What a way to celebrate a special evening.
Ringing in my Birthday with Pizzas and Focaccia from here, which initially, I wasn't too excited but it was a surprise from Ozzy and had to have faith in his taste.
Did not let me down. It was one of the most delish pizzas we have had in a long long time.....Especially the poached figs one (Prosciutto). We ended up fighting for the last bite...And to Ozzy's disappointment, birthday boy won.
Pollo was definitely our second favorite....Leader with chicken.
These Pizzas reminded us of our time in Italy when we binged on Pizzas. This was quite close.
Focaccia was decent
Value for money even though expensive.
Lovely place. Absolutely delicious pizza, we tried the Prosciutto and the Porchini pizza, quickly devoured them both. A nice setting away from the main street, undoubtedly worth a visit. Service was exceptional, will be back!
Salomon Andres Anais Saavedra
+4
Perfect wood fire pizza . I’ll probably eat it at the restaurant next time . Good size , fresh ingredients .
There was a band playing at the restaurant . Nice atmosphere . I’ll be back !
Had that hankering for a pizza as I hadnt had any off late. We go the Quattro Formaggi and Porcini. Both Veggie Pizza’s for a change, were good. The Porcini was really good. The taste of the mushrooms with the pizza was really good. The Quattro Formaggi was a bit bland. Could have been a bit better.
All in all a good place. Would recommend
So fortunate to have this little joint as our local. Popped in for a mid week easy meal and ended up with beautiful crispy thin based pizzas with good amount of great quality toppings. Highly recommend the Rustica and Gamberi. The Rustica’s caramelised leeks and rich pancetta went beautifully and the Gamberi good amount of fresh prawns. Justifies the $20 a pop price tag.
havent eaten here for a while but am sorely regretting that, best pizza i've eaten in melbourne hands down, the porcini mushroom pizza and the gorgonzolla/prosciutto pizza are out of this world, used to pick one up every night after work and fall asleep with a slice in my mouth... the staff are extremely friendly and make you feel like you're part of the family, the rustic alleyway vibe is also cosy and unique, wish I still lived in balaclava for this pizza! well done portones will be coming in soon for a slice of your cosy wonder bread
Amazing pizza ! Fresh ingredients and the sauce is absolutely delicious. The garlic pizza is our favourite, it comes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip which adds to the nicely to the pizza. Best pizza in the area for sure :)
Hands down best pizza in town! I had s GF porcini and it was divine. Great service and I loved the atmosphere - what a true hidden gem. Can't wait to come back...
Really enjoyed my pizza from partone, crispy base with plentiful toppings and a tasty Napoli sauce. The owner was very nice and friendly too. Will absolutely be back.
We are currently doing a mini tour of all pizza places in our area and Portone is definitely the best I've had so far!
Thin, italian style bases, high quality ingredients and a mix of traditional and creative, unusual toppings these pizzas are a winner.
We had a bufalina margarita and a zucca (leeks, pumpkin and feta). Both, despite being too extremes, were excellent. Margarita had a gorgeous cheese, balanced carefully with the tomato sauce. I was dubious about the flavours on the zucca, but the leeks were soft and worked beautifully with the pumpkin and feta - the cheese again being the hero.
At over $20 each the pizzas certainly aren't the most affordable but the quality makes it worth it. I could have taken them apart and eaten every ingredient on their own and still loved them! Only thing stopping it getting 5 out of 5 was my pizza was very slightly burnt so some of the crust was very crispy.
I'll update this review accordingly as I continue my pizza journey.
Portone Wood Fire Pizza Bar is a hidden gem in Carlisle Street Balaclava. Day time you can walk through the arcade. After 6 pm you can access from Coles Carpark Nelson and Alfred Streets. The restaurant is modest and away from the busy Carlisle Street with a pleasant and friendly environment.
Chefs use fresh ingredients generously and the pizza base is thin and crusty. The menu is simple and the pizza are cooked to perfection.
We ordered to share:
Capriciosa with anchovies.
Prosciutto and the pizza is generously covered with very flavoursome San Daniele Prosciutto
Porcini was full of flavour from different mushrooms
The Chef even customised a pizza for a 5 year old child upon request
Portone makes a humble pizza shine and fit for royalty. It was a very enjoyable dinner with good quality pizza.
I just ordered Gameri and Pollo. They were really good. The sauce and cheese were right amount. The base was so light. Loved it. Bit pricey though.
As I eat this capri pizza in a dreary, rainy parking lot alone in my car, I quickly realise how much happier I am now thT I have this damn dilicious pizza. Top notch it is. The pastry and ingredients, and cuts. The cook seems quite a nice fellow too who went out of his way to help me find the place. (Its hidden behind the arcade)
Cheers! :D!
Don't know what everyone else's deal is. Best blaaardy pizza I have had in a LONG SHOT!
Just the right amount of cheesy, just the right amount of meaty, just the right amount of greasy, this pizza goes down easy!
But seriously. I'll be back.
Yummy
It's difficult to find a great takeaway pizza place so I was stoked when I found Portone. The pizzas are thin crusted and they use quality ingredients for their toppings (none of that artificial ham rubbish). The margarita pizza is great and their salami pizza with onion jam is delicious. I've always picked up my pizzas from here so they don't go soggy but they do deliver. Service is always friendly and polite. Their pear, rocket and Parmesan salad is also a great addition to any takeaway pizza! Definitely one of my fav takeaways! A must try!
Order from here regularly and am yet to be disappointed. Gorgeous thin crusts that are always crispy on the bottom, and the choice of toppings is a foodies delight. Personally recommend the prosciutto with wine poached figs (it's my standard go to!)
Excellent pizza I have ever had base of the piZza was too delicious that i will now order every time from portone pizza they serve wine as well
Thanks for a great evening.. I haven't been to Portone in a while and took my boyfriend out for pizza last night (he hasn't tried Portone before). Great decision! He absolutely adored the Capriciossa and my Rustica was just delectable, we were literally licking our fingers. The gentleman who served us was very helpful and we can't wait to come back and try some more. Thanks guys, cant wait to come back.
Best pizza in Oz. Not sure how someone who has lived in Italy struggles to see how prosciutto and figs go together but best we let that one go...Boys keep doing what you're doing, your pizzas are extraordinary! The Salumi and Rustica are things that empires are made of. Bravo!!!
Beautifully made pizza with great flavours. If I am hankering for a pizza, Portone would be my first choice for sure. They offer very delicately made pizzas that leave you with a satisfied craving and no "I am disgustingly full" feeling that often comes with pizza.
Their pizzas are on the pricey side being approximately $17.50 - $20.50 for a one size 13 inch. Personally I would rather pay the extra money than go to a dodgy neighbourhood pizza joint that often wont offer that same kind of quality.
Will return and definitely recommend.
Portone Pizza is a bit of a revelation – it’s only accessible in the evening by wandering around the back of the shops on Carlisle Street through the uninspiring supermarket carpark, but when you find if you’re going to adore the cute courtyard, hilarious staff, and the most delicious pizza! Wood fired oven, thin crust, and excellent quality toppings.
Prosciutto pizza... cmon Prosciutto. The pizza was the best wood fire I've ever had. The quality of the pizza was outstanding. The ingredients used were top notch with beautiful flavours.
Brilliant. Excellent pizzas, the Salumi is my favourite especially if the Chilli Oil is brought out from the kitchen.
Back to being great again! The mushroom pizza and the Buffalino pizza were both top notch, really helped with my craving for woodfired pizza.. although now I want more! Hadn't been back in ages but there are more vego options than there were previously which is great.
Best pizza in Melbourne. We live not far away and get their pizza delivered about once a week. This is proper, Italian pizza with amazing flavour and the best base of any pizza I have had anywhere in the world, including Italy. We have eaten in once or twice (not super easy to find) and the owners and staff are lovely.
Anyway, my faves are the gambrel, rustica and prosciutto.
Give it a try and you'll be glad.
Woodfired pizza at its best!.
Let's begging with the location of the restaurant, yes it may be a bit hard to find since it is literally behind the busy district of Balaclava, but trust me, you won't regret it later!!.
The menu has a range of delicious mains (pizza) as also desserts options, but there is no better way to enjoy a these amazing pizzas without trying the 'Field mushrooms' entree... I highly recommend the 'Gamberi' pizza, it's amazing!.
There is also alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages available on the premises.
Just great pizzas. They've got the topping equation right, and their really friendly people. I have to go there every time I visit Melbourne, just so I can have the prosciutto & fig pizza.
I really loved the pizza, it was fresh and delicious. Service was fantastic. Never been here become but am happy I have finally found pizza I love. My new regular.
YUM !!!. It's so good to see people who care about the food ...and for anyone reading other reviews in regards to lack of toppings...This is REAL PIZZA :-) only place I will go to ..lucky it is not too far from home ...THANK YOU :-)
Delish pizza! Just like pizza you'd have in Italy. My only complaint is that the pizza base was too thin. The toppings had soaked through the base and stuck to the box because of that. And because it was so thin a slice couldn't be held like a slice of pizza should, it flopped all over the show. Still fab and I shall be back!
A True hidden gem. Tucked away off the Coles carpark just adds to the fun of finding this gem.
Once found, you will not be disappointed.
The pizza has to be one of the best in Melbourne. So fresh, and the base's are just cooked to perfection.
Like Alano (review below) stated, there are not mountains of toppings. Not sure if Alano has been to a number of woodfired pizza restaurants, but you simply cannot load the base with a mountain of toppings or the pizza won't cook.
Getting the perfect pizza is a fine balancing act, between base thickness and quantity of toppings, which is skilfully performed by the owner, Mac. He delivers outstanding results time and time again!
Get down and try the Rustica! It really is pizza perfection.
Best Pizza in the area by a mile ! Really nice down to earth people also.
No one, I mean no one, makes pizza like Mac does. Brilliant.
Excellent pizza. Had the Prosciutto pizza and it was yummo.
Reminds Me of the pizza I had in Italy, every ingredient worked great together.
Best pizza around, bar none.. My partner & I stumbled across this place a few night ago after doing a quick search for woodfire pizza, and it was so good that we went back the night after for another round. We got the Prosciutto pizza and the Pollo, both were incredible. The spinach/pea/mint salad is also great. Hopefuly next time we can try the dessert.
Incredible food, good prices, good atmosphere and very friendly service. Going to tell more people about this place for sure.
Top class pizzas. Perfect pizzas. Probably some of the best I have had to eat, ever. They were nice and large and plenty of food to go around. There was immense flavour and the quality was spot on. I would definitely come here again.
Best pizza in Mel!. This croatian pizzaiolo must have trained with the best neapolitan pizza masters!
His pizzas are huge, thin, light, creative, wholesome and to die for!
D.O.C. should fear this Balaclava competitor, also because the service is much better and prices lower.
Unfortunately it's a bit hard to find Portone as the entrance is from a rear parking.
Well done Portone, you are in my Favourites now!
A slice of Naples in the heart of Balaclava! Tucked away in a small arcade behind Coles car park is a gem of a place. We had both insalatas (Pea/Spinach/Mint & Rocket/Balsamic/Grana Padano), two pizza's (Margeritta & Zucca) and a dessert to share (Hazelnut Calzoncino). Every dish was rustic and beautifully prepared with extremely fresh ingredients. The pizzas are great whilst the Calzoncino is to die for! Best kept secret in town.
Winner!. In a word, amazing! It is a little hidden delight. The pizza is superb - fresh, authentic, delicious. And don't skip dessert - the hazelnut chocolate calzoncino is incredible. One of the tastiest and most joyful meals I've had in Melbourne. Just good, honest, exceptional food and friendly staff. Highly recommended.
Friendly service. Fresh, handmade pizza bases combined with fresh ingredients are the perfect recipe for a wood fired pizza.
Great find. We had two of their pizzas, the classic Margherita and the Salsiccia as home delivery. They were both delicious, fresh ingredients and beautifully crispy crusts like I haven't expired very often here in Melbourne! There doesn't seem to be a minimum amount for delivery also, they just charge $3 flat which seems very reasonable to me. Will check out the actual restaurant soon too.
Portone - Numero Uno!. This pizza rocks, best in Melbourne hands down. Unsurpassed quality.
Homemade toppings with seasonal ingredients on nice thin base baked in wood fire oven for that extra flavor. Good selection of choices even for vegetarians. Reasonably priced.
Staff were always friendly and attentive.
I’ll be back for more very soon :-))
This is without a doubt the best pizza I've eaten in Melbourne...or anywhere else. Can be hard to find, and a bit slow. But that's the price of quality. Knowing a trip to Portone is scheduled puts me in a good mood for days in advance!
Great pizza!. You might notice there are no negative reviews of this place - that'd be because there's nothing negative to say! Pizza was simply fantastic. I wouldn't call it fine dining, but I would call the thin crust, wood-fired, fresh herbed and interesting pizzas mighty fine. Will definitely come back, even though it's a little further away from me. As others mentioned, hard to get to (entry from Coles carpark).
We had a medium Porcini (which was the best pizza I've had.) and another medium with pancetta (forget the name) which was also great. We weren't particularly hungry and finished both, so if you're up for a big feed I'd recommend large. Overall, great place, friendly owner, and I love the open kitchen.
Nothing comes close!. The best authentic Italian pizza you will find in Australia. The base the sauce the smokiness of the wood fire are something out of this world.
YUM!. I heard about Portone recently and based on Urbanspoon reviews was really looking forward to it - so happy! Had the pumpkin pizza, spinach and pea salad, and a couple of dessert pizzas - they were all fantastic. Seriously, just the little things about the pizza make it stand out - fresh herbs, tiny plates of chilli on the side to sprinkle on top, everything was just incredibly delicious. The two guys making and serving the pizza were so great too - the dessert pizzas took a little while to come out as they were having a really busy evening, but they were so friendly and kept us in the loop as to when they'd arrive... DEFINITELY coming back really soon!
Just tried portone for the first time based on these reviews and no joke BEST pizza I have ever had! We had the gumberi and salumi. The large is huge and the base is wafer thin. We got them take away so was twenty mins by the time we got inside and started eatin at home so wasn't crispy but we are def going back and eating in. You have to try them you will never get pizza from anywhere else
How tammy!. Crispy n yammy! desert was so as well.
that is my favourit. i should come back there. :)
Winner. This is easily the best pizza I've ever had. Even better than the mighty Fruscolino's which I thought could never be topped. I had a Rustica and the mushroom one and they were both amazing. I kept thinking about them for the next few days, each night feeling like maybe tonight enough time had passed and I could go back.
Great service! Great Pizza! Fast and friendly especially if your looking for something quick and on the go!!! I'll definately be back, Yummo!!!
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Friendly Staff and Delicious PIzza. We came here on a Wednesday night at close to 8pm for dinner. There was no one there when we arrived, but soon after a couple of other parties arrived.
There was one person serving and the owner/pizza chef inside cooking. The gentlemen serving us was very pleasant, helping us choose from one of the many tasty pizzas. We were trying to decide between the Zucca and the Margharita, and opted for the latter along with a spinach and peas salad. I also requested anchovies on half the pizza.
The pizza was delicious and the crust was thin and crispy. The salad was lightly dressed, fresh, with nice taste of mint and a little parsley. We got the large pizza and it was perfect for two people - my husband probably could have used an extra slice. So I would say for the large, two average eaters might have an extra slice to take home, while folks who like to eat a little more might feel a little peckish sharing a large.
The restaurant is down an alley near Coles, but in the evening the gateway to the front entrance is closed so you have to go through the Coles car park - Coles is open late so easy to just walk through the store to get there. The outdoor seating is vey cute and eclectic with comfortable tables, chairs, couches. It's a nice place for a group to have dinner outside, and it's sheltered so it was not cold all.
I highly recommend this place for the friendly staff and delicious pizza.Though we didn't get to talk to the owner, we waived good bye to him and he waved back with a smile.
Give them a try, they only open for dinner.
The owner is lovely & knows how to make a great pizza! I highly recommend having pizza at Portone.
Best pizza. Undisputably the best pizza in Melbourne.
10 out of 10.
Best Pizza Ever. Lovely gourmet pizza that melts in your mouth!! Very healthy options that taste awesome which I would highly recommend for everyone. Nice place to have a chat with your friends and enjoy the beautiful aromas of the wood fire pizza. Excellent place for small functions or parties as well. Go and try some, I promise that you will be coming back for more! Buon Appetito!
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Edit: My original review remains below, but since changing ownership, I'm afraid the pizza quality has gone from excellent to above average; sadly the edge has been lost and be pastry just isn't the same.
*****
A firm favourite. One of my criteria for moving to Australia from Europe was good pizza, and so far (including experiences at a dozen pizzerias which came highly recommended), Portone sits at the top of my list for the best pizza in Melbourne.
It's not big, it's not flash, it's not fancy, but the pizza is honest and authentically Italian, cooked in a wood fired oven and starring, if you choose right, actual fior di latte - a real mozzarella that shredded cheese just doesn't come close to.
The proprietor makes a concession to local tastes by including a chicken pizza on the menu (unheard of in pizza's mother country), but who can fault canny marketing? The crust is very thin, crispy, and low in salt, giving the fresh toppings a real chance to shine.
Mak and his skeleton staff really seem to care about their pizza and getting customer service right. If their pizza wasn't so thrilling, they'd still win hearts for warm and accommodating service.
Lunch time specials include an individual pizza with rocket side salad at $8. A bargain, and rather healthy if you order sensibly.
It's down the narrow arcade to the right of Coles - look for the Tesoriero & Luca fruit and vegetable grocer (who sell the most dazzlingly sweet and juicy white nectarines this side of the Yarra River) and wander on through!
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