Pici

An intimate K' Road pasta joint with a small but perfectly formed menu. Found tucked away in St Kevin’s Arcade, this eatery is modelled on the small wine bars of Europe, but it’s actually consistently serving up some of the best fresh pasta and wine in Auckland. Pici is a cosy and intimate space — it can only seat up to 42 patrons at a time — but given its popularity, you’ll probably see someone you know in there, perhaps on a date, in a group or grabbing a solo post-work bite.

There's one pasta dish to rule them all here in Auckland, and it's Pici's cacio e pepe. How anyone can make such an incredible meal from just a few simple ingredients (water, flour, pepper, and pecorino cheese) is beyond us—but somehow, the team at this cult K' Road haunt has done it. Be sure to also try Pici's signature cheesecake, slathered in extra virgin olive oil and sea salt (which, we might add, was doing the rounds long before Dua Lipa made this flavour combo cool).

A glowing hive of a nook in St Kevins Arcade, Pici is small but potent. It has the kind of menu you have confidence in — one whose shortness is directly proportionate to its attentiveness — that ranges from slow-cooked beef shin ragu with thick webs of pappardelle, to hollow tubes of ziti tossed with oyster mushrooms and gorgonzola. While everything is beguilingly comforting, order the cacio e pepe, a bowl of squiggly, doughy tendrils swimming in parmesan and pepper.

Pasta places are usually a bastion for vegetarians and Pici, a teeny spot in St Kevin’s Arcade, is no different, with its succinct menu of antipasti, pasta and dessert. Most of the small plates are vegetarian and half the pastas are too. This summer, choose from Pici’s famous cacio e pepe (chewy handmade noodles slick with cheese and pepper); casarecce with corn, parmesan and chilli oil; and fettuccine with sweet cherry tomatoes and basil.

Pici has been holding court in a compact spot at the entrance to St Kevins Arcade (as well as our hearts) going on four years now. As this tiny space fills up quickly, we recommend booking ahead. Its signature dishes — pillowy soft focaccia, thick worms of the eponymous pici in cacio e pepe sauce, and a slab of cheesecake drizzled with grassy olive oil and sprinkled with crunchy finishing salt — still satisfy the lustiest of appetites.

Shop 22, St Kevin's Arcade, 183 Karangahape Road, Auckland Central, Auckland. Arguably home to the best cacio e pepe dish Auckland has ever seen, Pici has made a name for itself by serving up fresh, mouthwatering pasta dishes for the people. Pici is housed within the glorious St Kevins Arcade, so if the intimacy inside is not your thing, nab a seat in the bustling arcade for some al fresco dining.

Pici Pasta transports diners to Italy with its small, yet carefully curated menu that boasts delicious classics like house-made pastas, focaccia, rigatoni, and spaghettini. Pair your meal with your drink of choice from their diverse cocktail and an organic-focused wine list, and finish your visit on a sweet note with an indulgent dark chocolate semifreddo or creamy cheesecake.

Pici, pronounced ‘pea-chee’, dishes up comfort food at its finest. Specialising in authentic, no-frills Italian cuisine, Pici has mastered the art of flour, eggs, water and cheese, in every sense. Peruse the menu of fresh pasta kits (serves four), house-made focaccia and heat & eat dishes like venison ragu rigatoni and bucatini with gorgonzola.

The design of this restaurant is inspired by the small European wine bars and is nestled in St Kevin’s Arcade. Pici has a very cosy environment and its intimate seating arrangements make it perfect for dates or get-togethers with friends and family. This is the perfect place to be if you want to cope with homesickness in New Zealand.

Tucked away in St Kevin’s Arcade, Pici serves up some of Auckland’s best pasta from an absolutely tiny kitchen, two chefs standing shoulder to shoulder over the stove as orders pour in. “It gets pretty hot in the kitchen,” laughs Holly Tait, 21, one of the restaurant’s chefs. “But it’s a bit of a dance and I love the energy of it.

Co-owner: Jonathan ThevenardNgāpuhi, Ngāti Rangiwewehi ‍Pici is a fresh pasta and wine restaurant. Inspired by small bars of Europe, Pici offers an approachable and fun dining experience in the vibrant community of Karangahape Road. Pici was voted runner up best casual restaurant in the 2024 Metro top 50 restaurants award.

A Karangahape Road favourite for affordable fresh pasta, antipasto and desserts with a great wine selection in a chic setting. Their signature dish is Pici cacio e pepe, made with their namesake, handmade pici pasta. Wine lovers will also find an impressive selection of drops, including a huge range of Italian options.

Pici is a tiny restaurant hidden away in St Kevin’s Arcade on Karangahape Road. Pici is always packed to the rafters with people seeking out their handcrafted pasta dishes. Choose from fettuccine, pappardelle or spaghettini, and make sure to try the cacio e pepe, one of Auckland’s most loved pasta dishes.

The humble yet incredibly delicious meals that can be found at the most unassuming neighbourhood trattorias were what originally inspired Karangahape Road favourite. Pici, from its intimate dining room to its mouthwatering menu which is designed to share. Here, you simply cannot pass up the cacio e pepe.

Arguably one of Auckland’s best kept secrets, Pici is a fresh pasta and wine restaurant based in St Kevins Arcade. With a limited menu of less than 10 dishes, Pici have nailed the art of less is more. Their dishes are made from the freshest ingredients daily.

In keeping with the petite proportions of the venue, the menu is on the minuscule side. That illustrates attention to quality over quantity at this pasta and wine bar. Try the signature pici cacio e pepe; stay for the cheesecake.

We cannot talk about pasta in Auckland if we do not mention Pici. Pici is a choice establishment on belovedly dubbed K Road, always bustling and busy. The menu is also seasonal, but the cacio e pepe is a staple.