Highlight – Genuine wood fired pizza oven
Lowlight – Service was a bit slow to start
FOOD?
Oddfellows is popular for their authentic wood fired artisan pizzas. On our visit we were fortunate to be able to order “half and half” pizzas and in turn got to try six different toppings.
First up was the non-tomato based pizza and also my favourite of the night. The Dell’orso; smoked salmon and braised leek topped with marscarpone, mozzarella and chive oil. It was so simple yet I haven’t tried these ingredients before as a pizza topping, the flavours went perfectly together. The other half was the Saporita which had a tomato-bechamel base with mushrooms, salami and lots of parmesan and mozzarella.
Dell'orso & Saporita
Second round was the vegetarian pizza. The Ortolana combined grilled eggplant, pumpkin, zucchini and capsicum topped with caramelised onion, napoli and once again mozzarella. The pumpkin was impressively both soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The other half was the Alpina which was more mushroom oriented on a napoli base, integrated with spinach, taleggio, mozzarella and finally drizzled with truffle oil.
Ortolana & Alpina
Lastly we had the more meaty pizza. Another favourite, the Norcina; pork and fennel sausage, caramelised onion and napoli, what more could you ask for? For a more fiery hit try the Calabrese which incorporates hot salami, chargrilled capsicum, black olives, napoli and dusted with chilli flakes.
Norcina & Calabrese
As you can see all pizzas were served with a generous amount of mozzarella which is locally produced by a friend of Angelo, the head pizza maker at Oddfellows. The pizza bases were not too thin and more bread-like yet the crusts still remained crisp.
SERVICE?
We were given the opportunity to have a chat with Angelo who gave us three tips for making delectable artisan pizzas:
- Always use high quality ingredients
- Create a tasty pizza base (Angelo uses beer in his pizza dough to act as a yeast component)
- Keep the toppings simple
AMBIENCE?
Oddfellows has a modern pub-style feel to it. The mood is casual and relaxed. Located in the CBD they attract many office workers in the surrounding buildings. During warmer months I can see the outdoor seating area being used aplenty.
VALUE?
All pizzas average around $17 which may be a tad pricier than the nearby cafes, however the pizza portions are quite decent. Also something to note, Angelo mentioned that all pizzas are available as a gluten-free option at no additional cost.
BOOKINGS?
Bookings are accepted but probably not necessary if you’re dining on a weeknight. I assume lunchtime on weekdays would be busier though so best to call ahead and book a table.
out of 10!
Oddfellows
33-35 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
03 9663 3437
FOOD CHEE 
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