Bella Brutta

As it turns out, Luke Powell of LP's Quality Meats had a long-held dream of opening his own pizzeria. Mates Joseph Valore and Elvis Abrahanowicz over at Porteño had similar fancies. It just took a recent trip to the USA to seal the deal, and now Sydney's welcomed the group's first joint venture, Bella Brutta.

Taking over a King Street shopfront that's been home to many a former pizza joint, the crew has finally brought its ideas to life: a laidback 50-seater, with bar seating and a pizza oven that's just arrived from Italy.

The style of pizza served up here isn't traditional. The bases are a mix between Neapolitan and Roman style — blistered and chewy like the former, but crisp enough that it can be eaten with your hands (like the latter) — and toppings vary widely, taking their inspiration from America and across Italy (and even around the corner in Chippendale).

If you've been to LP's in Chippendale you've probably tried its house-made mortadella. And, here, you'll find it atop a a pizza ($25) with garlic and green olives. The Clam ($26) pizza, however, takes its inspiration from a bit further away — New Haven, Connecticut, to be exact. This white-based pizza is heavy on the chilli and garlic and unlike anything else we've tried in Aus.

Elsewhere on the menu, there's house-made pickles ($10), braised green beans ($12) and LP's salami ($15) to kick off the meal, and Italian doughnuts ($9) and cannoli ($6 each) to end it. Drinks lean natural and are sourced from across Australia and Italy.

Full review to come.

Images: Kitti Smallbone.

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Where to Find the Best Pizza in Sydney for 2023