Bambino Pizza and Pasta: Hornsby’s best pizza place revealed

The old saying — ‘keep it simple’ — has helped the owner of a popular eatery to be named the Best Pizza place in and around Hornsby.

Bambino's Pizza & Pasta at Hornsby — voted Best Pizza place in and around Hornsby by readers of the Hornsby Advocate — is known locally for using this classic 1960s Valiant as a delivery car. Picture: Supplied

After food writer and critic Matt Preston and the Hornsby Advocate put out a call for nominations to name the Best Pizza place in and around Hornsby, the winner can now be revealed.

Thousands of readers across the region had two weeks to vote in our special online poll for their favourite neighbourhood cafe.

Bambino's Pizza & Pasta at Hornsby has been voted Best Pizza place in and around Hornsby by readers of the Hornsby Advocate. Picture: Supplied

And the winner is the popular Bambino Pizza and Pasta on Jersey St (North) at Hornsby.

Owner Dave Pajic said he was thrilled that the eatery, which first opened its doors in 1987, was voted number one by the locals.

Number One!.Some of the winning crew at Bambino's Pizza and Pasta at Hornsby. (Left to right): Dave Pajic, Ezra Badger, Julia Baxter, Michael Tassone, Anthony Tassone and Bill Trinh. Picture: Supplied

with its distinctive logo depicting a baby in a nappy crawling along to deliver a pizza, Bambino’s has an interesting history.

Dave, who took over the business just over 20 years ago, said it was started by three Italian brothers, who were builders, in a well known local shopping centre called “The Walk” in Edgeworth David Ave.

Bambino's Pizza & Pasta in Jersey Rd (North), at Hornsby. Picture: Supplied

“At around the same time, all their wives gave birth to baby boys, so they called the place Bambino’s.”

The restaurant later moved to Coronation St before moving to its current address in April 2019.

“It’s been good here in Jersey St,” Dave said. “More exposure, a better business location.”

Even though Bambino’s has moved, Dave said he, and head pizza maker Mick Tassone, have kept preaparing many of the same pizzas for decades.

“Just like the old valiant we use to deliver the pizzas, we haven’t changed the traditional pizza menu much in the last 30 years.

“We’ve got our specialised range of pizzas too, but on a pizza, sometimes less is more.

“Keep it simple, don't complicate it. You know what I mean?