City Oltra

Ben Fester and Drew Huston (ex-Dimitri’s) used to run a pop-up at Marrickville gin hall Poor Toms, serving up restaurant-level pizzas with a killer soundtrack on Sunday afternoons. When Central Station’s Eddy Avenue precinct came calling, Fester and Huston jumped on a maximum 18-month lease – bringing Poor Toms along with them to create the ultimate inner-city hangout.

Inspired by the look of a classic train station canteen, Oltra feels like a slice of Marrickville in the city, with all the things that made that original Sunday pop-up great – but more of them.

There are classic round pizzas, which are bigger than average at 16” and more American than Italian. The bestseller is the Rancho Relaxo – a pepperoni number with a vortex of ranch sauce on top.

Then there are chunky square pies, which land somewhere between Detroit-style and a grandma pie, and can be made gluten-free. Hits include a spiced potato pie with house fennel-sausage mix, and a green pie loaded with broccoli, zucchini, lemon, chilli and herbs.

For sides, choose plates of cold cuts (by Hungerford Meats Co and LP's Quality Meats), salads (green beans with bacon, pine nuts and almonds, or peach, tomato and buffalo mozzarella), and garlic bread.

City Oltra does a couple of things many pizzerias of this calibre don’t. For one, you can grab single slices to eat in or take away. It’s also serving three sandwiches for lunch – two meat and one veg – including a riff on Perth’s famous continental roll loaded with cold cuts, artichoke, peppers, iceberg lettuce and ranch sauce. And not only can you customise your pizza with a raft of add-ons, you can also order half-and-half.

The cocktail list heroes Poor Toms by way of spritzes and a Negroni. There are also beers by the Grifter Brewing Co, and wines from a growing selection of local and natural producers.