Russell’s Pizza

I have been here about half a dozen times and had great experiences and this experience started off the same. We had a lovely big table out in the garden for our work Christmas do. Our share plates were out early for us to snack on and the first round of pizza was quick to follow. Anything after that was very slow to get to us and we had to keep asking for more pizza… Anyone that has been here before knows that is basically an all you can eat situation. We had lots of hungry boys at our table and I think that needed to be catered for a little better. We didn’t go starving but slightly faster service and a couple more pizzas would have gone down a treat! As they are so very tasty!
They offered us a space inside when it started to get cooler, which was lovely and we moved into the barn to dance the night away with a large function group. (Yes there is space to dance!)
It came to closing time and the group left. We sat back by the fire to wait for one of the girls to be picked up before we left. My friend offered to help move tables and the response was «the only help you can give me is leaving!» WHAT!!! This ruined the whole end of our night. So rude and uncalled for! Not happy!

Russell’s pizza is like home. It really is. Set up in a couple of sheds with some awesome rustic decorations. The ceilings and walls are lined with corks and you are kept warm in the winter by a number of barrel fireplaces. It actually feels like you are in the country.
Willunga is really full of a lot of surprises. It is a real trek for me to get there; however I am never disappointed in what it has to offer.
Russell’s pizza got a massive hype when it first opened. Everyone in town was talking about what an amazing experience it is. They are always booked out with functions and small gatherings of friends, so be sure to call in advance.
So what is the Russell’s experience? Well, unlike many other venues, we rocked up with an esky full of drinks. Yes, can you see why I felt at home? They have a licence to allow BYO. Obviously you are to drink responsibly, but it really keeps the customers there for the night.
The next part of the experience is the staff. They are all so friendly and helpful. They work super hard, but they keep a smile on their faces. They even stopped for a dance with us after our meal.
Then there is the pizza. Oh the many pizzas! The bases are perfection. They are home made and rolled out in a sort of long fashion to fit on wooden boards. Toppings are all very creative and fresh. One pizza came out with oysters in the shell. Lovely! The sauce is really flavoursome. You could not really complain about anything.
This is a great birthday or small function venue. You can pay a cost per head and you are provided with chef’s selection pizzas until you say «no, I can’t take it anymore! I will roll home if you keep going!»
Russell’s really feels like a party at one of my good friends home. I highly recommend this place if you have a birthday or gathering in the future.

Russell’s is a tucked-​away sensation located just off the main street of Willunga. Get in early near opening and you’ll secure a seat.
Driving across through the Adelaide Hills from Balhannah /​Hahndorf to Willunga and opening a bottle of cellar door wine you’ve just purchased in front of on open fire is magic.
The table settings are older curved metallic backed with vinyl cushions or just exposed wood, the main dining halls just a shed, and the ordering /​cooking area is cramped and bustling. It might appear chaotic if you arrive while they’re busy but see it out — Russell’s has never disappointed yet.
The lamb with minted yogurt pizza is amazing. There’s also plain ham, cheese and pineapple plus 4 – 5 other selections to suit everyone.
It’s hard to capture the charm of the place fully here. There’s something about it though; you talk to people waiting in line while you order, you have a joke with the table next to you, or with a dozen other people sitting around the fire outside on a winters night.
There’s no-​one taking 67 varied angled pictures of their pizza, or dining in isolation. It’s a bubbly, inclusive environment with no pretenses whatsoever.
People are living in the moment here, and you feel it. Eating delicious pizzas in a converted shed with their own BYO beer or wine selection. People are truly engaging each other — companions and other dinners alike. It’s so rare to see this these days that it’s easily Russell’s biggest draw card (after the pizza)…

Wherever you live in Adelaide, get in your car and drive all the way down to Willunga to Russell’s. You won’t be disappointed. This place has been a word of mouth institution for as long as I can remember. Family friendly, group friendly, student friendly (although not cheap), everybody friendly. Rustic, casual and a bit different. Watch your wood fired pizzas get made and enjoy their amazing gourmet concoctions under a tin shed with fires blazing — a great place to dine in the colder months.
A bit tricky to find on your first visit and make sure you book well ahead — it’s so popular it can be booked weeks in advance — a testament to how good it is. Oh and only open a limited number of evenings each week so plan ahead.

Great! All the reports have been true. We came hoping for something special, but prepared that the hype might be just that.
Not at all, this modest, but atmospheric bit of Australiana produces pizzas which have few peers, whether you think of Rome, Naples, New York or Adelaide.
Light, thin tasty bases, dressed with the best produce in true Italian fashion, not piled high, cooked to perfection in a woodfired oven.
Good sizes, although a little pricey, our kids were the best critics, their fussy as most are — not a crumb left!
The range has something for everyone, ham & pineapple, napoli, yes they’re there, but so are seasonal vegetable, slow cooked turkish lamb, and many others. Just order from the board.
Deserts are traditional tarts, panacottas and pies simple — all delicious.
Staff are friendly, casual and eager to please, a special desert for the kids was no trouble.
The only nitpick is, for a largely BYO restaurant, a $ 7 ph corkage charge for those drinking their own is a bit steep. It shouldn’t put you off, but make sure you budget for it.
Anyway, if you’re in the neighbourhood, don’t miss it!