Authentic Italian pizza, cold beers and one of the best views in Queenstown — that is the offer at Italian Way's permanent home at Queenstown Marina, Shed 10, 3 Sugar Lane, Kelvin Heights. Pizzas are stretched to order by hand, served on rustic wooden boards and eaten with Lake Wakatipu and the mountains stretched out in front of you.
The kitchen runs on a simple philosophy: everything starts with the dough. It is fermented for 24 hours and made with real Caputo flour — the secret, they say, behind a pizza full of flavour and an unbeatable crust — then topped with tomato sauce flavoured with salt, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, and fior di latte mozzarella. Founders Tommy and Mattia, who grew up around Lake Garda and Lake Como in northern Italy and met in Queenstown in 2017, pair fresh local produce with the finest imported Italian ingredients.
Their first food truck hit the road in late 2019 and the operation has grown into a firm local favourite — more than 200 Google reviews rate them Excellent, with guests praising the thin, crispy crust, the friendly service and the unbeatable setting. Alongside the classics you'll find house pizzas like the Buonissima, Blue Cheese & Walnut and Inferno, plus polenta fries and a Nutella calzone, with a gluten-free base and dairy-free vegan cheese available as upgrades.
Italian Way also caters weddings, corporate events and private functions across the region, runs weekly food truck pop-ups at Hanleys Farm (Thursdays) and Shotover Country (Fridays), and sells gift vouchers online. Best Restaurants Gift Cards are accepted at the marina.
There is a simple formula at work at Shed 10 on Queenstown Marina: proper Italian pizza, a cold beer in hand, and a view across Lake Wakatipu to the mountains beyond. Italian Way — the creation of two friends from northern Italy — has made this marina shed in Kelvin Heights its permanent Queenstown home, and it might just be the best-dressed pizza spot in the region. Pizzas are stretched to order, served on rustic wooden boards, and eaten with the lake breeze for company.
Tommy and Mattia grew up in the lake country of northern Italy, around Lake Garda and Lake Como. After travelling around Aotearoa separately, the two met in Queenstown in 2017. Having grown up near the lakes themselves, the pull of another famous lakes district was undeniable — they wanted to stay, to work and live here, and to share their culture and food with their newfound home.
After more than a year of careful planning, and with the extraordinary help and support of their partners Veronica and Esther, the first Italian Way food truck hit the road in late 2019. The mission has not changed since: the highest quality pizza, made by combining fresh local produce with the finest imported Italian ingredients. Quality over quantity, always.
Everything starts at the base. The signature dough is fermented for a full 24 hours and made with real Caputo flour — the secret, they say, behind a pizza full of flavour and an unbeatable crust. From there it is topped with tomato sauce flavoured with salt, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil, plus fior di latte mozzarella, fresh seasonal vegetables and quality meat and dairy from local producers. Every pizza is stretched to order by their chefs.
The menu runs from the timeless Margherita to house combinations: the Buonissima with double mozzarella, spinach and pancetta; the Blue Cheese & Walnut; the Sicily with olives, anchovies and capers; and the Inferno, for anyone who likes anchovies, capers, spicy salami and chilli all at once. Start with polenta fries or shoestring fries with sea salt and rosemary, finish with a golden Nutella calzone, and wash it down with a cold beer or a can of Coke, Coke Zero or Sprite. A gluten-free base and dairy-free vegan cheese are available as upgrades, so nearly everyone is covered.
Visitors consistently rank Italian Way among the best things they have eaten in Queenstown. The site shows an Excellent rating based on more than 200 Google reviews, with guests praising the thin, crispy crust, the friendly staff and the cosy, music-filled atmosphere. One reviewer called it simply the best pizza in Queenstown; a German visitor reckoned it was the best they had eaten outside Italy; others insisted you will not find a better view anywhere to eat your pizza. The vegetarian pizzas have their own fan club too.
The marina is only part of the story. The Italian Way food truck still tours, with weekly pop-ups at Hanleys Farm on Thursdays and Shotover Country on Fridays from 4:30 to 8pm, and it turns up at events around the region — from suburban stops to festivals as far afield as the Red Bull Rail Riot in Wānaka. The truck is also available for weddings, corporate events and private functions; couples regularly credit the team's communication and flexibility, not to mention the fact that the pizzas just keep coming all night.
A few practical notes for visitors: pizzas from Shed #10 can be ordered online ahead of time, gift vouchers are sold through the same page, and Best Restaurants Gift Cards are now accepted at the marina. The team shares deals, events and pop-up locations on Instagram — and if the little Italian Ape car they are currently developing comes off, even more of Queenstown will be within reach of a proper Italian pizza.