Overview
Pizza lovers of Melbourne, this is all the news you need to justify tucking into a slice today. Fans of the Italian staple elsewhere around Australia, here's a reminder to add a delicious destination to your next Victorian trip. For the third year in a row, 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar has been recognised as one of the Asia Pacific region's best pizzerias — and Australia's number-one standout — as decided by the experts at the 2023 50 Top Pizza awards.
The Melbourne pizzeria with outposts in South Yarra, Elsternwick and Spotswood is no stranger to international praise, having claimed the title of Best Pizzeria in Oceania in 2021's 50 Top Pizza awards, then coming out on top in the entire Asia Pacific in 2022. It was also crowned #1 Pizza in Australia at the Pizza World Championships in 2019. For the 2023 50 Top Pizza accolades, it placed fourth in the Asia Pacific, which also means that it also came first in Australia for the third year in a row.
This year's best pizzerias were named at a ceremony at the Italian Institute of Culture in Tokyo, ahead of worldwide rankings being unveiled in September. Last year, 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar came in 13th globally, a placing that it's hoping to beat in 2023.
Running for the last six years, the 50 Top Pizza awards are chosen by around 1000 experts across the globe, who visit the pizzerias anonymously to judge and rank their offerings.
The annual international pizzeria guide names its top 50 Asia Pacific picks based not just on the merit of their slices, but on each pizzeria as a whole, rating the food, drinks, service and overall ambiance.
In top spot in the Asia Pacific this year: The Pizza Bar on 38th in Tokyo. In second came Bottega in Beijing, then another Tokyo eatery, Pizzeria Peppe – Napoli sta' ca", ranked third. And, Hong Kong's Fiata by Salvatore Fiata rounded out the top five.
A handful of other Aussie venues were also named in this year's Asia Pacific top 50 best pizzerias, including Sydney's Al Taglio (11), Pizza Madre (24), Lil Franki Pizzeria (28), Queen Margherita of Savoy (32) and Gigi's Pizza in Balmain (33); fellow Melburnians +39 Pizzeria (34), Shop225 (37) and Il Caminetto (41); and Maestro Sourdough Pizza in Perth (46).
Find 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar at 373 Malvern Road, South Yarra; 15 Gordon Street, Elsternwick; and Grazeland, Spotswood.
For the full 50 Top Pizza Asia Pacific awards list, jump over to the website. Craving a slice, Melburnians? Check out our top picks for pizza in Melbourne.
Top image: Hi Sylvia.