Pekaren

About Pekaren

Pekaren is a wood-fired pizza restaurant and cafe in Bell Block, New Plymouth, known for award-winning pizzas, Italian cuisine and coffee — the business has been voted 9th Best Pizza in New Zealand. It's fully licensed and caters for dine-in guests, takeaways and offsite catering, and is also a popular choice for functions and celebrations.

Lisa Weston and Belinda Clark are the owner/managers of Pekaren, having taken ownership in 2017. Since then they've brought their hospitality experience and added their own flair to the menu and dining areas, continuing to bring award-winning pizzas to the local community.

The menu runs from breakfast through to dinner, with a large range of stone-baked pizzas, calzones, pasta, risotto, salads and desserts, alongside a full wine, beer and coffee list, and a dedicated kids menu.

Pekaren: Award-Winning Wood-Fired Pizza in Bell Block, New Plymouth

Pekaren is a wood-fired pizza restaurant and cafe in Bell Block, New Plymouth, built around award-winning pizzas, Italian cuisine and coffee. The business has been voted 9th Best Pizza in New Zealand, a recognition that reflects its focus on stone-baked pizza done well.

Owned and run locally

Lisa Weston and Belinda Clark are the owner/managers of Pekaren, having taken ownership in 2017. Since then they've brought their hospitality experience and their own flair to both the menu and the dining areas, continuing to bring award-winning pizzas to the local Bell Block community.

A menu that spans the whole day

Breakfast is served until 2pm and includes dishes like the Pekaren Big Breakfast — manuka smoked bacon, mushrooms, potato rosti, kransky sausage and grilled tomato with house-made hollandaise — alongside pancakes, eggs benedict and eggs your way.

From there, the lunch and dinner menu opens up into a full Italian-leaning spread: antipasti like deep-fried calamari and arancini, stone-baked calzones, and four styles of pizza — tomato-based Pizza Rosse, olive oil-based Pizza Bianche, and white pesto-based pizzas. Standouts include the Smokey Beef pizza with pulled beef and jalapeno, and the Prawn pizza with garlic prawns and chipotle aioli.

Pasta, risotto and more

Beyond pizza, Pekaren serves a pasta course with a choice of penne or fettuccine, including a beef ragu flamed with brandy, plus two risotto options and Caesar and Greek salads. A cabinet by the counter also holds salads, slices, toasties, muffins, bagels, croissants, wraps, burgers and tiramisu for a quicker option.

Dessert, drinks and dietary needs

Dessert options include a Bailey's and brownie tiramisu and an affogato with a choice of Kahlua or Baileys. Pekaren is fully licensed, with a wine list spanning prosecco, Petal & Stem varietals and Italian reds, alongside a solid beer, cider and RTD selection, and a full coffee, tea and cold beverage menu. Gluten-free options are available across the menu — guests are encouraged to ask staff.

Something for the kids too

A dedicated kids menu covers guests up to age 12, with options like house-made mac and cheese bites, chicken tenders, a build-your-own pizza, and an ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and M&Ms.

Dine in, take away, or book a function

Pekaren caters for dine-in guests, takeaways and offsite catering, and is also a popular venue for functions and celebrations. Pekaren is located at 25 Bell Block Court, Bell Block, New Plymouth, and can be reached by phone or email for bookings and enquiries — current opening hours are best confirmed by phone.

Signature items

• Pekaren Big Breakfast
• Smokey Beef Pizza
• Prawn Pizza
• Beef Ragu
• Bailey's & Brownie Tiramisu
• Affogato

Menu

RTD

• Hyoketsu Lemon — Lemon RTD.
• Asahi Zeitaku Shibori — Vodka and soda mango RTD.

Wine

• Prosecco — Brut Minetto, Italy; also available as prosecco minis.
• Chardonnay — Ask staff for the house special.
• Sauvignon Blanc — Petal & Stem.
• Pinot Gris — Petal & Stem.
• Rosé — Petal & Stem.
• Merlot — Petal & Stem.
• Montepulciano — Pasqua, Italy.
• Sangiovese — Pasqua, Italy.
• Pinot Noir — Ask staff for the house special.

Coffee

• Short Black / Long Black / Americano — Espresso-based coffee.
• Flat White — Espresso coffee with steamed milk.
• Latte — Espresso coffee with steamed milk.
• Cappuccino — Espresso coffee with frothed milk.
• Mochaccino — Coffee and chocolate.
• Hot Chocolate — Hot chocolate; syrups, plant-based milk and extra shots available.

Calzone

• Chicken Calzone — Chicken, creamy mushroom, pesto.
• Vegetarian Calzone — Ask staff about a veggie option.
• Pulled Pork Calzone — Pulled pork with tangy tomato relish.

Risotto

• Chicken & Mushroom — Chicken with white truffle-infused olive oil, mushrooms, mascarpone and parmesan.
• Verde — Seasonal vegetables, creamy pesto.

Antipasti

• Garlic & Herb Pizza Bread — Stone-baked garlic and herb pizza bread.
• Deep-Fried Calamari — Served with pickled fennel, radish and saffron aioli.
• Arancini — Crumbed risotto balls filled with basil pesto and mozzarella.
• Polenta Fries — With chipotle aioli and shaved parmesan.
• Pulled Beef Loaded Fries — Topped with mozzarella and jalapenos.
• Bruschetta Caprese — Ciabatta, mozzarella, tomato, balsamic vinaigrette and pesto drizzle; salmon can be added.
• Oven-Baked Brie — Served with pizza bread; choice of rosemary garlic or honey walnut.
• Soup of the Day — Soup of the day.
• Fries — With aioli or tomato sauce.

Tea & Chai

• Tea Selection — English breakfast, earl grey, green, peppermint, berry, or lemon honey & ginger, hot or cold.
• Chai Latte — Spicy or vanilla.
• Matcha Latte — With oat milk.

Pesto Pizza

• Pesto Pollo — Chicken, mozzarella, tomato and oregano.
• Siciliano — Chorizo, bacon, capsicum and onion.
• Sardinia — Salmon, prawns, onion, capsicum, feta and chipotle.

Beer & Cider

• Heineken — Lager.
• Peroni — Italian lager.
• Peroni 0% — Non-alcoholic lager.
• Speight's Summit Ultra — Lager.
• Corona — Mexican lager.
• Panhead Quickchange Pale Ale — Pale ale.
• Panhead Ratrod Hazy IPA — Hazy IPA.
• Panhead Supercharger APA — American pale ale.
• Somersby Apple Cider — Apple cider.

Cabinet Food

• Cabinet Selection — Salads, slices, toasties, stacks, muffins, bagels, croissants, wraps, burgers and tiramisu.

Primi (Pasta)

• Pasta alla Vodka — Creamy tomato, parmesan, Italian mozzarella.
• Primavera — Mushrooms, red onions, capsicum, olives and cherry tomatoes in a rich pomodoro sauce with feta and oregano.
• Carbonara — Roast chicken, bacon and mushrooms, glazed with white wine, finished with creamy alfredo sauce and parmesan.
• Beef Ragu — Slow-cooked succulent beef flamed with brandy, finished with crème fraiche and parmesan.

Cold Beverages

• Iced Coffee / Iced Mochaccino — Cold coffee drink.
• Iced Chocolate — Cold chocolate drink.
• Mixed Berry Smoothie — Fruit smoothie.
• Soft Drinks — Sprite, Coca-Cola, raspberry lemonade or coke, regular or zero sugar.
• Bundaberg Range — Lemon lime & bitters, ginger beer, or blood orange.
• Thickshakes — Ask staff for available flavours.
• Juice — Ask staff for available flavours; Karma Juice also available.
• Remedy Kombucha — Ask staff for current flavours.

Dolce (Dessert)

• Bailey's & Brownie Tiramisu — Espresso-soaked brownie layered with Baileys flavoured mascarpone mousse, finished with Dutch cocoa.
• Affogato — Vanilla ice cream, a hot shot of espresso and your choice of Kahlua or Baileys.

Insalata (Salads)

• Caesar Salad — Cos lettuce, chicken, bacon, parmesan, herb crouton with aioli and poached egg.
• Greek Salad — Cos lettuce, black olives, red onion, cherry tomato, capsicum, feta, toasted almonds with manuka honey and lemon dressing.

Breakfast (Colazione)

• Pancakes — With grilled banana, cream and maple syrup, or berry compote yoghurt.
• Balsamic Cremo Funghi — Creamy balsamic mushrooms on ciabatta.
• Eggs Benedict — Free-range eggs on grilled rosti or ciabatta with house-made hollandaise; rosti, bacon, salmon or mushroom options available.
• Pekaren Big Breakfast — Eggs your way with manuka smoked bacon, mushrooms, potato rosti, kransky sausage, grilled tomato and house-made hollandaise on grilled ciabatta.
• Eggs Your Way — Poached, scrambled, or fried on grilled ciabatta.

Kids Menu (Up To Age 12)

• House-Made Mac & Cheese Bites — With fries.
• Chicken Tenders — With fries.
• Pizza — Choose Hawaiian, margherita, or salami.
• Ice Cream Sundae — With chocolate sauce and M&M's.

Pizza Rosse (Tomato Base)

• Margherita — Basil.
• Neapolitan — Mozzarella, tomato and basil.
• Salami — Salami pizza.
• Hawaiian — Ham and pineapple.
• Primavera — Mushrooms, olives, red onions, spinach and capsicum.
• Romano — Mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, olives and parmesan.
• Italiana — Prosciutto, pesto, parmesan and rocket.
• Carne — Ham, salami, chorizo and bacon.

Breakfast Sides (Contorni)

• Hollandaise — Side of hollandaise.
• Spinach — Side of spinach.
• Potato Rosti — Side of potato rosti.
• Egg — Side of egg.
• Grilled Tomato — Side of grilled tomato.
• Toast — Side of toast.
• Gluten-Free Bread — Gluten-free bread option.
• Tomato Sauce — Side of tomato sauce.
• Aioli — Side of aioli.

Pizza Bianche (Olive Oil Base)

• Pollo — Roast chicken, brie and cranberry swirl.
• Crema — Roast chicken, bacon, rocket and pesto swirl.
• Smokey Beef — Succulent pulled beef, sliced red onion, jalapeno and rocket.
• Prawn — Garlic prawns, spinach, feta and chipotle aioli.
• BBQ Pork — Pulled pork, beer battered onion rings and bacon.
• Salmone — Salmon, red onion, capsicum, spinach, feta and lemon.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pekaren known for?

Award-winning wood-fired pizzas — Pekaren has been voted 9th Best Pizza in New Zealand.

Who owns Pekaren?

Lisa Weston and Belinda Clark, owner/managers since 2017.

Does Pekaren serve breakfast?

Yes, breakfast is available until 2pm.

Is Pekaren licensed?

Yes, Pekaren is fully licensed, with a full wine, beer and RTD list.

Are gluten-free options available?

Yes, please ask staff — gluten-free options are available across the menu.

Is there a kids menu?

Yes, a dedicated kids menu is available for children up to age 12.

What are Pekaren's opening hours?

Hours aren't listed online — call the restaurant directly for current opening hours.

Tips

• {"body":"Available across breakfast, lunch and dinner — just ask staff.","title":"Ask about gluten-free options"}
• {"body":"Pekaren was voted 9th Best Pizza in New Zealand.","title":"Try the award-winning pizza"}
• {"body":"Opening hours aren't listed online, so it's best to call before visiting.","title":"Call ahead for hours"}
• {"body":"Pekaren caters for functions and celebrations as well as regular dining.","title":"Book ahead for functions"}

Good to know

• {"family":"Dedicated kids menu available for children up to age 12.","dietary":"Gluten-free options available on request across breakfast, lunch and dinner menus."}