400 reasons to like 400 Gradi

Pizza is one of the most varied (some say abused) foods on the planet. Any bit of dough topped with a few ingredients seems to get the label. Nacho pizza anyone? For fans of authenticity, 400 Gradi has been serving and preserving true Napoletana pizza for the past four years.

Located on the East Brunswick end of Lygon Street, 400 Gradi, or Quattrocentro Gradi, takes its name from the temperature of the oven that sits in the open plan kitchen. Head chef Johnny Di Francesco is the principal of the Australasian branch of Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana VPN, an association that originated in Naples during the 80’s with the intention of “protecting and promoting the true pizza of Napoletana.”

Everything from the ingredients to the shape of the base is regulated to make it this pizza as authentic as possible. 400 Gradi even air freight in beautiful creamy mozzarella di bufala from Caserta in Campania – tasting this is a reason alone to visit.

A small secondi (main) menu is available with options like a t-bone fiorentina with mushrooms ($38). They also have a good list of delicious pastas with a gluten free option available. We tried Linguine Pescatore ($25.5) with a wonderful fresh seafood, garlic and white wine sauce.

But what we really came for was the pizza. We tried the Caserta ($24.5) topped with some of that special cargo mozzarella, freshly sliced levoni prosciutto di parma and rocket, pure bliss. We also tried the paesana ($20) topped with sausage, broccolini and fior di late, which had a wonderfully spicy bite to it.

Save room for dolci too, with crepes alla nutella ($16) and pannacotta al miele ($13) on offer. Of course, there is an extensive quality vino list, as well as a good coffee machine at the bar.

It can get pretty busy, so we recommend booking ahead.

Buon appetito!

400 GRADI
99 Lygon St Brunswick East
9380 2320
Mon – Thur from 6pm till 11pm
Fri – Sun 12pm till 11pm.
400gradi.com.au