GPO Pizza by Wood

Sydney GPO
1 Martin Place
Sydney, NSW 2000
https://www.gpogrand.com/gpo-best-pizza-by-wood-sydney-cbd

I had dinner today at GPO Pizza by Wood. I came across it last-minute when I had a 4pm craving for pizza, but was unwilling to travel very far for it. I know, I like having my pizza cake and eating it too.

Although the website gave off the impression of a rather classy restaurant, the reality didn’t stretch quite that far. It’s situated in the basement level of the GPO building amongst another cluster of eateries, and together with communal seating, formed a slightly more upscale version of a food court that backed up onto a bar area. Its website proudly boasts a reputation as the best pizza in the Sydney CBD, and whilst I’m not completely sold on that claim, I am definitely curious enough to give it a try. After all, they did have a pretty nice looking woodfire oven going, and at around $15 for a small pizza, how could you really go wrong?

My first pick was the Spagnola ($19.9, large). The cheese and tomato base was topped with a satisfyingly generous amount of chorizo, and whist it wasn’t exactly artisanal, it was certainly rich enough to hit that craving for salt and fat. The slivers of caramelised red onion added some much-needed sweetness to the slice, and the thin base meant that all the toppings could be tasted in each robustly-flavoured bite.

To counteract that richness was the relatively light Patate ($14.5, small). The thinly-sliced and delicately layered potatoes were cooked to a melting tenderness that contrasted with the crisp base, and it needed no more than a few sprigs of rosemary and a sprinkling of sea salt to hold its own. If it weren’t for the lack of cheese, or any kind of sauce at all, this could have been something rather special.

GPO Pizza by Wood was pretty much the same as I had expected it to be from first impressions. It’s a quick, easy place for a fast bite that’s a cut above the usual food court fare, and has the added bonus of being light enough to not leave you feeling bloated. It’s certainly far from being the best pizza in Sydney – in fact it’s pretty ordinary – but I’d be happy to pop back if a craving hits whilst I’m in the area.

Rating: 12/20 – does the job.
This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.