If you want good pizza in Sydney, the trick is to follow the ovens. A wood fire pizza oven is probably one of the last things you’d expect to find inside a Leagues Club. But it’s the newest addition to Canterbury League Club and boy is it making an impact.

On our radar since the opening of its very trendy Bakehouse Cafe earlier in the year, the Canterbury League Club has brought in the big guns, with Executive Chef Stephanie Azar manning the deck and Maruzio Bruno manning the oven at Lavico, the club’s new Italian restaurant. Tucked behind the Bake House, Lavico Italian Ristorante takes advantage of the same outdoor terrace, and as Summer heats up, these spots will be the hot seats for long lunches that stretch into dinners – cocktails, pizzas, pastas under the sun and stars, what more do you need?

Lavico, translated to “lava” in Italian, is a family-friendly restaurant, with that real community feel that Italians know how to do best. The menu showcases the best of the best of Italy’s regional dishes. Start your meal with generous serves of bruschetta, before moving onto a Caprese salad that lets the fresh produce speak for itself. The pizza simply cannot be skipped; with traditional and more modern toppings, they’re great for sharing, light enough to be an entrée or one of a few dishes on the table. Mains include classics like Osso Bucco, Veal Melanzane, and a very impressive pasta menu. Don’t skip the perfectly balanced rocket and parmesan salad either. Just make sure you save room for dessert – panna cotta, tiramisu, even a Nutella pizza. The gelato won’t have a chance to melt you’ll have gobbled it up so quick.

Now don’t forget about the bar. Unlike the Bakehouse next door, Lavico has a full bar menu, with a range of classic cocktails, beers, wines and spirits. The cocktails have some real oomph, but we’re pretty impressed by the Italian Sangiovese by the glass that goes down a treat with a steak or the Osso Bucco.

Lavico Italian Ristorante
Canterbury League Club 
26 Bridge Rd, Belmore
Lunch: 12 – 3pm (Fri – Sun)
Dinner: 6 – 10pm (Wed – Sun), 6 – 10.30pm (Fri – Sat)