Where to Eat Pizza When All Your Friends Are Doing Italian Summer and FOMO Levels Are High

Ahhh, what can we say about D.O.C.? D.O.C. is the Regina George of the pizza scene — the original and the best, a trendsetter and just a little mean. With a traditional Italian menu, artisanal pizza bases that have been perfected over the years and the kind of dramatic service that let’s you know D.O.C. has self esteem and won’t be pushed around, it really is an amazing Italian pizza experience.

The pizza can best be described as delicate, with thin crunchy bases not overloaded with toppings. You really can’t go wrong here and it would be unethical of us to recommend one over the other — they’re all winners. And, if you really want a slice of summer, rug up and go during the day to sit on the street under the olive trees with a wine. It’s as good as a holiday.

400 Gradi is famous on the Melbourne pizza scene, and for good reason — it makes unpretentious, award-winning pizza. And it’s the perfect place to hang out on a dreary winter night, with soft lighting, dark features and friendly service that combine to make a cosy atmosphere. Once you’re settled in, safely peruse your options knowing that you can’t go wrong.

The bases, for one thing, are perfect — light, yeasty and lightly charcoaled in taste, cooked to perfection within 90 seconds. And the menu is faultless, whatever your inclination. Aside from the margherita, which is the pizzeria’s most popular item, the Caserta — featuring san marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, rocket and prosciutto ($24.5) — is also a guaranteed good time. 

With a sleek interior, a woodfired oven and an Italian nonna making pasta by hand in the kitchen, Ladro will transport you to the Italian vacay you’re not on. Ladro is doing its thing in both Fitzroy and Prahran, but pizza isn’t the only thing it does well. It also really cares about local and environmentally conscientious consuming, which is really just a bonus because the food is absolutely incredible.

Start with a salumi board ($16) featuring pancetta, salami, and house-made giardiniera (fancy Italian pickles) to set the mood and end — fittingly — with a classic pizza. We like the Patate ($23), an indulgent mess of fior di latte, taleggio, potato, rosemary, truffle oil, and basil (also known as carbs on carbs on carbs). Or the classic Puttanesca ($19.5), with tomato, fior di latte, parmigiano, cherry tomatoes, anchovies, fresh chilli and black olives. It’s a double hit of Italiano — a pizza take on a pasta dish, and as delicious as both combined.

SPQR is one of the few affordable yet authentic pizza establishments in the CBD. After a big night out, or maybe instead of one, head over there to eat your way through its small but perfectly-formed pizza offering. You can get takeaway ($5 for a slice, not bad) or sit in and soak up the ambiance and, more importantly, the smell of woodfired pizza sizzling away.

The menu is thoughtfully divided into red pizza, white pizza, and not pizza. And there are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu, too. We love the Hey Pesto ($23) with eggplant, pine nuts, and buffalo mozzarella, and the simple classic Salumi ($24) with sopressa, fior di latte, chilli, and basil. And if it makes you feel any better, standing in front of the woodfired oven would be absolute torture during Euro-summer.  

While the south-side is more famous for seafood and ice cream, Mr Wolf has carved out a niche as one of St Kilda’s  best pizzerias. It serves up a very Italian lineup — come with your Italian dictionary fired up because you might need to translate a few things. And, while you’re at it, bring your appetite because the bases are chewy and handmade and the toppings are thick.

We recommend the Signore Lupo ($24.5) for something a little different, it comes with mozzarella, tomato, roast cauliflower, sausage, pancetta, and chilli. Or the No. 9 for a classic — buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and rocket ($24). Once your belly is full of pizza, take a stroll along the shore and, if you squint, you might be able to pretend you’re in Italy and the palm trees are rows and rows of beautiful, tall Italians bringing you a nice glass of red.

You’ll find this gem of a pizza joint on the increasingly buzzy High Street of Northcote. Among the bohemian 1960s decor and higgledy-piggledy seating lies a true local family pizzeria. It serves delicious pizzas with thin, slightly chewy bases, smothered with thoughtful and unconventional toppings.

Pizza Meine Liebe is best enjoyed in-house, to soak up the charming atmosphere. While it might not alleviate your Euro-summer FOMO so much as make you forget about it altogether, you will be distracted by thegood food, good company and cosy surrounds. When deciding what to eat, we recommend the Where’s The Wolf with braised lamb, red onion, tomato, chilli, and yoghurt sauce ($15/$20).