Pizza e Birra

I really enjoyed Pizza e Birra. I went there because I was wandering for a dinner spot in Surry Hills. We were seated immediately.
I had a pizza with eggplants and vegetables and my friend had pizza mezaluna.
The service was nice :)
The restaurant inside was really busy and quite noisy (Saturday night).
I’d definitely go back if I am craving Italian food!

A big disappointment given what I’d heard. We ordered the beef, which came out overcooked, and the gnocchi which was lacking some of the ingredients listed on the menu. After about 10 minutes, another couple were seated next to us making private conversation rather awkward. We decided to leave after the main and when we asked for the bill, the waitress bluntly asked «you’re not gonna eat anything else?» then stormed off to fetch the bill. She then had the gall to pressure us to give a tip. All those things combined, we won’t be coming back.

We love you pizza e birra. You make tasty tasty pizza, you don’t mind when we veganise our order and ask for strange ingredient combinations, and you let my kids make their own pizzas when we get take away. You are all kind, friendly, cheerful people and visiting you is always a treat.

I used to love this place… going back 3 – 4 years ago. I have not been back for a long time and decided to visit one evening.
First impression for me was that the prices were a bit expensive.
Anyways we shared gnocchi al gamberi, pizza mezzaluna and caprese salad.
The pizza was OK I wasn’t kind of moved, gnocchi were OK but very heavy and the salad — $ 15 just for few slices of tomato and mozzarella — it that was to much for just that.
Glass of wine was just above $ 10 each so we decided to go with ½ litre carafe for $ 20. We were told the wine was nice. The red wine wasn’t that nice. We haven’t even finish that carafe.
Overall we paid a lot for the dinner… I had better experiences at some nice pubs for less money …
Something has change at this place… I’m not sure what yet… Maybe I have to go back again… not sure… will think about it …

Stumbled upon this place last night as we were wandering down streets of Surry Hills looking for a dinner spot. At first we were told it would be an hour wait but once we said we were willing to sit outside, we were immediately seated.
Our waiter was as Italian as they come. It’s always impressive when there are actual Italians working in an Italian restaurant. Gives you faith that the food might actually be authentic and delicious.
It was definitely delicious. We got 3 pizzas– the prosciutto, a pumpkin and goat cheese and something wish sausage and mushroom. I loved the crust, I loved that it wasn’t drowning in oil and heavy cheese. I loved that the pumpkin was thinly sliced and covered most of the pizza rather than having big fat chunks scattered around. I loved that when we asked if we could get buffalo mozzarella instead of regular, the waiter said it was no problem and it wouldn’t be an extra charge. Allowing customers to make changes without charging them is one thing that always makes me give bonus points to any restaurant in Australia. It’s just so rare to find.
I will say that we had to wait an extremely long time for our pizza. The people next to us who ordered maybe 5 minutes early got their pizza probably 20 minutes earlier than us. Our waiter said there were probably a lot of to go orders but apologised and even offered us free shots of limoncello to make up for it.
The restaurant inside was REALLY busy and quite noisy. To be honest I think I preferred to sit outside where it was quieter and less crowded.
If I’m ever in the mood for pizza in surry hills, I’d definitely go back.

Ridiculously delicious pizza here! This place has a great, varied menu, lovely ambiance, and good prices.
The pizza crust is perfect — crisp on the outside and doughy and flaky on the inside — and the sauces are delicious and the cheese used is always a fresh mozzarella!
Yummm! Go now!

OK I have been worried about my first negative review on Unilocal… but here we go.
The atmosphere and location is A plus. Love this style of eating especially for a week night. HOWEVER I have had a better pizza for $ 4 from the freezer section at Coles. I have to clarify this pizza for $ 4 was hand made in Italy and shipped to Australia so it was always going to be something special (when compared to other frozen Pizza options).
Italian restaurants should have garlic bread not just garlic pizzas. I love buttery bread and would like to see it on every Italian menu. Is that uncouth? The garlic and rosemary pizza was tough and chewy and very very dry. I still ate it all.
I ordered the Orecchiette which was cold, dry and bland… oh this is sounding worse than I previously thought. The pasta was really nice though cooked well and the fresh parmesan offered was welcomed with open arms.
My accomplice was eating a pizza which I tried. It was nice enough not amazing. Fresh tomato sauce was welcome with nice fresh vegetables I just felt it missed the killer punch.

SIT IN … I’m sorry, did you want a seat at a table? That’ll be a half-​hour wait (or closer to 45 minutes if you’re really keeping an eye on your watch). You can hang out at our bar, where we may or may not notice that you want to order a drink. «Love thy neighbor» must be the philosophy here since, given the proximity of tables to one another, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to smell your neighbor’s food, overhear what he’s saying, and rub elbows with him on occasion. That’s amore!
NIBBLE ON … the mixed salad ($ 12) to start, with comes with mixed greens (incl. radicchio and rocket), quartered tomatoes, shredded carrot, cucumber and a lemon and olive oil dressing that is light, slightly tangy and fruity, and refreshing. Transition to the housemade tagliatelle with duck ragu ($ 24), which appears as a hearty serving of slow-​braised, tender duck meat in a tomato-​based sauce, blended with tagliatelle cooked perfectly Australian al dente (yes, people in different countries have differing conceptions of the Platonic «to the tooth» pasta, and that’s OK). Ask for grated parmesan cheese on top (multiple times if necessary, as I discovered I had to), as it makes a big difference. Split the pasta with a friend, as the portion really is generous.
SIP FROM … I’m sorry, you will have to live with tap water because either the restaurant long sold out of the beer you wanted or the aloof bartenders couldn’t be bothered to take your drink order. It’s a shame, too, since they have intriguing beverage specials like «PIZZA COMFORT» ($ 13).
SPEAK WITH … your neighbor, since there is a good chance your waiter will disappear after the food is served and won’t get you your bill until long after you asked for it. Twice. Striking up a conversation really is quite easy (almost too easy) for the setup and vibe of this restaurant.

Wonderful food, great service. Came with a large group of people and 15 mins notice for a late dinner and they were great!

I went there once for lunch with my girlfriend. While the entrée (eggplant) and the pasta were good the pizza we ordered was quite watery which was a let down.

Well made, al dente pasta and I go way back so it’s nice to see a familiar face every time I drop into Pizza e Birra who deliver time and time again not only with their pasta dishes but also with their excellent «this dough must be made with magic flour» pizzas. I’ve even heard Italians admit this is one of the most authentic Italian eateries in Sydney.
While I’m a lover of foreign languages I have to admit I often struggle to decipher the mystery specials on the blackboards written in Italian. This gets pulled off as charming on the condition the Italian waiters are more than happy to translate when queried. It can also prove annoying during rush hour when you struggle to flag them down as quickly as you might prefer.
Dishes average at about the low to mid $ 20s for pizza and pasta dish. Because I can never decide between one or the other I usually go with a friend, order one of each and split them. Stay for some Tiramisu at the end as well!
Pizza e Birra take no bookings so a visit to the restaurant almost always includes a short wait out the door, or if you’re lucky a seat at the bar with a drink and some sicilian olives.

Like all restaurants in the area the place is a bit pricey — $ 22 – 25 for a personal pizza. That said the pizza is very good, and there’s no question about half the staff is Italian. When I heard them yelling table numbers «diciassette, diciannove,» I had my suspicions I was in for good food.
I had the titular pizza, the Pizzabirra; my sister had the Tricolore, which the waiter entertainingly responded with in her Australian accent «the tri colour.» The pizzabirra is excellent, although I was a little surprised to find a ricotta-​filled crust. Back in the US that’s usually the fare of low-​value eateries like Dominos, but it was a quality ricotta with a bit of their EXCELLENT olive oil, so it was still delicious.
The tricolore is 3 stripes: red pizza with artichoke, white mushroom pizza, and pizza covered in rocket. Italian flag, get it? I didn’t have any, but given my sister devoured it I trust it was delicious.
The beer on tap was confusing for an American, but maybe it makes sense here. They had Heineken, which was funny to see imported, and then just «Spaten.» Back in the states they make a lot of beers (Optimator, Doppelbock…), so I have no idea which one would just have the company name and nothing else. But then I suppose that’s the same as an Aussie visiting the US to find there’s just «Fosters,» no variety to it.

Delicious pizza, I think probably the best I’ve had in Sydney.
My friends who are from Italy took us and they loved it as well. Once I get the thumbs up from the Italians I know it’s the real deal. We got 3 pizzas to share among 4, along with a couple entrees. That was plenty of food for all.
I’m looking forward to going back soon.

My experience with this place is via takeaway. I live down the road so I called ahead to pick up my pizza. They said 30min. Ok that’s fine.
I turn up exactly 30min later and my pizza is sitting in its box on the counter. I open it and its pretty cold. By the time I got home, which is only 3min away, the cheese had hardened and the pizza was gross.
So I guess this place is only worth it for sit down eating, not takeaway even though they advertise they do both.

Yip, agree with the rest… pizzas are great and you can always rely on these guys.
I’m here regularly as I work close by. Never had a bad pizza, although have had to wait for a fair bit at times.
Its also fairly pricey. But this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for.
Authentic Italian /​pizza parlour vibe too — where the waiters don’t pander to your every need but are quietly pleasant and efficient.

Pizza e Birra is the go-​to spot for work lunches at my work. The staff are always accommodating to our large noisy groups and politely serve our noisy ramble. They are also very accommodating to our modifications although I never fail to attract shocked looks when I order pizza without cheese — it’s always a toughie for the Italians to swallow. Which I’ve discovered is also a great way to test how authentic a pizza restaurant it is. The more authentic the restaurant, the more shocked people are about a pizza without cheese! While they may be shocked they always oblige. This is a straightforward place, no bells and whistles here, just good woodfire pizza’s at a reasonable prices.

A sort of never-​fail option, Pizza e Birra has a simple, casual vibe that makes it a cool place for a slice of pizza and a beer.
To state the obvious, this place is famed for its woodfire pizzas. The Sasuage and Porcini Mushroom Pizza ($ 25) is my recommendation, but you are spoilt for choice if this doesn’t take your fancy. Also available is a house labeled beer (the ‘Birra’), made by a little brewery in Orange.
The restaurant itself is quite basic, which compliments the always busy, bustling atmosphere. At busier times it can start to feel a bit too noisy and crowded for comfort, especially when the service slows. In keeping with the Surry Hills ‘no bookings’ trend, you will likely have to wait for a table, but the Clock Hotel is a couple doors down and not a bad place to pass the time!

Pizza e Birra is the culinary equivalent of the little black dress. It’s always there, it’s always safe to try no matter what the occasion (romantic date, family get-​together, business meeting, catch-​up with friends) and honestly, the pizza is amazing. It also has an acute inner-​city vibe feel about it which I like and while yes, the service can sometimes get a little hurried, it all feels like it comes with the territory. The best way I can think to describe it is that it’s like a little bit of New York in Sydney. These guys don’t take bookings so just do like me and go at a reasonably early time and you should be Ok (they might make you sit at the bar if you come after 7pm but I’ve never had to wait beyond 15 minutes). One final thing. Pizza e Birra are courteous and big enough to accept modifications on pizza. It’s a small thing but oh God, so appreciated.