Thecha, Korean Gochujang Pizza & more: Gujarat-based pizzeria in Akl is winning hearts

Korean Gochujang Pizza, 9 Cheesy Pizza, Paneer Butter Masala Pizza, at Martino’z Pizza in Ormiston, the menu reads less like a traditional pizzeria and more like a culinary experiment that somehow works.

A newly opened franchise of the Gujarat-based brand, the Ormiston outlet has quickly found its footing among New Zealand’s pizza-loving community, serving up to 48 varieties of pizzas spanning meat, chicken, pepperoni, and vegetarian fusion flavours that lean heavily into Indo-Kiwi tastes.

“It is a mixed but good response, especially around holidays,” co-owner Priyank Patel told The Indian Weekender. On Martino’z instagram page, the response on the opening day meant people lined up in huge numbers to have a taste of their home.

Photo: New Martino’z Pizza Ormiston franchise owners

The Ormiston store, which opened on 28 March 2026, is the second Martino’z Pizza branch in New Zealand after Onehunga. Patel runs the franchise alongside Vipul Chaudhary, with both bringing hospitality training and family-run business experience into the venture.

Behind them is a brand that has rapidly scaled in India. Founded in Gujarat by Bobby Thakkar and Alka Thakkar, Martino’z Pizza began as a lockdown-era idea during COVID-19, when Bobby spent months refining recipes and techniques before launching the first outlet in Ahmedabad in 2021. What started as a single store has now expanded to more than 40 locations across India, with over 60 outlets planned and international expansion underway.

Photo: Bobby Thakkar and Alka Thakkar, Martino’z Pizza

“In India, Martino’z has 64 outlets, and soon more will be opening,” Patel said, pointing to the brand’s growing footprint.

The appeal, he says, lies in its flexibility, pizzas designed to adapt to local tastes without losing their core identity.

In New Zealand, that has translated into a menu that blends familiar comfort with bold experimentation.

“Kiwi Avengers, a pizza well suited to Kiwi taste pallets, has classic ingredients like chicken,bacon, salami,ham with a rich Makhani gravy and cheese,” Patel said.

Local preferences, he adds, often lean towards fusion-style comfort food.

“Our Kiwi customers also prefer Butter Chicken Pizza, with barbecue sauce and different toppings,” he said.

At the same time, Indian customers tend to choose more traditional flavours.

“They prefer it the ‘desi way’ with different sauces and Indian curry bases like Korma deep and Peri Peri deep,” Patel explained.

Photo: Martino’z Pizza Ormiston franchise

Beyond pizzas, the menu stretches further into Indo-fusion comfort food with items like garlic bread variations, creamy pastas, crispy tacos, and desserts like choco lava cake. Some of the more unconventional offerings include Paneer Tikka garlic bread, Thetcha chutney, and Chicken Tikka stuffed garlic sticks.

For Patel, what began as a business idea inspired by his wife has now grown into a full-time commitment to the hospitality industry.

“Pizza is for everyone. From kids to older people, everyone likes pizza. It’s the most loved food,” he said.

The outlet has also started delivering through online platforms like Door Dash and Uber Eats.

In Ormiston, Martino’z Pizza is leaning into a simple but effective idea that pizza travels well, and so do tastes. What lands on the table at Martino’z is more than a concept from Gujarat. It is a nod to Kiwi comfort food, and something in between, built on familiarity.