Pizza d’Asporto: Yarraville restaurant’s outdoor dining plans scuttled

It’s in the ‘fifth coolest suburb in the world’, but a popular pizza joint’s plans to make it even cooler haven’t been a hit with the local council.

Yarraville's Pizza D'Asporto has had its outdoor dining plan shut down by Maribyrnong Council. Picture: Instagram.

An Italian restaurant in the “fifth coolest suburb in the world” has claimed “bs bureaucracy” is forcing it to remove its outdoor dining space.

But Maribrynong Council has defended its decision to make Yarraville’s Pizza d’Asporto pull down its large structure, claiming it did not have a permit and was blocking a footpath.

The owners of the restaurant took to social media on April 30, claiming the council was making it remove the structure in the Yarraville pop-up park on Ballarat St.

A picture on its Instagram page shows the restaurant had created a marquee with plastic walls to protect diners from wet weather.

It is believed the owners built the space to boost patron numbers and help it recover following Melbourne’s coronavirus lockdown.

Pizza d’Asporto’s owners claimed it had been “beaten down” in its attempts to “provide a safe and comfortable dining space for our local community”.

It also claimed it had not been offered “any form of winter solution from the local council to recover from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We would like to send our thanks out to @cityofmaribyrnong for literally tearing down our proposed solution,” they wrote.

“So much for Yarraville being the 5th coolest suburb in the world, we can’t even follow in the footsteps of New York City.”

Yarraville was ranked fifth in lifestyle website TimeOut’s annual list of the world’s top 40 coolest neighbourhoods in October.

The restaurant was also the joint winner of Leader’s poll to find the best pizza place in Melbourne’s west in March.

The council’s director of infrastructure services, Steve Hamilton, said it investigated the restauraunt’s structure following complaints from other businesses and residents.

He said it took up a large amount of public space and the restaurant had not provided any structural reports or insurance information.

Mr Hamilton said the council had previously approved an outdoor dining application from the restaurant at no cost, and they could put tables, chairs and umbrellas in the pop-up park within property lines.

“Council is working closely with the business to assist them in looking at alternative options, and is meeting with the business owner this week to discuss further,” he said.

Readers had mixed thoughts on the council’s decision in comments on Pizza d’Asporto’s Instagram post.

Diana Politi wrote: “I think it looks great. Shame on you Maribyrnong Council for deterring a business to make a living in a safe environment.”

Anna Papamihail added: “Don’t we want our community – Yarraville – to be filled with life and happy people dining outside?”

But others disagreed, with Les Martin writing: “Getting your dad to build a patio plastic wind break is not like NYC.”

User 2gorgeous wrote: “Sorry, It looks terrible and not inclusive to the public space it’s part of. But I love your pizzas and ice cream.”

The restaurant’s manager was contacted for comment.