They've won awards for the best pizza in the world and the best pizza in Australia, and now a not-so-little pizzeria from Brunswick has taken the gong for the being the best in the Oceania region. 400 Gradi won the award at an event in Naples called the Top 50 Pizza Gala, where we imagine everyone walks around in Rihanna's famous 2015 Met Gala pizza dress.
The restaurant, which earlier this month announced they were opening a kiosk at Rod Laver Area, also made it into a list of the top 50 pizzerias in the world.
400 Gradi owner and chef Johnny Di Francesco said he was "truly honoured" to win the award. "Never did I think that my beginnings in pizza as a 12 year old would lead me here, to have my restaurant named not only as one of the top 50 pizzerias in the world, but as the best in Oceania.”
It's going to be a big few years ahead for the Melbourne venue. Di Francesco has lined up a collaboration with the P&O cruise liner Pacific Explorer, and has taken the Gradi brand to the Middle East with openings in Kuwait and Bahrain. And in the next 12 months, they're looking at launching in Adelaide, New Zealand and the USA.