The best pizza in Melbourne right now

From the team behind Bar Liberty, Capitano pulls influence from New York and Italy but is undeniably Melbourne. The sourdough pizza base, made with flour from SA, is fermented for 48 hours, rested for six and baked in an electric oven, giving it a light, blistered, crunchy, pliable and complex crust. In addition to your standard pies you’ll also find Roman-style pizza al taglio, which are baked in large rectangular trays and are arguably the eatery’s biggest draw.

Our pick: The 'Roni Square (tomato, pepperoni, pickled chilli). 

Expect a queue and charismatic Italian staff at DOC, which boasts outposts around Victoria plus one in Sydney. Thin crust pizzas are pumped out promptly and feature traditional toppings with a twist: see the verdant Salsiccia, combining broccoli cream, mozzarella and housemade pork sausage, or the Pomodoro with yellow tomatoes, anchovies, Ligurian olives and capers.

Our pick: The Pizza Tonno (San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, Italian tuna fillets, red onions and Pantelleria capers). 

With its rustic charm and dependable Neapolitan-style pizzas, Kaprica has been a local favourite for years, even after migrating to Grattan Street. Their bases are simply dressed, cooked to order and served up alongside Melbourne's favourite gnocchi and many varieties of Campari-kissed cocktails.

Our pick: the Mario (tomato, mozzarella, red onion, chilli, pancetta and parmesan).

The equally irreverent sibling to Leonard’s House of Love in South Yarra, Leonardo’s is more spaghetti western than Neapolitan puritan. The pizzas follow suit, the New York-style pies going fatter on the base with plenty of spongy chew and char. Forget the keto diet until tomorrow – this is a supremely bready kind of place. The kind where a side of ranch sauce arrives with pizza (you know… for crust dipping) and appetisers like crostini dominate the starters list.

Our pick: The pork and fennel sausage (Gary's pork and fennel sausage, garlic oil, cheese blend, sage and parmesan). 

As a past winner of the World Pizza Championships with locations scattered around Melbourne, you’d expect 400 Gradi to know what they’re doing. And they do. With the pizza oven cranked up to 400 degrees, the bases are chewy and puffed up around the edges. It’s a beautiful canvas for the Frutti de mare, where scallops, prawns and mussels unite harmoniously on a tomato base.

Our pick: The Margherita Verace, awarded World’s Best Pizza (San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, basil, extra virgin olive oil).

The neon sign hanging at Boss Pizzeria reads ‘Eat Like A Boss!’. Challenge accepted. Camberwell has a new Italian player in town and they’re dishing out woodfired pizzas for sit-down meals and takeaway dinners. The old favourites such as cheesy margherita and capricciosa are here, but they’re trying something different with options including the zucca pizza – which has roasted pumpkin, smoked buffalo mozzarella, san marzano tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, rocket and basil.

Named after the international dialling code for Italy (since you asked), +39 is loud, crowded and often heaving with tourists. But don’t let that deter you – you won’t be doing much talking when these doughy delights hit the table. They’re loaded up with toppings like Wagyu +9 bresaola on a white base, and if that’s not enough for you, you can also tack on sides of stracciatella, sugo or pesto for crust-dipping.

Our pick: The +39 (sausage, mascarpone, prosciutto and fior di latte).

Compass might not be an award-winning pizza joint, but its old-school charm makes it the sort of place you'd rely on for a quick takeaway or mid-week dinner down the road. It’s also the perfect fuel for its popular Thursday trivia night, and options like gluten-free bases and vegan cheese at no extra charge make it suitable for the whole crew.

Our pick: The potato pizza (potato, caramelised onion, rosemary, leek, mozzarella and taleggio).

At SPQR, the owners’ love for food and music converge to make for an all-encompassing sensory dining experience. At their CBD flagship, the tunes are pumping and the pizzas come quick, served on a delightfully blistered Neapolitan-style base. But if you can’t be bothered venturing into the city to try it, they’ve also introduced their offering to Mont Albert.

Our pick: The Amatrice (guanciale, chilli, confit garlic and pecorino).

According to A25, "pizza is sexy", and we're certainly not going to argue. Owner Remo Nicolini has pizza running through his veins – his brother Tony Nicolini owns the DOC restaurants. Remo shakes things up a bit with an impressive selection of vegan options, including a spin on their signature Man’s Man, made with three types of mock meat.

Our pick: The Polpette (Wagyu beef meatballs, roasted peppers, truffle mayo, tomato sugo, fior di latte and fresh chilli). 

With numerous awards under its belt including number one pizzeria in the Asia Pacific for 2022, this spot takes pizza seriously and it shows. It’s named for the amount of time the natural dough takes to rise which results in a tender, flavourful crust paired with just the right ratio of toppings. There’s no bad option and as you might expect, they take every element of pizza preparation very seriously here. 

Our pick: The Di Parma, named the number one pizza in the Australia Pizza World Championships 2019 (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fior di latte, prosciutto di Parma, Italian buffalo mozzarella, rocket and Grana Padano). 

From the team behind Preston’s Takeaway Pizza, another top slice contender, Dom’s is a hidden gem tucked away on the top end of Swanston Street. It doubles as a rooftop bar but the pies, which boast interesting combos like ghost pepper salami and pineapple salsa, are just as big a draw. And the sizable yet affordable natural wine list doesn’t hurt, either.

Our pick: Mortadella and honey (fermented honey, deli sliced mortadella, thyme on a red base). 

Moor’s Head began as a small operation running out of its sibling venue, Rumi. Now, it’s a fully fledged restaurant serving some of the best pizzas in the north. Here, they’re mostly inspired by manoushé, a Lebanese flatbread topped with complementary fixings like hummus, spiced smoked beef, olives and sumac. The boat-shaped pides are also well worth a try.

Our pick: Keanu Reeves (roasted cauliflower, red onion, haloumi, shanklish, raisins and lemon). 

Freddy's is your go-to when you're craving a slice of 'za Southside. Using premium ingredients and a modern approach to pizza flavour combos, the kitchen here will impress with thirteen different options to choose from. How about the 'Danny Zuko' with San Marzana tomato, sopressa salami, fior di latte, red peppers, gooey gorgonzola and basil? Or 'The Brothers Martelli' with tiger prawns, nonno's pancetta, rucola and chilli for a bit of spice and seafood? With a perpetually heaving vibe, sexy lighting and big flavours all 'round, Freddy's has you covered for a proper pizza night out on the town. 

11 Inch Pizza's cosy Little Collins Street restaurant is the perfect CBD spot for soul-satisfying Italian-style pizza with welcoming service and extensive options for fussy palates. Try a capricciosa with smoked ham, mushrooms, fior di latte and black olives, or a juicy salsiccia with cherry tomatos, pork sausage, balsamic shallots and provoline. You'll also find plenty of veg and gluten-free options on the menu, plus housemade calzone and desserts.

The aptly named Pizza Meine Liebe has taken the hearts and bellies of Northcote locals, not just for its Tuesday BYO offering but also the namesake dish. They top the thin and crisp bases with choice ingredients like air-cured meats, seasonal vegetables and delicious cheese combos for the ultimate stretch. Local's tip: you can order a pizza from Joe's Shoe Store next door if you're after a cocktail.

Our pick: The Greenpeace (mozzarella, taleggio, silverbeet, broccoli, parmesan and lemon). 

This is a pizza joint that's been doing God's work every weekend by offering Fitzroy's late-night stragglers with warm slices of pizza past midnight. Open until 2.30am on Friday and Saturday, Shawcross's by-the-slice pizzas are just the right amount of greasy, and there's even a vego/vegan option for the meat-averse. Ask for local favourites like the take on the margherita dubbed the Fat Tony. Or if you’re planning a party, go for the 22-inch monster pizza.

Our pick: The USA Today (pepperoni, mozzarella and oregano). 

In America, the way you like your pizza says more about you than pretty much anything else. Thin crust or deep dish? Eaten flat, folded in half, with a knife and fork or dipped in sauce? Thankfully, we're not in America and at this new spot on Brunswick Street, you can eat your 'za however you like, sans judgment. Deep End specialises in three of the most distinct types of American-style pizzas: New York-style thin crust, Detroit-style square crust and Chicago-style deep dish.

Our pick: Caps + Chokes (confit garlic, mozzarella, artichoke heart, roast capsicum, gorgonzola dolce and parsley). 

Sal's is probably the only pizzeria in Melbourne that can lay claim to serving an authentic New York slice. Despite its Kiwi heritage, it's actually a branch of the New York pizzeria established back in the 1970s in Little Neck, Queens. The team have since brought resident pie maker Brian Leo to Melbourne to ensure its prime product stays true to form.

Our pick: The Nonna (marinara sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil, baked twice with fresh garlic and EVOO). 

Here’s the thing about vegan cheese: it’s often terrible. With the exception of a select few brands, cruelty-free dairy treats are often either tasteless lumps of playdoh or rubbery strips with a chemical tang. How glorious, then, to pick up a slice of fresh-out-the-woodfired-oven margherita and bite into a dollar-sized dollop of creamy white fior di latte sitting atop a tangy, slightly-sweet San Marzano tomato base. The crust: thin, lightly charred, with just the right amount of chew. The pizza: entirely vegan.

Our pick: The Patatas Bravas (smoky tomato base, potato, chorizo, dairy-free parmesan and chipotle aioli). 

The crew behind popular South Yarra joint Fratellino sticks to what they do best at sister eatery Bontempo in Fitzroy. Bontempo specialises in Neapolitan-style woodfired pizzas with light, thin bases that still manage to ferry the toppings to your mouth without redesigning the front of your shirt. The warehouse-style eatery has a serviceable pasta list but the piping hot slices are what you’re really here for. 

Our pick: Salsicce and Fungi (mozzarella, mushroom, pork and fennel sausage, garlic and parsley). 

You don’t have to book an international flight for an authentic taste of New York. If you close your eyes, this bayside joint will transport you straight to the streets of Brooklyn with hearty pies topped with regionally specific ingredients. If you can’t stomach a full pie (or want to try a bit of everything), most are available by the slice.

Our pick: The Bobby Paesan (provolone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, spicy nduja and Mike's Hot Honey). 

After gaining a cult following for its (notably pizza-free) Italian fare, the Di Stasio team opened up their very first pizzeria in Carlton last year – and they’re not doing things by halves. The art-inspired venue is far more luxe than your standard slice shop with no pizza under $30 and many hovering around the $50 mark – including an electrifying lobster-topped number.

Our pick: Mastunicola All’aragosta Pizza (fior di latte, lobster, lard and herbs). 

Sustainability is the word at Green Acre, which slings a mostly meatless range of pizzas plus an Australian-centric beer and wine list. It’s from the team behind Small Print Pizza in Prahran but things are far more specialised here with a number of vegan options including a drool-worthy mock salami.

Our pick: The pumpkin (caramelised onion, pumpkin, sage, vegan feta, crushed pistachios and dairy-free mozzarella).