Who doesn’t love a good pizza? It’s the one indulgence most of us cannot resist. Everyone knows that the key to a good pizza is a wood fired oven. So instead of satisfying that craving at sub-standard takeaway joints, here are the top five pizza restaurants in Johannesburg.
1. Andiccio 24
What started off as a single modest takeaway spot has now extended into a franchise with takeaway branches all over Jozi and PTA. Andiccio’s drawcard is that they’re open 24 hours a day on weekends, and until the early hours of the morning on weekdays. They’ll also deliver for free within a small radius of their stores.
They have a pay-per-topping system which means that there is no menu. There is simply a list of toppings which you can add to your pizza as desired. This is great if you’re a minimalist pizza eater, but can get quite pricey if you want a pizza with the works. Don’t expect to pay far cheaper than you’d pay in a restaurant: these guys charge R5 a pop for garlic and chilli, which comes free in most restaurants.
However, you won’t be disappointed with your meal and can be assured of fresh ingredients and absolute cleanliness at all times. You’ll watch your pizza being made right in front of you. Andiccio also stocks Haagen Dazs and Illy coffee, which you can purchase to round off your meal.
2. Ciro’s
You know a restaurant is old school when they don’t even have a website! These guys don’t need to have one though, as they’ve been around since 1985. They started out in Brixton and are now also in Douglasdale. Their pizza’s have that homely, slightly burnt, chewy, thicker crust that you won’t be able to get enough of.
They also provide garlic foccacia’s free as a starter, an added bonus to their already reasonably priced menu.
Shop 14, Waterford Shopping Centre Cnr. Witkoppen & Nerine Road, Douglasdale
Tel 011-658-1015
3. Piza e Vino
Piza e Vino is one of the popular Melrose Arch restaurants where you can experience a perfect combination of delicious food and a vibrant atmosphere. Sometimes one is willing to compromise slightly on food in favor of ambiance. At Piza e Vino, in Brooklyn, Rosebank, and Melrose Arch, you can get the best of both worlds – delicious food and a packed restaurant. Their pizzas never disappoint, unless you unknowingly order a “small”. Don’t even waste your time, the “small” pizzas are 1/4 of the size of the “regular” with a disproportionate price differential. Bigger groups can ask to be seated in the semi-private balcony area at the Melrose Arch Branch – no venue hire applies. If I had to do a ‘top five salads’ in Jozi list, Piza e Vino would be right at the top. If your partner wants pizza and you want to eat healthy, go for their grilled chicken salad. It’s a guarantee that you’ll both leave satisfied.
4. Col’Cacchio
All South African foodies will be familiar with this trendy, upmarket pizza and pasta spot. With a menu that is not cheap by any standards, their pizzas offer bursts of flavour with their use of unique ingredient combinations. Definitely a must for the pizza connoisseur. Every month they do a celebrity chef pizza, which they market as “pizza masterpieces made by South African culinary master chefs”.
Their desserts are just as impressive as the pizzas, with their Lindt Chocolate Panna Cotta and Lindt Chocolate Brownies being clear winners.
5. Life Grand Cafe
With very few able to afford shopping there frequently, the only real reason people frequent Hyde Park Shopping Centre is because of its two flagship restaurants: Life and Tasha’s le Parc. While the latter is an excellent choice for burgers (look out for a future post on this), Life wows guests with its fresh take on pizza. Life’s “no reservation” policy means that you may have to wait for a table, but sit down to a mint and watermelon granita and a freshly made pizza and the wait will immediately be worth your while. They offer “normal” pizza’s, as well as foccacias with toppings. Because the whole “tomato and cheese” pizza can get a bit dull, the foccacias are a great change.
Hyde Park Shopping Centre, Jan Smuts Avenue, Hyde Park
Tel 011-325-4350
Pizza not your thing? Find one of Joburg’s best pasta restaurants and if you’d rather stay in but still want pizza, try this healthy pizza recipe.
For more restaurant ideas in and around Jozi, visit my other blog: www.joziliciousblog.co.za
