Melbourne doesn’t just make great pizza - it has quietly built one of the most diverse and fiercely competitive pizza scenes outside Italy. From blistered Neapolitan classics and foldable New York-style slices to inventive modern takes and woodfired suburban gems, the city now offers a slice for every mood, craving, and carb philosophy.
What makes Melbourne stand out is the sheer range and obsession with craft. Doughs are often slow-fermented for depth and texture, sauces lean heavily on premium Italian imports like San Marzano tomatoes, and local produce gets treated with the same respect as anything you’d find in Naples or New York. The result is a city where a perfectly simple margherita can sit comfortably alongside a loaded, chilli-oil-drenched pepperoni or a boundary-pushing, genre-bending creation from a new wave of pizzerias.
This guide brings together the very best of Melbourne’s pizza culture right now - iconic institutions, cult neighbourhood favourites, and modern hotspots that locals queue for. Whether you’re chasing a late-night slice, a refined dining experience, or the most authentic Neapolitan base in town, these are the pizzas defining Melbourne in 2026.
Shop 225 - Preston
This isn’t just another pizza-and-pasta joint - it’s a certified heavyweight. Fresh off being crowned Best Pasta in Asia-Pacific and landing in the Top 10 pizzas across the region at the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific Awards… this place is elite.
Helmed by Lorenzo Thone - a North-East Italian native (just an hour from Venice) and a decorated artisan recognised by the Slow Food movement - this is cooking with pride, precision, panache and principle. Tomatoes picked when they’re actually red. Dough given the time it deserves. No shortcuts. No compromise. Just craft. So many hit dishes including 2807 Pizza with sausage, Gamberi Pizza with prawns and nduja.
Ladro - Fitzroy
If you’re searching for the best pizza in Melbourne, Ladro continues to dominate the conversation - not through reinvention, but through consistency, precision, and over two decades of getting it right.
A true Fitzroy institution on Gertrude Street, Ladro has been setting the benchmark for wood-fired pizza in Melbourne for more than 20 years. After visiting this restaurant several times over the last 15+ years (once with a family table of 9), it’s clear: this place hasn’t missed. If anything, it’s sharper, more refined, and still effortlessly cool.
What’s new? A stunning private dining room, discreetly tucked within the original space - ideal for celebrations, group dining, and elevated Italian feasts. It adds a new layer to one of Melbourne’s most iconic Italian restaurants. I was able to visit this dining room for a launch and it's a stunner. Stefano the owner hosted us for a premium tasting and to take in the experience of the modern new dining space.
The menu reads like a greatest hits of Melbourne Italian dining. Start with calamari and a glass of Sangiovese or Pinot Grigio, then move straight into the legendary must-order 100 Layer Lasagna - a rich, slow-built masterpiece and easily one of the best lasagnes in Melbourne.
Then come the pizzas - the reason Ladro consistently ranks among the top pizza spots in Melbourne:
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Badabing Pizza - the signature since 2003. Fennel salsiccia, chilli, provolone. Balanced, bold, essential. (I still remember it from the early 2000s).
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Porcellino Pizza - sweet potato, guanciale, nduja. Rich, modern, indulgent.
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Gabagool Pizza - capocollo, stracciatella, chilli. Salty, creamy, unmistakably Melbourne.
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Il Capo Pizza - prawns, yellow tomato, rocket. Fresh with a subtle kick.
Add a perfectly cooked rib eye, crisp fries, and a classic tiramisu, and you have the full experience.
No gimmicks. Just authentic Italian technique, wood-fired precision, and flavour-first execution.
For anyone compiling a list of the best pizzas in Melbourne, Ladro isn’t optional - it’s essential.
ONDA - Sorrento
Wood-fired pizza is a showstopper at this new restaurant with views above Port Phillip Bay. Pizzas are named after Port Phillip ferries, for example The Lonsdale comes loaded with calamari, mussels and prawns. The Golden Crown gets dressed with prosciutto and rocket. Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Mike Jaques, who brings seriuos credentials without the serious attitude.
Roccella - East Melbourne
Looking for extraordinary pizza made by a legit maestro pizzaiolo? What an unforgettable culinary adventure at @roccella.italian in East Melbourne (also in Bundoora). Pizza legend @francescothepizzachef, with 24 years of mastery, took us on a jaw-dropping journey through his creative, trend-defying pizzas. From his iconic 48-hour sourdough base to the multigrain Romana and a mind-blowing charcoal black base with prawn and roe, every pizza was peak creativity and deliciousness.
9 Mile by Silo 9
This isn’t your average slice - this is Detroit deep dish done properly.Thick. Airy. Crispy-edged. Caramelised cheese crust that crunches on bite. I’m here for those crispy edges. Always.
Highlights that absolutely slap (bring on the homage to Eminem):
• 9MILE SIGNATURE — pepperoni, chilli honey, that secret cheese mix = elite
• NOT AFRAID — prawn + chilli + citrus = wild but it works
• LOSE YOURSELF — blue cheese + provolone = rich, punchy, addictive
• SQUARE DANCE — sausage + rapini = deep, savoury satisfaction
Madonna Electric - Brunswick
Madonna Electric pizza is a showstopper and personally I love their electric-cooked thin crust 00 flour with generous toppings style (different to the plethora of wood-oven Neapolitan pizzas in Melbourne).
Madonna Electric have a real focus on creating high quality and traditional Italian dishes and are famous for their pizzas. It was great to visit and mee tthe owner John and hear of his passion for all things pizza and Italian. Eclectic decor and pizza deliciousness.
Leonardo's Pizza Palace - Carlton
Leonardo's is a pizza revelation in the charming location of Grattan St Carlton. Having experienced the joys of Leonard's House of Love we love the good times pizzeria vibe of Leonardo's, and the pizza is some of the best in Melbourne. With retro Italian feels, this old school looking pizzeria has loads of character, with modern pizza offerings. We love the old pictures on the walls and timber panelling.
Meat lovers is epic featuring tomato and nduja, cheese blend, bolognese, pork & fennel sausage, pepperoni, pancetta, onion, honey, thyme. This pizza has it all with delectable dough and crust, cheesy and tomato hit, some heat and top quality meat with a hint of sweetness. The sort of pizza you would drive across town for. Also hearing great things about the Pepperoni pizza, the Pork and Fennel Sausage pizza and the Ramblr Chinese Bolognese pizza.
Zero95 - Doncaster East, Pascoe Vale, Dromana
Zero95 is a fabulous pizza destination and it's menu is wide ranging if you are also after other Italian inspired dishes. The dough on the pizzas is exceptional as is the quality of produce used on the toppings, and they make good use of wood fired pizza ovens. Staff are friendly and you are bound to have a fun night dining in. They won best pizza in the world for their Margherita pizza in 2016 but the other pizzas also shine. Worht a drive to the eastern side of our city, but also their restaurants have become favourites with locals.
Pizzicotto Strathmore
Looking an Italian local hero restaurant in the burbs with wood fired pizza and cotoletta a feature? We enjoyed Italian feasting at Pizzicotto Strathmore, where Sergio and his team delivered a masterclass in traditional Italian cuisine! The vibe was warm, the service impeccable, and every dish was crafted with fresh, high-quality ingredients. And let’s talk about the wood-fired Pizzicotto pizza - loaded with polpa di pomodoro, fior di latte, taleggio, casalinga sausage, porcini mushrooms, and parmesan. Excellent crust with some chew and char and filling was a flavour explosion.
Farro Pizzeria - Thornbury, Hawthorn and Fitzroy
Farro clearly uses high quality ingredients, many of which are organic. An example is the quality of the prawns on the Gamberi seafood pizza. This pizza was a highlight with sun dried tomato, S Marzano DOP tomatoes, Fior de Latte mozzarella, fresh chilli, garlic, basil and E.V.O oil.
Another key ingredient of pizza of course is the flour/dough. Farro uses 100% organic spelt flour which makes a big difference. The pizza based was wonderfully chewy yet with some crispiness, as we love it. Yet you don't feel bloated after eating these pizzas. The combination of spelt flour and organic ingredients means you leave satiated, satisfied but not bloated and "heavy".
Bontempo, Fitzroy
Bontempo has burst on to the pizza scene with a huge splash (or flame). This is the perfect place to go for a casual meal; not only is the pizza top notch but the fit out is modern and the drinks are super affordable. The Bont pizza is spectacular and one of the best pizzas in Melbourne and the pizza dough is superbly light and airy in Naples style from the imported pizza oven.
From the team behind South Yarra institution Fratellino, Bontempo (meaning ‘good time’ in Italian) is a smart, modern Italian eatery specialising in quality wood-fire pizza and pasta.
We recommends the eponymous The Bont, with whiskey-infused Western Plains pulled-pork, fresh basil, garlic, sage, tomato and mozzarella. Or the Salsicce e Funghi with pork and fennel sausage, mushrooms, garlic, parsley and mozzarella. The smallgoods are supplied by good friend Mick Nunn at Salt Kitchen Charcuterie in Ballarat.
And we love The Fitzroy - a top notch pizza with stand out ingredients and pizza base featuring tomato, mozzarella, ham, hot salami, mushrooms, capsicum, olives, onion, pineapple and oregano.This is one I would come back to - a Naples style pizza but with a generous amount of ingredients - and it works. We have reached peak Melbourne when a pizza is named after Fitzroy.
400 Gradi, Brunswick East, other locations
A Slice of Rome by Il Pizzaiolo,Thornbury
Son of a Pizzaiolo (SOP) in Thornbury is the masterstroke of brothers Frank and Roque Romano, and resounds with pizza savvy. On a cold winter's day there's nothing better than the warmth of Italian hospitality and rustic cuisine. In a sea of sameness SOP stands out with standout wood oven pizza.
Be impressed by a warm and inviting restaurant with pizza that excites. Choosing a pizza from a tempting array of excellent looking pizzas is not an easy task. First world problems. We usually enjoy a Prosciutto pizza but this time we were drawn to the Gamberi seafood pizza; cooked on a wood fire with Neapolitan base. The Gambero featured Napoli sauce, Fior De Latte, baby spinach, prawns, Blue Swimmer crab meat, Grada padano, and chilli oil. We don't judge pizzas by the amount of ingredients (some Italian styles have relatively scarce ingredients) but this was a sensational cacophony of taste. As we were eating two main dishes we were supposed to "pace ourselves" but I couldn't put this pizza down.
The pizza was simply top notch with standout large prawns, sweet crab meat, kick of chilli oil and pools of Grada Padano. The dough was delicious in itself. We find some of the pizzas in Melbourne are quite similar but this Gambero pizza arrested our attention.
Baby Pizza, Richmond
Baby Pizza is another fab restaurant that is part of the Lucas Group and it delivers in terms of pizza (and other rustic dishes). Baby offers a delightful range of pizzas featuring quality produce and savvy skill in the kitchen.
We also love the convivial vibe and natural light during the day.
Pizza is king but pastas and other Italian style dishes also feature. Image Baby Facebook.
And who doesn't love a Calzone?
DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar, Carlton, Southbank, St Kilda
DOC is a standout when it comes to all things Italian cuisine, and shines with its traditional pizza. DOC is one of the forerunners of the pizza revolution since 1997. Check out Pizza Speck with smoked prosciutto or the Pizza Tiger Prawns or the Pizza Salsiccia with the DOC pork sausage. Here is one of their pizzas (with truffle) we enjoyed at the Lavazza Italian Film Festival. DOC respect tradition and produce pizzas with perfect base, quality ingredients and cooked to perfection in the wood oven in Italian style. Images below: DOC Instagram.
+39 Pizzeria , Little Bourke Street
Having walked past a packed +39 Pizzeria several times I had to see what it was all about. It’s been years now since I gave up eating run of the mill pizza. I refuse to go down the road of cheap pizza without gourmet style, taste and presentation.
Call me a pizza snob if you like but I rather eat the cardboard of some of the pizzas I’ve been exposed to. Here at +39 Pizzeria it’s all pizza class and style. It’s also about the experience – dining in is wonderful. The places buzzes mostly with office types. Who knows how many deals have been done in +39 Pizzeria.
How cool that the name bears a reference to the international dialing code of Italy.
Image: +39 Pizzeria Instagram. Now, every time I need to dial Italy, I need only think of this pizza joint in Little Bourke St for the code. Can someone start a restaurant referencing the code for South Africa, as I seem to be ringing there quite a bit…
My favourite is the Cappriciosa Italiana with tomato, mozzarella, artichokes, olives, leg ham and mushroom. So delish. The artichokes being a highlight.
They get the base right. They get the flavour combinations right. They get the cheese right.
Image: +39 Pizzeria. You can choose some great pasta dishes, salads, ciabatta and piadinas. As for desserts, the Tiramisu is labelled “Best in Melbourne.” Or try the sweet pizza.
Love the brick walls and the large door. Love the fans. Love the concrete floor. Love the large windows. Love the use of metal. Love the marble counter. Love the boards, one with the caption “Pizza is the new black.”
The pizzas are reasonably priced. The service is friendly and attentive.
The ambience is great. Like Italy it exudes character, expression and loud conversation. So good.
Il Caminetto, Moonee Ponds
Il Caminetto was recently awarded best 50 pizza in Asia-Pacific and top 10 Australia by @50toppizza. The pizza here is a revelation with extraordinary dough, quality ingredients and flavor combinations, char on the crust, and generous. Is there any better pizza in Melbourne?
The pasta dishes are also top notch and you understand that Il Caminetto is more than (just) a pizza restaurant, it shines in all areas.
A25, South Yarra, Docklands, CBD
South Yarra and Dockland’s popular crazy pizza place, A25 is extending its unique Italian fare to the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, continuing to deliver the brand’s contemporary twist on traditional favourites.
Taking prime placement on the bustling corner of Lonsdale Street and Hardware Lane, the city A25 will have a focus toward Italian coffee and ‘on-the-go’ breakfast offerings, created for early-morning CBD workers and residents. The glass encased front window cabinet will showcase a mouth-watering abundance of Italian pastries like custard bombolonis, as well as more savoury bites like paninis filled with pancetta and egg and porchetta and Italian apple slaw.
Restaurateur, Remo Nicolini has devised a ‘traderne’ menu alongside industry stalwart, Raymond Capaldi, delivering a mix of traditional and modern cuisine. For the new venue, it’s all about quality dough. The duo has experimented with innovative fermentation methods to produce pizzas that are yeast free, light and easy to digest.
Frequently Asked Questions – Best Pizza in Melbourne
What is the best style of pizza in Melbourne?
Melbourne’s pizza scene is most strongly influenced by Neapolitan-style pizza, known for its soft, airy crust, leopard-spotted char, and simple high-quality toppings. However, the city also excels in New York-style slices, Roman-style pinsa, and modern artisan interpretations that blend local Australian produce with Italian tradition.
Where can you find the most authentic Neapolitan pizza in Melbourne?
Authentic Neapolitan pizza in Melbourne is typically found at wood-fired pizzerias that follow traditional methods - high-hydration dough, long fermentation, and blistered crusts cooked at very high temperatures. Many of the city’s most respected pizzerias are run by chefs who trained in Naples or Italy, bringing strict authenticity to their craft.
What makes Melbourne pizza different from other cities?
Melbourne pizza stands out for its diversity and quality obsession. While staying rooted in Italian tradition, Melbourne chefs aren’t afraid to innovate - using local Victorian produce, premium Australian meats, and seasonal ingredients. The result is a pizza culture that balances authenticity with creativity at a world-class level.