PIZZA ESPRESSO - Finally With Pictures

17 Macendon Rd, Templestowe Lower - ph (03) 9852 2333

I've bloged about Pizza Espresso before, but didn't include any pictures, so felt compelled to include another post with pictures of my favourite pizza in Melbourne.

Pizza Espresso is not a flash venue in a posh address, but they do serve amazing wood fire pizza beautifully crafted by their pizzaiollos right in front of you.

The base is thin and crispy, the toppings are made with very good Italian ingredients - it's simple and it's good. I've lost count of the number of times I've been to this place and have never been disappointed with the food or the service.

Now, to the pizzas. We start with a simple focaccia topped with olive oil, salt and garlic. It's a good way to open our appetite.

Focaccia with olive oil, salt and garlic - large ($11.50)

Next we order two large savoury pizzas to share: Del Cornuto - tomato, mozzarella, ham, salami, roasted peppers and onions and one of the daily specials Melanzane e Zucchini - tomato, mozzarella, eggplant and zucchini.

Del Cornuto - tomato, fior de latte mozzarella, ham, salami, roasted peppers and onions ($20)

Both pizzas are really light and subtle and taste great. Pizza Espresso always use fior de latte mozzarella on their pizzas, which is a really light type of fresh cheese made with fresh milk. It melts on the pizza and gives it an icreadibly creamy texture.

Melanzane e Zucchini - tomato, fior de latte mozzarella, eggplant and zucchini ($18)

I've read some reviews about Pizza Espresso where people were complaining on the prices. I honestly think that about $20 for a large pizza that uses such good quality ingredients is actually quite a bargain. The place is also BYO and charges $2 corkage, so we generally bring a nice bottle of red wine to go with our meal.

Now to the dessert pizzas - that's right - DESSERT pizzas! The nutella calzone is our favourite. Basically, it's the same pizza base filled with nutella, folded over and baked in the wood fire. The result is a crispy mini calzone filled with melted nutella, served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. So evil, yet soooooo gooooood.

Nutella calzone ($9.50)

Inside the calzone - gooey nutella

I seriously urge all Melbournian readers to check this place out - it is worth a visit!