Hot Damn: Leonardo’s Pizza Palace Is Back in Action From This Weekend

Good-time Carlton pizzeria Leonardo’s Pizza Palace closed “indefinitely” in June, following a devastating fire. Merch sales and a Go Fund Me campaign were launched to support the staff.

Almost exactly eight weeks later, it’s back. Kinda.

“Unfortunately the pizza kitchen is still out of action and with insurance and planning permits holding things up, it will still likely be months before we reopen fully again,” the owners told Broadsheet in an email this week.

But they’re not taking it lying down. This Saturday Leonardo’s will become Palazzo Di Panuozzo, a takeaway-only operation passing out three varieties of hot panuozzo. Originating in Naples, the pizza-sandwich hybrid sees pizza dough stretched into a foot-long sub, baked and stuffed with the kinds of things you usually find on top of a pizza. It’s an open calzone, essentially.

Walk up for panuozzos filled with venison meatballs and spicy diavolo sauce; eggplant, sugo, ricotta and basil; and layers of mortadella.

In true Leonardo’s style, playful snacks are also on the menu: cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) potato cakes, fried cheese curds and mascarpone-piped cannoli. The pizzeria’s banging takeaway Pina Coladas (rum, cold-pressed pineapple juice, coconut and lime) are also making a comeback.

There’s no pre-ordering required. Just pop down, place your order and wait for it to be whipped together. If all goes well the plan is to make the pop-up a regular Saturday occurrence. Carlton residents – time to show some love?

Palazzo Di Panuozzo
29 Grattan Street, Carlton
(03) 9242 0666

Hours
Saturday August 14 10am–sold out

leonardospizzapalace.com.au