The Fat Pipi Pizza's half-and-half large pizza with the punk and salmon delight ($28)

A taste of… Fat Pipi Pizza, 89 Revell St, Hokitika.

We'd heard… This was the go-to spot for pizza on the West Coast.

The big Fat Pipi… Sign sticks out like a beacon on one of Hoki's commercial stretches, Revell St.

JO GILBERT/STUFF A dream house salad with lettuce, carrot, kalamata olives, feta, red onion, tomato, cucumber and a side of honey mustard vinaigrette out.

Or at least it felt that way to us two weary wanderers who'd made the long journey (75 whole minutes) from Arthur's Pass. We were hungry and ready for a Fat Pipi lunch.

With 17 pizzas on the menu and five pastas, decision-making was akin to the recent government coalition negotiations.

After much toing and froing we settled on kicking things off with a small garlic bread ($3.50) and then moving onto a half-half large pizza with the punk and salmon delight ($28) and a house salad ($11.50).

JO GILBERT/STUFF Fat Pipi Pizza, a beacon for two hungry and weary wanderers in Hokitika.

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To drink we swigged on delicious apple and feijoa and apple and raspberry Benjer juices ($5 each), which are packed full of NZ fruits. I wasn't, however, a fan of the paper cups for the water – it'd be great to see the restaurant embrace reusable vessels.

While we waited a very reasonable 15 minutes for our kai, we sat back relaxing and admiring the very Hoki outdoor dining area (driftwood), which stretches as far as the eye can see, with an entrance on Beach St too. Hearing the birds chirp and the waves crash was wonderful.

JO GILBERT/STUFF Right at end of the outdoor dining area, overlooking the Tasman Sea.

My dining partner and I barely spoke as we set to work making the food disappear, leaving nothing but a few parsley specks and a couple of crumbs.

Although our bread was meant to turn up as a starter of sorts, it didn't. But it was a Kiwi favourite done well.

I often have a beef with restaurant salads (green leaves flying solo doth not a salad make), but this one was a dream garden serve with lettuce, carrot, kalamata olives, feta, red onion, tomato and cucumber (we left the honey mustard vinaigrette out).

JOHANNES WELSCH/STUFF The restaurant has 17 pizzas on the menu and five pastas.

The punk was a delectable vegetarian pizza with spiced roast pumpkin, caramelised onion, feta, cashews and coriander pesto. It could've done with a little more of everyone's favourite Greek cheese, but at least my initial concerns about the odd globulous pesto went unfounded.

The salmon delight half lived up to its name. With the smoked fish, red onion and cream cheese, it was a tasty classic, although the capers listed on the menu were curiously absent.

There's no swanky presentation here; it's just delicious, homestyle food. See you next time, Pipi.

JO GILBERT/STUFF It was quiet when we visited, but you can imagine the place is full of chatter and laughs on weekend nights and through the height of summer.

The service was… Friendly, fast, chatty.

The vibe was… Relaxed to the max. My partner and I were there soon after it opened on a Thursday, which meant it was rather quiet, but you can imagine the place is full of chatter and laughs on weekend nights and through the height of summer.

If you go… You won't regret it . And try the in-house Far Canal pinot noir for me.

JO GILBERT/STUFF Fat Pipi's delightful outdoor dining area.

Rating out of 5: 4.5