Entertainer pizza menu (this is not communicated at all at any point in the restaurant, there's nothing of this even in poster form and best yet, the menu that they put ON THE ENTERTAINER APP has their FULL MENU and no mention of a separate Entertainer menu). The Entertainer menu is only on their website and at the very bottom of the page! We check the menu on Entertain, because we wanted to use the app, NOT on their website. Then it's the restaurant's responsibility to put the correct menu on the Entertainer App. I will be escalating it to Entertainer App as well, with proof screenshots that there's no mention of a separate menu on the Entertainer App (surely it should be there of then mentioned in the restaurant as well).

Another thing was, we ordered our drinks, then some time later our pizzas, then we ate. More people came in to sit down and eat, and they were given bread sticks & aioli as a starter for the table, AFTER we ate our pizza, only then we were given the "starter" breadsticks & dip, the other table got theirs before they even ate/ordered their pizza. How does this work? Were we not also supposed to get this before our meal, while we were waiting? Wasn't a very favourable experience and it's a pity as I would have like to have featured them on my...

A Slice of Disappointment at Ferdinandos Pizza

I walked in hopeful, lured by a menu that promised authentic, Italian-inspired flavours and premium toppings like creamy ricotta and imported salami. Unfortunately, that’s where the excitement ended.

Let’s talk pizza: The base? Soft, soggy, and utterly uninspired—far from the crispy-chewy glory of a true Neapolitan. It felt rushed, underbaked, and frankly cheap. The seasoning? Practically nonexistent. Even the premium ingredients couldn’t save it; the ricotta was bland, the salami forgettable. It’s wild how something so fancy on paper can fall so flat in execution.

And the kicker? The pizza arrived cold, despite us being the only customers in the restaurant. That long wait suddenly made sense.

The Vibe: There’s a charming attempt at coziness, and the staff are genuinely warm and attentive. But the space itself feels a bit like a pop-up trying to be something it’s not. The ambiance doesn’t match the price tag, and neither does the food.

Silver lining: The happy hour margaritas are actually quite good—if you’re only here for drinks, you might walk away happy.

Final thoughts: For the price, you’re better off ordering from Butlers, or yes—I’ll say it—even Roman’s. And if you’re craving something artisan, Pizza Shed still delivers more flavor (even post-expansion) than this spot.

Sadly, this place serves more style than substance. Here’s hoping they can turn the oven temp up—and their...

Expectations and reality definitely didn't align. Having learned, from one of my feeds, that Fernindino's was voted as best pizza in South Africa. I had to see for myself. Walking from my car to the door was an experience. Enveloped in a street of strange warm bodies, best euphamised as questionable. Approaching the entrance I was somewhat dubious. However, as I walked in, I felt as though I'd entered another realm. Quirky and eclectic decor, that could in itself could provide enough entertainment for the evening. There are several rooms upstairs to choose seating from, each with its own warm character. We arrived early on a Monday night and were the only patrons, but as the night went on, more tables filled up and added a lively atmosphere to the downstairs dining area. Our waiter was very attentive, making us feel as comfortable as being hosted at a friend's house. The pizza was incredible, Neapolitan style bases, light and airy, with a slightly chewy crust that presents a slightly sweet smokiness. This pizza is truly worthy of its accolades. I'll definitely be back to try more of the tempting menu options, and to share the experience...