The Pizza Slices to Seek Out When Nothing But Cheese, Dough and Sauce Will Cheer You Up
Hot, cheesy and chewy — there's nothing like the comfort that comes from a good slice of pizza.
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Think about all the good times in your life. Now think about the bad times. Was pizza there for all of them? Probably. Similar to how it's perfect as a snack and an entire meal, pizza is just as appropriate for commiserations as it is celebrations. And if you're having a bit of a bad day, pizza is a sure-fire way to make it a little bit better.
For those times, you need some cheesy, doughy go-tos. So we've teamed up with affordable ridesharing platform DiDi to compile this very tasty list of pizzerias serving some of the best slices in the city. Side note: DiDi offers super competitive rates for getting you to your pizza palace, so you'll have more cash in your pocket for a few extra slices once you get there.
MARGHERITA AT SLICE SHOP PIZZA, FOOTSCRAY
This Footscray pizzeria the latest offering from Burn City Smokers' Steve Kimonides and Raphael Guthrie. The menu rotation runs to around seven core creations, with a daily special and a vegan option thrown in for good measure. There might be a pork and fennel number, a classic capricciosa, or maybe a mushroom, thyme and truffle concoction. One thing you can count on is the classic margherita, which showcases the chewy base crafted on tipo 00 flour and fired in an Italian Moretti Forni oven. Best part? All slices at five bucks and can be enjoyed as you wander over to Mr West just across the street.
Kate Shanasy
PEPPERONI AT LEONARDO'S PIZZA PALACE, CARLTON
While it's located smack-bang in the middle of Carlton's cheese and dough dynasty — and super close to some of Melbourne's best pizzas at D.O.C, Ti Amo and Caprica — Leonardo's Pizza Palace holds its own with some seriously good slices backed up with a seriously good vibe. The menu runs from the classics (margherita) to the extreme (Chinese bolognese) to the divisive (ham and pineapple), but we recommend you order the pepperoni which comes dotted with perfect buttons of meat. Plus, each pie comes with a side serve of ranch dressing for dipping, so there's no excuse not to eat your crusts.
Kate Shanasy
CLASSIC CHEESE AT CAPITANO, CARLTON
This Rathdowne Street restaurant's reputation is founded on two delicious things: its bone-in veal parmigiana and classic pizzas. For the sake of this list, we're going to gush about the latter. Capitano is a master of a crisp, blistering crust and a dough that will have you dreaming of infinite slices. The classic cheese features fresh and aged mozzarella with pecorino for bite. If you want to up the ante, opt for Grandma's Square Pie, which adds stracciatella into the mix.
GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA AT SHOP225, PASCOE VALE SOUTH
If you can't eat gluten, or just appreciate a fine slice, Shop225 is calling. This neighbourhood Pascoe Vale pizzeria is dishing up a rare culinary combination: it's championing pizza that is both top-notch and gluten-free. Boasting Coeliac Australia accreditation, the restaurant's got two woodfired ovens — one for regular pizza bases, and one for gluten-free — and all the proper processes in place to minimise cross-contamination for coeliacs. The gluten-free bases swap the usual wheat situation for a blend of Ardor gluten-free flour and rice, tapioca, maize, soy and pea flours, and come at $4 extra — pricey but worth it. And, as an added bonus, plant-based options abound, crafted with lactose-free Local Craft cheese and vegan-friendly meat alternatives. Hot tip: there aren't too many tables at Shop 225, so be sure to book or plan to take away.
MARGHERITA AT 400 GRADI, BRUNSWICK
Diners have spoken, reviewers spoken, hell, even the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana has spoken — this Lygon Street gem is one of the world's best pizzerias. And — no biggie — but the Margherita Verace won the title of World's Best Pizza in 2014. So there's no question of what pizza you should order; this is dough, cheese and tomato at its best (with a bit of basil and olive oil thrown in for good measure). Better yet, head in between 4–6pm and you'll get bottomless slices and free-flowing drinks for two hours for $45.
Switch to DiDi and spend the cash you save on what's important in life — like good pizza. To start riding, download the app here and use the code CONCRETE to score up to $50 in vouchers.
Top Image: Leonardo's Pizza Palace by Kate Shanasy.
