Pizza Hut Taradale sits on Gloucester Street in the heart of Taradale, Napier, serving one of New Zealand's best-loved pizza names to the Hawke's Bay suburb. It is part of a brand that first landed in New Zealand in New Lynn, Auckland, back in September 1974 and has since grown to more than 100 stores nationwide — so chances are a Pizza Hut pizza has been part of plenty of local birthdays, Friday nights and big-game gatherings over the decades.
What the brand stakes its reputation on is freshness. Every Pizza Hut dough is made from scratch, in store, every single day, and all ingredients are sourced from suppliers who must meet the company's own stringent standards. Pizzas, sides and desserts are all made to order, and Kiwis have rewarded the approach: Meat Lovers, Pepperoni, Hawaiian and the Super Supreme have held steady as the country's four favourite pizzas for years.
Choice is a big part of the appeal. Pick your base — New Zealand's favourite Deep Pan, the hand-stretched San Francisco Style sourdough, Thin 'N Crispy, the cheese-filled Original Stuffed Crust, or a gluten-free base — then customise to your heart's content, adding or removing toppings as you like. Ordering is quick and easy online from any device or through the Pizza Hut app, with pickup and delivery options (delivery subject to a minimum order and availability in your area), and Hut Lovers members get access to exclusive online-only deals.
On Gloucester Street in the leafy Hawke's Bay suburb of Taradale, Pizza Hut Taradale turns out one of New Zealand's most familiar comfort foods — and it does so with a promise the brand has kept for decades: fresh dough, made from scratch, every single day.
Pizza Hut first arrived in New Zealand in September 1974, when the country's first restaurant opened in New Lynn, Auckland. More than fifty years on, there are over 100 Pizza Hut stores across the country, and the Taradale branch is part of that nationwide family. For generations of Kiwis, a Pizza Hut box has meant birthdays, sports celebrations, lazy Fridays and easy family dinners — a tradition the Taradale store carries on for Napier locals.
The brand's philosophy is simple: quality, taste and excitement, with 'fresh' at the centre of it all. Dough is made from scratch in store daily — yes, daily — and ingredients come from suppliers who must meet stringent standards of excellence. Every pizza, side and dessert is made to order under strict guidelines, so nothing sits around waiting for you.
Good pizza starts with the perfect base, and Pizza Hut Taradale offers the full line-up. The Deep Pan is New Zealand's favourite deep dish crust — baked to golden perfection, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy within. The San Francisco Style sourdough base is made from scratch and stretched by hand for a light, crispy, airy bite. Thin 'N Crispy bakes up crisper so the toppings lead, while The Original Stuffed Crust hides a ring of melted cheese right in the crust — the famously playful pizza you eat backwards. A gluten-free base, made from rice flour and maize starch, is available in large.
Classic bases — Pan, Classic and Thin 'N Crispy — can be selected at no extra charge, with a surcharge for Stuffed Crust, Gluten Free and XL options. On top, you can build your pizza from a wide range of toppings: tasty beef, cabanossi, ham, chicken, juicy pineapple and more, adding extras or removing anything you don't like. It's no accident that Meat Lovers, Pepperoni, Hawaiian and the Super Supreme have reigned as New Zealand's top four favourites for years.
You don't need to wait until you're at the counter. Orders can be placed quickly through the Pizza Hut website from any device — mobile, desktop or tablet — or through the Pizza Hut app for ordering anytime at the touch of a finger. Take your time customising your pizza exactly how you want it before you hit order.
Delivery is available to much of the area, subject to a minimum order value of $20 including the delivery fee (and availability in your area and at your time of day). If you're collecting in person and the in-store price turns out lower than the online price for the same order, the difference is gladly refunded. Feeding a crowd? Orders of more than 10 pizzas need at least an hour's notice so every one gets the love and care it deserves.
Bargain hunters should join Hut Lovers online for exclusive online-only deals, and keep an eye out for the discount and added-value coupons Pizza Hut issues from time to time — just remember to present your coupon when you order. Whether it's a Deep Pan classic, a stuffed-crust showpiece or a fully customised creation, Pizza Hut Taradale keeps it fresh, keeps it fast and keeps Napier's favourite pizzas coming.