Pizza Caffe

So it turns out that I eat here a lot. This is excellent for an on campus eatery; decent pizzas, made to order, student discounts. They have a 2 – 4 happy hour where students can get selected pizzas for $ 10.
The pizza is short of being great, but I find it worth coming back for. The crust is thin and not too impressive, but the toppings tend to be quality stuff. They have an alphabetical menu of specialty pizzas, a decent number of which are vegetarian. Having tried every one that I care to try, these are my official Pizza Caffe pizza rankings, in descending order:
1. Cardinale: Grilled peppers and ricotta, with crushed red pepper. Peppers perfectly grilled. Delicious.
2. Rossellini: Artichokes, ricotta, and sundried tomatoes. Artichokes not oppressive, tomatoes tasty.
3. Mediterraneo: Lots of mushrooms. Decent but I like variety more
4. Xcellence: Vegetarian four corners. Not this much variety. It’s cheaper to just pick a favorite pizza. A corner of pumpkin was interesting, but I wouldn’t want a whole pizza worth.
5. Lollobrigida: Four cheese and sundried tomatoes. Every now and then a four cheese pizza has some really sweet cheese I don’t like. This is one of them.
6. Il Ladro del Bambino: A sort of garlic pesto sauce and nothing else. You’re much better off getting a pizza with real toppings for the same price, and the sauce isn’t even that good.
All things considered, this place is an appealing combination of value, quality, and convenience. I do miss my U.S. pizza places, but this will likely remain as a regular stop for me for the foreseeable future. Especially when I can make it to happy hour.

I remember loving the pizzas here here many many moons ago when I was a young, poverty stricken teenager, content surviving on Mi Goreng noodles. Now that I’m somewhat more mature and studying on campus I was keen to check it out and see if they really are as good as I remember them being. Yes. Yes they are.
The best part about these pizzas is the crust. It is so light and airy, none of that stodgy, floury taste you get from most pizza joints. Wood fired and a huge range of toppings to choose from, you’re sure to find a pizza to suit even the Fussiest diner. Pizza Caffe offer student and staff discounts, but even without this they’re great value for money. One pizza can easily feed two people, but I must admit, I usually pig out on a whole one to myself. Because of the light crust there’s none of that «oh my God what have I done» post pizza remorse that I usually experience after an epic pizza sesh.
It can get a little busy around lunch time, but after 5 most students have gone home and its easy enough to grab a table, inside or out. Definitely recommend if you’ve got business to attend to in the area and feel like an inexpensive, awesome meal.

I lived in New York for 7 years, so I’ve had my fair share of thin crust pizza. I wasn’t expecting to find amazing pizza in Australia, but I must say that I really enjoy this place. They have many innovative pizza topping combinations and I especially love that they have a pizza split four ways with four different unique vegetarian combinations. The cheese here is always perfectly browned and the sauce is quite zesty. So far my favourite combination is the Mediterraneo, which is simply marinated mushrooms with parmigiano cheese. They make those pizzas quickly and there is plenty of outdoor seating. Pro tip … don’t watch them making the pizzas in the back … the employees have some questionable hygienic practices, which are better left out of sight … out of mind (the downside of an open kitchen).

A wonderful quaint little gem. Would recommend to anyone, especially the p– pizza. Affordable and delicious, doesn’t get better than that !

A kind of Italian-​style pizza bar with the atmosphere of a university cafeteria (which is basically where it’s located).
The pizzas are consistently pretty good.

A friend, a UQ oldtimer, assures me frequently that the Pizza Caffe is not as good as it once was. This is hard to believe, since it currently makes among the best pizzas in Brisbane, and at reasonable prices. The crust is thin and crispy, the toppings are high-​quality, and there is good beer on tap. What could be better?
For a light meal, the best (and cheapest) is the garlic and cheese pizza, on a parsley-​pesto base. Other memorable pizzas include the marinated mushroom, the killer fish, and the potato and rosemary. But I’ve never been disappointed with any pizza here.
Student and staff discounts. Friendly service. It get’s crazy busy at predictable times (Friday evenings, for example) but service is otherwise pretty quick. Outdoor seating looking out over the soccer fields toward the river. A friendly vibe, and delicious food.

Personally my favourite pizza place! Tastes so good! They have takeaway as well, which you get in a cardboard box. Student discounts for UQ students are available. Definitely a must try if you are in Brisbane!

One of the best pizzas in town! I’m so lucky that it’s right on campus and when I crave some pizza before or after class, I know my go to spot. I would say that it’s probably one of the best options on campus as well. I love the crispy thin crust and the toppings are endless. I love pineapple on my pizzas so I especially love their ham and pineapple.
The staff have always been kind and friendly. I haven’t yet to have a bad experience. The lines can be crazy so don’t expect to rock up and order during busy lunch hours. Even with the wait, it isn’t terribly long.
They have pizzas for anyone and you can add topping or probably make your own if you’d like. They are licensed so you can have a beer before or after class. Great place to meet up with friends and go for lunch or dinner. I like that they have takeaway too because if I am in a rush, i can just grab it and go.

Good, well-​priced pizza in a prime campus location, but probably not worth the trip if you have a decent local place, unless nostalgia kicks in.
The Pizza Caffe is much loved because it’s probably the best value food on campus, and there are some iconic pizzas on the menu. It’s also worth noting as one of the best places to get coffee on campus at weird hours (7pm outside of semester, for example).
That being said, like most campus dining, it gets very busy. Plan accordingly — you can phone your order ahead and this will save you a long wait if you’re walking across campus.

Great food. Good price. Fine service. Busy dining area.
Would eat there again in a heartbeat.
Don’t bother with the vegetarian menu.

This is actually one of the best pizzas in Brisbane. Highly recommended thin crust pizzas. There is one size, about 25 to 30 cm diameter, which is shareable between two people or can be a single-​person serve.
As others say, the pizza types are arranged from ‘A’ to ‘Z’ with names celebrating Italian cinema (directors and films mostly). When ordering I always recommend saying the full name out loud — I’ve had pizzas like the ‘A’ and ‘E’ or ‘M’ and ‘N’ confused when ordered with only the letters. My favorites are ‘A’ and ‘J’.
There is no waiter service. Order at the counter and you’ll get a buzzer to pick your pizza up when it’s ready. The line, BTW, forms down along the side parallel to the big menu not out into the table area. There is sheltered seating round the corner or even further into the Schonell theatre space. There are outdoor tables with some shade and the view is quite pleasant.
On the UQ campus its one of the best places to eat. It can get crowded, if you’ve got a big group ring and book a long table. You can find that you turn up and you’ve got a big group in front of you in line. When confronted with this, sometimes its best to call the place and ring in take away. Opening hours outside of semesters (in Australia that’s March to June and August to November) can be a bit variable so if coming for dinner or at weekends ring or check the website to find out if they are open.
Overall this is a great pizza place, it has a great atmosphere and it’s highly recommended.
Watch out for the Ibis! They might try to steal your pizza.

I was a QUT student for four years and one thing that made me very jealous of UQ students was not the sandstone or courtyards but their pizza café. The Schonell Pizza Caffe offers some of the best thin-​crust pizza out there.
Like others have mentioned, the menu is co-​ordinated with the letters of the Alphabet, that 26 different topping options. I will usually come here in a small group of friends and it always takes a while for us a pick which pizzas we want. I am a fan of the ‘P’ pizza (Pasolini– pancetta, potato, rosemary and parmigiano cheese). The pizza bases are really thin so make sure you order one per person if you are planning on making these pizzas your meal.
I would love to give this place 5 stars but have to take 1 star off for one reason– the seating area is pretty basic; just your table and chairs.
Anyone who is a fan of thin crust pizzas should try the ones at the Schonell Pizza Caffe.

I hadn’t heard of this place until I started working nearby the university and my co workers and I came for lunch. We booked a table beforehand and lined up for 15 minutes to place our orders, it was that busy. And I can understand why – the pizzas here are incredible. The bases are thin and crunchy and the toppings inspired.
The Antonioni (artichoke, champagne ham, marinated mushrooms) was a favourite amongst the table, as was the Pasolini (pancetta, roasted potato, rosemary, parmigiano cheese) for $ 13. We had staff cards so it was a dollar cheaper than the full price, and if you’re a student it’s $ 12 per pizza.
This place is perfect if you’re after a pizzeria with unconventional and experimental toppings. In the past, the Pizza Caffe has been rated as having the ‘Best Pizza in Brisbane’ by ABC Radio, as well as being rated 4^th last year in the Brisbane Times’ search for Brisbane’s best pizzerias.

A pizza from the UQ Union Pizza Caffe may not compare to say one from Pizza Capers, but there’s something about that crispy thin crust accompanied by a tall, ice-​cold beer enjoyed in the casual al fresco atmosphere.
I’m a fairly small person and can almost put away a whole pizza from here on my own. Ok, not quite, that’s my hungry stomach talking, but keep in mind that one pizza may not quite fill up two hungry people, even though they are quite large in diameter.
I think a pizza, beer and movie here at UQ makes for a perfectly lovely, chilled out date, particularly if you’re on a budget and even more so if you’ve got UQ student cards!

Love the thin-​based pizzas and the film-​inspired alphabet menu, especially P for ‘Pasolini’ — pancetta, roast potato, rosemary & parmigiano — all great things P (Pasolini was an Italian film director). They continue in the cinematic vein with the ‘Lollobrigida’ and the ‘Quo Vadis’ (with prawns, so extra $s) — Latin for ‘Where you Going?’ plus an old Peter Ustinov film.
What their pizzas lack in ability to truly fill up a hungry boy, they make up for in deliciousness, respecting as they do the paramount concern regarding pizza-​making — simplicity. Thin bases, a tasty sauce and two or three toppings max. If you’ve got a bigger appetite you could try the calzone (letter O on the menu), which packs a little more bulk.
The staff are quite nice but they’re not there to wait on you — they have enough to keep them busy managing the pizza production line. Upon order you are given one of those pager contraptions. They activate it for coffee, which feels odd to me, but maybe I’m just spoiled by too much table service.

The Schonell Pizza Caffe has long been a university establishment popular with UQ students and students from other campuses have been known to flock here for a pizza as well. However, the popularity and quality of their italian style thin crust pizza’s has meant that it has also now become a Brisbane establishment.
The pizza’s are made with thin crusts and offer authentic italian style flavours (A-​Z of pizzas literally, V being my favourite). True to the roots of its location (named after the Schonell Theatre), the name of each pizza pays homage to classic art history, which not many people know (I am oldschool).
This is not really a romantic place to take your date, it’s set in a beautiful corner of the campus though and is all outdoor seating, I love my pizzas at sunset after a good few hours of sport. Sweaty and in need of a shower, a pizza goes down very well. Not a big fan of the waiting period but it’s all worth it in the end.
See a part of my university history, it will be well worth your time.

While stressfully writing and editing my honours thesis this year, the Pizza Caffe became a regular salvation for me at lunch times. Curled up in the corner with a Pizza (usually the G — for Gianni but I highly recommend slowly making your way through the whole alphabet of flavours) and a jug of beer (they have a few on tap) I would drink and eat my study woes away.
The Pizza Caffe is frequented by both staff and students, and often also the general public when coming to an event held at the University. As drinking holes on campus go, I prefer here as it does not have the seedy undergraduate cheapness of the Red Room or the snobbish atmosphere of the Staff Club. The outside seating catches a nice breeze as you look out over the UQ Lakes and Green Bridge. It is peaceful and pleasant and the perfect escape from study. However, be warned that it will get quite busy during peak hour feeding times, but the food is definitely worth the wait.

If I could marry a food, I was seriously consider the pizzas at the Schonell Pizza Caffe. Their pizzas are amazing. My study breaks seem to get longer and longer when I use them to get my pizza from the Schonell Pizza Caffe (the P pizza with potatoes is mouth-​watering and perfect in every way possible ever). There’s a whole alphabet of pizza options and they’re only $ 12 with a valid student card in happy hour Monday to Friday from 1pm-​3pm. And they’re a perfect size. I’m told they offer salads and cakes too but let’s face it, people go there primarily for the pizza.
They’re lucky their pizzas are so amazing because I waited almost an hour once and on average, have to wait half an hour. You CAN counteract this if you call beforehand though and pre-​order your delicious gourmet pizza. They do make them on the stop though, so you can kind of justify the time it takes to get yours. They have consistent specials throughout the week, and the place has a really nice alfresco touch if you want to eat in rather than take away. The Pizza Caffe looks over UQ Lakes so it’s a really nice way to spend an afternoon. I even drove from home just to get my hands on one of their pizzas one particular Sunday. If you don’t want to wait too long, try to avoid going during peak lunchtime because this place is VERY popular.
Pizza Caffe also runs deals incorporating cinema runs and films at the Schonell Theatre. You can get 2 movie tickets and a pizza for $ 25. The Caffe is also located inside UQ, just in case there was any confusion.