Whatever way you flip it, Sydney’s pizza game is strong, encompassing everything from NY-style slabs so big you can fold them in three to Neapolitan-style slices loved for their charred blisters and puffy crust. Now, there’s another pizza joint entering the chat: 170 Grammi, the sibling to Lane Cove favourite Via Napoli, is now open in Surry Hills on the corner of Crown and Foveaux streets. Don’t come expecting the same offering as Via Napoli, though. Here, chef-owner Luigi Esposito will be firing up the hand-made Italian wood-fired oven to serve Roman-style pizza, with a thin and crisp base. At 170 Grammi, each pizza is made using only 170 grams of dough (hence the name), so there’s a delicious crunch. Plus, you can eat more.
View this post on Instagram
“We’ve made them using the traditional ‘la tonda scrocchiarella Romana’ or round style that was popular in the 1950s, but which has been largely forgotten in favour of the rectangular shape people may have seen if they’ve visited Rome,” says Esposito.
There are 13 different pizza toppings on the menu – but don’t bother asking for ham and pineapple. Instead, Esposito has looked to some of Italy’s most popular pasta dishes for inspiration. So, there’s a cacio e pepe pizza and a carbonara one too, featuring a white base, pecorino Romano, guanciale, free-range egg yolk and black pepper. And the amatriciana with guanciale, pomodoro and pecorino Romano. Beyond pizza, there’s antipasti like trippa alla Romana (Roman-style tripe), borlotti beans with pork rind and bread, and a Caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and a good glug of olive oil.
Feel like something sweet? Go for the maritozzi, a traditional dessert enjoyed in Rome that features a golden brioche-style bun filled with whipped cream.
Pair your meal with a drop from the wine list, which showcases both Aussie and Italian varietals, with every bottle under $65. Or go for a cocktail. They can do all the classics, including Negronis, Americanos and a Limoncello Spritz. Who needs a Euro summer, anyway? (That’s a joke – we all do. But this could be the next best thing.)
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.