Amy Tanner found her love for pizza at Bar Romantica. After she clocked time on the paddle at Lygon Street’s late and great institution, and learning a few tricks along the way, Amy’s Pizza was born – a moveable feast featuring Tanner’s lightly charred and always delicious slices. And Tanner knows no limits with her pizza toppings: we’re talking creamed spinach, we’re talking sardine lemon-cream, and we’re talking plenty of sesame. Traditionalists might raise an eyebrow, while fans would more likely describe her as a genius.
The smarts continue outside the kitchen, too, with Tanner’s taste for drinking and dining as boundary-pushing as her pizza. Here she is now with what’s eating and drinking well in Melbourne.
My local is CC Wok. This opened up a few years ago and it was honestly the best thing to grace North Melbourne. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I always go for the curry mee chicken. It comes with two different types of noodles, fried eggplant and the best broth you’ll ever have. I always have a little snack on the side – the chicken and potato curry puff. The serving sizes are so big you can have it for dinner and breakfast. I love a two-for-one meal.
The best new thing I’ve found is the bialy that just returned to the menu at Masses Bagels in Collingwood. It features a sesame-spring onion mix, caramelised onion, salt beef, Comté cheese finished off with chilli oil and horseradish. I can’t stress enough how delicious this is and no one else is dropping flavours like this around the north. I could eat at least five in a sitting. These need to be eaten by everyone.
When I want to celebrate an occasion with a special meal, I take my friends to Embla. The wine list is absolutely stunning but the food, OMG. I always order the chicken here and I can never go past the chicken skin with whipped anchovy. We’ll take 10 for the table please.
If I’m not making my friends pizza, I’ll take them for a slice at Da Paolo pizza at Bahama Gold. I first met Kit, the chef, when he did a rockstar shift at Bar Romantica. I knew of his pizza and was a little starstruck; his pizzas are so fine. We instantly hit it off and became friends. Even though I cook pizza, I love to eat it out. I love trying other people’s styles of pizza and getting inspired from it. Kit has everything down to the soft, chewy, crispy dough. Ever-changing flavours keeping it fresh. I recently had his porchetta pizza and it genuinely one of the best pizzas I’ve tried in Melbourne. I think everyone should experience Kit’s pizza.
My favourite place to load up on supplies is Piedimonte’s in Fitzroy North. They have the best selection of cured meats and cheeses and the old-school vibe of the supermarket makes me really happy. I always need a little snack when I’m shopping so you’ll find me where they have all their house-made pies. Curry beef and tomato sauce is always the order.
There’s no better value in the city than Tiba’s in Brunswick. They do these $40 meat or vegetable plates and they’re stacked. Good for two people sharing and there’s leftovers for lunch. The service feels like I’m at home. I always chat to the owner and I ask how they keep it so cheap while keeping it the quality so high. He says it’s never about the money but instead making people feel like they can come and eat good food without breaking the bank. That’s my favourite. Hassan’s grill needs to be ordered. The succulent lamb chops that come on there are next level!
And I wish more people would experience the excellence of Nostra Kitchen popping up at Onlys in Northcote. The food that chef Dane produces is honestly next level. I’m a sucker for Italian food and he does it sublimely. They run $25 steak nights (best value in Melbourne in my opinion) and $20 lasagne nights – don’t miss the mushroom and smoked garlic lasagne.
My defining food moment in Melbourne was Kadota in Daylesford. I dined here alone just before I became a chef and I truly think this was the moment I was really like “yep, I love food and how it can make you feel”. From the moment I sat down I was greeted with such warmth. I had the best meal of my life that day. The love and care I tasted through my whole meal was stunning. The Sher wagyu was the best steak I’ve ever had. The sake was beautiful as well. I cannot fault it. I’ll never forget that experience.
If there was one thing I could change about eating and drinking in Melbourne it would be the pace of eating. I love taking my time, having no time limits on bookings. I think Europe does this really well. There is never a rush to turn over tables. I want to sit there all night with people I love.
But the thing I hope never changes here is the constant stream of new restaurants in Melbourne. We’re so lucky to be able to eat from most places around the world right on our doorstep. We’re never short of something new and fresh and I love getting to experience new places. It’s my favourite hobby.
Catch Amy’s Pizza at Masses Bagels on Sunday 21 September, at Nostra Kitchen on Sunday 12 October and at Ultra Culture Community on Sunday 26 October. Follow along for more @speeedysmom and @amys__pizza.