Ladro

My favourite eat-​in pizza place in Melbourne. Have been here many times over the years and the quality and standard of service hasn’t faltered. We had a bit of an anchovy-​fest this time round and were not disappointed. I generally can’t eat a whole pizza but Ladro pizzas are just irresistible (and the crispy crust is very thin). It is always very busy here, but go on the wait-​list — there are plenty of places to have a pre-​dinner drink whilst you wait to get called to your table — it will be worth it!

WOW finally I have found an authentic Italian place that does gluten free pizza (handmade ones at that).
So good that I kept on saying to my wife over & over again «I want another one, I want another…» but I settled for dessert which was quite as good.
What more can I say about this place? Very very good.

After an 800 km drive you go to Ladro and have yourself calamari and a simple classical pizza. The flavours are fantastic. The service friendly. The drinks delicious.

With a case of wine left over from an event, I was looking for a fun BYO place as an excuse to use it with a group. Looking for something different to the usual Chinatown suspects, I was pointed in the direction of Ladro. Ladro ordinarily charge $ 15 corkage per bottle for BYO, but every Monday it’s just $ 5 and they donate it to a local charity to feed the homeless.
For groups over eight, they require the ‘feed me’ menu at $ 40 per head. At first I wondered if perhaps this felt a bit pricey for ‘just eating pizza’, but you get a lot of food for this. They brought out bread, salumi and olives for the table, followed by tasty calamari for entrée and two pizzas per three people. With a table of nine, that meant we got to sample six pizzas of our choice from the menu and basically taste everything we wanted. We had one vegetarian on the table and they catered extra bits and pieces for her too like chips and grilled vegetables.
The pizzas have a nice thin base and quality toppings, so you won’t find anything scary and over processed like that weird stringy ham or tinned pineapple. They are large enough that everyone could have a slice of anything they wanted and most of us were too full to consider dessert (which is included in the upsized $ 50 menu but not the $ 40).
The service was a tad awkward and they treated our booking as unconfirmed (despite getting confirmation emails, no phone call and no one answering the phone when I tried!), but thankfully the table had still been set aside so no real dramas in the end. The vibe here is a mix of friends and family. It was perfect for our group — not so noisy that you can’t hear anyone and not so quiet that you feel like you might disturb someone.

I could sing the praises of the delicious pizza, the friendly service and warm atmosphere but hey you all know about that — right?
But did you know you can BYO wine here. $ 15 corkage or on Monday night just $ 5 which all goes to local charity. There’s never been a better time to crack open a bottle of vino and eat carbs in the name of a good cause.

Wow, was I impressed with this place! I called ahead to order some take away pizza. As a visitor to Melbourne, I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to walk there, took me all of five minutes so still had 15 minutes to kill while they cooked my pizza. I was just going to pay and wait outside but the lovely waitress offered me a seat at the bar and asked if she could get me a drink while I waited.
Sitting there drinking my cocktail by myself gave me a few minutes to appreciate the vibe of this place. It’s very warm and relaxed. For a Monday night they were pretty full but it didn’t disturb the energy of the place at all. My order was ready before my drink was finished and she brought it out but said she’d sit it on the pass to keep warm while I finished my drink and to take my time and not rush. Her service really, really made me happy.
I ordered the salami pizza and added olives and chilli. They didn’t skimp on my extras which was very much appreciated. Nothing I hate more than getting pizza with chilli on it and my mouth doesn’t stir at all. I want it to kick me in the throat, damn it! And it did. I ordered anticipating a small pizza for one. It’s not. It’s a regular sized pizza for two or three people. Full of topping, lots of sauce, not too ridiculous an amount of cheese. I took away that final point because I also ordered the tiramisu for dessert which was good but kind of tasted like the kind you cook with kids for kids. A beginners style pudding type tiramisu. And I love tiramisu so bloody much that this made me a little bit sad. But that’s a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.
Just a quick tip that only some of the things on the standard menu are available for take out so make sure you’re looking at the takeout menu. They offer a lot of favourites from what I can see and it’s a very even spread. 8 or so pizzas, 4 pastas, 4 desserts and maybe 5 sides. You won’t have any trouble picking but just make sure you pick something that is take-​awayable.
I look forward to dining in next time and picking from the full menu.

Best pizza I’ve have had during my stay in Melbourne. The pizza was even better than d.o.c. I think it is the crust (base) than puts them over the top. Definitely better than anything in CBD. The service was quick and friendly.

I’ve been wanting to go here for ages, I think it’s about 6 years or so…
I finally got the opportunity to go, and share some pizza with a dining companion.
Even better, we were managed to fit in and got a cosy little courtyard table. Service
here is very fast and minimal. This place is busy, popular and probably doesn’t stop.
This being so, nothing detracts from the pizza; it’s still of exceptional qaulity, and as
such Ladro is living up to it’s reputation. There’s a great drinks list as well, which I didn’t
investigate, but it does look brilliant. Top score all round for Pizza though.

go for the pizza. stay for dessert.
definitely the loveliest pizza I’ve had in ages — thin, minimal and tasty.

Good, but not the best pizza’s for my tastes. Also very pricey for, let’s face it, a pizza.

Best Italian food you’ll taste outside of Italy!
On a recent visit «down under» Ladro was recommended to us from our daughter who lives there. I must say it was fantastico! We have traveled throughout Italy and can guarantee Ladro is like stepping into your favorite Roman Trattoria.
We had slow roasted lamb that melted in your mouth. The pizzas are thin crusted and delicious, and don’t forget to save room for the Bomboloni !
A truly great find…

Yum. Went here for dinner on Sunday, glad we booked. It was packed out! We had the pumpkin gnocchi and potato pizza, which were both delish. The pumpkin gnocchi was flavourful and had porcini mushrooms to boot. Definitely a fave. I also had the Moo Brew Hefewiezen which totally hit the spot. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth it. The portions are decent for the price, but I was still a bit hungry afterwards. The service was okay but it was pretty noisy so I definitely had to shout/​repeat a few times to place our order.

Meh… would be I way to put it. Bit stuffy for a pizza joint, the waiters are all very snotty. Being a vego, I just wanted the meat taken off one of their offerings and they refused… and even the pizza, I am sure I have had better in Lygon St.

Great food, Great service. Pizzas are a must! I recommend the Leek & Gorgonzola as well as the Scout (didn’t try the pasta).

As is evident from other reviews, Ladro serves authentic Italian pizza very well. Importantly for me, the pizza bases are thin and crispy and the toppings represent a delicate balance of flavours rather than being overly burdened with too many competing ingredients. This was my first time at Ladro and I found the potato, mozzerella and truffle oil pizza to be exceptional.
One minor blight was that we also ordered a side and this never arrived. However, this was quickly forgiven as our pizzas were definitely substantial enough for a casual Sunday lunch.

This Pizza restaurant is well known for doing old school pizza right. On a Friday evening and with a party of three, we tried our luck to get a seat in the usually booked out restaurant. Lucky for us they don’t reserve the cosy courtyard out back. Definitely not as stylish as the interior, but you still get served the same food. Out back we did have close access to the unisex toilet, which is taking part of the trend of having Aesop soaps fastened to the wall, yet these were over a laundry trough.
As to the food, the ravioli melted in the mouth and the toppings on the pizza could have been picked in Sicily that morning. Fresh is definitely an understatement. A glass of Pinot matched the food well. The staff were attentive and courteous as well as sharing some smiles and wit.

I’ve been to Ladro a number of times now and on each occasion it has been a very pleasant experience. The service is really friendly and the pizzas are up there to rival the likes of DOC, +39 and other upscale Italian pizza joints. The pizzas have a nice thin crust and take a minimalistic approach to toppings which I’m a fan of.
The Badabing pizza comprising of Italian sausage, provolone, fresh basil and chilli has to be my personal favourite. Chilli on a pizza just works real well!
The wine list is quite extensive and our server recommended an excellent bottle of wine that complimented the food and didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
The bomboloni (Italian doughnuts with ice cream and blood orange syrup) was pretty special too.
NB: This is a very family friendly venue. There have been lots of happy families here when we’ve visited.

Ladro ticks a few of my favorites boxes; favorite authentic Italian-​style pizza, favorite weekend dinner vibe, favorite staff, favorite grappas. I’ll stop there…
Ladro inhabits an excellent space, with a tiny garden (book WAY ahead), open kitchen, and aromas of food. They have a basic menu, made up mostly of pizzas, but a couple entrees and pastas round out the options, because they really are much more than just pizza. Nightly specials abound, with wines, a pasta, a pizza (often a white-​sauce base, with truffle oil and too many cheeses to list) and even desserts.
You can sit in the window and watch jealous people who did NOT book far in advance, or you can sit at their cozy tables that have enough room for food AND drink that you’re not holding anything on your lap. Tables are bigger, thus giving less room between yours and the next table. I don’t mind this, as you can then meet your neighbors, order your food based on what you see on their table, or just goss with your friends about the convo you just overheard.
Two absolute must-​dos:
1. Ask for Élodie, she is always smiling.
2. Order dessert and after dinner drinks.
Life is really to short to not indulge in sweets, and meet at least one splendidly wonderful French waitress!

I’ve seen what the wait is like at Ladro on a Friday and Saturday evening so I rarely come for dinner. Instead, I opt for their only lunch day on Sunday when you’ll be seated promptly without a reservation.
The service here is great — the servers always have time to chat a bit and crack some jokes before putting in your orders. The pizzas are amazing. It follows in the traditional thin crust Roman style pizza with minimal toppings and quality ingredients. The pizzas are authentic from their Boscaiola to the Salami. My favourite is the Potato made with mozzarella, taleggio, rosemary, truffle oil, and basil ($ 22). For those not into pizza (that is slightly weird), they do offer delicious non-​Pizza options such as calamari ($ 17.50) and arancini ($ 9).
Ladro is great value for money from their food to their wine. A bottle cost anywhere from $ 39 to $ 62. I always order the Dog Rock Tempranillo because it’s tasty (or because the servers tell me it pairs well with the pizzas I order?).
My only complaint is that you can’t have Ladro for lunch every day. They are only open for lunch Sunday 12pm to 3pm and open for dinner 7 nights a week.