Yes, Melbourne is Australia’s coffee capital, but us Melburnians also know a thing or two about pizza. From blistered, chewy Neapolitan bases to crisp Roman-style slices and gloriously cheesy American-inspired pies, Melbourne’s pizza scene is seriously impressive. So, it comes as no surprise to learn that one of our pizzerias scored a place in the 50 Top Pizza Awards 2026.
These awards are essentially the Michelin Guide of the pizza world, with the rankings decided by almost 1,000 anonymous, unpaid inspectors. Visiting each pizzeria at least twice a year, they evaluate far more than just the final taste, scoring everything from dough quality and ingredient sourcing to service and overall atmosphere.
In a shocking twist, the top two pizzerias for 2026 aren’t actually in Italy – the birthplace of pizza. First place went to London’s Napoli on the Road, followed by New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana in second. Milan’s Confine came in third – phew!
Photograph: Supplied | Julian LalloShop225 pizzeria
Melbourne’s Shop225 cracked the top 50, landing in 42nd place – and you might remember that it was already crowned Australia’s best pizza last year.
Beyond perfectly blistered crusts and carefully sourced toppings, Shop225 founder Lorenzo Tron’s mission is a commitment to eating equality. This neighbourhood joint in Pascoe Vale South doesn’t just make exceptional pizza; it was the first pizzeria nationally to be gluten-free accredited by Coeliac Australia, and offers heaps of vegetarian and halal options, too. A must-have? The 2807 with fior di latte and porcini mushrooms. Yum.
Another Melbourne institution, 48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar – in Elsternwick and South Yarra – took out 79th place in the broader Top 100 rankings. You can check out the full 50 Top Pizza guide here.
The world’s 10 best pizzerias in 2026
(incl. some ties for 4th & 5th place):
1. Napoli on the Road, London, England
2. Una Pizza Napoletana, New York, USA
3. Confine, Milan, Italy
4. I Masanielli, Caserta, Italy (tied)
4. Seu Pizza Illuminati, Rome, Italy (tied)
5. Pizzeria Sei, Los Angeles, USA (tied)
5. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, USA (tied)
6. Leggera Pizza Napoletana, São Paulo, Brazil
7. RistoPizza by Napoli sta ca, Tokyo, Japan
8. Baldoria, Madrid, Spain
9. The Pizza Bar on 38th, Tokyo, Japan
10. Razza, Jersey City, USA
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