Santeria Pizza And Pasta

About Santeria Pizza And Pasta

Santeria Pizza and Pasta brings freshly made, wood-fired Italian cooking to 247 Cuba Street in the heart of Te Aro, Wellington. Quality is the stated obsession here: ingredients are sourced straight from Italy, and the pizzas come out of a handcrafted Valoriani oven built by Italian professionals and fuelled with New Zealand's own manuka wood. The result is a menu of properly fired pizzas and freshly made pasta served in a room the team describes as down to earth, casual and vibrant.

The kitchen covers a lot of ground. Alongside the pizza classics — Margherita, Hawaiian, Capricciosa and Salami — sits a list of house pizzas like Salami alla Vodka with hot honey, Prosciutto with burrata and chili honey, and a Mushroom with gorgonzola and truffle oil. The pasta and risotto section runs from Basil Pesto Gnocchi with stracciatella to a Braised Lamb Shank Gnocchi, plus lasagne, carbonara and seafood linguine. There are proper mains too: a 250g sirloin, Chicken Scaloppini and a Fish of the Day in wine and seafood broth, with calamari, arancini and burrata among the entrees.

Dietary needs are well covered, with gluten free bases, a vegan cheese substitute and vegetarian options available across the menu. Walk in, book ahead on 04 801 8880, or call for pick-up and takeaways — delivery is also available through DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy. Weekly specials give locals extra reasons to return, from Margherita Mondays to pasta night Tuesdays.

Santeria Pizza and Pasta: Manuka Wood-Fired Italian on Wellington's Cuba Street

Santeria Pizza and Pasta sits on Cuba Street in the heart of Te Aro, one of Wellington's most loved eating strips. The kitchen's promise is a simple one: freshly made pizza, freshly made pasta, and quality above everything else. Ingredients are sourced straight from Italy, and the cooking centres on a handcrafted oven built by Italian professionals at Valoriani and fuelled with New Zealand's own manuka wood — a meeting of Italian tradition and local timber that gives the pizzas their character.

From the Manuka-Fired Oven

The pizza list balances the classics everyone expects with a set of house creations you won't find everywhere. Alongside a Margherita, Hawaiian, Capricciosa and Salami sit pizzas like the Pancetta with its garlic base, sundried tomatoes, parmesan and rocket; the Salami alla Vodka with creamy vodka base, ricotta and hot honey; and the Prosciutto, finished with fior di latte, burrata and chili honey. There's a Mushroom pizza with gorgonzola and truffle oil, a caramelised Pumpkin with basil pesto, and seafood options from a prawn and calamari Seafood pizza to a smoked Salmon with capers and tomato jam. The Lot piles on double smoked ham, salami, mushrooms, olives and capsicum for hearty appetites. A gluten free base and a vegan cheese substitute are available, and vegetarians have several dedicated choices.

Pasta, Risotto and Proper Mains

The pasta and risotto section is just as considered. The Braised Lamb Shank Gnocchi — with capsicum and kalamata olives — is one of the kitchen's signatures, while the Basil Pesto Gnocchi comes with confit cherry tomatoes and stracciatella. There's a Fettuccini Carbonara with bacon and bechamel, a Traditional Beef Lasagne topped with mozzarella and parmesan, a Rigatoni Bolognese in Italian-style beef ragu, and a Stracciatella Rigatoni in vodka sauce with sundried tomato. Seafood lovers can order the linguine Seafood Marinara with fish, prawns, calamari, mussels, garlic and chilli, or a Seafood Risotto with scallops and mascarpone, while the Pumpkin Risotto pairs mascarpone and nutty brown butter with sage and parmigiano reggiano chips.

Beyond pizza and pasta, the mains include a 250g sirloin steak with seared seasonal vegetables and baby potatoes, a Chicken Scaloppini in creamy garlic mushroom sauce, and a Fish of the Day cooked in wine and seafood broth with prawns, scallops and mussels. Start with burrata with chilli garlic confit tomato, salt and pepper calamari, arancini, or woodfire flat bread with dips; share a Caesar, rocket or Greek salad on the side, or add a cheesy garlic crust or polenta fries to the table.

The Vibe

The room is described by its own team as down to earth, casual and vibrant — a Cuba Street neighbourhood restaurant rather than a white-tablecloth shrine. Walk in when you like, or book ahead by calling 04 801 8880. Takeaways and pick-up orders are available by phone, and the full menu can be delivered through DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy. One house rule to note: groups of three or fewer are subject to a maximum one-hour stay during busy service periods.

Midweek Reasons to Return

Santeria runs weekly specials that give locals a reason to work their way through the menu: a $14 Margherita on Mondays, $20 pasta night on Tuesdays, a $10 Nutella calzone on Wednesdays, and 15% off takeaway on Thursdays — though that discount excludes DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy orders.

Hours run from 4pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, with weekend service from 11:30am to 10pm, making Saturday and Sunday lunch an easy option. Whether you're after a quick midweek pizza, a long seafood dinner, or a gluten-free or vegan-friendly plate on Cuba Street, Santeria Pizza and Pasta covers it with an honest, wood-fired approach.

Signature items

• Manuka Wood-Fired Pizza
• Braised Lamb Shank Gnocchi
• Salami alla Vodka
• Prosciutto Pizza
• Seafood Marinara
• Fish of the Day

Menu

Mains

• Steak — 250g sirloin with seared seasonal vegetables & baby potatoes; garlic mushrooms or diane sauce
• Chicken Scaloppini — Chicken breast in creamy garlic mushroom sauce with baby potatoes
• Fish of the Day — In wine & seafood broth with prawns, scallops, mussels, garlic & herbs, with focaccia

Extras

• Add Meat or Seafood Toppings — Extra meat or seafood on any pizza
• Add Cheeses, Veggies or Sauces — Extra cheese, vegetables or sauces on any pizza
• Gluten Free Base — Swap any pizza onto a gluten free base
• Vegan Cheese Substitute — Available as a substitute on pizzas

Pizzas

• Pancetta — Garlic base, mozzarella, pancetta, sundried tomato, red onion, parmesan & rocket
• Roast Sirloin Steak — Roasted sirloin, baby potatoes, caramelised onion relish, horseradish mayo & rocket
• Salami alla Vodka — Creamy vodka base, ricotta, red onion & hot honey
• Napoletana — Pomodoro, mozzarella, anchovy fillets, kalamata olives, capers, oregano & basil
• Chicken & Cranberry — Pomodoro, mozzarella, camembert, smoked chicken, cranberry sauce & basil
• Spicy Chipotle Chicken — Smoked chicken, red capsicum, spanish onion, chipotle mayo & basil
• Four Cheese — Pomodoro, mozzarella, gorgonzola, camembert, ricotta & oregano
• Vegetarian — Sundried tomato, mushrooms, green capsicum, kalamata olives, spanish onion, garlic oil & basil
• Mushroom — Caramelised onions, roasted mushrooms, gorgonzola, rocket & truffle oil on garlic puree
• Pumpkin — Caramelised butternut, baby spinach, basil pesto, mozzarella, parmesan & rocket
• Potato — Roasted baby potatoes, spanish onion, parmesan, thyme & olive oil on garlic puree
• Seafood — Garlic puree, mozzarella, prawns, calamari, parsley & lemon; add nduja butter
• Salmon — Smoked salmon, capers, ricotta & tomato jam on a garlic puree base
• The Lot — Double smoked ham, salami, mushrooms, olives, capsicum, garlic oil & basil
• Prosciutto — Fior di latte, rocket, burrata & chili honey

Salads

• Caesar Salad — Romaine, crispy pancetta, anchovy dressing & pangrattato; add salmon or chicken
• Rocket Salad — Parmesan, candied walnuts & balsamic dressing
• Greek Salad — Cherry tomatoes, olives, cucumber, red onion, marinated feta & oregano

Entrees

• Burrata — Chilli garlic confit tomato with focaccia
• Bruschetta — Focaccia, cherry tomato, red onion & basil pesto
• Bread & Dips — Woodfire flat bread with pesto, hummus & red pepper sauce
• Salt & Pepper Calamari — With lemon & chipotle dipping sauce
• Arancini — Tomato, basil & mozzarella with black pepper aioli
• Cheesy Garlic Crust — Mozzarella & aged parmesan
• Fries — Served with aioli sauce
• Polenta Fries — With pomodoro sauce & parmesan
• Marinated Olives — A bowl of marinated olives

Pizza Classics

• Margherita — Pomodoro, mozzarella, fior di latte, fresh basil & olive oil
• Hawaiian — Pomodoro, mozzarella, double smoked ham & pineapple
• Capricciosa — Pomodoro, mozzarella, double smoked ham, mushrooms, kalamata olives & oregano
• Salami — Pomodoro, mozzarella, salami & oregano

Pasta & Risotto

• Basil Pesto Gnocchi — With confit cherry tomatoes & stracciatella
• Braised Lamb Shank Gnocchi — With capsicum & kalamata olives
• Fettuccini Carbonara — Bacon & bechamel sauce; add mushroom
• Seafood Marinara — Linguine with fish, prawns, calamari, mussels, garlic & chilli
• Traditional Beef Lasagne — Topped with mozzarella & parmesan
• Smoked Chicken & Mushroom Fettuccini — With jalapenos & a creamy sauce
• Rigatoni Bolognese — Italian-style beef ragu with parmesan & fresh basil
• Pumpkin Risotto — Mascarpone, nutty brown butter, sage & parmigiano reggiano chips
• Seafood Risotto — Fish, prawns, calamari, mussels, scallops, red sauce & mascarpone
• Stracciatella Rigatoni — With vodka sauce & sundried tomato

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a booking?

Walk-ins are welcome, and you can book a table or order pick-up by calling 04 801 8880. Groups of 3 or fewer are subject to a maximum one-hour stay during busy service periods.

Are there gluten-free and vegan options?

Yes — a gluten free base and a vegan cheese substitute are available, along with vegetarian dishes across the menu.

Do you offer delivery?

Yes, through DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy. You can also call for pick-up and takeaways; the Thursday 15% takeaway discount excludes delivery app orders.

What are the opening hours?

Monday to Friday from 4pm to 10pm, and weekends from 11:30am to 10pm.

Are there any weekly specials?

Yes — $14 Margherita pizza on Mondays, $20 pasta night on Tuesdays, $10 Nutella calzone on Wednesdays, and 15% off takeaway on Thursdays (excluding DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy).

Where is Santeria and how do I contact it?

You'll find it at 247 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011. Call (04) 801 8880 to book or order.

Tips

• {"body":"Mondays bring a $14 Margherita, Tuesdays are $20 pasta night, Wednesdays a $10 Nutella calzone, and Thursdays earn 15% off takeaway.","title":"Stack the midweek specials"}
• {"body":"The Thursday 15% takeaway discount excludes DoorDash, Uber Eats and DeliverEasy orders — call the restaurant directly for pick-up instead.","title":"Know the takeaway fine print"}
• {"body":"Call (04) 801 8880 to reserve, and note that groups of 3 or fewer are limited to a one-hour table during busy service periods.","title":"Book ahead on busy nights"}
• {"body":"Doors open at 4pm on weekdays but from 11:30am on weekends, so Saturday and Sunday lunch is on the cards.","title":"Time your visit"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten free base, vegan cheese substitute and vegetarian options available."}