Fresh from the oven – Papa Luigi’s delivers a tasty new pizza experience at The Oxley 1823
Ready the stretchy pants, Gold Coast, there’s a new slice slinger in town. Papa Luigi’s is the latest outpost to open at the bustling The Oxley 1823, sharing a spot with Melbourne’s renowned Naheda’s Dip House. While nabbing a table at the popular precinct of a morning can be an Olympic sport, Papa Luigi’s is here to activate the atrium space in the afternoon and evening. Here’s everything you need to know …
At the helm of Papa Luigi’s is Davide Turra, who has spent the last few years spinning bases at Matteo’s in Mermaid Waters. Papa Luigi’s takes inspiration from Roman-style pizza, which is slightly crispier and thinner than its Neapolitan counterpart, but just as satisfying. The dough is a carefully crafted masterpiece that takes anywhere from 48 to 72 hours to prepare and is made using imported flour from Italy. Not to get too technical, but the dough boasts a hydration rate of 72-75-percent water, giving it a light, airy texture that’s easy to digest. Thanks to the slow fermentation process, the crust has just the right balance of crunch and chew, without that heavy, doughy feeling that often comes with pizza.
The menu, though small, is a thoughtfully curated selection of six pizzas. You’ll find classics like margherita sitting pretty next to more inventive options like the prosciutto, topped with creamy burrata. The mortadella pizza is a stand out, with its delicate pistachio topping adding a nutty, satisfying crunch to the soft, rich slices of mortadella.
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Alongside the pizzas, Papa Luigi’s also serves up freshly baked focaccia loaded with premium deli meats like double-smoked ham and the aforementioned mortadella, along with a rotating selection of dips from Naheda’s Dip House. If you’ve never tried a dip bomb, it’s worth the experience – two complementary dips, like chilli red pesto and three-olive garlic, mixed together to create something deliciously new and unexpected.
The pizza oven at Papa Luigi’s fires up from Wednesday to Sunday, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, offering both dine-in and takeaway options. Oh, and if you’re looking for a deal, the specials are chef’s kiss – two pizzas and a bottle of wine for $69, or one pizza and a glass of wine for $35.