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: pizza.

Today, pizzerias across Adelaide adhere to the authentic methods prescribed by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), which is widely considered the authority on traditional Neapolitan pizza making. With that in mind, I’ve visited most of the popular Adelaide spots and am fairly confident I’ve gathered a top five capable of pleasing 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’t to say it is any less authentic or excellent in quality. The portions are generous and the crust is perfectly charred. It’s also a great spot for bigger groups, so keep Antica in mind for your next outing.

4. 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’s pizzas are all delicious, and the addition of parmesan on the classic margarita gives it a salt kick that’s loved by all. Order this for your next night in and you won’t be sorry.

3. 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’s old school, and that’s a good thing, because it delivers a level of authentic quality that can be difficult to find.

2. 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 margherita was named the world’s 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’s interior warm and inviting (think polished concrete, mirrored walls, and terrazzo tables), the food—from the entrée options, to the sides, and of course, the pizza—is 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’d 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.