South Yarra’s Ramblr may be no more (RIP), but executive chef Nick Stanton’s terrific, tingling Szechuan Bolognese that topped noodles there lives on in pizza form at the team’s equally rollicking new pizza joint, Leonardo’s Pizza Palace. 

It’s just one of the genre-mashing delights on offer at this retro-cool Carlton restaurant that’s pumpingly busy with brilliant staff that keep the place running smoothly with style.

It’s a simple offering of pizza and pasta that looks to Wise Guy Noo Yawk rather than Italy’s deep south for inspiration, and does carb loading with rarely seen class. 

You won’t want to skip the stracciatella, which Stanton serves with roasted peppers, smoked eggplant and slices of oven-warm white bread. Swoon. But pizza is the main game and they are big in size and calorie count – especially when you dunk the crusts in the creamy-sharp ranch sauce served to the side. 

Every other table has ordered the pepperoni, so you’ll want to, too. It’s a monster topped with a plethora of tiny spicy slices of American-style salami, the light, charry, blistered base providing ballast for the cheesy excess atop. That lip-tingling Bolognese is equally moreish.

Filled with families early but licensed until 1am on weekends – and cooking pizzas until then – this hospo hotspot serves the very smashable Italian Stallion house lager alongside a tight, Italian-leaning list where bottles hover around $60. 

You won’t have room, but if you do, the tiramisu that comes in cheesecake form is a revelation. 

Must Eat Dish: Ramblr Chinese Bolognese pizza