Food Guide 2018: Pizzateca

GRAB a group of mates and join the (pizza) party at this McLaren Vale hotspot.

Head dough boy Tony Mitolo at Pizzateca, McLaren Vale. Picture: Stephen Laffer

319 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale

[phone]

pizza-teca.com/

PULL up at Pizzateca and you’ll wonder why you hadn’t joined the party earlier. Italian tunes and charismatic staff add to the jovial atmosphere while kids play out on the lawn and long tables of friends celebrate special occasions. Antipasti include fried zucchini slices, frittata and cured meats, while humble sides such as cannellini beans cooked in rosemary and garlic are “cucina povera” at its best. Neapolitan style pizza is the star of the show, the dough slow-proved and cooked fast in a Stefano Ferrara oven to ensure a perfectly thin and puffed base that doesn’t weight you down. Italy’s original pizza margherita is perfectly balanced with fior di latte and fresh tomato sugo, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the seasonal specials, such as truffle mushroom. For a regional specialty, the arrosticini Abruzzese is thin skewers of grilled lamb, well-seasoned and ideal with a simple lettuce salad. Head up to the bar to see the selection of V. Mitolo & Son wine or kick back in the sun with an Aperol Spritz. For dessert, it’s nonna’s tiramisu.

• Hours: L: Fri-Sun D: Fri-Sat
• Bill: E $8-30 (shared antipasti) M $20-28 D $10
• Wine: Full list plus BYO | Corkage: $15
• Chefs: Vito Mitolo, Anna Mitolo