Visited the Forge Pizzeria on our last night at Ballarat, came in early to avoid the dinner rush crowd.
We ordered the arancini which was very tasty. The carbonara was a bit too thick and creamy. The toasted gnocchi and gnocchi with napoli sauce were very nice though. We also tried out the pulled pork pizza but found that the gorgonzola dolce sauce was too overwhelming for the pizza and even the green apple coleslaw and dressing could not cut it. The tiramisu and creme brulee dessert was quite good to finish off the night.
This place never fails to disappoint and I happily travel over an hour to eat here that's how good it is! The pizza sauce is next level and so is the Gnocchi Gorgonzola! DO NOT eat for three days if you plan on doing the feed me option because they will feed you and feed you well. Bring sweat pants, a towel to mop up the meat sweats you are sure to get and maybe a wheelchair so you can just roll on out of here after you have been to food heaven and back.
The staff are so friendly, attentive and will go to any length to get that food into your belly but it is worth every bite.
We tried the pulled pork pizza and the cheese burger, those were delicious! But, their carbonara was amazing! Definitely would get back here to eat the carbonara over!
Warm cosy atmosphere with fire place! Perfect place for a cold night. We had cauliflower soup, the Godfather pizza from special menu, Shearer’s pizza and finished with apply crumble pizza! Fabulous food!
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E: Imagine the feeling you get when you’re huddled up by the fireplace on a cold winter night, absorbing the warmth of the fire and cuddled up in a warm winter blanket with a scorching mug of hot chocolate in your hands. That’s the warm, homely feeling you get when visiting The Forge Pizzeria.
I want to start by sending a warm thank you to the kind and welcoming staff at the restaurant. I feel bad even referring to “staff” and “restaurant”, the more appropriate terms would be “extended family” and “home”, because that’s exactly how you are made to feel at this wonderful venue. Everyone who helped our table were SO unbelievably welcoming and kind and made sure our meals were perfect and our glasses were full the entire night - perhaps this kind nature is to do with Ballarat culture. (It makes me want to get out of Melbourne more often!)
In terms of food, the pizza and sweet potato fries we ordered were fantastic. The pizza base was so soft and fresh, and the toppings were literally melt-in-your-mouth-delicious. The meat and cheese in particular were of the highest and freshest quality - some of the best I’ve had on a pizza. The sweet potato chips were also delightful. They were perfectly crunchy, chunky and well seasoned. Always a good choice.
And in terms of ambience, the zomato pictures do not do the venue justice. It felt like a rustic big hall that you would share with your family by the fireplace. Super homely, I loved it!
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
The maestros of the Ballarat pizza scene. If you are looking for quality pizzas of the gourmet kind, this pizzeria should be at the top of your list.
Had the beautiful Shearer's Pizza for dinner. Thin crispy base with generous toppings of lamb, goat's cheese and pine nuts. Although I'm not the biggest fan of lamb this pizza is tasty. There's a busy buzz to the place - family friendly. A bit pricier than average but tasty.
Fantastic authentic Italian style food that you would struggle to find in the CBD is being served up better than ever in Ballarat. All our meals were well seasoned and full of flavour. Will be back!!!
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The woodfire ovens are open and on display, for all to see, and when a pizza is ordered, the fun begins! 'The stretcher' stretches the fresh dough by spinning and tossing it in the air until it's just the right size, then 'the makers' top it off with a perfect balance of fresh ingredients and into the oven it goes, where it's baked to perfection in 'The Forge', fondly named so by the founders of the restaurant, brothers Chris and Tim Matthews after their grandfather Frank who was a renowned blacksmith in the Ballarat area.
If you're one of those people (like my husband) who loves their pizza greasy, and super heavy on the ham and cheese, then this place probably isn't for you. Their pizzas are minimalistic but in the best way! Every time I visit The Forge I always find myself tossing up between two or three options on the menu, and their specials are always soo tempting, but this time around, I knew exactly what I was there to try, their Strawberry and Nutella Dessert Pizza! And I can proudly say, it did not disappoint!
Read Full Post (and view our recommendations) via the link below.
Definitely hands down, one of the best meal I had in Ballarat. I loved the smell of the bread from the oven once I walked in and the lovely service staff made us feel welcome. The volcano pizza was one of the best pizza I ever had and the tortellini with butter and sage was so delicious. The nutella and strawberry pizza was a great way to end our meal, such a simple but mouthwatering dessert.
Forge is a no brainer must go kinda place.
The decor, the food, the service. I mean, where else would you rather be than at forge?
A definite must go in my opinion!
My score 3.5 stars. J & I had lunch here a while ago on a 2 night foody getaway to Ballarat. Not a bad interior, mod-rustic with chunky tables, etc. Service was "laid back" good. We shared 2 pizzas. Margherita > Good thinnish rustic base & nice ingredients. Pancetta > Same as the M - ingredients thrown on randomly in a good way (Goats cheese fab). Istra pancetta was nice, but fat layer around the edge would have been nicer if more crisp. Overall > Very good - would be a nice place to come with a bigger group & have a few drinks (we couldn't as we were driving). Half a star taken off for the prices - would be an expensive meal if you let yourself go on the menu + drinks.
Great pizza! Polite and friendly, i love johnny cash as my father used to listen to him, yet have been getting into ‘techno’ lately like the kids like, so was itching to hear that. Great atmosphere, i also think the young pizza boy was cute, skinny but cute. Told me his name was ‘ollie’ so will definitely go back to see him :)
Great pizza place, eaten here 10 times plus, pizza base is the best part. Perfectly cooked evertime with fresh, premium toppings. Salad have a nice dressing. Must try pizza.
Ordered pizza take away the bases were delicious and the toppings were perfect ratio wise! I would definitely come back again if I am in ballarat
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If you're visiting Ballarat or planning a stay at Ballarat, you must try The Forge Pizzeria, at least twice. That is how high we rate The Forge (14 Armstrong Street North, Ballarat).
Chris and tim Matthews have converted a Blacksmith's shop into an inviting pizzeria, which seats plenty (over 180) but without jamming its patrons. The decor is inviting but the friendly and attentive service is what brought us back for a second visit, and for its pizza and pasta.
Pictured are the Forge (San Marzano tomato, chargrilled marinated eggplant, buffalo mozzarella, crispy fried leek and basil finished with grana padano, $24), Blacksmith (Mozzarella, Salt Kitchen premium pork and fennel sausage, mushroom, garlic, parsley, $22), and Margherita (San Marzano tomato, bocconcini, basil, mozzarella, oregano, $18), all of which were excellent.
The carbonara, with freshly made Pappardelle pasta (and Guanciale (cured pork) finished with free-range egg and Pecorino Romano Cheese) is a wonderful complement.
We highly recommend The Forge for its pizza and pasta and, most of all, for a lovely dinner experience (10/10).
Delicious pizza, generous portion sizes and lots of toppings (much more than any ‘fancy’ pizza places)! All of the pizzas looked and smelt amazing!
I think this is honestly one of the best pizza restaurants that I’ve ever been too. The base was fantastic, cooked perfectly. The choice of pizzas are mouth watering. Quick service, attentive staff. I couldn’t fault this place one bit. I ordered the Forge pizza and rocket salad. Yum
What I love most about it is their pizza dough, it’s so fresh and light. We ordered Sure Thing and Volcano, it could easily feed three people with additional side dishes. Their service is quick and friendly. Definitely worth to visit when you’re in Ballarat
Been here twice now and both times the staff were a standout - very friendly and quick service. The pizzas were delicious and generously topped and the croquettes were excellent. Family friendly with a good kids drawing and play area down the back.
Amazing building, excellent staff and friendly service. The pizzas were delicious with a soft crunchy dough, and I have never had sweet potato fries as tasty!
The Forge Pizzeria served up the best wood-fired pizza base that I have ever eaten. We had "The Forge" pizza (eggplant etc) and it had a perfect thin base with a good balance of flavours on top. We also had a kid's Hawaiian pizza that had the lightest fluffy base.
It was very busy on the night we ate there and staff were still friendly and organised.
If ur in Ballarat you need to do this pizza place
Not the cheapest but the best Woodford pizzas I've had in a long time. The roast pumpkin and shearers pizzas were the best
Would suggest bringing friends and sharing the meals
Will be back
Gourmet pizza with great range of toppings.
Lamb pizza - Shearers, $29, was the standout. Pizza are a good size, 2 pizzas between 3 people is a good way to share.
Can accommodate large groups and can split bill.
Great pizzas, great setting, friendly staff and huge tables to sit at. I had the pork belly and it was very good, probably not as good as Brunetti but still delicious.
My husband says I'm on a roll picking excellent eateries for us, and I reckon he's not wrong. Granted, Ballarat on a Sunday leaves you with limited choices so I can't take full credit for us ending up here - everywhere else I looked was closed!
It's a spacious, comfy space with lots trendily mismatched furniture. Clearly very busy and popular, but the staff were on point, quick, friendly and attentive. The prosciutto croquettes we got were to die for, the Parmesan pizza tasty, and the main event pizza - The Bacon - was fantastic. I usually avoid bacon pizzas as they nearly always go down the BBQ sauce route, but this one with maple bacon was almost perfect. A touch soggy, but probably to be expected with this sort of pizza. I had a delicious orange hot chocolate too.
Very kid friendly too, easy to navigate a pram, and some basic toys. Looked like there was some colouring in equipment too. We will definitely return if we're in the area!
I was running late as usual . The staff were great , very helpful , allowing us to order over the phone before we arrived so our meals were ready when we sat down . Loved the Pulled pork pizza and the Choc filled doughnuts with cinnamon sugar. Great meal , very friendly efficient service even though it was a busy night....and we still made it to Her Majesty's theatre in time for the show . Thanks guys !!!
Went to a recent fundraising trivia night with some friends who are Ballarat locals. Not only was the food, service and atmosphere absolutely incredible, but the way the Forge supports the local community was amazing, and very inspirational. The guys who run this place are generous in giving back to the community that they cater to and they deserve all good things that come to them. From the community spirit I saw at the trivia night, I now want to move to Ballarat!!!
Also, the trivia questions were inventive, unique and done with a great sense of humour. It really was the worlds best trivia night!!
The pizza was good but my high rating is for their super friendly and kind service. They gave us tips on what to get for the best value. They were attending to every customer despite them being crazy busy and kids running around the place.
Our fussy kids loved their fettuccini bolognese . The Tortelloni, Lamb Ragu gnocchi and 'Pizza for Me' were all delicious. Don't get me started on the apple crumble pizza 😵 All amazing tasting comfort food, for a super chilly night out.
Service was spot on and staff were lovely. Can't wait to go back next time we are in town.
Wah agan2 sekalian wajib nyoba tempat makan pizza yang ini nih kalo lagi deket2 melben terutama kalau lagi ke sovereign hills (tumben ane bener ngejanya) liat tambang emas. Ane nyoba yang pake daging kambing sama keju apa gitu. Beuhhh enaknya bikin keleyengan. Pizzanya dimasak di woodfire oven gicuuh. Katanya yang bacon juga enak tapi ane bakal coba itu lain kali aja. Tempatnya juga enak, gede dan serasa di rumah sendiri (ciahhh padahal tinggal di apartemen seucrit). Liat aja potonya. Ada tempat gambar2 lagi buat yang punya anak kecil. Sedap dahh
Was in Ballarat for the long weekend and decided to go back to The Forge. We ordered the Fratellino, it was so yummy. Love the pizza here, it's really nice wood oven authentic pizza! Hard to find a good pizza place like this.
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Visited here with a large group after my grandsons soccer match ( 30 People) . Large groups will test any restaurant and it was interesting to watch how they handled that many diners , including 18 odd kids , and some hungry adults .
They nailed it !! There staff took the food orders first so they could get these underway then they made sure everyone was given drinks to start .They have a large group menu , which had less items than the main menu , but still offers great choices .The first of the meals came out quickly and they organised it so the kids got there's first ...... very clever !
The pizzas are amazing . The flavours are excellent and very creative . The bases were perfect and the topping beautiful ( although a little wet in the very centre)
My daughter & grandson had the Margarita which was very nice . I had the Bacon pizza which was a cardiac arrest on a plate , but what the hell ,it was fabulous . ( no big meals for a week to make up for it )
The decor is very clever using odd old furniture but is very comfortable and inviting .
Great Food , great service , inviting decor and reasonably priced ....... what's not to like !!!
Well worth a try if you are in Ballarat
I went to this restaurants twice while I was in Ballarat for only a day and half. This says a lot about this place. I am so in love with their fluffy dough and flavoursome toppings. I ordered calamari for entree, butcher and tortelloni for the main, and I loved everything I ordered, with warm and thoughtful service I received it become my favourite restaurant of all times.
Always rated as my favourite pizza place in Ballarat. Worth the extra money for amazing gourmet pizzas. Ambiance is always on point. A great night out always - just make sure you add try the potato pizza with merediths goats cheese!
This place is so cool! The pizza is so yummy, so many different kinds and all delicious. The restaurant itself is so chic and relaxed but still a really cool place to go "out" for dinner. LOVE the dessert pizzas!
Was on a day trip with the family and this place was highly rated. The service was very good and the place itself also pretty good.
Now I understand that the ingredients were of quality and don't get me wrong, the pizzas are nice but FFS! It's just Pizza and a medium size only at that. Charging $28 is just greedy. I don't mind spending 100 + bucks for lunch but when it's just pizza..... it's greed and arrogance.
We went on a Sunday night at 6:30pm and it was very busy. We ordered takeaway, however a couple tables left so we were able to sit down and eat instead. Short 10 minute wait for the pizzas, which was nice. We ordered the prawn and pulled pork pizzas. Both were extremely tasty and filling.
Fast, friendly service in a well-designed environment. Pizzas are excellent and very friendly for kids. Good non pizza options too and varied specials.
Great wood fired pizza right in the centre of town! The Forge has a great atmosphere, friendly staff and best of all good pizza! The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting with great seating indoors and outdoors. The pizza was a great size if you're hungry and a variety of Italian sides are offered. Definitely worth a visit if you are a pizza fix in Ballarat.
Beautiful food, great selection of drinks. We had a range of pizzas and a cured meat board as entree, and everything tasted delicious. Service is effective and friendly. Great casual dining experience!
Great service and atmosphere and seriously 'The Bacon' was the best pizza I have ever eaten! Would drive from Melbourne to Ballarat again just to eat here.
Ain’t no party like a pizza party! And why travel to Italy when you can head down the street to Ballarat’s shining star! Full of pizzas and pisazz (good luck dyslexics), The Forge Pizzeria, who’s original store resides in the suburb of Alfredton, have been the forerunners in the pizza scene for the Central Victorian region for many years now. With their Armstrong Street store slinging both delicious wood-fired beauties, along with other goodies; these guys have proven to be a fixture in the Ballarat food scene.
found The Forge through the Ballarat visitor book, only as I was craving some pizza and there was a great story about it.
We walked up from the visitor centre and walked in to an amazing warehouse styled eating area, it looked great already.
After being greeted and offered several locations to sit, we chose a long table near the pizza ovens.
Pizza choices were numerous and mouth watering, we chose croquettes and shearers pizza, my only disappointment was the profiterole milkshake not being available.
So we enjoyed every morsel, was blown away that Ballarat could do such amazing pizzas and will be returning ahain to try some more.
Highly recommended
Recently found myself in Ballarat for the weekend and and asked a friend who lives locally during the work week what was the best they had to offer. She recommended The Forge which certainly had excellent pizza and was absolutely packed to the rafters on the Saturday night we dined. The two of us ordered three pizzas (there's a reason I'm marrying this guy) the Margherita (you have to right?) and the Shearers, a marinated lamb with goats cheese and pine nuts, both perfectly woodfired. The choice of dessert pizzas was surprisingly difficult. Usually you are in for some sort of Nutella strawberry rendition maaaybe a Nutella banana but here we had three options a stewed Apple, a chocolate honeycomb or white chocolate strawberry. Weighing up serious life choices we then realised there was a special and opted for that, a strawberry with praline and chocolate which came out looking so appetising I didn't even get a photo of it!
A really nice family run pizza place. Service was friendly & efficient, you can see everyone working very hard to manage this super busy restaurant. Loved their cheesy croquettes. Pizza selection was so wide, it was hard to decide. We went with pulled pork & blacksmith to share, yum! The lemon butter tortellini was quite miserable with only 5 pieces & quite an acquired taste. Dessert special of the day was Nutella creme brûlée - dish of the day & the perfect way to end a wonderful meal!
Had an excellent dinner here. We chose the restaurant as it was close by the Mid City Motel where we were staying the night. The Forge has several communal tables, one is especially huge and could easily seat about 16 people, another is an old door with handles still intact. We decided to share a pizza fratellino, though in the end it just wasn't enough, only 3 slices each so we then got one of the specials, rigatoni arabiata with meatballs, which was an excellent slightly fiery choice. The service was efficient and friendly.
Amazing pizza- accommodated all of our dietary requirements (dairy and gluten free) and thank you so much for the kids corner. Our very active 13 month old was very happy making friends and playing. We'll definitely be back.
Came here last night. Loved it!!! Was so blown away! Had a day in Ballarat and looking up places to go and The Forge popped up a few times. We weren't in the mood for pizza but this place put that to rest. I had the Volcano pizza. Super hot salami with feta cheese. Delicious but could have been a bit spicier I thought considering the name. No matter it was still great. My partner had the Shearers pizza (lamb, cheese, red onion etc) and he claimed it was the best pizza he's ever had. I had a slice and it was great, like a lamb souvlaki without the mess! Overall awesome place with a great decor, fun and friendly staff and would 100% revisit.
Well we made it here. Great Pizza and setting. In the old building with exposed brick walls and wood ceiling. Old church pews and chairs. Solid wood tables. Very warm and welcoming. My pizza was delicious. Maple flavored bacon, sage, roast garlic, ground pork crackle the size of sea salt. Finished with some streaky bacon. Flavor galore. Annie had the Prawn with Gorgonzola, garlic and feta. The prawns were full and tender. This is worth the trip from Melbourne and why we came to Ballarat for the day. Highly recommend you book if your coming. Very busy place.
Yum! One of the best Italian restaurants in Victoria... many great ones in Melbourne but wow, The Forge is one of my favourites.
Had the home made gnocchi which was so silky smooth and fresh, and The Bacon woodfired pizza... excellent toppings and the base was not too thin with a bit of fluffiness.
Home made donuts were also an excellent choice!
Great value for money and decent serving size. Well done.
One of the best pizza's I've ever had. The shearer ( a lamb pizza ) and the Chorizo and prawn pizza absolutely worth a 2 hour trip from Melbourne. Seriously Fantastic. Great service too 😊👍🎯Well done Ballarat !
Great place and location
Love the menu and the list of drinks
Friendly staff, gives nice suggestions and helpful ones :)
The best place for casual dinner !
Best pizza in the town, I like their design of the place and their food as well. It has a vintage looking decorations and good lighting arrangements. The bacon was my favourite (if you're a meaty person), the margheritta was normal, the shaw thing was also very meaty but has sweet flavour to it. I love the pizza base, the dough was so soft and cooked to perfection. The pumpkin salad was very refreshing and great to balance out the pizza. The staff were very helpful and friendly.
I eat here regularly for dinner when in Ballarat for work. The pizzas are great and some of the best wood-fired pizzas I've tasted. Salads are usually pretty good too as are the desserts. Staff always very friendly. Can get very busy, which is no bad thing, but can mean it gets pretty noisy. The lack of 'chicken' pizza offerings does let it down slightly. Prices are probably a lot closer the 'Melbourne - prices'.
Best pizza I have had in a long time. We had two take away pizzas one lamb and the Margherita and both were amazing but I have only heard good things for the full dining experience.
Noey Natnaree Triamkedsub
+4.5
I had a pre xmas dinner with my colleagues at the forge and their pizza is so amazing. Its taste so good. I just devoured it without realizing im on calories counting lol. Anyway, the restaurant atmosphere is great. I love them lighting. Food came out quickly even though we ordered heaps.
Beautiful interior, spacious and delicious pizza. Dough is fresh and thin, ingredients plentiful. Only reason they didn't get a 5 is because there are only two vegetarian options on the pizza menu.
Awesome pizza spot for Ballarat! Dined for dinner on a busy Saturday night but were still able to get a table in the industrial/communal feel dining area. Trendy and eclectic decor playing on the rustic industrial fade serves The Forge well. The pizzas were also pretty top notch - bases were increasingly fresh and like eating warm bread that melts in your mouth with an arrange of simple topping to suit any taste. On the pricier side of pizza dining but well worth it for something that leaves you feeling satisfied and not greasy or bloated.
Well let's see the place looks great, others food looks great and staff friendly, order from the menu good , 5 mins later of the three salads guess what sorry no broccoli we ran out. What's it's only 6.30 really did some just forget to order? Any pizzas great but pick up your game folks.
I'll start of by saying - Zomato_Spoon suggests that The Forge is a $$ costing. I would suggest for a pizzeria it's more of a $$$.
That being said, it's worth every penny. Pizzas are fantastic, haven't ventured for anything other than pizza. It's what they do, let them do it. I've literally never been unhappy with the food or staff here. It's a great place.
Pro tip: The original Forge is located at the top of Sturt St. Same pizzas, however they're available in multiple sizes. When getting take away, drive the little extra and get a large ;-)
Food is great here! Try the beetroot salad! Can't go past the shearers pizza... I also enjoy the one in alfredton which has the same menu all the time unlike this location. Can get very very noisy but greatly located if going to movies with friends. TIP- Go early so can try and find a park and always book ahead...
The Forge Pizzeria is absolutely massive. Dressed up as an old warehouse with the requisite exposed bricks and industrial reclaimed furniture, the restaurant can easily seat 200 people or even more. The massive brick pizza ovens take pride of place along the walls though, and you can see the pizza chefs at work if you just peek over the bar. I can understand why The Forge Pizzeria is so popular with the locals – the prices are good and it really caters well for larger groups. The menu can be a bit hit or miss, so I would recommend ordering some simpler pizzas for a guaranteed good meal, rather than opting for fancier versions like the pulled pork.
So much more than a pizza place ...... Food and staff with love, passion, thought, commitment and a very educated palate.
The pizzas are incredible as most Ballaratians know, but try a pan dish to be really treated!
LOVE IT.
The Forge Pizzeria Ballarat was awarded the ‘Traveller Country Champ’ in The Age Good Food Under $30 2014. As it’s known to be kid-friendly so on a recent daytrip to Ballarat it was definitely going to be our lunch stop. The larger of the two Forge Pizzerias is in the main shopping area of the goldfields town and it inhabits a huge warehouse-style space in a 19th century building. The interior decor is a softened industrial look, with exposed brickwork, concrete floors and recycled timber tables and vintage seating. There’s loads of space to move and park prams.
Best pizza around!! Kid friendly. Great family spot for a meal
A little slice of Fitzroy in Ballarat. We made a quick pit stop for dinner on the way back to Melbourne and were glad we choose this restaurant.
We had a Volcano pizza and a Pumpkin pizza as well as a caprese salad. The meal was served promptly and well presented on wooden boards. The pizza dough was good enough to eat by itself and there was the right amount of toppings. The salad was simple and fresh. The wait staff were friendly and knowledgeable. We would definitely come here again.
Great pizza. We came to ballarat for a day trip from melbourne. Very impressed. We had the pancetta which was close to the best pizza I've ever had!
The owners of this establishment are very genuine in ensuring you have a good experience.
The staff are bright and friendly and the decor is funky.
There is a kids area at the back with a giant chalk board to keep them happy for hours.
The pizza is gourmet and flavours are amazing.
Highly recomended, pizza makers with herat.
Gourmet Pizza!. The butchers pizza was just full of flavour! Fast service and high quality food. Not as expensive as you would think.
Love this place. Great vibe. Friendly and helpful staff. Amazing food and coffees. Kids drawing area. Clean viewable kitchen.
Raven. The croquets and Shearers pizza from here are divine!
Jodie Kara Plowright
+4.5
Beautiful Pizzas. I loved the Forge, had dinner here recently. Beautiful atmosphere, friendly waitstaff. I had the butchers pizza and the chocolate filled doughnuts for dessert. Lovely! Will return often.
Was awesome food. Very helpful and able to adapt dish for my vegetarian wife.
Hate to admit it for some reason, but this place hold the mantle of best restaurant in Ballarat by far. Truly excellent, under no circumstance could anyone be disappointed with a meal here.
Great. Pizzas are excellent and have well flavoured meat.
Bit noisy, but great atmosphere. Not sure how I feel about cutlery in a large tub already on table. Pizzas are yummy and true wood fired flavours.
Good food but way too LOUD!. The food is good, no doubt about it (though if you're a vegetarian or don't eat pork then the choice is severely limited). Service is very good.
My main gripe with the place is the level of noise. I constantly found it difficult to hear my fellow diner's conversation. I imagine this is due to all the solid surfaces.
I like the place, I do, but perhaps better for me to visit next time on my own and I'll be able to hear the thoughts in my head.
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Visiting from Perth between Christmas and N.Y. We were a little disappointed when the "recommended" Forge was closed but we persevered with this one. It was reasonably busy but there were ample girls on the floor. It seemed though that all of them had their heads in the clouds. Even though we were sat directly in front of the service station. I couldn't figure out if they had sections or if anyone was allocated to our table as we were only attended to when we flagged someone down. And when we did... They missed a softdrink off the order, brought out copious amounts of glassware (we had both still and sparkling water and 4 of us ended up with 8 glasses plus our wine glasses and softdrinks). We didn't get any plates with our first 2 pizzas so we ate them off napkins, we did get them with the 3rd pizza. The food was great. We had the shearers, the hot salami,and the prawn. We were hoping for the pork belly but they were running a reduced menu over Christmas. The wine list was really pleasing. Considering how many girls were on it was obvious no one had bothered with the toilets before service, in a town where flowers are both cheap and abundant there were a handful of dying carnations in the loo agenda an empty soap dispenser. The kids loved it, we were happy but there was a distinct lack of leadership and sequence of service. It'd give them another go though.
No gluten free. I love Forge Pizza - but they dont do anything gluten free. So that eliminates half my household, and some in my team at work. Alas wont be going back there any time soon. Time they started catering for the growing population who need gluten free food!
YUM!. Some of the best pizza I've had and I have tried plenty of fancy pizza places in Melbourne. Great crust and great toppings! Volcano pizza was amazing.
Our family loved this place. To start with its in a great space with high ceilings rustic brick walls, warehouse lights etc It has a really vibrant atmosphere.
The staff were really friendly and attentive.
The pizza was fantastic with the base as good as it gets and interesting toppings.
The desserts were good as well.
AMAZEBALLS. Great food, great service, only negative is it's darn loud in there but worth it! Try the Prawn Pizza it's amazing. So is the pulled pork. Cant wait to return! Book in advance or you'll miss out. We loved it!
Dessert pizza... YUM!. I rave about the strawberry dessert pizza. Can't wait to go back and try the honeycomb!
Quick Visit for Take Away. We were all too tired from a day of touring Ballarat and Soverign Hill so the consensus was for Pizza. Result was a little searching around Ballarat for a Pizza place that wasnt a chain operation and didnt give the appearance of supplying um - economically priced ingredient lean pizzas.
Forge looked like a good choice - a large busy dine in area and what looked like a bunch of happy engaged customers.
The service was polite and fast. We had water and a couple of glasses of wine whilst waiting - about 15 minutes which to us was excellent.
Absolutely no complaints about the Pizzas - but sadly for the purpose of this review I cant remember which ones we had.
For take away excellent and by all appearances quite a good place to dine in too!
Love the pizza here. Nice eclectic decor, great atmosphere but can be a bit loud on busy nights. Just the right amount of topping. Love love love the pizza base. Pumpkin salad needs more hearty pieces of pumpkin in it, way too much rocket. Highly recommend the strawberry dessert pizza. Lovely staff.
Great restaurant, really good service and yummmmm entrees and pizza. Recommend croquettes and pulled pork pizza.
Great pizza and atmosphere. Try the Blacksmith pizza.
I travelled to ballarat for dinner and found the forge. i'm really glad. that pizza base was orgasmic. thankyou ballarat!
Never thought I'd be the type to go to the effort of an urbanspoon review, but this place is unbelievable . Entree, main, desert, coffee. And the staff were so nice. Absolutely spot on. Worth the trip from melbourne just for a "shearers"
Great service, kid friendly and delicious pizza! We came with our two kids, aged 6 & 8, for lunch on a Sunday. We loved the Shearer's pizza, made with delicious lamb & feta. We'll be back!
The venue is really lovely, decorated beautifully and has a lovely vibe.
The staff were really friendly and attentive.
The risotto portion was very disappointing at $22 for a main. It was more entree size.
The pumpkin salad was inedible. So much oil and overpowering flavours. The dressing needs to be on the side as it ruined a potentially fantastic salad.
The pizza was delicious and definitely the highlight.
All in all if we didn't order the salad it would have been a great meal (even though small)
I'm new to Ballarat and went here for dinner last night based on good urbanspoon reviews. Was not disappointed!! Goof sign when a place is packed on a Tuesday! The pulled pork pizza was great and the special (gnocchi bolognaise made with slow cooked brisket) was absolutely delicious. Nice range of microbrewery beers to accompany dinner too. Service was good, prices reasonable, will be back.
The service was amazing Sarah was a great waitress. The food was amazing the lamb and the pumpkin pizzas were so nice looking forward to coming back again soon
Good place for a group booking. Had a great night on Tuesday at The Forge. The food was delicious and the service first class! The pizza toppings were beautiful and the bases thin and crisp, the way I like them. The service was attentive and friendly. 14 of us came up to Ballarat by train for a quick dinner in The Forge. We chose them because they guaranteed we would be in and out within an hour so we could catch our train back to Melbourne. As soon as we were seated, the service started, ordering pizza and drinks (our waitresses' suggestion that they bring out the best selling pizzas sped things up greatly) and the service was fast and friendly. We were indeed 'in and out' within the hour and on our way home. That the place was busy on a Tuesday night was a good sign also. Recommended.
Lovely meal. We had the prawn pizza which was superb with the exact right amount of chili and feta. Accompanying pumpkin and rocket salad was brilliant with roast pumpkin chips and signature dressing, which is a belter.
Nice atmosphere, if not for the air horns going off that make you jump constantly to announce the food being passed.
Staff was plentiful, but unfortunately no one to welcome you at the door means people stand awkwardly at the entrance wondering wether they are allowed to eat or not. After this however, the waiter/waitresses are very helpful and friendly; eager to help you out.
A great experience for two hungry humans
Fast friendly service. Fabulous wood fired pizza. Buzzing atmosphere accentuated by live music and a fun chef's honker horn. A great place to eat in Ballarat for everyone.
I LOVE the new restaurant: so glad they've opened in town. The menu is more refined in selection options compared to the Sturt St/Alfredon restaurant, but that's not a bad thing. The Pizzas are delicious, the service outstanding and the 'vibe' one that any Ballarat local but Melbourne diner can be proud of. The interior design reminds me of 'Little Creatures' in Fitzroy with it's airy, rustic charm and they play groovy music including classic soul which is so appropriate for the space. There are plenty of staff to take care of you which means customer service and food quality is great. Don't go in the evening without booking first: it might be big, but this place has been so popular already. Other pizza joints in town must be kicking themselves! Woodfire, quality pizzas have come to Ballarat CBD. Try the tiramisu too! Love it.
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