EIGHTEEN months ago local eatery Fresh Pizza opened on then-quiet Oxide Street and helped kick-start the area’s Italian-inspired reinvention.
Store owners Liam Wilson and Cristina Tolu never intended to run a brick-and-mortar pizza shop but were often asked to when making pizza for family and friends.
“Liam bought one of those little pizza ovens, and we were just making it for ourselves and our friends because we love pizza,” Tolu said.
“Liam was a baker by trade and was making the dough. We started selling pizza at markets in 2019 at the twilight Christmas market, and it was a hit, we kept selling out.”
During the 2019/20 fires the pair felt inclined to help the best way they knew how, by selling their pizza to fundraise for relief efforts.
“We had pizzas in the park to fundraise which was very popular,” Tolu said.
“But then COVID hit, and all our plans for pop-ups, catering, getting community together, had to be put on hold.”
In 2022 Liam found himself looking for work without any idea what he wanted to do.
“We spoke about it and it wasn’t a huge risk for us at the time, so we just decided to do it, and on 30th June 2023, we opened our shop!”
At the time, there weren’t as many food options in the strip of Oxide between Mica and Wolfram, though since the spot has welcomed numerous new shopfronts including Italian-inspired Café Giovanni’s a few doors down.
“Originally it was just going to be a small thing, just the two of us,” Tolu said.
“But the day we opened we sold out almost straight away, with a queue out the door. It was overwhelming in a positive way, but still overwhelming.”
“We all of a sudden had to hire employees, and now we have an amazing team who have been with us since the start!”
Tolu said they continue to try their best to be innovative and are always looking for new ideas to keep things fresh.
“We work 24-7,” she said.
“Every time we have a minute spare, we’re on Facebook or Instagram, looking at different pizza toppings from around the world.”
Currently they’re offering a pizza of the month, which they began in September.
“We get inspiration from different countries, this month is Spain so we’re doing a paella sort of base, chicken, chorizo, prawns and a paprika garlic sauce.”
Tolu said she loves the little Italy atmosphere in Oxide Street.
“With out neighbours Giovanni’s you’ve got your Italian coffee, and we have the pizza,” she said.
“Though we’re primarily takeaway, we have little tables out on the sidewalk for people who want to sit in of an evening.”
The pair said their most popular item on the menu is easily the bee-sting, which features spicy salami and chilli infused honey.
But Tolu prefers tried and true classic.
“I can’t go past a margarita,” she said.
“It’s how you can tell a good pizza shop, in their margarita, and it’s my go-to staple.”
Wilson’s favourite is the paesano, a vegetarian option with mushrooms, olives and basil oil.
Fresh Pizza is open everyday other than Tuesday and Wednesday, and will be open over the Christmas period outside of December 24 to 26 and New Years Eve and Day.
