First Look: The Pizza Is Fried at New Surry Hills Diner Pizza Fritta 180
You’re in good hands: the chef has been making these cheesy bundles since he was 11. Plus there are fried desserts, such as Nutella calzones and doughnuts made-to-order and sprinkled with cinnamon.
Meet Pizza Fritta 180, a casual eatery on the corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets opened by Luigi Esposito, the founder of Sydney pizza institution Via Napoli. It takes its name – and menu – from one of Naples’s oldest street foods: flash-fried pizza. (The “180” refers to the temperature of the oil in which the pizza is fried.)
Fried for one minute, pizza fritta is crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle. Esposito uses his nonna’s recipe, which he’s been perfecting since he was 11 years old.
“I grew up making pizza fritta in Naples,” he tells Broadsheet. “It’s how I spent my childhood. I would yell in the street to tell everyone we were cooking, and I would take orders and then deliver them on foot.”
Each golden bundle is topped or filled with one of eight combinations of Italian ingredients, including three fillings named after Esposito’s daughters. Elena is a mix of pork, provolone, ricotta and pepper; Allegra comes with ’nduja (a spreadable, spicy Italian salami), ricotta, caciocavallo (curd cheese) and tomato; and Chiara is a classic combo of tomato, mozzarella, pepper and basil.
“We want you to sit with the pizza in your hand and relax, and enjoy it,” says Esposito. (Pizza fritta is like a fried calzone.) “It’s made for you to hold.”
If you’re super hungry, go for a large; if you’re moderately hungry, make it a small (known in Naples as a “half-moon”).
There’s also a snacky option called montanare which, according to Esposito, is “like a doughnut” and topped with one or two ingredients. Here those toppings include salsiccia (sausage) and friarielli (broccoli rabe), and the vegetarian-friendly eggplant parmigiana. If you’d like even more fried food for dessert, there’s the Graffe Napoletane (a traditional doughnut fried-to-order and sprinkled with cinnamon); a Nutella calzone; and bombolone filled with strawberry and cream.
The Italian-leaning drinks list includes the usual suspects, such as Aperol Spritzes and Negronis, as well as a very refreshing Limoncello Spritz. There’s also a tight selection of wines.
Unlike many Italian restaurants in Australia, the 50-seater takes its design cues from the light and breezy Amalfi coast. Think blues, whites and yellows in place of red-and-white tablecloths and dark wood. A mural depicting Esposito as a child cooking with his nonna (by Bondi-based artist Silly Pear) backdrops blonde timber furniture, rows of limoncello and decorative plates in bright colours.
Outside, the same artist has painted an oversized image of Sophia Loren whipping up pizza fritta as she did in Vittorio De Sica’s 1954 film The Gold of Naples. There’s also a bunch of outdoor seating, so you can people-watch as you eat.
“On this corner, I feel like we’re part of what’s becoming a Little Italy,” says Esposito. “There’s Gelato Messina across the road and The Dolphin Hotel just a couple doors up. It’s the right place for Pizza Fritta.”
Pizza Fritta 180 opens on February 25.
Pizza Fritta 180
428 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Hours:
Daily 12pm–late
pizzafritta180.com.au
Deep-fried pizza has arrived in Sydney and where have you been all my life
The Neapolitan street food comes stuffed with San Marzano tomatoes and stringy Italian cheese.
Pizza, but deep-fried – that’s the genius idea behind Surry Hills’ soon-to-open Italian bar and eatery, Pizza Fritta 180.
The new Crown Street venue ditches the oven-baked slices for two different types of fried pizza. The first is pocketed with ingredients calzone-style, then bathed in hot oil until golden and crispy. The second, called montanara, is made from a deep-fried base finished with various toppings. Like all the best snacks, it’s designed to be eaten one-handed with a cold beer or Aperol spritz in the other.
Owner Luigi Esposito, who also runs nearby pizzeria Via Napoli, said: “I want to bring classic Naples to the streets of Surry Hills with a casual restaurant and bar where diners can enjoy the custom of eating fried pizza with their hands in a fun and friendly setting. The bite size menu has been passed down through generations from the Esposito family, down to the finest ingredients which have been imported from Naples.”
Traditional toppings include salami, provolone, tomatoes, pork cheek, mushroom, and fresh ricotta, while the dolce menu features a gooey Nutella pizza fritta, as well as graffa, an Italian take on the hot cinnamon doughnut.
Pizza Fritta is slated to open late February at 428 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It opens Mon-Sun, 12pm-late. For more details, head to @pizzafritta180.
The Team Behind Surry Hills’ Iconic Pizzeria Via Napoli Launch Pizza Fritta 180
The Crown Street stalwart is set to be joined by Pizza Fritta 180, a lively new Italian bar and eatery opening its doors in late February 2020.
Lovers of authentic woodfired pizza have come to adore Surry Hills’ bustling Via Napoli Pizzeria. Serving up traditional Neapolitan wood-fired pies, punters happily queue for hours on busy weekend nights to devour the venue’s iconic 5-metre long pizzas (along with a glass of wine). But in 2020, Via Napoli Surry Hills is set to be joined by a daring new player, bringing a modern Italian classic to Sydney diners.
Say ciao to Pizza Fritta 180, the brainchild of Via Napoli’s Founder and Head Chef Luigi Esposito. This new Italian bar and eatery is dubbed as the cheeky little sister to the original outpost, taking inspiration from the traditional Neapolitan dishes of Luigi’s childhood. Get ready to be transported to the lively backstreets of Naples with a curated menu of traditional ‘pizza frittas’ and authentic pasta dishes. The signature menu item here is set to be the pizza fritta, a deep-fried pizza dish similar to the calzone, with the finest ingredients sourced from Naples and cheese folded inside. The best bit? These are designed to be eaten in one hand, making these the perfect dish to accompany an Aperitvo hour spritz.
It’s a fun and friendly space designed for casual dining with friends and family. For first time visitors, make sure to try the ‘Nonna Rosa’, filled with salame, provola e pomodoro and ricotta as well as the ‘Pizza Elena’ filled with succulent pork cheek with provola and creamy ricotta. Searching for vegan and vegetarian options? You’ve come to the right place with plenty of vego-friendly dishes to choose from. Plus, make sure to dig into the Nutella Calzone or sample the ‘Graffa’, the Italian cousin of a hot cinnamon doughnut.
Gather your crew and grab a seat alfresco to dine like the Italians at Pizza Fritta 180, launching late February 2020. Open Mon to Sun from 12pm till late.
Where To Get The The Best Pizza In Sydney
From the most staunch Neapolitan puritans to the dough-based risk-takers, with not a soggy crust in sight.
Is there a better meal than pizza? Probably not.
If you’re anything like us, you like pizza so much that even when you’re eating pizza you wish you were eating pizza. No matter your topping of choice or preference for crust-thickness, we’ve rounded up the city’s best pizzaiolos who blend tradition with creativity, bringing you pizza that’s beyond your gourmet dreams. Can we get a 'mamma mia'?
Gigi Pizzeria
Location: 379 Kings St, Newtown
The Rundown: Good pizza doesn’t have to include animal products. Just ask Gigi’s owner and pizzaiolo, Marco Mattino. Here you’ll get your traditional Neapolitan pizzas…just without the cheese or meat.
Must Try: The flavour combinations Mattino has come up with are truly inspiring, but we can’t go past Gigi’s traditional marinara, with tomato, oregano, and garlic. So simple and so freakin’ good.
Hours: Daily 6pm – 10.30pm
Website: gigipizzeria.com.au
Pizza Frita 180
Location: 428 Crown Street, Surry Hills
The Rundown: The clue is in the name. Founded by Luigi Esposito, Founder and Head Chef at Via Napoli, Pizza Frita is offering up a redefined interpretation on the culinary art form by focusing on Pizza Fritas: smaller, deep-fried pizzas that have all the ingredients folded inside to make a gooey, unctuous pocket of flavour.
Must Try: The Fritta takes on Via Napoli's faithfully rendered classics are a must, like the ‘Nonna Rosa’ which is filled with salame, provola e pomodoro and ricotta. Also indulge in the ‘Montanara’, a small, round flash-fried pizza loved for its crunchy and airy texture.
Hours: TBA
Website: instagram.com/pizzafritta180
Lucio Pizzeria
Locations:Darlinghurst, Zetland
The Rundown: Classic Italian pizza, prepared by the pizza master. The menu list here keeps it true to the Italian palette, with your Margheritas, marinaras and diavolas.
Must Try: Named after the chef and owner Lucio de Falco, the 'Lucio' is a half-and-half. Half a regular Margherita on a thin-base, the other half is a mouth-watering ham-and-ricotta calzone.
Hours: Daily 11.30am – 10pm
Website: luciopizzeria.com.au/zetland/
Rosso Antico
Location: Shop 2, 52-60 Enmore Road, Newtown
The Rundown: For some reason, there’s a belief that the crust is the worst part of the pizza. Perhaps that is the case for some. But at Rosso Antico, this is nothing more than a misconception as the swollen crusts, with the taste of char and salt, being so damn good you could eat them with no toppings at all.
Must Try: The margherita is such a basic pizza but when you come here, you realise why this classic is hard to turn down. The base is adorned with cheese, a delightful tomato base and fresh basil.
Hours: Monday to Sunday 6pm – 10.30pm.
Website: rossoanticopizzabar.com.au
Rosso Pomodoro
Locations: Bondi Junction, Balmain
The Rundown: Ok, it might not seem authentically Italian to use an electric oven, but this tiny little shop succeeds in producing quality, traditional pizza that is a slice of heaven. Electric oven aside, the rules here are strict. Don’t even think about ordering a ham-and-pineapple or a half-and-half unless you want to be laughed at.
Must Try: The 'patate e salsiccia' might be difficult to pronounce, but it is glorious. With cheese, Italian sausages, potatoes and rosemary – if you're not drooling already, just wait 'til it's placed in front of you.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 5.30pm – 10pm.
Website: rossopomodoro.com.au
Secolo Dining
Location: 161 Castlereagh Street, Sydney
The Rundown: If you time your arrival right, you might just see the production line of people making pasta. It makes for an entertaining evening, and the pizza here is top notch, all made in the Neapolitan pizza oven.
Must Try: Secolo Dining boasts an all-day-eating menu but it’s Southern Italian dishes are our favourite. Try the 'porchetta foccacio', a flat pizza-like bread loaded with suckling pig, grilled eggplant, cos and mayo.
Hours: Monday to Wednesday 6.30am – 5pm; Thursday and Friday 6.30am – 10pm
Website: secolodining.com.au
Vacanza
Location: 414 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
The Rundown: Once Bronte’s favourite pizza parlour, the Surry Hills arm boasts the same jovial atmosphere but is slightly more pared back. Similarly, the simple menu (iwith eight pizzas on offer) means the focus is on preparation and the finest ingredients. Oh, and did we mention there’s a mozzarella bar?
Must Try: Order the 'Brandi' – san marzano tomatoes, Campania Garofalo buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil.
Hours: Monday to Thursday 5.30pm – 11pm; Friday to Sunday 12pm – 3.30pm; 5.30pm – 11pm
Website: vacanza.com.au
Via Napoli
Locations: Lane Cove, Surry Hills, Hunters Hill
The Rundown: The home of the metre-long pizza, Via Napoli boasts an impressive menu and one of the best pizza crusts you’ll find in Sydney. The crust here is blistered and puffy and perfectly balances the traditional toppings.
Must Try: We know anchovies tend to divide audiences, but if you’re a fan you must try the Napoletana pizza. The sweet buffalo mozzarella is the perfect complement to the peppery capers, anchovies and olives.
Hours: Monday to Thursday 5pm – 10pm; Friday to Sunday 12pm – 10pm.
Website: vianapolipizzeria.com.au
Da Mario
Location: 36 Morley Avenue, Roseberry
The Rundown: Classic Italian cooking, at its very best. Simple as that.
Must Try: The 'Salamino' is a cheese-and-sausage pizza unlike any you've experienced before. With a thin, charred base covered in melted mozzarella, ricotta and spiced up with crisp curls of salami, it's soft and rich, runny yet crunchy and every other mouth-watering sensation you could wish for.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 12pm-3pm; 5pm-9.30pm
Website: damario.com.au
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Disclaimer: We endeavour to keep our Directory listings as up to date to date as possible, but on occasion details may change. If you spot any discrepancies before we do, please drop us a line at [email protected].
Pizza Fritta 180 brings fried pizza and pasta to Crown Street
Luigi Esposito, the man behind the pizza many judge the best Neapolitan-style in Sydney, has snared a site on Crown and Foveaux where he'll open late next month with a new concept.
Pizza Fritta, a staple of Naples, will be the backbone of the menu at Pizza Fritta 180.
The pizzaiolo says the romance and simplicity of making and consuming the flash-fried pizza is captured beautifully by Sophia Loren's character in the 1954 film The Gold of Naples.
"The 180 [in the Pizza Fritta 180 moniker] is the temperature of the oil we cook at," Esposito explains.
It'll open on the same side of the street as the Maurice Terzini-fronted Dolphin Hotel and across from Jared Merlino's Bartolo and Eugenio Maiale's Flour Eggs Water.
Esposito, who owns traditional Sydney pizza outfit Via Napoli, will open Pizza Fritta 180 in the former site of In the Doghouse cafe.
The menu won't be exclusively cooked in oil, but its owner says deep-fried pasta will be on the menu.
What it's like to dine in Sydney as restaurants reopen
It’s a cold, wet Friday in Sydney. The kind of evening ideal for eating too much food in front of the television, rather than hitting the city for cocktails and cheese platters. However, the vast majority of open restaurants are at full capacity, and more than a few venues have a line of well-dressed customers at the door.
“Tonight is the first chance we’ve had to head out for dinner in months,” says 28-year-old Luke Holland, hands buried in a trench coat while waiting outside Pizza Fritta 180 in Surry Hills.
“I mean, it’s the first time anyone has been able to head out for dinner. There was no way my partner and I were staying home.”
When NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced cafes and restaurants could reopen with up to 10 diners at a time from May 15, many venues opening their reservations line were booked out for the weekend within 24 hours. (Bondi’s Corner House restaurant and bar has reported a waitlist of more than 4000 people keen to hire whole establishment for themselves and nine mates.)
The challenge for restaurant operators isn’t so much to attract customers during stage one of coronavirus restriction easing, but to maintain a warm atmosphere while social distancing rules and strict hygiene measures are in place.
For The Gantry at Walsh Bay’s Pier One Hotel, this involves enlisting a “hand sanitiser sommelier”.
“This is our east coast distillery sanitiser cart,” the sommelier explains to The Sun-Herald, presenting a drinks trolley of antibacterial handwash made by some of Australia’s best booze companies.
“Can I interest you in smelling the sanitisers before making a decision? The Brookie’s Gin one is my favourite.”
Little David Jones-style perfume sniffing strips are provided for guests to dip in the bottles and explore the selection.
Dining out while the coronavirus remains a threat is anything but normal, but safety is paramount. Gantry staff pour wine wearing latex gloves and diners are asked to pick up their own cutlery, napkin and glass from a tableside tray – essentially setting the table themselves.
There are no gloves on waitstaff at Surry Hills’ modern Indian restaurant Don’t Tell Aunty, but the Herald counts six sanitiser bottles at various stations around the dining room. Tables are wiped with a strong-smelling disinfectant between sittings.
“Many of the health guidelines from the NSW government are not black and white – you have to make your own judgements and use common sense,” says Don’t Tell Aunty’s owner-chef Jessi Singh.
“We’re encouraging staff to download the COVIDSafe app and checking their temperature when they come to work. If any customers are walking in without a booking, we’re taking their details should they need to be contacted.
“I think it’s much better to be paranoid than relaxed about the situation.”
By 5:30pm at Don’t Tell Aunty, four tables (spaced safely apart) are occupied by couples for the restaurants first dinner service in two months and everyone has a cocktail. One diner has poured their third glass of wine by 6pm, which is around the same time two late arrivals are seated.
“I feel bad for the late couple because now they only have one hour to eat,” says restaurant manager Varan Sawhney. “But it’s important to be strict with sitting times – we have another group of 10 diners arriving at 7pm.”
At Aqua Dining in Milsons Point, Bill Drakopoulos is offering three 90 minute sittings, seven nights a week, so he can afford to open the restaurant without raising the price of food.
“It’s a bit of a punt,” says the veteran restaurateur. “A restaurant should really only have two sittings in an evening. The big thing for us tonight has been to serve people on time and say ‘guys, we would love to have you stay longer, but this is how we’re approaching the current situation’.
“Everyone has been great about it. People are just glad to get out of the house and celebrate – we even had a wedding anniversary earlier. A lot of people have said ‘this is the last place we dined at before lockdown and we wanted it to be the first restaurant we returned to’.”
There are many advantages to dining out with only 10 customers in a restaurant. Food arrives promptly, a window seat is all but guaranteed, and glasses are never empty thanks to highly focused floor staff.
On the flipside, a hushed atmosphere means it’s easier to notice bad music and song repeats. (Has Slade’s Cum On Feel the Noize ever been called for twice in one night?) If a couple three tables over chooses to have a domestic, that argument going to travel through the whole dining room, no matter how whispered the row may be.
However, as Drakopoulos says, “it’s very exciting to be back”.
“This isn’t a profitable model at the moment, but that’s OK. There are things more important than money. We’re just happy to serve the community once again.”
