First Look: Enrico Sgarbossa Does Pizza Four Ways at That’s Enrico in Lobethal

To say Enrico Sgarbossa knows dough might be underselling things. The Italian-born pizzaiolo was a flour technician for Italy’s famous flour mill Molino Dalla Giovanna, where he spent four years learning from the country’s best bakers and pastry chefs. His introduction to Australian diners came with his Surry Hills pizzeria, Al Taglio, which scored a tick of approval from one of the biggest chefs in the world, Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana.

After a visit to SA, Sgarbossa saw greener pastures. He left Sydney and moved to the Adelaide Hills – a region that reminded him of his hometown, Bassano del Grappa, in the foothills of the Venetian Prealps – in 2021. After doing time at Tilbrook Estate’s cellar door, where he got Adelaide acquainted with padellino pizza, he’s opened his own restaurant in Lobethal in the charming corner site previously occupied by Hügel.

“People offered me other spaces in the city and other main streets, but I wanted something in the Hills to give this community something different and new and fresh,” Sgarbossa tells Broadsheet.

At That’s Enrico, he’s straying from his popular padellino to serve pizza four ways. Two feature sourdough bases made from 100 per cent Italian grain: thin, crisp Roman-style pizza and his “classic dough” – a little like Neapolitan but lighter and airier, fired at a lower temperature (380 degrees) and with mountainous peaks of puffier, crunchier edges (aka cornicione).

Toppings for those (and his gluten-free base) include a classic margherita (plus a vegan version with tofu emulsion); a diavola with spicy Casalingo salami and chilli; a carb-on-carb option with organic potato, creamy burrata and truffle; and a lasagne-style blanket of bolognaise and bechamel. Ingredients are largely local (from Scarfo Organics, Marino Meats and La Vera Cheese) other than the flour and certified organic tomatoes from Italy.

Then there’s Sgarbossa’s signature double-cooked dough, similar to the padellino, but baked on stone instead of in a pan, and slightly bigger. The sourdough base is made with multigrain flour featuring oat, barley and spelt. It’s par-baked first, then finished in the oven with light, simple toppings like prosciutto and burrata, and a vegan marinara.

“It’s very crunchy on the top and bottom, and light and cloudy inside, like ciabatta bread,” says Sgarbossa. “I want to give people the opportunity to eat something different and let people explore a new way to make pizza.”

There’s also a pasta of the week (first up: gnocchi alla norma), salumi and cheese, and a crowd-favourite tiramisu made by his wife and business partner, Akiha Sgarbossa.

Akiha’s Japanese heritage – as well as Sgarbossa’s time learning under Japanese pizza chefs – inspires occasional Japanese touches, like Japanese mayo, togarashi and katsuobushi.

Everything’s made with organic or biodynamic ingredients where possible, including the local-leaning wines, which have been assembled by Jauma’s James Erskine. Any leftover scraps of pizza dough are used to make Sgarbossa’s sourdough “zero-waste bread”, which is also immortalised in paintings on the walls by local artist Emma Neill.

The intimate space is cosy and warm, with room for just 20 diners, who are seated around Tasmanian oak tables custom made by 86-year-old artisan (his last job before retirement).

The space also doubles as a “lab” during the week, where Sgarbossa trains budding and experienced pizza makers as a consultant for Venetian flour mill Molino Agugiaro.

“Hospitality these days is very hard, and with only 20 seats, you do it for love, you don't do it for money,” says Sgarbossa. “I do it because I want to combine my passion and skills of teaching people … and to push up the level of knowledge about pizza.”

That’s Enrico
53 Main Street, Lobethal
0491 626 317

Hours:
Fri 5pm–9pm
Sat 11.30am–3pm, 5pm–9pm
Sun 11.30am–3pm
Mon to Thu closed

enrico.au
@thats.enrico