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If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to eat a slice of Naples in the middle of the Pacific, Brick Fire Tavern in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi is your answer — and it’s every bit as extraordinary as it sounds. 🍕
This Kaimukī gem has earned its place as one of Oahu’s most beloved dining spots, serving up Vera Pizza Napoletana — the real deal, certified and all — right in the heart of paradise.
How Brick Fire Tavern Won Honolulu’s Hearts
The story of Brick Fire Tavern didn’t begin in a restaurant kitchen — it began with a pilgrimage to Naples, Italy. 🇮🇹
In 2015, co-owner Matthew Resich and his late fiancée, Inthira Marks, traveled to Naples to train under master pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia, one of the founding members of the L’Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.
Upon returning to Honolulu, they opened Brick Fire Tavern in 2016, complete with a custom-built Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven — a detail that signals just how serious they are about authenticity. 🔥
By 2018, Brick Fire Tavern had earned its Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certification — making it not only the only VPN-certified pizzeria on Oahu, but one of just 95 in the entire United States, spread across 32 states.
Locals didn’t fall in love with Brick Fire Tavern simply because of a fancy certification, though.
They fell in love because the food tastes like something made with genuine care — from house-made dough that ferments for up to 96 hours, to toppings sourced from local Hawaiian farms, like herbs and pork from Waianae and beets from Mililani.
As Honolulu Magazine described it, the crust is “soft and pillowy, with a nice chew” — a texture that keeps diners coming back again and again. 🙌
The restaurant’s philosophy is built on a powerful idea that resonates deeply in Hawaiʻi: “Respect the craft, respect tradition, but also respect local and fresh.”
Food Highlights
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Mamma Mia Pizza: Loaded with San Marzano tomato, soppressata salami, pancetta, Italian sausage, red onion, hot pepper medley, and mozzarella. 🏆
- Diavola Pizza: For the heat-seekers, this fiery pie features San Marzano tomato, soppressata salami, kalamata olives, red onion, mozzarella, and Calabrian chili oil with chili flakes. 🌶️
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“Pepperoni” Pizza: Don’t let the quotation marks fool you — this beauty uses soppressata salami instead of standard pepperoni, layered with San Marzano sauce, mozzarella, and Sicilian oregano. 🤌
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Funghi Pizza: A besciamella base with a mushroom medley, mozzarella, and fontina makes this white pizza one of the top-ordered items on the menu. 🍄
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Prosciutto E Rucola Pizza: Olive oil, prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella, fresh arugula, and Pecorino Romano come together in a pizza that diners describe as “a delight in every bite. 🥗
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The Carbonara Pizza: A white pizza featuring Pecorino-Parmesan besciamella, mozzarella, smoked pancetta, white onion, and a drizzle of local egg yolk added after it exits the oven. 🥚
- Veggie Monster V3: San Marzano besciamella, roasted garlic, red onion, asparagus, basil, arugula, mozzarella, gorgonzola, and a drizzle of olive oil stack up into one of the most flavor-packed pies on the entire menu.
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The Real Hawaiian Pizza: A true expression of local spirit — papaya-puréed kalo, local kalua pork, luau leaf, mozzarella, and a watercress Lomi tomato salad on top. 🌺
Atmosphere
Step through the doors and the aroma of wood smoke and melting cheese hits you instantly — it’s the kind of welcome that makes a restaurant feel like home.
Eyes go straight to the custom Stefano Ferrara wood-burning oven — a living, glowing centerpiece that anchors the entire room and tells you exactly what this place is about. 🔥
The vibe is warm, intimate, and unpretentious — the kind of spot where you linger over craft cocktails and a second pizza because nobody wants the night to end.
It’s a tavern in the truest sense: convivial, lively, and built for people who love good food and good company.
Bottom Line
Brick Fire Tavern is a once-in-a-trip experience — the only VPN-certified pizzeria in all of Hawaiʻi, with a wood-fired oven shipped from Naples, dough fermented for up to 96 hours, and locally sourced toppings that make every bite a love letter to Oahu. Come hungry, come curious.
Address:
3447 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
📞 (808) 379-2430
🕔 Open Tue–Sat 11 AM–2 PM & 5–10 PM; Sun 5–10 PM (closed Mon)