Braci Osteria & Pizzeria review North Willoughby, Sydney pizza restaurants, Sydney’s best pizzas, Willoughby restaurants

I have some rules for choosing where to eat pizza. The biggest one is to never buy a slice (or any food, really) from somewhere that also sells petrol. Bypass anywhere that hawks fish and chips, too (it’s hard enough to do just one thing well), and pizzerias listing an “Aussie Bob” with bacon and egg should be approached with caution (how does egg on a pizza make it Australian anyway?)

Until recently, I would have also recommended avoiding any pizzaiolo fond of using puns to label their pies. Wu-Tang Clam. Pig Deal. Lawrence of Arrabbiata. The sort of names you might use to distract customers from less-than-fresh ingredients. But after hearing good things about Braci – which slings a “Big Peppa” and, ahem, “Prawn 2 Run” – I put that last prejudice to one side and popped over to Willoughby.

The osteria is located on a quiet strip that’s also home to a Zeus Street Greek, hairdresser and vet, and it’s an easy place to get comfortable. There’s soft lighting, linen napkins and a mix of Franz Ferdinand and Steely Dan in the background (“Alexa, play some inoffensive rock”). The dining room caters for large groups if you book ahead, or there’s a cosy lounge area for quick snacks and drinks after work.

I’m all about the roasted peppers ($18) with Olasagasti anchovies (arguably the very best kind), which are ideal for draping across wood-fired confit garlic bread ($10). That same spongy bread can be used to schlep burrata that’s served in a tasty pool of XO sauce made from salami offcuts ($18).

Another personal pizza rule is to skip anywhere with avocado, chicken, barbecue sauce, salmon or tuna as toppings. There’s none of that nonsense at Braci, which uses ingredients most traditionalists should approve of.

In spite of the name, Prawn 2 Run ($30) is a no-funny-business mix of Calabrian chilli, tomatoes, prawns, milky fior di latte cheese and fennel. Big Peppa ($28) combines pepperoni with the herby zing of chimichurri.

The pizzas have a satisfying, New York-style chew while remaining crisp enough to be manoeuvred with one hand.

Great mates Chris Carlei and Toby Robinson lead the operation. Robinson comes from a fine-dining background, and he makes sure the service is polished and the drinks are spot-on. A bitter cocktail named “Kah-Lo” ($19) salutes the arrival of winter with rye whisky, amaro, ginger and allspice. Later, with a hot jam doughnut ($5) for dessert, there’s a gratis pour of house-made ’cello that’s all citrus tang and refreshment.

Carlei, meanwhile, is in charge of the wood oven, and his dough recipe has been fine-tuned more than 60 times since Braci opened in March 2021. I’ll spare you the nerdy details except to say that Carlei uses a mix of Australian and Italian flours – and a long fermentation time means the pizzas have a satisfying, New York-style chew while remaining crisp enough to be manoeuvred with one hand. The outer crust is closer to those pillowy pies of Naples with carbon-black leopard spots. Heat blisters have never looked more attractive.

Moving forward, any debate about Sydney’s best pizza must include Braci’s Killa Beez ($28). Sharp pecorino, fiery sopressa salami, fior di latte and honey sourced from a nearby rooftop. Perfect. Tomato is used sparingly, only adding a bit of tartness to cut through cheese. Not too sweet, not too heavy, and terrific the next day, too, with your morning coffee.

The Queen Envy ($27) is a fine choice for the chilli-averse, with mint, zucchini ribbons and creamy feta, and pea puree spread right to the edge.

If you’re after something to keep you warm through a June hibernation, there’s the carb-on-carb action of the Leonardo ($26), layered with gorgonzola, caramelised onion and thin-sliced potato. A restrained dose of rosemary means the pizza smells like winter without stealing the show.

By law, there’s also a margherita ($22). And something identified as the Monte Carlo ($26), with smoked ham, mascarpone and chives.

An option for next time, perhaps, is rigatoni with a dense beef and pork ragu ($34). It’s what you want on a deathly cold night, especially with a spicy Carlei Green Vineyards 2018 Shiraz ($14/$56).

A roasted sugarloaf cabbage wedge ($16), covered with umami-loaded butter and a snowfall of parmigiano reggiano, could do with the acid dialled back, but this is a small gripe.

Braci is largely doing all the right things and its pizza makes me stupidly happy. The next time I spot a “Cheese, Louise” on a menu, I won’t be so quick to judge.

This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine