Neapolitan-style pizza with a ‘rebellious’ twist is what you can expect from Freshwater’s new pizza shop by Bella Brutta’s former head chef. Meaning ‘rebellious’ in Italian, Ribelle is located in Freshwater village – a thong’s throw from the beach – making it a cracking option for a post-surf or swim feed. And it’s BYO (there’s a booze shop up the road), so you can settle in for an affordable dinner, too.
Freshie is a fitting spot for chef Dale Mann’s (also ex-Hartsyard, Ezra) first solo venture, given he spent his weekends growing up Surf Life Saving at Bungan Beach, also on the northern beaches.
Mann spent nearly four years at the award-winning Bella Brutta and says this is where his fascination with pizza started to grow and become an obsession. At Ribelle, the pizzas have similar blackened and charred blisters, as well as big and bold toppings, to the Newtown pizzeria, but with Mann’s own spin.
Choose from the cheese and hot garlic honey pizza with fior di latte, parmesan, pecorino, fermented honey, garlic and chilli, which pedals salty, sweet and spicy flavours. Or the Diavola with pomodoro, fior di latte, LP’s salami cotto, jalapeno fermented sauce, kalamata olives, confit garlic, parmesan and fresh long green chilli. Mann wants to keep things fresh with monthly specials, so you may also find a house-made charcuterie number on the menu, with XO sauce, fior di latte, prawns, shallots and lime juice; or a Hawaiian pizza with pineapple chutney, fior di latte, LP’s smoked leg ham, fresh pineapple and parmesan.
With grey seats and flooring, plus a butter-yellow menu on the wall, Ribelle’s fitout is unassuming. But you won’t be coming here for the decor – the pizzas are where it’s at. Dine in or pick up a couple and head to the park to enjoy by the sea.
