The best 10 restaurants and places to eat in Ballarat, April 2024

The Forge Pizzeria

87/100 (1431 ratings)

Restaurants

Australian

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Pizza

Italian

Pizza

Italian

Australian

Vegan Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Vegan Options

After-hours

Dinner

Lunch

Croquettes

Lamb

Pesto

Pasta

Pork

Salad

Calamari

Calamares

Prawns

Tiramisu

Sit down

Pizza

Australian

Italian

Serves Alcohol

Parking Available

Highchairs Available

Full Bar

Accepts Credit Cards

Outdoor Seating

Accepts Mastercard

Takeout

Accepts Visa

Accepts American Express

Reservations

Street Parking

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Dinner

After-hours

Lunch

Mid-range

"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..."

Foodiee

"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..."

Ben Farrell Chalmers

"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..."

Eric Susanto

"Warm cosy atmosphere with fire place! Perfect place for a cold night. We had cauliflower soup, the Godfather pizza from special menu, Shearer’s..."

Dama

"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..."

Kevin & Emily

"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..."

Gastrology

"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..."

Green Bay Tree

"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..."

FoodFoodFood

"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..."

Dayna Hoskin

"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..."

Food For Thought

"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..."

G

"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,..."

Prof. Pinky@LunchLab

"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..."

Glenda Iris

"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..."

Mr Need To Eat

"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..."

Jenna B

"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..."

Explore.Melbourne

"Delicious pizza, generous portion sizes and lots of toppings (much more than any ‘fancy’ pizza places)! All of the pizzas looked and smelt..."

Rachel Jade

"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..."

Kairo

"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..."

Megan

"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..."

Shark82

"Amazing building, excellent staff and friendly service. The pizzas were delicious with a soft crunchy dough, and I have never had sweet potato fries..."

Rob Anthony

"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..."

Scottt

"If ur in Ballarat you need to do this pizza placeNot the cheapest but the best Woodford pizzas I've had in a long time. The roast pumpkin and..."

Anna L

"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..."

Affogato Addiction

"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..."

Mr MM Smith

"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..."

Nicole P

"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..."

Rosemary Pamic

"Went to a recent fundraising trivia night with some friends who are Ballarat locals. Not only was the food, service and atmosphere absolutely..."

Windsorlocal

"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..."

G&G Birdhouse

"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..."

Monde

"Wah agan2 sekalian wajib nyoba tempat makan pizza yang ini nih kalo lagi deket2 melben terutama kalau lagi ke sovereign hills (tumben ane bener..."

Sebastian Tobing

"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..."

Hungry Koala

"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..."

Stephen

"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..."

Chloe

"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..."

Alex

"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..."

Alix McLeod

"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..."

Axeman 1372

"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..."

James D

"Fast, friendly service in a well-designed environment. Pizzas are excellent and very friendly for kids. Good non pizza options too and varied..."

George Cockerill

"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..."

Elicia Hajis

"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..."

Valina Whites

"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..."

Brie’ella

"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..."

Kieren ORiley

"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..."

MM

"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...."

Good Food Good Mood

"A really nice family run pizza place. Service was friendly & efficient, you can see everyone working very hard to manage this super busy restaurant...."

Who Loves Good Food

"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..."

Kerryj

"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..."

Laura Parker

"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..."

Abigail Williams

"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..."

Terry Stewart

"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..."

Tweekly

"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...."

Mike Watson

"Great place and location Love the menu and the list of drinks Friendly staff, gives nice suggestions and helpful ones :)The best place..."

Zainab

"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...."

CLABEL

"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..."

James Blackwell

"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..."

Garth Christie

"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..."

Noey Natnaree Triamkedsub

"Beautiful interior, spacious and delicious pizza. Dough is fresh and thin, ingredients plentiful. Only reason they didn't get a 5 is because there..."

Eliana Negri

"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..."

LC.

"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..."

Paulo

"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..."

Kris Bird

"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..."

Mmmfoood

"The Forge Pizzeria is absolutely massive. Dressed up as an old warehouse with the requisite exposed bricks and industrial reclaimed furniture, the..."

Gourmanda.me

"So much more than a pizza place ...... Food and staff with love, passion, thought, commitment and a very educated palate.The pizzas are..."

Happygolucky

"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..."

TOT: HOT OR NOT

"Best pizza around!! Kid friendly. Great family spot for a..."

Christina

"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...."

FoodieMelbs

"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..."

ATay

"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..."

GFmumma

"Gourmet Pizza!. The butchers pizza was just full of flavour! Fast service and high quality food. Not as expensive as you would..."

WillB

"Love this place. Great vibe. Friendly and helpful staff. Amazing food and coffees. Kids drawing area. Clean viewable..."

Reviewer101

"Raven. The croquets and Shearers pizza from here are..."

Raven

"Beautiful Pizzas. I loved the Forge, had dinner here recently. Beautiful atmosphere, friendly waitstaff. I had the butchers pizza and the chocolate..."

Jodie Kara Plowright

"Was awesome food. Very helpful and able to adapt dish for my vegetarian..."

Ish

"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..."

Mr Tiger

"Great. Pizzas are excellent and have well flavoured..."

J And J

"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..."

Louieblue88

"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..."

Holden Caulfield

"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...."

Lee Marvin

"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..."

Nikki

"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..."

ECB

"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..."

Louise

"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..."

Nomiki Madd Hatta

"Dessert pizza... YUM!. I rave about the strawberry dessert pizza. Can't wait to go back and try the..."

Brickette

"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..."

Grant

"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..."

BlueberryMint

"Great restaurant, really good service and yummmmm entrees and pizza. Recommend croquettes and pulled pork..."

Sarah Ball

"Great pizza and atmosphere. Try the Blacksmith..."

The SOSN Crew

"I travelled to ballarat for dinner and found the forge. i'm really glad. that pizza base was orgasmic. thankyou..."

Jordan

"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..."

Stew McLeod

"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..."

Melissa

"The venue is really lovely, decorated beautifully and has a lovely vibe.The staff were really friendly and attentive.The risotto portion..."

Mazzii

"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..."

Meg

"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..."

George

"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..."

Scott Martin

"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..."

James

"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..."

ILove2Eat

"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..."

Reset

There are 395 restaurants

Cuisine

Dietary restrictions

Meals

Structure

Dishes

Ballarat restaurants

Ranking

Sort A-Z

near you

Filters

Lil’MissNyonya

Vanessa Bastiaans

Eliana Negri

EandD

Mkwgreen

Cassandra Maynard

Melbourne Epicurean Juror

Nick

Danielle Smith

Daniel L

Kellie

Deb

Mark

Becsta1983

Judi Cohen

Vicky W

Jasmine_renee

Ash Hughes

Monica

Sarah Egan

Savannah Dotson

Sarah

Dave Harrison

becca Macca

Ainslea Williams

Erin Blue

belinda Stubbs

Narelle Johnson

Peter Gunston

Linda Cook

Tony Waugh

Melissa Parkhill

Karly Jane Newitt

Jazza Blake

Christopher M. Stull

Máirtín O'h-Allmhurain

Russell Carrington

Andrew Smith

Shermelan Reddy

Dave Spencer

Mark Simpson

Karen Cotter

Sonia Murr

Virginia Phillips

Mandy Hagan

Debra Johnstone

Brendon Moore

Melissa Dela

Nik Beattie

Lyn Jackson Tatt

Vannessa James Estigarribia

Hayley Pfeifer

Steven Ching

Vanessa mullen

Jeff moss

Domonique Dillon (Dommie Flutters)

Simon McShane

Zara Gathercole

denise swanton

Stephanie Undy

Jarrod A. Freeman

jaye lee

JJznacks (JJznacks)

I'm Jayelee I Wish I Were A Billionare

J D

Andrew Downes

Caitlyn Stevens

Trish Simmons