Strada Pizza and Bar in North Dandenong brings Napoli to the suburbs
A new pizzeria in Melbourne’s southeast is dishing up a slice of Napoli to the suburbs. Here’s where to sample the goods.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A young man with a passion for pizza is bringing a slice of Napoli to the suburbs.
Daniel Cester opened Pizza Strada and Bar in a quiet Dandenong North shopping strip late last year.
The humble pizzeria is now being likened to the award-winning 400 Gradi.
“Customers tell me my margherita is as good as, even better, than 400 Gradi,” Mr Cester said.
“I take that as a compliment and I’m honoured but I keep striving to be better.
“Every time I slide a pizza into the oven I hope that it will be an improvement on the one before.”
READER POLL: THE BEST PIZZA PLACES IN WYNDHAM
PIZZA BY THE METRE ARRIVES IN MELBOURNE’S OUTER NORTH
FIVE OF THE BEST PIZZA JOINTS SOUTH OF THE YARRA
Prior to opening in Outlook Drive, Mr Cester spent two years perfecting his recipes in a mobile wood fire pizza oven and selling them at markets around Melbourne under the name of Little Wogs Pizza.
“I built a pizza oven on the back of a trailer my Nonna gave me,” he said.
“The dream was to have my own pizzeria but that was always off in the distance.
“Then one night I was driving home and I saw a For Lease sign in a shop in my local strip.”
It was a sign too powerful to ignore.
“I said to myself ‘Daniel, you’re only 22. What are you thinking starting a business like this?’” Mr Cester said.
“But those were my local shops when I was a kid.
“My Nonna would take me to the pharmacist to buy a matchbox car and the Greek couple who ran the fish and chip shop would start cooking my chips and potato cakes when they saw me walk past.
“I couldn’t pass it up.”
MORE MELBOURNE CAFES DITCHING THE DAIRY AND TURNING VEGAN
FRANKSTON CAFE BOWL’D SERVING CUSTOMERS FROM FAR AND WIDE
At the time he was working seven days a week — delivering wine and beer to pizzerias around Melbourne on weekdays and cooking pizzas on the weekend.
“The thing was the weekends didn’t feel like working because I loved it so much,” he said.
He took the plunge and opened Pizza Strada and Bar.
Pizza is the only thing on the menu.
“It’s the food of the people,” Mr Cester said.
“People can come in and have a chat and order exactly what they want and I’ll make it.
“They can sit here and eat it straight away or take it home.”
The dough is created using a 48-hour recipe that is lovingly spread with homemade Napoli sauce and finished with fresh ingredients.
Mr Cester prefers the margherita.
“Traditional margherita is how you judge a pizzeria.
“It’s simple enough so you can still taste the dough.”
He makes two versions — napolitana with tomato, fior di latte and basil for the tradionalists, and “western style” with tomato, mozzarella and basil.
“I understand that some people like a really cheesy margherita, even though that might not be strictly traditional.”
There’s also a traditional siciliana sprinkled with olives, anchovies, capers, prosciutto crudo and fior di latte, and the unique Alla Norma.
“The Alla Norma is based on a pasta dish my mum makes for me,” Mr Cester said.
“It’s like a fresh vegetarian with tomato, mozzarella, fior de latte, olive, fresh tomato, basil, eggplant, parmesan and garlic.”
Pizza Strada and Bar is at 3A/46-64 Outlook Dr, Dandenong North.
MORE NEWS
KARINGAL WALKERS EVENING SESSIONS CANCELLED AT KARINGAL HUB
WORKSAFE DATA REVEALS AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING INJURED
VENTANA FIESTA AT FRANKSTON CELEBRATES LATIN AMERICA CULTURE