Little Theo’s owner, Ant. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
It is busy o’clock at Little Theo’s and the kitchen is humming. The coordination and energy of the team are fascinating to watch; they vibe off the pace and thrill of fulfilling multiple orders under a time crunch, communicating loudly.
Owner Ant is out front, the conductor of his orchestra, calling back to see where each order is up to: “How long on the two burgers? Where are my chips on order 32?”
It is a piece of theatre, watching the spectacle of orders come together in this open kitchen. “I’m not in the food industry; I’m in the entertainment industry,” Ant jokes.
The team knows their regulars, whether they are weekly or monthly. When one lady comes in, the team member serving her doesn’t even ask; they just hand her son’s online order over to her.
Theo’s has been feeding comfort food to Kambah locals since 1979.
“There’s a lot of history here. I’ve been privileged enough to have been here for almost 10 years,” Ant says.
“We have really strong roots in the community, getting lots of really good support from them. I’m on a first-name basis with a lot of our customers. I’ve seen their children grow up. In fact, some of their children have worked for me!”
One of the best parts of writing about Canberra’s food scene, apart from all the delicious food, is meeting creatives who treat produce with respect and curiosity; seeing how they bring passion to crafting sauces and doughs and pickles from scratch. In Canberra, so many in the food industry bring this precision to even the smallest details in their kitchens.
It is a wonderful surprise to find this passion here in a suburban gem.
“We make everything in-house; we are old school,” Ant says.
We look at the menu on the wall and see that Little Theo’s specialises in three main areas: pizza, burgers, and fish and chips. We are hungry and decide to try something in each area of expertise!
Battered fish, calamari rings, crumbed prawn cutlets, chips, and even a battered sav. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
Even the deep-fried section of the menu receives Little Theo’s signature TLC and they batter everything in-house. The batter for the potato scallops has taken the team six years to perfect. When I eat a potato scallop, usually I just eat the surrounding golden, crunchy batter. When I peel off some of that golden batter, I glimpse a recognisable slice of potato within, so I continue to eat the whole scallop. We enjoy fresh battered fish, calamari rings, crumbed prawn cutlets and I experience my first ever battered sav!
I am a chicken salt gal from way back, but Ant talks us into trying the secret Little Theo’s salt. I am so glad he did. The aromatics and something else in that salt brings a real tang to the chips.
We cannot wait to bite into a slice of il Supremo pizza. The Little Theo’s team take pride in their 72 hours of fermented sourdough pizza base, a recipe that has been a labour of love.
It is a substantial crust, light yet dense and fluffy with a hint of chew, crunchy around the edges, with the prized leopard of the crust that is the hallmark of a verified Neapolitan pizza. I enjoy the pungent pepperoni on this pizza and the meaty kalamata olives on the base of San Marzano tomato sauce. The pineapple pieces balance all the umami.
Zac from @_all.aboutburgers rated Little Theo’s Papa burger Canberra’s #1 burger on his 2023 list, so we are keen to put it to the test.
The Mama is oversized, it’s messy, and bursting with egg and big slabs of bacon. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
I get the Mama, rather than the Papa. I cannot fault this burger. Somewhere between the meat and the cheese is something that brings a smoky deliciousness. It’s oversized, it’s messy, and bursting with egg and big slabs of bacon, and the salad is just the right amount. And it’s not soggy! Everything in this burger has its place and brings something to the palate. It all works together beautifully. I can understand why Zac rates it so highly!
I also understand why Little Theo’s is so well-loved and has stood the test of time.
Little Theo’s is located at the corner of Boddington Cres and Carleton St in Kambah. It is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 pm to 8 pm, and for lunch from Thursday through Sunday. Follow Little Theo’s on Facebook and Instagram.
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