Review Lucio Pizzeria - Sydney

Classic Neapolitan pizzas and salads. My favourite is the buffalo mozzarella margarita and the pear and arugula salad. Nice choice of wines by the glass, and friendly service. On inclement weather days, there are tent awnings to keep diners dry and a heater for warmth. Only two downsides: The loud rock music that keeps the kitchen staff going is really not conducive to a relaxed dining experience and the front windows really need a good clean.

This review is for Lucio's mobile pizza oven. This service was provided as part of catering for our wedding. Overall, this was a fantastic addition to our special day and we would not have done it any different. The pizzas were amazing, and this included a Nutella pizza for desert. Harley was the point of contact we had for initial planning, and she coordinated the wait staff on the day. Alongside our wedding coordinators, Harley was attentive but relaxed which made the day run very smoothly. Lucio's also provided the wait staff. All of the ladies and gentlemen that made up that team were very friendly and genuinely wanted to make the day special for ourselves and our guests. The Lucio's mobile pizza oven was the size of a small car towed trailer and was very manoeuvrable. Lucio brought their own marque and could operate in wet or dry weather. Again, huge thank you to Lucio, Harley and their team. Awesome to work with and have a part of our special day.

Hands down the best pizza I’ve had ANYWHERE in the world. The sauce and dough are out of this world, perfectly balanced flavours. Keep it simple with your pizza choice - the basic elements are the stars here. Took family here who are big Italian food aficionados and they were blown away. I just wish you sold your marinara sauce in jars to take away - I would love to be able to get a taste of Lucio’s every day!

Pizza was a little over cooked, leaves it with a slight burned taste, other than that it was fresh and delicious, tiramisu is made in house, very delicious but could use a little more liqueur and the Italian hot chocolate was flavourful and the right consistency but it wasn’t stirred quite enough and there were a few small clumps at the bottom, other than that it was a perfect night out, the staff were fantastic and attentive, quick and excellent service here and I would highly recommend the place.

Lucio’s pizzeria is set in a lovely courtyard full of other bustling restaurants. However this is where the praise stops for this particular establishment. The pizza I received was quite possibly the sloppiest, mushiest and poorly made pizza ever served. Just because they’re called mushrooms doesn’t mean they need to be mush. The prosciutto was added to the pizza after it was cut leaving a mass of cured meat for me to dissect myself. The easiest part of the experience was leaving this one star review.

Lucio De Falco, from Naples, Lucio has a long history of working with pizza from a young age and has worked all around Europe before settling in Sydney. He’s now been here over 15 years and owns and runs Lucio Pizzeria in Darlinghurst and Zetland. Lucio has the stamp of approval for producing authentic Napoletana, being the vice president Australasia and member of the AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana). He also competed at the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza in Parma Italy, attaining the award for best pizza in Australia and 5th in the world. That said, you know you’re going to be in for a good pizza at Lucio Pizzeria. We arrive at the Darlinghurst location which has been a stalwart in the area for many years. It’s in a lovely courtyard area where tables allow you to dine alfresco with covered sails. The restaurant also has an open kitchen, allowing for you to see the chef in action at the dominating woodfired pizza oven, which certainly makes you salivate for the meal ahead. The menu showcases the traditional and authentic Neapolitan style pizza, pasta, antipasti and desserts, using beautiful fresh produce sourced both locally and from around Australia. There’s a great range of entrees and we enjoyed the lovely Capesante or scallops with pancetta and pumpkin as well as a side salad of Rocket with parmesan, pears and balsamic vinegar called the Rucola, Parmigiano e Pera. You’re able to try their zucchini flowers, calamari fritti or antipasto plates amongst a range of other Italian dishes. Furthermore, we can recommend ordering pasta too. The Orecchiette al Pesto or Orecchiette with pesto Genovese was an outstanding dish. Perfectly cooked pasta with the most beautifully flavoured and textured pesto sauce. We would most definitely order again. But it’s a pizzeria of course, and you can’t leave here without having one of their amazing pizzas. The pizzas have all of your classic and authentic Italian flavours from Margherita, to Diavola to name a few, and our choice, the Capricciosa. This was a beautifully light dough, topped with a delicious mozzarella, mushroom, ham, artichoke and olives. We loved this, and tasted so good straight out of the pizza oven. Although like us, you’re probably full by this stage, you can’t leave without dessert. The traditional Italian tiramisu is just as you hope for. The dessert has all your favourite flavours; the prominent lady fingers, mascarpone, coffee, sugar and cocoa and is so creamy and delicious. In addition, there’s also bombolini, pannacotta and even Nutella pizza. Whilst you dine, why not order a glass of wine or beer with a range of Australian and Italian wines on the menu. Lucio and the staff were so lovely and made every effort to ensure that we were welcomed and well looked after. Overall we had a wonderful experience at Lucio Pizzeria and strongly encourage you to pay a visit.

We had a delicious meal at Lucio Pizzeria’s flagship Darlinghurst store. The service was professional and the staff were very charming and obliging. Ordered the scallops (antipasti), lamb shoulder ragu with homemade Casarecce pasta, and the Campagnola (pizze bianche), I was so touched by the food because it reminds me of the time I spent in Italy and how good it was. The lamb shoulder ragu was filled with complex flavours and fragrance that were so well balanced with the handmade pasta. A simple dish, the ingredients and execution had to be perfect, and it was. Definitely worth checking it out as it is one of new dishes introduced to the menu in this autumn while the store is celebrating its 13th anniversary. Also fell in love with their wood fired white pizza. The one we had was topped with mozzarella, stracchino and mushroom that gave a chewy texture, and it had a billowy soft crust, blistered bubbles and a crispy bottom. Probably the best wood fired pizza I had in Sydney!

Great little italian restaurant which has been around for over 13 years. They have another shop in zetland but we choose to come here to try the food as it's the flagship store and they have a little different menu to the one in zetland. The darlinghurst location is bounded round a courtyard area where part of the tables is in the courtyard area where you can dine alfresco with covered sails. The open kitchen let you see the chef making the pasta and pizza in the wood fired pizza oven. Using beautiful fresh produce sourced both locally and from around Australia we try the scallops with pancetta and pumpkin puree as entree, a cheese base Campagnola ( they have a good variety of tomato base and cheese base wood fired pizza), lamb shoulder ragu Casarecce pasta and tiramisu. Pasta was made fresh daily from zetland store and use it here. Love the lamb ragu flavours the meat was tender and flavoursome and saucy enough to cover all the pasta and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and chewy which I like. I love the woodfire pizza it has good texture and great toppings options to choose from. The tiramisu was moist, fluffy, creamy and perfect sweet ending to the meal. Lucio and the staff were so freindly, helpful and made every effort to ensure that we were welcomed and well looked after. Highly recommend to check this place for authentic wood fired pizza and hand made tasty pasta.

My family loves your food, and it's true that you are one of the best pizzeria in town & you deserve and award. But can't say the same about your service (East Village restaurant). You staff wasn't too happy to serve the table with kids, a friend of ours overheard she said that in Italian in the kitchen, unaware that my friend speaks Italian. When confronted she did not even apologize but denied of saying it and walked away. Very disappointed that we never came back again. No matter how good the food if the service is like that then no point of going there, just make the good food turns bad. Lucio management should really train their staffs well. If your staff does not like serving table with kids because they are messy, you should put a sign No Family with Kids in this premise.

Best pizzeria in Sydney. My husband and his brother, who were born in Italy along with my sister in law went for pizzas tonight. We started out with fried calamari which was delicious. Then split a mixed salad, then had the margarita pizza and the pizza with sausage, potato and rosemary. Felt like we were back in italy. Ended off with fried dough with Nutella and a slice of cake with ricotta and pears. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. We highly recommend Lucio''s as the best pizzeria in Sydney.

Ordered the capricciosa and the verdurine the other night. BEST pizza I've had outside of Italy. Tasted like real Italian pizza - thin base, chewy crust, and only a few ingredients (not the gazillion ingredients that Aussies and Americans tend to put on their pizzas). It was fantastic! Requested anchovies instead of artichoke hearts and got a lovely little note from the pizza chef, who had swapped the ingredients as requested. Can't wait to go back to eat in and try their cocktails! (And no, I don't work there. I have just been craving proper pizza and I'm so happy I've found a place that makes it.) PS. Just found out they do masterclasses!!

My friend and I thought it was the best Pizza we ever tried in Australia. Cosy ambience in a lovely neighbourhood. Their service was top notch, I did not get waiter's name but he explained everything in detail about their pizza as we do not know anything about Napolean pizza. Overall it was a pleasant experience and definitely will be back if we ever drop by Sydney again.

Bufalina and Vederine pizzas are very delicious! Very authentic Naples pizza, and it should be the best Italian pizza experience!! Friendly staff and they are very helpful.

I've been to both the Zetland and Darlinghurst venues and they're both amazing but also very different! Darlinghurst is small and simple - very traditionally Italian. No frills. Whereas Zetland's larger menu and modern decor are more suited to the Australian idea of what a 'restaurant' should be. Either way if you want quality Napolean-style pizza, this is the best Sydney has to offer

Absolutely love Lucio pizza, definitely my most favourite pizzaria that I’ve tried in both Sydney and Melbourne!! Pretty much the only restaurant I still miss in Sydney since I moved down to Melb.

Best Pizza and starters in Australia! The food, atmosphere and staff are just devine! You can't wait to go back there!

Love this place! The staff are amazing and the food is always delicious, if I did ever have a bad experience in sure they'd do their best to rectify it!

wonderful pizza and amazing staff. well done guys!!! keep going!!!

12/10 best pizza ex italy best dough ingredients piazza setting friendly staff I'm hooked

Best pizzeria in the world! If I travel to Sydney again, I will comeback to eat Your delicious pizza:)

Outstanding. The best pizza in town. Very tasty. Service is always great..

One of the highest stardard of Neapolitan pizza you will ever find in Australia

Very good pizza at the Zetland pizzeria! We received superb service from very attentive staff (Angelo and Amedeo) ..above and beyond our expectations!

It was amazing food , be back for friends byday

Took my family there today for Mothers Day lunch. It was awesome. Best pizza we've had. Thank you for making it such a great day.

Great food and excellent friendly service

The pear ricotta cheesecake was delicious :) pizza base was light and fluffy but lacked as much flavour as I wanted. Overall ok

I have dined at both venues but I always love to come back to Darlinghurst, as it reminds me of being in a tiny Pizzeria in Napoli.  the atmosphere and vibe is always lively and fun. <br/>Now lets talk about the food.  Antipasti, myself and my husband shared an Antipasto platter for 2 and it was more than substantial; grilled vegetables, Arancini, soft potato croquettes, fried mini pizzas and much more Italian delicacies.<br/>Pizzas are traditional Napoletana pizzas, the ones you find if you have the chance to travel to Italy.  I got my  favourite Buffalina, I simply cannot go past it.  Also, love the Diavolo, for a bit of spice.  Dessert. Hubby got the pear and ricotta cake- lite and delicious, I even got a chance to try some.   I got the Tiramisu- coffee filled goodness! <br/>Finally I want to touch on the staff.  Attentive and friendly and always inviting, especially the big guy at the front of house who always goes that extra mile.A good place also for the kiddies. They can eat and once finished run around the piazza while mum and dad enjoy a vino!<br/>Thank you for a lovely evening Lucio Pizzeria

Place not really beautiful but pizzas were all right. I ordered Lucio pizza, half Margherita and half Calzone. I liked more the Calzone side, with ricotta, mozzarella and ham. So next time I go there I’ll probably have a full Calzone.<br/>I’ve been in this pizzeria about 4 years ago and I didn’t come back because that time the pizza-chef made a dirty comment on me, without knowing I’m Italian and I was understanding everything he was saying. But it was long time ago, he probably doesn’t even work here anymore.

I have rather mixed feelings about Lucio Pizzeria. Whilst the margherita was one of the best I’ve had – good enough to rival Gradi – I felt that it was brought down by the disappointing white pizza, and the relative lack of atmosphere. And despite the margherita being fairly priced, everything else was rather expensive for suburban Darlinghurst – an entrée-sized plate of meatballs OR arancini will set you back $21. All in all, I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to come here again; the margherita was just not enough to make up for, well, pretty much everything else. I’d much rather sacrifice just a smidge of flavour on the margherita, and head to say, Rosso Antico or Bella Brutta instead, where everything is better overall.

Wow, what an amazing authentic Italian pizzeria. From start to finish the service was excellent and the food. Well, we had no complaints. Tasty fresh ingredients. Definitely worth a visit. We went early about 630pm as it soon got busy and people were queuing for a table. We ate calamari, meatballs, Lucio special and the calzone.

Being a student in Sydney can have its toll, especially on the weekends. But when it came to this pizzeria I was exceptionally glad to splurge my savings. Arrived here in the most Italian car possible (Fiat 500), so obviously the need for authenticity was high.<br/><br/>Ordered the Bufalina pizza and truth be told I have never had pizza this good. The crust, the cheese and finally the sauce were in one word; perfection. Would highly reccomend this place and have been recommending this place for a pretty long time to anyone travelling to Sydney.

Amazing service when you eat in, and food comes out fresh. Highly recommended for a nice evening out. Don't order takeaway, food didnt seem the same last night and my pizza was cold.

The calzone we had was so yummy. Burrata was decent. A pity the anchovies/olive pizza was too salty for us.. Food is served really really fast! :)

My partner and I came here when Mardi Gras was on so it wasn't so busy. We ordered the Verdurin Pizza, Calamari Fritti and Tiramisu for dessert. The pizza itself was very light and crispy, however, it needed a little more salt to accentuate the flavours better. The chilli oil went very well with the pizza. The calamari fritti was amazing and was very light and fresh. Would have liked a bigger serving but it was enough to satisfy us. The main star of the night was definitely the tiramisu. It was the perfect balance of sweet, creamy and bitter. Definitely would come back for that. The staff were super friendly and the location was hidden away in a less busy part of the city.  It was a very pleasant experience. Would go here again!

Lucio is the closest to Italian Pizza you can get in Sydney. The sauce, crust and base are exceptional, their service is even better. We were treated like royalty on a weekday, I’m not sure if the experience is the same on a weekend. I ordered for the Bufalina, it was good size for one person.

Quite a small pizzeria tucked away from the busy parts of Darlinghurst that offers mostly outdoor seating. Quite cosy with some great friendly staff who are very enthusiastic when they tell you the daily specials. As a mainly pizzeria, we ordered two pizzas, both came out speedy and looking well topped and delicious. My partner is a big fan of the thin crusted pizzas, says he can eat more without getting full from crust. I really do like thin crusted pizzas and this pizza is super thin! It does get a bit soggy from sauce and easily breaks apart in the middle. But the pizza itself is not overly greasy, packed with flavor and satisfying.

After reading all the hype here I decided to order a pizza from them but to my dismay it turned out to be one of the worst pizzas i ever had.it hardly had any ingredients in it.it was not worth even $5..never again.

Best pizza by Francesco! Friendly service and always good food. Tiramisu is melting in the mouth 👌🏻 Calzone is delishious and huge ! :) Great value.

Lucio is always packed for dinner and it's not hard to see why. They've got a really nice outdoor area which is pet-friendly. Their prices are a little on the expensive side with a margarita pizza costing $22. <br/><br/>Ridicchio salad: had walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese, and a sweet balsamic dressing. It was very well dressed. Not normally a fan of smelly cheeses but this worked very well. <br/><br/>Baby Octopus: slow cooked in a tomato sauce with olives. This was a little too sour for my liking. <br/><br/>Lucio Pizza: is a half calzone, half margarita pizza. The calzone was a little disappointing but the margarita was excellent. <br/><br/>Great service and food came out relatively quick.

The outdoor area is a big win of this place as well as the staff, always checking if everything was good. Service was really fast and food was flavourful - the crust looked and tasted so yum!! We had a calzone and a bufallina. The calzone wasn't what I expected, but the balance in bufallina and the delicate taste were very very good! Overall, a great experience!

got the calamari, prosciutto wrapped figs, radicchio salad, and mushroom/anchovy/ham/olive/mozzarella pizza. the pizza crust ws amazing bt the amt of toppings made the middle of the pizza a little wet. calamari ws my fave~ cute lil brick oven the in back.

Classic stuff. Pizzas are of course good but don't skip out on the antipasti menu - the figs are a great pick. The pizzas are focused and simple like they should be.

Delicious, authentic Italian wood fired pizza served hot! Every single flavour is as good as the next and I would highly recommend this place to any pizza lover.

Incredible pizza! I got the prosciutto and rocket - very generous toppings and amazing pizza base. The service was a bit scattered but that was because there was only one poor waitress on the floor. She was really lovely and helpful when we managed to get her attention!

It was amazing to see traditional Italian pizzeria in Sydney which used an masonry oven to bake a sumptuous plate of pizza. Nonetheless, it would be even more authentic if the crust is thinner and the ingredient occupied more of the crust.

Gosh the pizzas here are amazing. Best marinara I've ever had hands down. Perfect base, good amount of sauce, and bites of garlic. The salad needed a bit more life, would have liked them to be a bit fresher but seriously you come here for the pizzas anyway and they are superb!

“Mumma Mia! Very Tasty!”<br/><br/>Really enjoyed this restaurant for dinner... unpretentious and not too hipster. Tried the authentic Margherita pizza, the Rustica pizza and also tasty meatballs in a delicious tomato sauce....what more do you want from life? Close enough to walk to Gelato Messina for dessert! Will be back!

Lucio's is one of the best Italian places I've been to. Amazing staff, and great service. To top it all, great desserts as well. <br/>Italy in Sydney.

Poor service lets this place down badly<br/>Can't handle busy periods<br/>Ordered pizza and pasta. Pizzas came out first. Had almost finished them and enquired about the pasta. About 10 minutes away was the response. After 20 minutes enquired again. Still another 5 minutes away. Have a new chef and he messed up the orders was the explanation. Was offered a complementary dessert but insisted on two main pizzas.<br/>A real debacle.<br/>

Lucio is located in a relatively quiet street of Darlinghurst. Found parking without much effort on a Friday night. It was busy but we were lucky enough to get a table within one minute of arrival. Ordered 2 pizzas:<br/>1. Diavolo: Spicy but yum! Absolutely loved it even though I am not a big meat eater.<br/>2. Siciliana: The waitress was kind enough to add spinach to it on my request. It was good but preferred diavolo.<br/><br/>Had a few beers (which were average ones). Had no space left for dessert but Nutella Pizza looked great from a distance.<br/><br/>Will visit again.

Lucio's has the best pizzas in Sydney. This is my go-to joint (approx 1-2 times a fortnight).<br/><br/>The staff are very polite and helpful, the only thing missing is a better atmosphere.

The best costume service and the best pizza I've ever had while overseas. It tastes exactly like a wood fire pizza. I've asked for a Nutella pizza as a dessert and the waitress said she was going to surprise me and so she did! They made a 'bomb' Nutella bites for me and my husband and it was the most delicious dessert I could ever have! They're the best for me! :)

Convenient Darlinghurst location and opens onto large square with a few other restaurants. Good for noise as the chatter doesn't bounce off the walls but disperses outside.<br/><br/>Tartafurta (sic) is great- proscitutto, mushrooms and truffle oil and so is the sausage, rosemary and potato pizza.<br/><br/>No BYO but the wine is quite cheap. Messina is also a short walk away.

An Italian friend took me here, telling me this place has the best pizza he has had since coming to Sydney. He was not wrong! I absolute love pizza, tried many different places, and this is definitely my favourite. We got the Tartufata, Bufalina and another which I can't remember the name of, but they were all amazing, though my favourite was the Tartufata. Drizzle your pizza with the chilli oil provided if you want some spice.<br/><br/>The pizzas came out really quickly, and it's a nice and quiet space with indoor and ourdoor seating.

Another one of my favourite pizzas in Sydney, this little institition has a no bookings policy and if your not here by 6.15pm, it is hard to nab a table. The pizzas are what your here for but the entrees are also delicious such as a caprese salad with burrata or slow cooked optopus or the antipasto platter. The pizzaiolo in the kitchen in front if the wood fired oven is non stop from the moment they open filling tummies small & big as well as takeaway. There is nothing fancy about dessert here but if you want something refreshing & light, then an aggogato or gelato is the way to go. Or if you wanted more pizza & carbs then go for the Nutella pizza.

Voted in the top 10 pizzerias in Sydney and for good reason, this Place subscribes to the old school style of wood fired pizzas<br/><br/>Staff are just delightful and accommodating, would recommend to all

I went here with a couple of friends. We all ordered a pizza each and ate it all! One of the best pizzas I've ever tried. Small space with a bit of a line on weekends, but great food and vibes.

Heard so much about how authentic pizza is here 3 of us decided to find out for ourselves. We got a table outside and service was speedy. <br/><br/>As soon as I scanned through the menu I had a good feeling about what's in store for us. The menu looked absolutely authentic and reminded me of that cozy and nice restaurant we went in Venice. In Italy you will not find pizza with tandoori chicken or ham and pineapple or BBQ sauce; what you will find is exactly what you find in Lucio. <br/><br/>All three of us ordered pizza, margherita for my vegetarian friend, calzone for hubby and capricciosa for me. The ingredients couldn't get any simpler but oh my god it's fresh!! From the pizza base to tomato sauce, it was just like the ones we tasted in Italy.<br/><br/>As we were leaving, there was still a long queue waiting outside. Now we know why!

After reading the glowing reviews of this place on the site, a friend of mine brought us here for dinner. Ordered 3 pizzas which all came out doughy and soggy instead of the thin and crispy base everyone else on this site seems to be getting, had a miserable amount of topping and was incredibly bland overall. We just felt so bloated eating tasteless dough we didn't even want to finish them and decided to go to mcdonalds instead. Save your money and go anywhere else, just not this ridiculously overpriced and terrible 'pizzeria'.

Decided to come here after reading all the positive reviews and I am so glad I did. My goodness the food was heavenly. The octopus was perfectly cooked, the Calzone oozed with flavour and the Tartufata (highly recommend) was incredibly delicious. Also tried the Bomboloni di Nutella and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta - preffered the Nutella.

When to go to Lucio? When you want fantastic pizza, a great atmosphere and some of the best service in Sydney. The food was light, enticing and flavourful. The tomato sauce was awesome. This is a big win.

Great Pizza !!! Definitely one of my favourites..<br/><br/>Nothing more to say. <br/><br/>It's a small restaurant, limited seating, but really nice when the weather is nice and you sit outside looking on to the other restaurants, people watching and drinking vino.

As a self proclaimed Pizza Nazi, I find it difficult to dine at places that don’t serve proper Neapolitan Pizza. The ones that do (and do it well), tend to be knighted with the ever-coveted AVPN seal of approval (Google it, I’m sick of explaining it). The best of that group is nestled right in the heart of Darlinghurst, on Palmer Street – Lucio Pizzeria.

Worth the wait if you want a great pizza in my opinion, the Marinara and the Cheese with Truffle oil both were fantastic. Their tiramisu isn't bad either but Dont skip on pizza to fit it in.

My french friend likes it very much said it is authentic Napoli pizza. The service is good though I cannot book a seat. I am not a pizza lover, but I would like to go there again and try different pizza.

Really good Pizza, very friendly and accommodating staff. Will come back again. We asked for a smaller size arancini and they did that without any hassles

You're in Darlinghurst, you want a hip spot and feel like good Italian pizza ... without the stuck up attitude or massive price tag attached...Head to Lucio Pizzeria! Don't miss the Fig Wrapped in Prosciutto with Gorgonzola Sauce.

Lucio Pizzeria offers one of the best traditional Neapolitan style pizzas in Sydney, and they do it with fresh and beautiful ingredients.

According to Sydney’s food guide, Lucio’s is rated as one of Sydney’s Top 5 pizza restaurants. I sure as hell came here with super high expectations and I’m so glad I wasn’t disappointed with the quality of their pizza. Calzone, $20. (folded up pizza). One of their signature items. Although I am a massive pizza fanatic, this was actually my first time eating a Calzone, it was really good, because 1. I have no other Calzone eating experience to compare it to and 2. Nothing can go wrong when you have quality dough, cheese and pizza toppings. From the pictures, it looks really flat and seems like it has really little fillings, but once you cut into it, all this ricotta just squishes out. It’s filled with ricotta and mozarella, salami and a bit of tomato paste. It’s really really creamy and oily and not too tomato-y. Salted and pepper calamari and octopus, $20. Nice, nothing exciting about it though. Rustica pizza, $19. Potato, Rosemary and sausages. Potatoes on pizza got my attention stra

The place has been getting a tonne of press lately with all the big name Italian Chefs – Armando Percuoco, Adriano Zumbo, Alessandro Pavoni, and Giovanni Pilu for starters – showing up and giving it a plug. With a metre long pizza for $60, as opposed to Criniti’s $95, they pack them in night after night. There’s also a Fantasy Pizza (they really must change that name, sounds like a bad movie) every night, which is a random that pizzaoili feel like whipping up ….if you can, whisper to one of them find out if its the one with a heap of fresh seafood on it. So does it get my vote? My favourite is still Lucio’s at Darlinghurt (sorry Luigi, but I still want to know where you got those briscola themed espresso cups) – the base, the quality of the toppings, the Lucio half pizza/half calzone – devine. The antipasto platter is great too. Via Napoli in my view has the stone oven – brought in painstakingly from The Motherland – temperature just a little too high, which can lead to a bit too much charring around the edges for my liking, and a softer centre. But its still on my list. I also like the calamari and the croquettes here. There’s also RossoPomodoro at Balmain (don’t ask for an ‘alf and ‘alf, or pineapple, or any additions or changes for that matter, you’ll get a death stare from these pizza puritans), Popolo at Potts Point (on my to do list), Cavallino at TerryHills, and Pizza Mario in Surry Hills. I also used to be a fan of La Disfida at Haberfield, but I have not tried it since it changed hands. In other news, no need to go to Melbourne any more, Movida has o

Lucio Pizzeria is currently our favourite pizzeria in Sydney. There was a different feel to the pizza base than any other pizza joints! Granted that you might not be getting a big range of toppings, but that’s what pizze are in Italy!

I’m usually pretty averse to “best-of” lists. Once you reach that point, elements become pretty much indistinguishable from another, and even vaunted number one positions don’t really mean much, except for getting your name and brand out there. After all, if you could actually, legitimately tell the difference between the number one restaurant in XYZ cuisine to the number 5 restaurant, also in XYZ cuisine, then congratulations – you’re a super taster. I only wish we were all super tasters (then we’d all be able to make and thus eat better food). Still, such lists do have a use – and that’s to draw attention to the general public about such places. If Quay was never featured on Masterchef and was not present on the San Pelligrino’s top 50 restaurants in the world list , it’s not likely that you’d have to book 6 months in advance. Good talent does deserve to be recognised, and if you don’t actually serve great food, then your own skills as a chef will eventually “standardise” you.

...last-minute decision to go for ‘the best pizza in Sydney’ as is Lucio Pizzeria’s claim to fame (according to some  local rag). I had dined at Lucio Pizzeria previously with three (attractive) girlfriends and had really enjoyed it, although I definitely noticed that my partner and I received less attention from the wait staff on this particular visit! One thing that I had remembered fondly was Lucio’s awesome antipasti platter and I definitely had to have it again.

Lucio Pizzeria has gained a strong reputation for outstanding pizza - but the rest of the food available here is also amazing too - as we discovered.  We started with the antipasti misto for two - although in reality it could probably have fed double that number of people!

Buffalo mozzarella and wood fired oven were the main successes to the pizzas we ordered. The pizza base was freshly made, and has a gentle and soft rustic texture that is hard to beat.

Lucio's Pizzeria is a family favourite. A friend favourite too because it's one of the places I love to bring my friends to.

All in all it was an amazing night of eating. Lucio Pizzeria more than lived up to the hype and expectation. So much so that I can’t wait to go back and order half a dozen Margherita pizza’s all for myself! :)

After drinks at the new Pocket Bar a few friends and I were keen for dinner at Phamish but we arrived late to a closing kitchen. Wondering where we could go we noticed Lucio Pizzeria next door and thought pizza might be a safe beat of being OK. Little did

This is good pizza; great flavours, well made, perhaps a little on the blonde-side but definitely a nice pizza to sink your teeth into. It just didn't meet my expectations.

...the crust is everything that the Neopolitan pizza police could wish for, but the toppings are just too, well, over the top. I went to Lucios with an open mind, I promise, but for me Marios is still numero uno. That being said, I’d happily chow down on Lucios any night of the week.

Good Service, my friend likes the pizzas but to me the taste of the pizzas was average. Okay for casual night out :)

Excellent pizza contrasts really poor and not attentive service. Amazing pizza (had the speck one) and good dessert too. However, the waitress was not prepared (she couldn't explain "stracchino", and gave us a really poor service.<br/>It is a shame considering the quality of the food served.<br/>Be back for sure: hope the owner will consider to select better the staff: sometimes being patriottic doesn't help, especially in a city so picky about the service as Syd.<br/>Hope the service may redeem itself.

We went Monday for dinner. we ate the Filetto pizza and 4 formaggi were very good.<br/>the calamari fritti was fantastic! <br/>absolutely recommend!<br/><br/>siamo stati questa sera, locale piccolino ma veloci e quindi con un buon ricambio di gente. <br/>fritto misto ottimo e pizze come essere in una buona pizzeria italiana! <br/>raccomandato<br/><br/><br/>-----12 Jan, 2015-----<br/><br/>4 Formaggi. Buona

The Lucio (Margarita Amd Ham Calzone) 9/10. Sublime simplicity, favourite pizza ever

Less than impressed. They have a good reputation, but after our experience there tonight that did not prove true. Simple order of two pizzas completely wrong, the second didn't come, stressed, rude and unhelpful staff, utter chaos. I wouldn't waste my time there.

The best pizza in Sydney outside Napoli. Lovely hospitality from Lucio and the team. Proud family Italian restaurant and well worth the visit.

Everything on the menu is fantastic!

We've been to Italy and New York and this is by far the best pizza we have eaten. A definite must try, we went back two nights in a row! Give the mushroom pizza a go if you visit, they drizzle it with truffle oil, absolute heaven on earth.

Over and above. Was hosting an event nearby to the restaurant (so can't comment on ambience as we didn't dine in) and had Lucio's provide the food. Plenty of pizzas and some antipasto and stuffed mushroom/pepper dishes to mix things up a bit. All went down very well with the guests especially the pizzas and the service and attention provided by Lucio to help make the event a success was superb. Really cared about making sure we were all looked after and it is greatly appreciated!

We tried Lucio's after a recommendation. My husband is Italian, newly migrated, so I guess his standards are high. We had a Napoletana which we nearly always order so a good basis for comparison. Although the base sauce was lovely (tasted homemade) and there was the right balance of anchovies and olives (although not enough capers) there was just too much sauce and the base went completely soggy - you had to fold it to be able to lift it out of the box - so, disappointing.

Pizza buonissima!. Without any dout the best pizza in Sydney so far for me.<br/>No to much topping like in Italy. Really excellent!

Lucifers pizzofshitria. Me and my partner have been to this restaurant 3 times now and 75% of the time the staff have been highly rude, often offensive and somewhat verbally abusive. <br/><br/>I suggest that no civilian should ever dine or takeaway here. The food may be quite delectable but the community atmosphere is utterly disgusting. The male doorman with the brown crocodile shoes made a comment about the size of eyes being too protrusive for my face- so rude. Then the other male waiter with the "man" top knot purposefully snarled at me and made a suggestion that i shouldn't be eating at all. A mere suggestion - try waiters that can smile and hold a conversation not several rude ben stiller zoolander wannabes. I will never be returning to lucifers again and i recommend anyone to go elsewhere!

Never going back. The staff at this restaurant are by far the rudest we have ever encountered. It is good pizza, we have had takeout many times from Lucio's but every time we order we dread having to deal with the staff. There is far better places for good pizza in Sydney without having to deal with the attitude.

Best pizza i've ever had. The lucio pizza was absolutely to die for - BEST PIZZA I'VE EVER HAD. found entrees to be a bit overpriced (but delicious nonetheless) but for a couple of dollars more, you can get a whole pizza for the price so i'd advise to just get the pizzas there. tiramisu was also delish

Average pizzas. Like many others, I was reading glowing reviews about Lucio's Pizzeria on the web. So, I decided to try it out. To sum it up: the pizzas are... average. The pizza crust wasn't as good as it should have been. It was a bit chewy, as if the dough didn't have enough time to rise. There was no obvious charring underneath the pizza as well, surprising as it was cooked in a wood-fired oven. The sauce was okay but the toppings were just average and very few (only 2 basil leaves on a Margherita). Overall, I find Gigi's to be waaaay better than Lucio.

Amazing as always!! Big delicious slices Best pizza in the east!! Shame you guys don't do delivery

Great tasting pizza shared 2 with my wife cooked well with just the right amount of toppings definitely will be trying it out again quite location not much free parking but for a quick pizza don't look past this place.

Nice napoli style pizza.. worth an eat. My fiance and I are always on the hunt for the best pizza in Sydney, and had heard so many glowing reviews for Lucio Pizzeria, that we had to come down and try! I was more than excited when I saw that they served 'pizza donuts' (not the real name, but what I have nicknamed the panzerotti type item), as I had been trying to find these ever since I saw them on a documentary about Italy!! They were served with arancini and croquettes, and were quite delish... The arancini and croquettes were nothing spectacular. Though I was seeking the best pizza in Sydney, and was saving myself for what was to come... We ordered the Lucio special, half calzone/half Margherita, and the Diavola. I must say I was a little underwhelmed with the Lucio special. The calzone was really wet and sloppy, with too much ricotta, so this was not too enjoyable... very disappointment! The Margherita was not too bad, still slightly wet for my liking, but the Diavola was just right. Good amount of spice in the meat, and perfect crust with air pockets that made it light and fluffy. Service was friendly and with a smile. Overall, 7/10. Calzone let the experience down!

You have to be joking!. I have just had the worst pizza in my entire 48 years of life. The pizza was undercooked, the tomato base was a raw sludge and the toppings were at best thrown on to the base by someone who obviously had no care in what they were doing. The finished result was a soggy, oily mess.<br/><br/>What on earth have all of the previous reviews been thinking? Have they been paid by the owners of this joint to write glowing reviews? I have just had what is barely passable as a pizza and paid over $20 for the privilege! How this place scores such a high rating by critics is a mystery. Lucio's however portrays themselves as traditional Napolese pizzeria and take it from one that has some idea as to what that is, Lucio's simply does not pass muster. Avoid the place assiduously for there are many other venues in Sydney that will make a pizza that is far more worthy of your spend.

Great pizza, the best I have found in Sydney. We've had the buffalina & the diavola a few times & they are consistently good. The service could be little friendlier but it hasn't stopped us going back.

Absolutely hands down the best pizza in Sydney. I've eaten at all the cult places and lucios is far better. The prices are really fair too.

Fantastic pizza. The staff is very courteous and pleasant. The brick oven pizza is amazing. The ingredients are fresh and the crust is spectacular, and to top it off, it doesn't singe the roof of your mouth on the first bite. The calamari is wonderfully done, it needs no accessory sauce or seasoning, it's great as it is. It cost 38 dollars for a splendid dinner

I just saved $1600 and 30 hours of flying - my favourite pizza place is no longer in Monza, Italy where I lived - Lucio's in Sydney reigns supreme. The fresh tomato passata has that familiar sweetness and the wood-fired oven crisps the soft base perfectly. Mouth-watering toppings are in just the right proportion for a truly authentic taste that takes me back instantly. My pick is the capricciosa - the rightful addition of artichokes (unlike many pretenders) makes the pizza a perfect 10. If chasing true Italian in Sydney, this is definitely not one to miss.

Rude staff, over priced and terrible customer service. Told us we'd be seated in 20 mins, an hour later still waiting outside in the cold. Staff didn't seem to care at all and insinuated it was our fault. Disappointing as had tried to call and book but told they wouldn't take a booking for a weds night as there is generally no wait anyways.

Amazing friendly service. The lucio calzone is bursting with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozarella. The specials that day was grilled eggplant and prosciutto with pesto - perfect balance of flavors!

The best pizza I've had in Australia, hands down.

Best pizza in Sydney?? Not sure if I'm totally convinced...willing to give it another go though!. Have wanted to try this place for ages and finally got my wish by suggesting it as a venue for a girly dinner. Despite the cold and rain, the plastic covered alfresco dining was actually quite cozy and inviting. <br/>Wine list very Italian influenced, but the lovely waiters were very helpful in answering our questions. Having said that, some wine orders did strangely seem to take some time to deliver to the table? But we weren't there for the wine. <br/>The antipasto platter for two was very impressive and nicely fed four. Risotto balls, freshly baked bread sticks, croquettes, olives, roasted capsicum/eggplant/courgette, pizza breads, parma wrapped melon, and a very moorish creamy spread-concoction... highly recommend. <br/>Pizza was Fume and Filleto. My pick would have to be the filleto with the perfect combo of parma, mozarella, parmesan, cherry tomatoes and rocket. Light and fresh. Fume was provola, speck and mushrooms... not bad, smokey taste, but just a little too bland for me. The mixed salad and rocket salad were perfect accompaniments, with the pear and rocket salad ranking slightly above the mixed.<br/>Coffees were standard, nothing to write home about, but I did have a few spoonfuls of the panacotta which was light and berry sweet, and also food perved at the tiramisu at the table next door (definitely on my 'to-order' list for next time). <br/>I think it beats Rosso Pomodorro for its coziness and pizzas were nowhere as oily... but I dunno, the jury is still out on whether it's 'Number One'. I'm more than happy to keep searching and sampling!

The Best!. Amazing food, great service & fantastic location.<br/><br/>Best pizza in Sydney!!

Great pizza and well priced (if you only order pizza) but the service is lacking. The waiter was not friendly, and after asking us if we were sharing our pizzas or eating them separately he brought one out and the other wasn't ready for 15 minutes. There was no smile or thank you and we were not made to feel welcome. Next time I'll get take away

Great Pizza. This is one of Sydney's best pizzas. If they are full you can always try Phamish in the same complex. Nice courtyard setting.

Sydney's best pizza. Food 10/10<br/>Service 7/10<br/>Ambiance 7/10<br/>Setting 7/10<br/>I have yet to find better or more authentic Italian pizza in Sydney. Just wonderful. All the pizzas are fantastic. The staff are usually fine and the wine list is ok too. But I will always always come back for the pizza.

La Pizza.. My parents are from Naples and i have spent a lot of time there. Lucio himself is from Pomigliano D'arco which is a town outside of Naples. After coming back from Naples and trying Lucios Pizza he is pretty on Par with the guys over there. A fantastic pizza.

The Mother of All Good Pizzas.. Buffalo mozzarella and a wood fired oven are the main successes to Lucio's. The pizza base was freshly made, and has a gentle and soft rustic texture that is hard to beat. I love the look of the pizzas - made from unprocessed dough with a great rustic look. The burnt bits from the woodfire adds a little touch of heaven that conventional oven could not provide.<br/><br/>The ricotta in the Calzone introduced a light creamy consistency, which I must say I really enjoyed.<br/><br/>The tiramisu was very enjoyable - not too sweet - a very fine finale for the night.<br/><br/>However, Lucio's does not accept phone bookings; therefore be prepared to wait 30 minutes for a table on a busy day. There is a children's park opposite Lucio's, where you could chill-out while waiting for their friendly staff to call you.

Vera Neapolitan. Every time I get to Sydney , my pizza stop is Lucio, <br/>from the days from nth Sydney to now Darlinhurst.<br/>We always get,<br/> Antipasto misto & mixed pizze,<br/> Mussels In Chilli Tomato Sauce and to Finnish off <br/>Pastiera (traditional neapolitan baked riccotta cake)<br/>Lucios is one of Sydney's finest neapolitan Pizzaiolo's.<br/>Food & service 9/10, great job Lucio

Not recommended. Wanted to try "one of the best pizzas in Sydney". went early in the week so waiting for a table wasn't an issue. However, the service was shocking - no hello, thank you or even a smile, but kept asking us every 2 minutes if we want to order. It felt like they just wanted us to eat and leave as quickly as possible.<br/>The pizza was good, but definitely not the best I've ever had. Had a couple of salads to start of with and they were really tasty. <br/>Overall good food but lacking atmosphere and friendly staff, haven't been back since.

Restaurant 2nd visit Lucio Pizzeria. 7/10 Oh wow, this was disappointing. last week i came here they wow-ed me. so i came back but the same Lucio pizza... had thin layer, not so chewy, and it was salllltyyyy... the side dishes were good though, we got the calamari and the rocket salad. i am gonna try going again next week... hoping the Lucio I ate last week would come back...<br/><br/><br/>-----19 May, 2011-----<br/><br/>Restaurant Lucio Pizzeria. 9/10 Darlinghurst Oh my gosh. didnt expect it to be this good!!! The crust is not too thin and crispy, dont really like that type, but it is, as my friend said, was truly Napoli style!! Very chewy and tasty we loved it!! One pizza is good to share among two ppl, and maybe another dish from anti pasti or salad with it. We had the Lucio, which was half Margarita, half ham calzone which was truly scrumptious. the place got busy after 7pm so better go before that if u wanna be sure. its next to the famous vietnamese place, Phamish. I must add that the service was great too. The waiters were all really lovely! seriously, i really want to go there again tomorrow. thats how good it was ;)

Great Pizza in Sydney. This place is such a great casual place that serves excellent pizza. The pizza is old skool and so good. It is so nice to sit outside facing other restaurants. We love this place!

Disappointed. After hearing so many good things about Lucio Pizzeria I was shocked to have to wait for over an hour for a table. The how service was rushed and some of the wine that we ordered was a bit on the high side. The food was good but not great. It was really just Meh. I am glad I went and may head back to give them another shot.

Disappointing. The veggie pizza clearly had a base made from beef stock. Service is amazing though

The real Pizza from Naples. For sure Lucio's is one of the best pizzeria in Sydney (if not the best). <br/>This is the real pizza has it is intended in Naples.<br/>Probably the service is not always as nice and friendly as it should be, but if you are looking for the real deal, you can't avoid Lucio's

Pizza as it was intended. I was quite shocked to see that the only other review for this restaurant was extremely vague and negative, so here are my thoughts. The art of making pizza has been lost in amongst the fast food revolution. Lucio Pizzeria is pizza making at its most pure form, minimalist, rustic and extremely tasty. Nestled in a small enclave of restaurants in Darlinghurst, you'd be forgiven for not guessing this was an authentic italian pizzeria with it's white modern decor, it has thankfully avoided tacky italian stereotypes of design. The menu like the restaurant itself is simple yet elegant, I recommend starting with the Antipasto plate, it says its for Two but is easily shared among Four, it includes wood-fired breadsticks, assorted meats, roasted veges, ricotta, olives and prosciutto wrapped rockmelon. There are salads which look to be quite nice but I must insist you focus on the pizzas. Don't expect a grocery list of ingredients on these pizzas they are quite basic which emphasises the old axiom 'less is more'. If you're like myself and not a big fan of ricotta cheese don't be perturbed it is excellent on these pizzas. When you receive these wood-fired marvels you can really sense the detail that has gone into the dough and red sauce base, it really provides an amazing canvas with which to create a pizza. The taste and aromas are nothing short of divine. Also worth mentioning are the deserts, for the fans of the Affogato they are not be missed, consisting of two scoops of vanilla bean gelato served in a tall glass with a shot of espresso and Frangelico, this is my staple dessert when dining out and I can honestly say Lucio do the best I've had. I've also tried a wood-fired chocolate tart (desert special), served with gelato, sporting a molten-chocolate centre this tart was quite a special end to an amazing meal.<br/><br/>There is a good selection of Italian beers Menabrea being a personal favourite and the wine list is short but sweet. <br/><br/>Expect a wait for a table particularly on weekends, there are plenty of good bars nearby to pass the time so its no drama. The service is quite attentive, at busier times you can go unnoticed for a short while but this is completely forgivable.<br/><br/>A place for pizza junkies and purists alike or those simply looking for what is one of the best pizzas in Sydney.

Rude service and bad food