Best of Melbourne 2020: city’s top 10 pizzerias revealed
Mamma mia! Our city’s Italian fans have spoken, revealing their top spots to grab a slice — and the winning result might surprise you. SEE THE TOP 10
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There’s a pizza shop on every corner in Melbourne — so how do you work out which one is the best?
You put it to the people's vote, that’s how.
We decided it was time to come up with a list of the pizza places in our foodie-obsessed city which rule supreme, by asking you in our next Best of Melbourne poll.
When it came to deciding which maker of the Italian takeaway staple does it best, you got (wood) fired up, serving up hundreds of tasty suggestions and thousands of votes.
The results led to an un-dough-niable conclusion: you love your pizza.
Whether your preference is thin, crispy and masterfully minimal, or thick and loaded with toppings, there is something for everyone in our top 10.
And it’s fair to say the winner — like some great pizzas — has a surprise twist.
You can also see all the finalists at the bottom of the story.
Buon appetito!
And if you love Italian food, you’ll love The Big Spaghetti pasta party at Queen Victoria Market, Italian Festival at Crown Riverwalk, and Best of Italian Yum Cha at The Grand in Richmond – all among the many events at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival from March 19-20.
More details: mfwf.com.au
Also, check out our other Best of Melbourne polls HERE, including where to find our best hairdressers, food trucks, ice cream and personal trainers.
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ALL THE BEST OF MELBOURNE WINNERS IN ONE PLACE
MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 FLORISTS REVEALED
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10. A25 PIZZERIA, SOUTH YARRA
720 Chapel St
Remo Nicolini is constantly pushing the boundaries with his pizza.
The brainchild of “a lot of experiences”, A25 Pizzeria calls upon classic Italian roots while “also giving it a Melbourne style and atmosphere”.
“We keep it very close to the traditional … but we like to experiment with different procedures, different recipes,” Mr Nicolini said.
“One thing we want is our customers to have a fun and cheery time and a great Italian experience.
“It is really important to give that atmosphere, but obviously the food has to also be great – that’s the most important thing about the A25 experience.”
A25 Pizzeria first opened on Chapel St in South Yarra in 2015, since expanding to Lonsdale St in Melbourne CBD and Collins St in Docklands.
“We have a bit of fun, especially in our South Yarra store,” Mr Nicolini said.
“We have the ‘pizza is sexy’ neon sign … people now recognise that as our symbol – that and our Bunga Bunga pizzas.”
Reminiscent of the ‘bunga bunga’ parties that Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi used to have, the pizza is a customer favourite.
“The most important thing is to continuously evolve,” Mr Nicolini said.
“We never stop and are always trying different methods, flours, grains, techniques to master the base and make the best possible.
“It is an obsession of mine.”
~Geordie Cowan
More: a25.com.au
9. ZERO95, DONCASTER EAST
904 Doncaster Rd
Dedication to following strictly traditional Italian pizza-making methods is the secret to Zero95’s success.
The pizzeria has built up a loyal base of hungry customers since opening in Doncaster East a few years ago, with a second restaurant in Dromana and a planned outlet for Chirnside Park testament to their success.
And now fans of their traditional Neapolitan-style pizzas have given a big shout out to Anthony Biviano and his team in the Leader’s search for Melbourne’s favourite pizza.
“The secret is with the dough, the way it’s stretched, and how long it’s cooked in the woodfired pizza oven,” Mr Biviano said.
Mr Biviano said his pizzas get a 90-second zap at about 400 degrees.
“And we always get compliments from our customers regarding our pizzas so I guess having traditional methods is the key,” he said.
Mr Biviano said the team was looking forward to bringing their offerings to a new suburb.
“We’re embarking on our third store in Chirnside Park, so we’re pretty excited about that,” he said.
~Andrew Rogers
More: zero95.com.au
8. PIZZA ME, BLACK ROCK
2/300 Beach Rd
Mozzarella, mushrooms, Spanish onion, baby spinach, roasted capsicum, feta and sugo — these are the seven magic ingredients that keep hungry customers coming back for seconds at Pizza Me Black Rock.
The Vegetali — which can be served on a gluten free base or turned into a vegan delight on request — is one specialty served at the pumping Beach Rd pizzeria that owner Tarek Dimachki is most proud of.
Mr Dimachki has been in the dough flipping business for more than 30 years — learning the science behind the perfect pastry as taught by Lebanese pizza connoisseur and father William.
There’s a special proofing room at the back of Mr Dimachki’s shop where the magic happens.
“My father taught me the science behind pastry itself … it’s like a living organism which goes through certain stages of development,” Mr Dimachki said.
“We’ve got a proofing room for the pastry where it can develop properly.
“Everything in our shop is made from scratch … my father taught me to take pride in absolutely everything we do.”
Mr Dimachki owned the same shop under the name Half Moon Pizza six years ago but took a break to work to test his skills in several other businesses across Melbourne.
“But I found a way to get the shop back in my hands, and now I’m serving recipes passed down from generation to generation” he said.
“We have a family run and orientated shop.”
~Brittany Goldsmith
More: pizzame.com.au
instagram.com/pizzameblackrock
7. OLD SCHOOL PIZZA & STONEGRILL, COBURG & WESTMEADOWS
14-20 Nicholson St, Coburg
Shop 1-4/13 Fawkner St, Westmeadows
Old School Pizza & Stone Grill has been crafting their own creative take on modern Italian cuisine since 2015.
Co-owner Kam Soueid says he’s always ready to try something different to keep customers coming back, like the aptly named ‘jawbreaker’ 17-inch giant pizza slice.
You can find the jawbreaker slice at Old School’s Coburg store, alongside a host of other Instagram-worthy delights.
The “DSP” (doughnut snack pack) is a sweet twist on a halal snack pack.
Other sweet treats include gravity-defying waffle stacks and Willy Wonka freakshakes.
When it comes to pizza, Old School’s dedicated chefs don’t skimp, using only the freshest premium ingredients.
All pizzas are topped with 100 per cent stretched curd mozzarella and based on dough that’s rested for 48 hours for extra flavour.
Right now, Mr Soueid says the new bread bowls are proving popular.
Imagine spaghetti bolognese topped with fresh basil, but your bowl is an extremely edible crispy pita delight.
If you’re after a midweek pick-me-up that won’t leave you hungover, mocktail happy hour is between 12pm and 4pm every Tuesday to Friday.
~Ashleigh Hastings
More: oldschoolpizza.com.au
facebook.com/oldschoolpizzaofficial
instagram.com/oldschoolpizzaofficial
6. PIZZA 500, KEILOR PARK
7A Fosters Rd
A slice of Italy awaits you in Keilor Park with the Barbaro brothers serving up a “squisito” traditional recipe at Pizza 500.
The sibling-owned and run pizzeria and espresso bar on Fosters Rd has been open for two and a half years and is only doors away from their family’s continental grocery shop, Frank’s Supermarket.
Roberto said the idea for the restaurant’s name, Pizza 500, came from their love of the well-known Italian car, Fiat Cinquecento.
With their southern Italian heritage, hailing from Calabria, Roberto and Frank use a special flour in their thin pizza base made using a traditional technique.
“The expensive Italian flour we use for the base makes the pizzas amazing,” he said.
The restaurant offers both traditional and gourmet woodfired pizzas, with the capriccioso a fan favourite.
“In our gourmet pizza range the Don Ciccio and The Abarth are popular,” he said.
“We also have created the Maserati which is a super popular pizza.”
And one of their to-die-for specials, The Marriage of Figaro, uses fresh figs, mozzarella, imported Italian Gorgonzola, San Daniele prosciutto, bocconcini, rocket and balsamic glaze.
But the brothers don’t only serve delicious traditional Italiana pizzas, they also plate up a range of seafood, meat and vegetarian dinner options made with fresh ingredients.
~Laura Armitage
More: facebook.com/pizza500
5. GET SLICED PIZZERIA, MELTON
Arnolds Creek Shopping Village, Shop 1/60 Panorma Drive
Food cravings may be a hassle for some, but Elias Bouldoloh found a solution in his search for great pizza — he opened his own shop after scouring Melbourne for the perfect slice.
Get Sliced Pizzeria in Melton has been named one of Melbourne’s most loved pizza joints, with the classic “Aussie’” style dish a winner for locals.
Mr Bouldoloh said he was thankful to his customers supporting the store.
He said he made dishes that reminded him of what he would eat with his dad as a kid.
“We pride ourselves on having old school Aussie style pizzas, with a nice crust and loaded with toppings rather than thin traditional Italian dish,” he said.
“We are always keeping ingredients fresh, making our products better and talking to customers.
“Customer loyalty and feedback is pivotal to ensuring our pizzas remain the best we can possibly provide.”
The most popular pizza flavours are the classic “the lot”, “BBQ bacon and chicken” and the “managers special” made with sauce, cheese, ham, salami, bacon, pineapple, prawns, olives and egg.
When it comes to pineapple on pizza Mr Boudoloh said he was a fan of keeping it on — but acknowledged it would shock Italian pizza purists.
Get Sliced Pizzeria in Melton is on Claret Ash Boulevard and open seven days a week.
~Grace McKinnon
More:
facebook.com/GetSlicedPizzeria/
4. ALBION PIZZA, BRUNSWICK WEST
488 Albion St
Passion for people and dedication to the craft are the sauce of success for Albion Pizza.
Husband and wife team Matt and Johana Hakim opened their first business together just one year ago and have become an overnight success.
But while they credit a great location and an amazing fit-out for bringing customers through the door, there’s no doubt there’s some seriously hard work going on behind the scenes.
“I’m proud of my husband, he is the hardest worker,” Mrs Hakim said.
“He misses out on all these different social events – missed his cousin’s wedding, his best friend’s wedding. It’s like his baby.”
Mr Hakim started his first job at a pizza restaurant when he was 14 and had wanted to open his own ever since.
“Someone we knew of was selling a business. Matt said ‘Babe, I need to do this’,” Mrs Hakim said.
The dynamic duo said they were “blown away” by the support they’d received and that their business wouldn’t be possible without the support of their customers, family and friends.
~Richard Pearce
More: albionpizza.com.au
facebook.com/Albion-Pizza-Brunswick-387951088682342/
instagram.com/albionpizza_brunswick/
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MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 MECHANICS REVEALED
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3. LA LUPA PIZZA & PASTA, TYABB
1558 Frankston-Flinders Rd
Vince Ambesi, 35, can’t remember a time when La Lupa Pizza & Pasta wasn’t in his life.
His older brother Mick started the business when he was just 21 and Vince starting working at the takeaway shop when he was 15.
Fast forward 20 years and the brothers are still serving up slices of “80s style pizza loaded with toppings”.
“We do our pizzas Aussie style, not like the Italian wood fired versions that have become popular over the years,” Vince said.
He said customer loyalty had kept the Tyabb business thriving.
“It is unusual for the local pizza place to have been owned by the same person for 20 years,” Vince said.
“We have customers who came here when they were kids and are now bringing their own kids back for pizza.”
The menu was designed by Mick and includes the popular Caribbean – hot salami, capsicum, pineapple, prawns, onion, bacon, crushed chilli – and Vince’s favourite; the La Luna Special which has cheese, hot or mild salami, mushrooms, capsicum, olives and anchovies.
In all there are 30 different pizzas on the menu as well as a wide range of pasta dishes, chicken and beef schnitzel, steak, seafood and salad.
There are also a dozen desserts on offer.
The business handles its own deliveries with a small fee of up to $6 depending on the location.
~Lucy Callander
More: lalupa.com.au
facebook.com/La-Lupa-154286024607002/
2. JOHNNY BOYS PIZZA, KEYSBOROUGH
6/320 Cheltenham Rd
Safet Dauti studied software engineering at university — but now spends his days engineering the perfect pizza.
The owner of Johnny Boys Pizza in Keysborough said a part-time delivery driver job while at uni sparked his love of pizza.
And for Mr Dauti there’s been nothing better than serving up his delicious dough to the community for the past 25 years.
He said he began managing the store in 2005 before buying it with his brother-in-law three years later.
“I was studying software engineering at university but began working as a delivery driver, which is where my love for pizza began,” he said.
Fresh ingredients are the key to a great pizza, he says, and Johnny Boys caters for all dietary needs.
“Our most popular pizza is the barbecue meat lovers and other popular choices include the gourmet veggie deluxe.
“We cater for halal, gluten free and offer vegan cheese too – we use different cutters and ovens upon special request too.”
Mr Dauti thanked the community for their ongoing support.
“I’ve been doing this for almost 29 years and it’s been so rewarding.
“The parents I’ve served over the years now have their children come in and it’s so nice.
“I want to thank the community for their ongoing support – I really appreciate it.”
~Suzan Delibasic
More: facebook.com/JohnnyBoysPizza
instagram.com/johnnyboyspizza_keys/
1. RED SPARROW PIZZA, COLLINGWOOD & PRAHRAN
406 Smith St, Collingwood
260 Chapel St, Prahran
Red Sparrow Pizza has been named Melbourne’s best pizza — and the shop’s mouth-watering offerings take all you think you know about pizza and turn it on its head.
That’s because their pizzas are all 100% vegan — even the ones with “meat” toppings.
Owners Michael Craig and Shelley Scott came to Melbourne for its huge vegan scene, but noticed one gap in the market — Melbourne did not have a vegan-only pizzeria.
The Scottish couple changed that three years ago when they established Red Sparrow Pizza in Collingwood — and eventually branched out into Prahran last year.
“Melbourne is widely known for its vegan scene but we noticed a vegan-only pizza place doesn’t exist and definitely wanted to change that,” Mr Craig said.
“We’re vegan and we love pizza so thought it was a no-brainer.”
Their moved proved to be a winner, with pizza lovers from across the city voting their pies the best in Melbourne.
Mr Craig said the vegan scene continued to surge in Melbourne.
“We’ve definitely noticed it in the last three years,” he said.
“Now we’re at a point where we are serving about 400 pizzas a night, up to 700 just on Friday night.”
Despite the pizza joint being vegan-only, they still offer classic pizza types such as the pepperoni, capriciosa and sausage pizzas, but with plant-based alternatives instead.
Mr Craig said their bestseller was a mushroom pizza — topped with porcini, coconut parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil.
Foodie fans rave about the pizzeria, with Rani Joye saying “they have made vegans all over Melbourne incredibly happy with their excellent options and alternatives.”
Amy McWilliam said when she turned vegan, pizza was the one thing she found hard to replace — now she is still able to enjoy her favourite, Hawaiian.
Mark Rutherford joked: “You can feed this to a non-vegan and they won’t know.”
And Taylor Reid said: “They serve the most incredible pizza without any cruelty! How can you not love them?”
~Anthony Piovesan
More: redsparrowpizza.com