Frankie's Pizza, Sydney CBD

These days, I enjoy sipping a drink or two at a good bar whether it's in the CBD or somewhere in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst or Newtown. Frankie's Pizza has that charm where it operates as both a dive bar (with live music!) and a New-York-esque pizza lounge. And a cheap and decent one too. With the same management team who also run The Baxter Inn and Shady Pines Saloon, you know you are onto a very good thing here.

You can order a whole pizza which allows you to pick any flavours from the menu. If you want to order by the slice, you can only get a choice of four flavours (which changes regularly) which is listed on the board above the pizza oven in the diner room. On the first night we went, there was a special Halloween event so the pizzas had different horror-themed names that night such as 'Blood and Bone' (Margherita) Green Meanie (Spinach), Acid Tongue (Salami) and Sea Beast (Napoletana). While each slice was $5 on my first visit, the prices had increased to $6 when I returned a few weeks ago.

Sidra Del Verano Apple and Pear Cider ($13.00)

Usually I've found that ciders can be too sweet and rich to the point that it can be a struggle to finish up. This cider was the opposite for us. It was refreshing, light, not too sweet and very easy to finish. We were bummed when we did finish off this cider so quickly.

Salami: salami, onion, chilli, olives. tomato, cheese (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $21.00)

Since we opted for different toppings of pizza by the slice, we observed the staff putting the pizza in the oven. In less than 2 minutes, it was already out of the oven for us to eat immediately. The pizza slices were similar to a New York pizza in terms of look, taste and texture. 

The crust was super thin, crispy and light while the slices were so massive that you need to fold them up so that the toppings won't fall onto the plate. I really enjoyed the Salami pizza with the thin, juicy and slightly spicy salami slices as well as the thinly sliced onion. While the menu said there was olives, there wasn't much on the pizza and was particularly hidden on the above shot.

Margherita: tomato, cheese, basil (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $18.00)

I always enjoy a simple Margherita if it's done right. This was one of the better versions of this classic pizza. The cheese did not overload the pizza slice and it balanced well with the tomato, which was how I usually prefer when it comes to this.

Spinach: spinach, ricotto, tomato, cheese (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $19.00)

I didn't get the chance to try the Spinach pizza but CC said that she really enjoyed the toppings on this slice. Toppings were also quite balanced here. Good choice for the vegetarians.

Napoletana: anchovies, capers, oregano, tomato, cheese (S: $6.00, W: $18.00)

Because the slices were light and thin, I was still keen for another slice. While I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the anchovies because of too many negative pop culture references (heh), I was surprised that it tasted nice with this pizza. While it was salty and bursting with lots of flavour, I could imagine how good this would have tasted after a heavy drinking session.

Chorizo: chorizo sausages, mozzarella, mushrooms, jalapeno (S: $6.00, W: $21.00)

I returned again after having cravings for a quick slice of pizza after work. The order by the slice menu was similar to what I've tried on the previous visit except with the choice of a chorizo pizza slice. The Chorizo was another slice that I enjoyed from this joint. It was a tad spicy due to the jalapenos but not to the point where you need that glass of milk. There was a good share of toppings on this slice including the juicy sausages and the chopped mushrooms.

While it was understandably quiet when we got there at the grandma hour of 6pm (it's a bar after all), both rooms filled up very quickly not long afterwards. The service experience was a mixed bag since the person serving me was friendly but a different one serving my friend was a bit more abrupt. Despite that, the pizzas were delicious and addictive to make me want more. While this isn't the pizza that you would get from renowned pizza restaurants such as Pizza Mario, Gigi's, and Via Napoli, it's an accessible and affordable option in the heart of the CBD especially if you are keen for a cheap eat and drinks with your colleagues or friends after work. Bonus points that Frankie's is open till 4am which is much much later compared to most Sydney CBD bars that close at midnight or 11pm.

Frankie's Pizza
50 Hunter Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://frankiespizzabytheslice.com/
https://www.facebook.com/stcfrankiespizza/
Sat-Thurs: 4:00pm - 3:00am
Fri: 12:00pm - 3:00am