Ugly Pizza

Inside Ugly Pizza there’s a door (it looks like the entrance to a giant freezer) to a secret sports bar, called Huxley’s. Both are owned and run by the Feros Group (Saritas, Gerrale Street Kitchen. Ugly Pizza, though, is separate. The pizzas are modelled on New York takeaway pizza; massive, crusty-edged, cheese-heavy triangles that are generally folded in two. The base is thin and crispy with an aerated crust. No more than four toppings. Every ball of dough is hand rolled with premium, high-protein Italian flour and proofed for 24 hours.

The pizzas, which make up almost the entire menu, bar a few sides and salads, are categorised by their base – red or white. The red pie has a tomato-based sauce and a white pie has a mozzarella, ricotta or béchamel and mozzarella sauce. From the red side there’s the classic pepperoni; the El Monterey with pulled chilli beef, chipotle, sour cream and peppers; and a Hot Stuff with three kinds of sausages, Serrano peppers and house-made chilli sauce. The white pizzas include the barramundi, bacon and pesto, and the Vito, a homage to one of Ugly Pizza’s inspirations, Vito’s Pizza in New York, with caramelised onion, goat’s cheese and pine nuts. You’ll see from the fit-out that the food isn’t the only idea Feros imported. One wall is covered in Italian cycling memorabilia. There’s a chequerboard floor and an awning shades the front of the restaurant.