Dante’s is more than just a neighbourhood favourite. It’s the home of Enis Bacova’s passion for life, perfectly balanced dough, honest flavours and the beauty of keeping things simple.
Just back from the beach, Dante’s in Takapuna tucks itself into a small courtyard-style Laneway Festival. It’s relaxed, open and easy to slip into. The staff greet you with genuine smiles, the wood-fired oven holds steady warmth amongst the rhythm of chefs, and the aroma of San Marzano tomatoes, pancetta and truffle float out of the kitchen.
We were greeted by owner and chef Enis Bacova. And meeting him is like discovering that secret ingredient in a dish you already adore.
On this sunny afternoon we started with the Arancini Ragu, warm morsels of handcrafted risotto, mozzarella and beef ragu, resting in sweet, silky San Marzano tomatoes, which I could have eaten by the spoonful. These, and the Crocchè Napoletana, filled with garlicy, buttery mashed potato and parmesan cheese, both disappeared very quickly.
While waiting for our pizza, and a large glass of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to breathe, Enis began talking about the thing he is most excited about: the dough itself.
He explained that dough behaves like a living thing. The yeast responds to everything around it, from humidity and temperature, to perhaps the most important thing of all, the person making it. He talked about how dough reflects the intuition, mood and touch of the maker, which is part of the craft but also the reason consistency can be so difficult across different kitchens.
After years of trial and error, he developed a system that standardises the dough-making process with mathematical precision. A machine that removes guesswork and environmental variables. One that produces quality, identical dough, every time. The ratios, hydration levels and timing are so tightly controlled that even a complete beginner could create the same result as a seasoned chef.
And this isn’t something he plans to keep a secret either. In January he’ll be presenting it at the Gulfood trade show in Dubai, in partnership with Mulino Caputo, one of Italy’s most respected flour producers. During the demonstration Enis will get random audience members to make dough using his method, all with a world-renowned pizzaiuolo evaluating the results. His aim is simple: lift the baseline for pizza, and by default, the whole industry will raise in quality.
After all this talk of dough, our pizza arrived. An award-winning one at that. The Tomato Colorato pizza. This was the definition of simple, quality ingredients turned into something that’s sure to be that thing you crave when someone asks you: “Where should we go to eat?”
Enis returned with scissors in hand, first to cut open the fresh burrata which settled itself comfortably in every corner, and then to cut through the crispy, light, fragrant crust. He lifted the slice to reveal the structure inside, an open, honeycombed network you only get with high-hydration dough. All these technical bits aside, it’s hard to put into words how simply delicious this was.
Once we’d eaten, Enis sat with us and we spoke more, creating the feeling of being around the dinner table, another little echo of that ‘home’ feeling.
The pizza was followed by a lovingly cooked risotto, filled with pancetta, mushrooms, truffle and a comforting feeling of what I can only describe as home.
Once we’d eaten, Enis sat with us and we spoke more, creating the feeling of being around the dinner table, another little echo of that ‘home’ feeling. It became easy to see why Dante’s has such a cult following. Inside, the kitchen works in a smooth, steady rhythm, it’s warm and unpretentious and the sort of place you just end up staying longer than you intend.
We learnt more about his background. Enis was born in Albania from very highly educated parents in medicine and engineering. He trained as a violinist from a young age and played professionally for years, something he still brings into the restaurant on the odd occasion. Italian food was part of his daily life thanks to the spill of Italian radio and TV across the Adriatic, along with the recipes he learnt from his grandmother who cooked for an Italian family during the second world war.
He came to New Zealand young enough to catch the opportunity here, and mature enough to understand it and chase it. He began his journey in hospitality as a dishwasher, something he believes every serious chef should experience. Quickly moving through the ranks, he worked for other well-known restaurants in NZ and Australia, before returning to Auckland after a serious motorbike accident. While recovering, he completed an MBA and eventually crossed paths with Dante’s in Ponsonby where he saw potential to rebuild the business from the inside out.
Today he is one of the most decorated pizza makers working in Australasia, with global recognition to match. Third in the world in 2023 and second in 2024. The awards sit in the Takapuna space quietly, but not unseen, and nor should they be. He has recently rebranded the business to ‘Dante’s by Enis Bacova’ to acknowledge the work behind the name, and also to avoid an ongoing question of, “Are you Dante?” (which we may or may not have asked, ourselves).
Despite everything, his philosophy remains grounded. “Simplicity is key,” he says. “The moment you try to play with simplicity, you just mess it up.” Sitting there with a very happy belly, I couldn’t agree more.
2/40 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, 09 486 3668
dantes.co.nz/locations/dantes-takapuna
