Sal's Authentic New York Pizza in Johnsonville brings a genuine slice of the Big Apple to Wellington's northern suburbs. Part of New Zealand's only 100% authentic New York pizzeria brand, with more than 35 locations nationwide, the Johnsonville store serves large 18-inch foldable New York pies — by the slice, as a half pie, or whole — made fresh by hand right in front of you. Take a seat in a cozy booth, soak up the aroma from the hot ovens and enjoy the full New York pizzeria experience.
The pizza itself is the point. Sal's signature slow-risen dough is made with genuine New York milled hard spring wheat flour for a base that's crispy on the outside and light, tender and airy inside. The sweet tomato sauce is made fresh daily from vine-ripened California tomatoes using Sal's famous recipe, and the mozzarella is a premium NYC blend. The famous New York pepperoni and Italian beef and oregano meatballs are exclusive to Sal's, while the free range buffalo wings follow the authentic 'Original 1964 Buffalo' recipe.
The menu runs from the classics — Cheese and Pepperoni — to pies like Fire Island with cup and char pepperoni, jalapeños and hot honey, the loaded 5 Boroughs, and the plant-based Staten Island. Alongside the pies you'll find garlic knots, mozzarella sticks, pepperoni wheels, signature fries, zeppole for dessert, and a stack of slice, half-pizza and group specials.
Gluten-free diners are now welcomed too: any favourite Sal's pizza can be made on a 12-inch gluten free base (though toppings may contain traces of gluten), and mozzarella can be swapped for Sal's plant-based Nutzarella on any pie. Online ordering is available through the Sal's website, and the brand offers catering for bigger gatherings.
Sal's Authentic New York Pizza in Johnsonville brings a genuine slice of the Big Apple to Wellington's northern suburbs. Sitting on Johnsonville Road, it's one of more than 35 Sal's pizzerias across New Zealand, but the experience inside is the one the brand has built its name on: cozy booths, the aroma coming from hot ovens, and large pizzas being made fresh, by hand, right in front of you.
The story starts with Salvatore Leo, born in 1941 in Corato, a small town in the Puglia region of southern Italy. At just ten years old, Sal immigrated to New York City, and by 1959 — under the watchful eye of his family — he was mastering the art of making authentic New York pizza by hand, strictly adhering to well-guarded family techniques and secret recipes. In 1975, 'Sal's Pizza of Little Neck' opened, and Sal's legend spread through the city for some of the finest and freshest pizza around.
The idea of bringing authentic New York pizza to New Zealand was born, as the story goes, after a number of 'recovery' pizzas following a celebratory NYC New Year's in 2008. Years of perfecting Sal's techniques later, New Zealand's only 100% authentic New York pizza landed here — and Johnsonville now has its own booth-lined pizzeria to prove it.
Sal's insists on the real thing: its base ingredients are 100% authentic and imported to New Zealand. The signature slow-risen dough is made with genuine New York milled hard spring wheat flour, giving that classic foldable New York base — crispy on the outside, light, tender and airy inside. The sweet tomato sauce is made fresh daily from vine-ripened California tomatoes using Sal's famous recipe, while the premium NYC blend mozzarella comes from the highest quality milk of sustainably farmed 'happy cows'. The famous New York pepperoni and Italian meatballs are exclusive to Sal's.
The menu is built around large 18-inch New York pies, sold by the slice, as a half pie, or whole. Classics include Cheese and Pepperoni, while the line-up runs from the Meatball and Sausage pies to loaded options like Fire Island — cup and char pepperoni, jalapeños and a hot honey drizzle — the 5 Boroughs with ricotta, black garlic sauce, marinara and a pesto splash, and Brooklyn, a trio of specialty pepperoni, sausage and meatball. Vegetarian diners are well looked after with Veggie, Mushroom, Nonna and the Staten Island, which pairs marinara with Sal's Nutzarella plant-based cheese, mushrooms, basil, garlic and EVOO.
No New York pizzeria is complete without the sides, and Sal's delivers. Garlic knots come laced with crushed garlic and EVOO, mozzarella sticks are breaded and cooked golden brown, and the free range buffalo wings follow the authentic 'Original 1964 Buffalo' recipe — choose HOT Buffalo with extra heat, Black Garlic, Christopher St Rub or Bronx BBQ, with blue cheese or creamy ranch alongside. Twice-cooked Agria potato fries and the pepperoni wheel round things out.
For dessert, zeppole — Sal's signature dough fried golden brown, tossed in cinnamon and sugar and generously dusted with icing sugar — arrive with vanilla custard, chocolate or raspberry coulis for dipping. Ben & Jerry's ice cream is on hand too.
Sal's is also big on deals. Slice specials include the Sal's Famous (a pepperoni and a cheese slice) and the Little Neck Combo (two slices, three knots, legendary sauce and a Pepsi), while half-pizza combos and group specials like the Tribeca Trio — a Pepperoni, a Cheese and a Nonna for the table — make feeding a crowd simple.
Expect the full New York pizzeria experience: grab a seat in a cozy booth, soak up the aroma from the hot ovens, and watch your pizza being made fresh by hand. A slice is the move if you're in a hurry; a whole pie is the way to go when you've brought company. Sal's Johnsonville also takes online orders through the Sal's website, and the brand offers catering if you're feeding a bigger group.
One recent addition is worth knowing about: after years of fans waiting, Sal's now offers a gluten free base — a 12-inch base so almost anyone can rejoin the booth and order their favourite pizza. The team is upfront that toppings and ingredients may still contain traces of gluten, so coeliac diners should keep that in mind.
Whether you're after a quick pepperoni slice on the run, a foldable half pie between errands, or a full table of pies, knots and wings for the family, Sal's Johnsonville serves up New Zealand's only 100% authentic New York pizza — no passport required.