Description

A guide to Roman-style pizza in Sydney — what makes it genuinely different from Neapolitan, the history behind the crust, and where to find authentic XL Roman pizza worth ordering.

Roman-Style Pizza Sydney: What Makes It Different (And Where to Find the Real Thing)

TLDR: Roman pizza is thinner, crispier, and built on a completely different dough philosophy than Neapolitan pizza. The Romans use oil in the dough, stretch it razor-thin, and let the toppings do the talking. In Sydney, truly authentic Roman-style pizza is rare — and Made In Italy has been serving it since 2000.

Table of Contents

• What Is Roman-Style Pizza?
• Roman vs Neapolitan: The Great Italian Pizza Debate
• The Dough: Where Roman Pizza Lives or Dies
• Pizza al Taglio: Rome’s Street Food Legacy
• Why Roman Pizza Works So Well for Delivery
• Roman-Style Pizza in Sydney: What to Look For
• The Made In Italy Story: Roman Pizza Since 2000
• The XL Roman Pizza: Why Size Actually Matters
• Popular Roman Pizzas to Try
• How to Order Roman Pizza in Sydney
• FAQ

What Is Roman-Style Pizza?

There are two great Italian pizza traditions. Naples gets all the press — those blistered, puffy-edged discs cooked in screaming-hot wood-fired ovens have conquered food culture worldwide. But the Romans were making something completely different, and for most people, the first bite of an authentic Roman pizza is a revelation.

Roman pizza (pizza romana) is thin, flat, and crispy — dubbed scrocchiarella by Romans, which translates roughly as “the crunchy one.” Italy Segreta describes it perfectly: where Neapolitans build a thick, airy outer crust that softens toward the centre, Romans roll theirs as thin as the dough allows, baking it until it snaps. The result is a completely different eating experience — lighter, crispier, and built to carry toppings without going soggy underneath.

The style traces back to the ancient Roman pinsa, a flatbread whose name derives from the Latin pinsere, meaning “to knead.” Roman bakers have been pressing dough thin and topping it since long before Naples developed its own tradition.

Roman vs Neapolitan: The Great Italian Pizza Debate

If you sit down with any Italian and ask which pizza is better — Roman or Neapolitan — clear your schedule. The argument has been running for centuries.

Here is where the two styles genuinely differ:

Neither is better. They solve different problems. Neapolitan is a restaurant experience — it is meant to be eaten hot, whole, immediately. Roman pizza travels. It stays crispy. It feeds a crowd without turning into a soggy mess. That is a meaningful difference if you are ordering delivery for a Friday night with friends.

The Dough: Where Roman Pizza Lives or Dies

The secret to a proper Roman crust is in the dough formula — and it is simpler than most people expect.

Where Neapolitan dough uses only flour, water, salt, and yeast (no fat permitted under strict Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana rules), Roman dough incorporates a good pour of olive oil. As Italy Segreta explains, the oil allows the dough to be stretched further and rolled thinner without tearing. The result is a base that crisps evenly through the bake rather than puffing at the edges.

The other critical element is fermentation time. A long, cold ferment — made In Italy uses a process that develops the dough slowly — gives Roman pizza its characteristic flavour depth and digestibility. Rushing the ferment produces a flat, cardboard-like result. Patience is built into the recipe.

This is why authentic Roman pizza feels lighter in the stomach than it looks on the plate. The fermentation breaks down the gluten structure progressively, making it easier to digest than a quickly-made dough despite the crust being visually substantial.

Pizza al Taglio: Rome’s Street Food Legacy

Walk down any street in Rome and you will find a forno (bakery) or a taglieria selling pizza al taglio — pizza by the cut. The pizza comes out of the oven in large rectangular trays, and you point to the section you want. The server weighs it, charges by the gram, and hands it over wrapped in paper.

This format — practical, generous, democratic — was developed in the post-war period for convenience. It became one of Rome’s defining street foods. The rectangular tray format suits a display counter; the round version of Roman pizza (which Made In Italy serves) delivers the same crispy base and flavour profile in a form designed for sharing at the table.

In Sydney, the al taglio concept has slowly been gaining traction. A handful of specialist pizzerias serve rectangular Roman slices. But the round XL Roman pizza for delivery and dine-in — which is Made In Italy’s format — keeps the authentic character while fitting the Australian dining context.

Why Roman Pizza Works So Well for Delivery

This is where Roman pizza beats every other style on pure practicality.

Neapolitan pizza, for all its glory, does not travel well. That soft centre goes limp fast. The puffy crust steams itself soggy inside a delivery box. You have a window of maybe ten minutes before it starts losing ground.

Roman pizza holds. The crispy base retains structural integrity. Toppings stay where they are meant to be. A properly made Roman pizza arrives at your door tasting close to how it left the oven — which is why it is the right pizza style for delivery in a city as spread out as Sydney.

For inner west suburbs, Pyrmont, and the CBD, this matters. By the time a pizza crosses a few kilometres of Sydney traffic, the style of the crust determines whether dinner is excellent or disappointing.

Roman-Style Pizza in Sydney: What to Look For

Authenticity is hard to verify from a menu. A few things to check:

The base should be thin and flat. No thick raised edges. If the crust is puffing up like a ring around the edge, it is drifting toward Neapolitan territory — not wrong, but not Roman.

It should snap, not fold. Lift a slice. A Roman pizza holds its shape. It does not droop or sag. You hear a crunch when you bite through the base.

The toppings should sit on top, not sink in. Because the base is thin and baked crisp, toppings stay proud on the surface rather than pressing down into a soft dough.

The size should be generous. Authentic Roman-style in Sydney is typically served as an XL pizza designed for sharing across two or three people — not a personal-sized disc.

The Made In Italy Story: Roman Pizza Since 2000

Made In Italy has been serving Roman-style pizza in Sydney since 2000 — well before Roman pizza became a talking point on food forums or a trend for new-wave pizzerias to adopt.

The recipe comes from the source: Roman technique, long-fermented dough, toppings that reflect traditional Italian combinations alongside the family’s own signatures. The ethos — “we feed you like family” — translates into portions that are genuinely generous and prices that keep regular ordering realistic.

With locations in Alexandria, Annandale, Pyrmont, and Sydney CBD, Made In Italy delivers Roman pizza across inner Sydney — the same recipe, the same dough process, the same approach to toppings across every store.

It also offers catering for groups and events, where the XL Roman format makes particularly good sense: generous, shareable, and sturdy enough to hold up on a catering table.

The XL Roman Pizza: Why Size Actually Matters

Most Sydney pizza comes in a standard 30–32cm round. Made In Italy’s Roman pizza is XL — meaningfully larger, designed to feed two to three people from a single pizza.

This is not a marketing size upgrade. It is authentic to the Roman tradition. Roman pizza was never a personal-sized dish. In Rome, you buy as much as you want by the gram from a tray. The XL round format applies that same generous-portion philosophy to a table-friendly shape.

For delivery, it means better value per order and less waste. For families and groups, it means everyone gets plenty without over-ordering.

Pair an XL pizza with one of Made In Italy’s perfectly cooked pasta dishes and you have a proper Roman meal. The full menu covers the range — from classic Margherita and Marinara through to seasonal specials and the viral Hot Roman Honey Pizza, which has picked up its own following on social media.

Popular Roman Pizzas to Try

If you are new to Roman-style pizza at Made In Italy, here are reliable starting points:

Margherita — The benchmark. Crushed tomato, fior di latte, fresh basil, olive oil. Simple enough to reveal exactly what the dough tastes like. This is where you assess quality.

Capricciosa — Ham, Italian sausage, mushrooms, and mozzarella with a touch of chilli. A generous, flavour-packed combination that the crispy Roman base holds together without going soft underneath.

Hot Roman Honey Pizza — Made In Italy’s signature dish, which went viral for good reason. The contrast of heat, honey, and cheese on a crispy Roman base is one of those combinations that converts people on first bite.

Calabrese — Spicy Calabrian salami, chilli, tomato, mozzarella. The thin crispy Roman base concentrates the heat rather than diluting it — bold, punchy, and exactly what the style was made for.

How to Order Roman Pizza in Sydney

Made In Italy delivers across inner west Sydney and the CBD. Free delivery on orders over $50, minimum order $25. Order directly at madeinitaly.com.au — or visit the Alexandria, Annandale, Pyrmont, or Sydney CBD stores for dine-in and pickup.

For large group orders or office catering, the catering page covers options for 20 to 200 people.

FAQ

Is Roman pizza better than Neapolitan pizza?

Neither style is objectively better — they serve different purposes. Roman pizza excels for delivery, catering, and sharing. Neapolitan is a dine-in, eat-immediately experience. If you are ordering to your home or office, Roman pizza holds better and travels well.

What does “scrocchiarella” mean?

Scrocchiarella is the Roman nickname for their pizza, loosely translating as “the crunchy one.” It refers to the thin, crispy base that defines the Roman style — a sound and texture Neapolitan pizza deliberately avoids.

Is Roman pizza healthier than Neapolitan?

Because the dough is fermented longer and stretched thinner, Roman pizza can be lighter per slice despite its size. However, “healthier” depends entirely on toppings and portion size — neither style has a clear nutritional edge.

What is pizza al taglio?

Pizza al taglio is Roman pizza sold by the rectangular slice, cut to the customer’s desired size and often priced by weight. Made In Italy serves the round XL Roman pizza format, which carries the same crispy-base philosophy in a sharing size.

Where can I get authentic Roman-style pizza in Sydney?

Made In Italy serves XL Roman pizza from four locations: Alexandria, Annandale, Pyrmont, and Sydney CBD. All four stores use the same long-fermented Roman dough recipe the brand has been making since 2000. Order online at madeinitaly.com.au for delivery or pickup.