Alex the Pizza Guy has a new home at 3rd Space in Hackett. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The Nocera family has always wanted an authentic pizzeria serving a slice of their Italian heritage. But getting this project off the ground wasn’t easy.
They launched their restaurant, 3rd Space, in 2021 amid the chaos of pandemic restrictions, and then they discovered that installing the pizza oven would require them to knock a hole through the wall!
But instead of getting them down, they turned those challenges into an opportunity: the family developed a home-delivery and mobile catering business, Alex The Pizza Guy, and a hole in the wall was just the excuse they needed to renovate. 3rd Space now features an open pizza kitchen where guests can watch the magic at work.
Champion pizza maker Andrea Cozzolino has developed the perfect crust for 3rd Space. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Alex Nocera, who owns and runs the business with his son Nic Nocera, said he wanted to make sure he was making pizza that he could be proud of. So he engaged the expertise of Andrea Cozzolino: a two-time champion of the World Pizza Championships in Parma, Italy. This award-winning pizzaiolo has worked with Nic and Alex to develop a unique recipe for their dough and to refine their technique.
“The style of dough is somewhere between Napoletana and Romana, so it’s crispy underneath, a bit thin, but still has a nice chewy crust,” Nic explained.
“It’s a three-day process, so it’s low yeast and very light to eat.”
The truffle serrano pizza is excellent. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The pizza menu is split into red and white bases and stick to classic Italian flavours, with the exception of a contentious inclusion: ham and pineapple. They’ve cheekily named this pizza ‘Don’t Tell Cranky Franky’ after Alex’s father, a pizza traditionalist who passed away before the restaurant opened.
At the pizzeria launch, Alex paid a tearful tribute to his father, saying he was sure that Franky would be proud of what they had achieved, even if they put pineapple on pizza!
Nic and his dad Alex are proud of the pizza they serve. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The pizzas are truly delicious. Nic’s description of their ‘best of both worlds’ base is spot on. The lightness of the crust makes it easy to eat multiple slices without filling up, and they’ve hit the sweet spot with toppings: generous, without overloading the slice.
The Truffle Serrano is a delicious flavour combination: mushrooms, truffle paste, mozzarella, and aged Serrano ham. The vegetarian options are also lovely. The Ortolana – which translates as greengrocer – is topped with a mix of Mediterranean vegetables and a sprinkling of black olive dust.
A standout is the Patata Salsiccia: potato and sausage. On a white base with plenty of olive oil and rosemary, this simple pizza relies on perfect technique and quality ingredients.
Wash down your perfect pizza with a tap beer from a local brewery, including their own 3rd Space Lager brewed at Tribe Brewery in Goulburn. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The new pizzas join the existing menu of pasta, snacks like arancini and specialty Italian desserts like the house-made cannoli.
Whatever you have, wash it down with a 3rd Space Lager for a molto bene meal.
3rd Space is located at Hackett Shops, 14 Hackett Pl, Hackett. They are open on Wednesday from 3 pm to 8 pm, Thursday to Saturday from 3 pm to 9 pm, and from 3 pm to 8 pm on Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Follow 3rd Space on Facebook or Instagram, and book on their website.
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