Crave Pizza and Fresh Pasta Bar – The Overview…
Crave Pizza is now closed. For great pizza nearby try A25 pizza or Chachos just down the road in Windsor.
Food: La Verdura Pizza, Tropical Pizza, Fettuccini Pesto, Loaded Chips, Garlic Bread and Antipasto Board
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Value: 5/5
The details…
The Cheerful and friendly staff are already a hit with the locals at this teeny tiny South Yarra eatery. Under new management for a mere 9 weeks this enthusiastic team are keen to make a success of this pint sized pizzeria. Obviously there’s take away available but if you can squeeze a dine in spot you’ll be treated to restaurant style plating using their bright fresh ingredients and a complementary wine, if you so desire.
Even early in the evening these guys are doing a healthy trade from both walk in and delivery. Open till past midnight on the day we visited, I can image they’re exhausted by the time they close. To start we tried their antipasto platter and garlic bread. I like that the garlic breads are pretty small and I wouldn’t hesitate to pop one of these on the side of any order in the future. The antipasto has a generous serve of veggies and I felt it was a surprisingly healthy entree for a take away pizza joint (In a good way, obviously).
For mains we tried the la verdura and tropical pizzas and the fettuccini pesto, with a side of loaded chips. The “La Verdura” was super loaded with veggies – who knew I’d be smashing my 5 a day at a pizza place. I particularly liked the sweet potato and spinach; both ingredients worry me on a pizza as they can easily go very wrong, but both were executed well and added great flavours to the pizza.
The tropical, a controversial pizza classic, came out looking like perfection: chunky pineapple and thinly sliced ham on a fluffy, yet thin base. The tomato base on the pizzas is pleasantly mild and their pizza is so much better than take away pizza should be. Hand stretched bases, no grease, and such a variety of toppings available – seriously impressive.
The pasta was a huge serve and such a filling dish. The thick fettuccini had a great, firm consistency and there was lots of chicken. We loved the addition of red capsicum to this which really adds a pop of colour to the plate. While well coated in pesto we found the creamy sauce led to a more subtly flavoured, yet incredibly moreish dish!
Finally, the loaded chips had the perfect balance of topping and chips. I hate those places where you’re digging about to find the chips, or where you get regular chips with a couple of bits of bacon thrown on. These had that beautiful saltiness from the bacon and cheese while still maintaining the crispy integrity of the chips- delicious. It seems their motto “you’ll rave about crave” is stunningly accurate!
Everything else…
Website: https://cravepizza.com.au/
Address: Shop 1, 5 Wilson Street, South Yarra
Opening Times:
Mon Closed
Tue 4pm to 11pm
Wed 4pm to 11pm
Thu 4pm to 11pm
Fri 4pm to 1:30am
Sat 4pm to 1:30am
Sun 4pm to 11pm
Parking: We found a spot to park for free quite easily on Wilson Street (at 6pm the nearby parking restrictions are relaxed so if you can time it right it’s even easier). The carpark for Jam Factory is also a few doors away and is fairly affordable too if you’re struggling.
Getting here on PT: It’s only a couple of minutes walk to Chapel Street and the 78 tram. Alight at Cliff Street/Wilson Street depending on the direction. 6 minutes from Hawksburn Station, or 11 minutes from South Yarra if you’re coming by train.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Crave Pizza and Fresh Pasta Bar, South Yarra. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.