Over the years it’s been a hotly contested debate…who makes the best pizza in Ipswich?
Over the last decade there’s been an abundance of restaurants, cafes and pizzerias that have popped up, offering locals and tourists everything from wood-fired pizzas to rustic pizzas, and even once so big you can feed a family with the one pizza, and right now, there’s never been a better time to be a pizza lover.
When you think about it, pizza is the perfect dish. Fresh ingredients, unlimited combinations, affordable, you can eat it with one hand, and best of all, it won’t break the bank.
All the hard work has been done for you, as here are what are widely considered the best pizzas in the Ipswich area, which are spread right across the region.
Which one will you try first?
4 Hearts Brewing – Ipswich CBD
It’s the place renowned for its beers and ciders, but right now everyone is also talking about their pizzas.
The Pumpyard Bar has been operating for six years in Ipswich, and their head chef Shawn Breen has spent months perfecting the right mix of pizzas for his hungry customers.
Shawn’s speciality, and his favourite is “The Carnivore”.
“It’s a pizza that features our 16 hour in-house smoked brisket plus a smothering of our house smokey BBQ sauce,” he said.
“I think the secret to a great pizza is using only the best in high quality ingredients and put the time how it is built. When it comes to a good pizza, structural integrity is key!
“The most heard comment from our customers is that they think our pizzas are suburb and ask for a box so they can take the rest home and enjoy it later on.”
Shawn said that he loves how Ipswich and local tourists has taken to his food.
“We have felt the love over the past 12 months, having had to make the switch to a takeaway pizza and beer shop for a few months really demonstrated the support we have from the region.
“Our favourites include The Fat Pig, Chicken Parmi, Antipasto and our Mushroom & Manchego. Pumpyard’s menus change with the seasons, so make sure you check out the menu regularly.”
See the menu at www.4heartsbrewing.com
Bakehouse Steakhouse – Ipswich CBD
Nestled under the shadow of the Aspire Building and making a big name for itself since it opened a few years ago, the team at Bakehouse Steakhouse have spent a long time perfecting their pizzas which are a big hit in the courtyard on a Friday and Saturday afternoons.
“Our philosophy is simplicity when it comes to our pizzas,” said Laura Stevenson, part of the family that runs the business. “If you overthink pizza, and make it complicated, you end up having too many toppings and they slide right off which is just so sad!
“Our pizzas are special because we keep them simple, with basic ingredients but of the highest quality. We want that produce to do the hard work.”
Bakehouse offers three tasty flavours including their speciality: a truffle ricotta and Gilly’s bacon pizza with garlic and chilli honey drizzled over it at the end.
“If you want to try our pizzas, I will always recommend a Margherita pizza to anyone,” Laura added. “It’s simple, tasty and it will never disappoint. The classics are just that for a reason. The most common response we get from customers is ‘Can I get another one please’, and we like to add a special pizza to the menu now and again to keep things fresh and interesting!”
Check out the menu at: www.bakehousesteakhouse.com
Mozzarella Fella – Booval
Nick Yilmaz is the man you’ll find behind the counter at his shop on Glebe Road in Booval.
Coming up to his sixth year in business, Nick set out to give Ipswich pizzas that were made the traditional way, with only fresh ingredients and using dough made on site.
Nick describes his pizzas as ones with “plenty of toppings, the freshest dough and made in the best Mediterranean tradition.”
Not only does Nick offer the huge 18” pizzas for the whole family, but on request, he will even make it in the shape of a love heart to impress the love of your life.
“Most of our pizzas you will not find anywhere else,” Nick said. “Every few months I play with a new idea for a pizza. All my customers become my crash test dummies to see if my idea would work. I started with maybe 10-15 pizzas on my menu, and it has spread to what I have now.”
The best sellers at Mozzarella Fella are Carnivore, BBQ chicken, Benedict, Supreme and Chicken Royale.
If you’re a first timer, talk to Nick about what you like, and he’ll come up with an option for you.
Check out the menu at: www.mozzarellafella.com.au
Perfect Pizza – Raceview or Redbank Plains
For the last ten years Henry Dang has been building a reputation for making the perfect pizza, and his customers believe that the name of his business is spot on.
“In my opinion, the secret to making a great pizza is you must make everything by yourself that is dough making, pizza sauce, selected of fresh premium qualities of topping that is available in the market,” Henry said.
“I always put my best efforts and heart into making pizza, ensuring that the pizza is value for money and that my customers are always happy.”
Henry says his most popular pizzas are his BBQ Meat Lovers, Chicken Special, Super Supreme and Hawaiian pizzas, plus his special Perfect Pizza.
A pizza that is unique to our business only is the Perfect Pizza which is a pizza where the customers is able to choose their own six toppings.
“Customers always tell me that they love the quality, and the generous toppings on our pizzas,” Henry said.
“We’ve now extended our business from Raceview and we are also in Redbank Plains which my wife Cindy has run for the last seven years, with all the same recipes and menu.
“I love making pizzas in Ipswich, everyone here is so polite and genuinely happy!”
His customers seem to agree, with both shops have perfect 5-star ratings on Google, an achievement that is proudly earned.
For more info and menus, search on Facebook for Perfect Pizza Raceview or Redbank Plains.
Big Pappas Pizza – Camira
For the last 15 years Big Pappas Pizza has been going about their business, earning one of the best reputations online for their pizzas.
With 15 staff at the shop, the team at Big Pappas believe that making a great pizza isn’t just about following a recipe and rushing to get it out.
“It takes time to handle the dough patiently and to perfect the steps in preparation, before putting the toppings on and cooking it,” said manager Ramee Rizk.
“We all have a passion for food and pizza, it’s been a part of my life for so long. I love to get creative with it and share the outcomes with the community and fellow pizza lovers.
Big Pappa’s menu include BBQ Mayo, Cheeseburger Pizza, Meatlovers and the Big Pappa’s Special.
“Our Cheeseburger Pizza is pretty unique. With beef, onion, and pickles topped with mozzarella cheese, plus swirls of mustard and tomato ketchup! If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it,” Remee said.
Check out the menu at www.bigpappaspizza.com.au
Pizza La Prima – Springfield Central
Claudio d’Andrea and his wife Madison opened their dream pizza restaurant five years ago to capitalise on the growth in Springfield, and they haven’t looked back.
Fast earning attention of foodies in the area, Claudio insists on making pizzas the way his Italian ancestors did, as he says “tradition” flows through his veins.
“I do things the traditional Italian way, and that means hand-made everything!” Claudio said. “That includes fresh bases, fresh ingredients, and made on the spot to order.
“Because we make them the traditional Italian way, I’m at work every day from 9am to 10.30pm making all the bases by hand, the pasta by hand, I cut all the ingredients and cook it so it is fresh every time! I just think it makes my pizzas taste better.”
With over 50 combinations on offer, Claudio has two menus which are split into traditional and Australian favourites, along with many gluten-free options.
One pizza that he offers is something a bit out of the ordinary, the La Prima.
“It’s ingredients are a passata base, mozzarella, French fries, a sprinkle of salt and extra virgin olive oil, many customers love that one, but if you are a first timer you can’t go past my Prosciutto e Funghi which is a passata base, mozzarella, prosciutto crudo, funghi and extra virgin olive oil. Simple, classic and delicious!”
Find out more at www.pizzerialaprima.com.au
