Base Woodfired Pizza is a Christchurch family business with roots in the Canterbury earthquakes. When the September 2010 earthquake cut power across the city, the Thomson family — Chris, Andy, Gill and Rod — fired up their woodfired oven and fed their neighbours. That spontaneous act of community became the seed of a business. Base Woodfired Pizza was created in late 2010 and has been family owned and family run ever since, with a consistent focus on flavour, family and fun.
The woodfired ovens are at the heart of everything. Custom-built by Rod Thomson, they are the secret behind Base's flavour and consistency. The original setup at Re:Start mall featured a large wood-burning oven imported from Italy, housed in a 10-foot shipping container whose walls were lined with bricks salvaged from demolished Christchurch buildings — a deliberate nod to the city's past and its rebuild. All ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, supporting other Canterbury businesses.
Base now operates from four locations across Christchurch: Little High Eatery at 255 St Asaph Street (open daily from 11am), Riverside at 96 Oxford Terrace (open daily from 11am), Montreal HQ at 107 Montreal Street (open Tuesday to Sunday from midday or 3pm), and Homebase Shirley at 199 Marshlands Road (open daily from 11am). Catering and events are available through the Base Food by Fire mobile catering trucks, with enquiries handled at [email protected].
Some origin stories are made up. Base Woodfired Pizza's is not. In September 2010, the first Canterbury earthquake hit and the power went out across Christchurch. The Thomson family — Chris, Andy, Gill and Rod — responded the way many families would: they lit the woodfired oven and started feeding people. Their neighbours showed up. The pizzas were good. Very good. In their own words: "that was when the business idea was born."
What followed was a long road from backyard oven to one of Christchurch's most recognised pizza operations. The family had spent years gathered around their home woodfired oven experimenting with flavour combinations. By the time they went public, they had the recipes right. They started with a mobile woodfired oven — fast food with a real difference — taking it to events and festivals across Canterbury. The SCIRT World Buskers Festival was the first big public launch into the wider Christchurch market.
A conversation with Paul Lonsdale, then manager of the Re:Start mall, led to Base taking a spot in the food court. First came the mobile unit, then a custom-fitted 10-foot shipping container — a space where every inch was put to work. The centrepiece was a large wood-burning pizza oven imported from Italy. The walls were lined with bricks recycled from demolished Christchurch buildings — a deliberate reference to the city's past and an optimistic nod to its future.
The woodfired ovens have never been off-the-shelf. They are custom-built by Rod Thomson — described on the website as a "legend across Christchurch" — and the team credits them as the secret behind Base's flavour and consistency. All ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, specifically to support other Canterbury businesses.
When Re:Start mall closed, Base moved to Little High Eatery at 255 St Asaph Street, where they operate seven days a week alongside seven other family-owned eateries. Since then the business has grown to four locations: Little High Eatery (255 St Asaph St), Riverside Market (96 Oxford Terrace), Montreal HQ (107 Montreal St), and Homebase Shirley (199 Marshlands Road). The mobile Base Food by Fire catering trucks continue to operate for events and corporate orders.
Little High Eatery is walk-in only — no reservations for groups under 10. Order at the counter, find a seat inside or outside, and the buzzer goes when the pizza is ready. For groups over 10, bookings go through littlehigh.co.nz/book. Pickup orders of 1–8 pizzas can be placed online.
Riverside at 96 Oxford Terrace is also no-bookings, open Sunday to Wednesday from 11am to 8pm and Thursday to Saturday from 11am to 9pm. Uber Eats delivery runs from this Riverside Central City location.
Montreal HQ at 107 Montreal Street is the bookable option, open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday). Thursday through Saturday the kitchen runs from midday; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday from 3pm until 9pm.
Homebase Shirley at 199 Marshlands Road is open 11am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday, and 11am to late on Fridays and Saturdays — with online ordering coming soon.
For corporate or catering orders over eight pizzas, contact the events team at [email protected]. Gift cards are available via NowBookIt online.