A pizza-trade era in Napier ends today with the retirement of chef Tony Larrington-Lewar after 35 years running popular restaurant and takeaway Antonio's.
A former hotel chef, working in kitchens since the age of 16, he's sold the business. He started it in Lower Emerson St in 1979 to fill a gap after finding nothing in New Zealand that could match the pizza he'd come to love while travelling in Italy, and is now possibly unchallenged nationwide for longevity in the pizza game.
There were no big franchise brands when he started out, but he could see them coming and in 1990 moved to the former People's Dairy on the corner of Carlyle and Craven streets (now the Tennyson St extension).
He wanted a point of difference and developed a personal setting, complete with gingham table cloths.
Well-travelled customers include an Indian couple to whom Antonio's was recommended by neighbours in London, and a Canadian who remarked his son was "right" when he told them "nine years ago" Antonio's had the world's best pizza.