The best pizza in Adelaide
With the influx of European immigrants to Australia during the 1950s came the accessibility of good, traditional Italian cuisine for the Australian market, with one particular dish as its hero:听pizza.
Today, pizzerias听across Adelaide adhere to the authentic methods prescribed by the听Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana听(AVPN), which is widely considered the authority on traditional Neapolitan pizza making. With that in mind, I鈥檝e visited most of the popular Adelaide spots and am fairly confident I鈥檝e gathered a top five听capable of听pleasing听even the most rigid sticklers for quality and tradition.
5. Antica Pizzeria e Cucina
144B King William Road, Hyde Park 5061
226 Morphett St, Adelaide 5000
Famous for its metre-long pizza, Antica continues to serve loyal crowds at two locations: one in Hyde Park and another in the CBD. This is a popular choice, and a gateway to traditional Italian pizza for many restaurant-goers, but this isn鈥檛 to say it is any less authentic or excellent in quality. The portions are generous and the crust is perfectly charred. It鈥檚 also a great spot for bigger groups, so keep Antica in mind for your next outing.
4.听Bianca
254 Pulteney St, Adelaide 5000
Unlike other spots on this list, Bianca is unique in that it offers delivery rather than dine-in services. This makes it the perfect order-in option for when you really just feel like staying at home but want to step up the quality (sorry, Dominoes). Bianca鈥檚 pizzas are all delicious, and the addition of parmesan on the classic margarita gives it a salt kick that鈥檚 loved by all. Order this for your next night in and you won鈥檛 be sorry.
3.听Pizza e Mozzarella Bar
33B Pirie St, Adelaide 5000
Powered by twin red-brick ovens, the incredible, authentic food at Pizza e Mozzarella Bar (they import their flour from Italy) is preceded only by its charming, warm interior, which serves as a homage to traditional Italian eateries from a different time. It鈥檚 old school, and that鈥檚 a good thing, because it delivers a level of authentic quality that can be difficult to find.
2.听400 Gradi
121 The Parade, Norwood 5067
Johnny Di Francesco began making pizzas when he was 12, opened his first pizza shop at 18, and in 2014, his听margherita was named the world鈥檚 best at the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza (Pizza World Championships). All this is to say, Di Francesco knows pizza, and 400 Gradi, which he founded, is the place to get it. Not only is the restaurant鈥檚 interior warm and inviting (think polished concrete, mirrored walls, and terrazzo tables), the food鈥攆rom the entr茅e options, to the sides, and of course, the pizza鈥攊s truly excellent.
1. Anchovy Bandit
96 Prospect Road, Prospect 5082
What on the outside presents as just a cocktail bar (think timber, dark green leather, and muted lighting), Anchovy Bandit also doubles as a restaurant that serves a few simple dishes: a series of antipasti, light salads, and most importantly, a range of pizzas. When a friend introduced me to this place on the premise that it was the best pizza she鈥檇 had in Adelaide, I was sceptical, but after just my first mouthful, I suspected she might be right. Anchovy Bandit now ranks pretty firmly as number 1 on my list.