It’s Italy via New York that’s landed with Melbourne brio in the city’s long-time heart of pizza and pasta, but Capitano from the Bar Liberty team, is doing “pie” differently.

Out of the oven, fabulously blistered black, the pliable and chewy bases with mozzarella, tomato and pecorino can come with a choose-your-own adventure of toppings – pickled chilli and rainbow chard is a veg-tastic winner – or as one of four suggestions that include a terrific garlic-heavy tomato sauce draped with plump Sicilian anchovies.

A plate of great meatballs join a couple of pastas that include chitarra tossed through a generous serving of “clams”, but the veal parmigiana, served on the bone, fried to a crunch and topped with mozzarella rounds and basil leaves, is a knockout. Team with some anchovy-dressed greens and you have a winner dinner.

Pizza and beer go hand-in-hand and a smashable Italian golden lager is one of three on tap, while a list of about 100 wines keeps things on a classy red-white-and-green theme.

To finish, a traditional tiramisu walks the boozy/creamy walk with style, but its cousin, served in cocktail form, is the proper showstopper.

Capitano is a fast, fun Italian with swagger from a crew who know how to deliver good times in the glass and on the plate.  It’s nice as pie.

Must-eat dish: Bone-in veal parmigiana