Every venue has a “why”. Ours started with a promise, a Roman heritage, and a very specific craving Sydney didn’t have an easy answer for: proper Roman pizza—thin, crisp, structured, and built for sharing.
170 Grammi opened in Surry Hills with a clear vision: introduce Roman pizza as its own craft, distinct from Neapolitan tradition and defined by texture, technique, and balance. Not louder. Not overloaded. Just precision you can taste from the first bite to the last slice.
Since opening, that Roman approach has resonated beyond our neighbourhood. From early “coming soon” buzz to reviews, features, and community support, 170 Grammi has been lucky to earn recognition from Sydney food media and locals who love a crisp base as much as we do.
👉 Book a table and experience Roman pizza in Surry Hills
The idea: Roman pizza as a craft (not a trend)
Sydney knows pizza. For years, the city embraced the soft, puffy pleasure of Neapolitan style—and for good reason. But Roman pizza offers something structurally different: a thinner, crisp base, a dry, clean bite, and toppings that stay defined instead of melting into one soft layer.
170 Grammi was created to make that distinction clear. Roman pizza isn’t “better” than other styles. It’s simply different—and when it’s done properly, it becomes incredibly moreish. It’s the kind of pizza you can share across the table, order with variety, and keep eating without the meal feeling heavy.
👉 Learn what Roman pizza is (and why it’s different)
Why we’re called 170 Grammi
The name isn’t random. It’s a detail that points straight to the foundation of the style.
At 170 Grammi, every pizza begins with a 170-gram dough ball. That weight helps create the thin, crisp base Roman pizza is known for—structured, sliceable, and built to hold its shape under toppings.
It’s a small number with a big impact. It captures our obsession with balance: enough dough to deliver crunch and character, without tipping into heaviness.
👉 Read more about our story and the “170 Grammi” difference
From Sydney’s Neapolitan legacy to Rome’s crisp tradition
170 Grammi is led by Luigi Esposito, a pizzaiolo with decades of experience and a deep love for Italian regional tradition. After years of helping Sydney fall in love with Neapolitan pizza, the next step wasn’t to repeat the same idea—it was to celebrate a different one.
The inspiration was personal as well as culinary. Roman pizza carries a sense of place: a style tied to Rome’s way of eating—social, share-friendly, and driven by texture. For Luigi, bringing that Roman tradition to Sydney wasn’t about chasing a moment. It was about building a home for a style that deserved its own stage.
👉 Visit us in the heart of Surry Hills
The location: a Surry Hills corner made for pizza energy
170 Grammi opened at 428 Crown Street, Surry Hills, right on one of the suburb’s most iconic dining strips. Surry Hills has always been a place for food lovers—people who care about where they eat, what they order, and the atmosphere around it.
That’s exactly what we wanted: a neighbourhood setting where you can drop in for a casual dinner, settle in for a long catch-up, or bring a group and order Roman-style—with variety, rhythm, and plenty of sharing.
👉 Need details before you visit? Get in touch
The technique: how Roman pizza gets its signature crunch
Roman pizza is texture-first. If the dough isn’t right, the pizza can’t hide behind toppings. That’s why 170 Grammi focuses on technical foundations that shape both flavour and structure.
High hydration
Hydration (how much water is in the dough relative to flour) plays a major role in the internal structure of the base. When handled properly, it supports an airy interior while still allowing the outside to crisp cleanly.
👉 Why high-hydration dough matters in Roman pizza
Long fermentation
Fermentation is where time does the quiet work—developing flavour, improving structure, and helping the pizza bake with balance rather than density.
👉 The role of long fermentation in Roman pizza
Controlled baking
Roman crispness isn’t about “more cooking”. It’s about precision. The goal is a clean snap, a structured slice, and toppings that stay defined from the first slice to the last.
👉 Why Roman pizza can feel lighter and easier to eat
The menu: Roman ideas, Sydney appetite
Roman pizza has a classic side, and it has a playful side. At 170 Grammi, we lean into both—honouring tradition while giving Sydney something it can only get when Roman technique meets local energy.
You’ll see Roman inspiration in the way the flavours are built: balanced toppings, clear contrasts, and combinations that make sense on a crisp base. The structure of Roman pizza invites variety—ordering multiple pizzas across the table, comparing textures, and sharing slices as you go.
It’s also why Roman pizza works so well for groups: it stays crisp, holds shape, and keeps the table moving.
👉 Explore the dine-in menu
👉 Planning a celebration? Read our group dining guide
Media recognition: how Sydney discovered 170 Grammi
From the beginning, Sydney food media understood what made 170 Grammi different: Roman pizza as its own category, not a variation of Neapolitan.
We were featured as the Via Napoli crew’s Roman-style project, spotlighting the shift from soft, puffy pizza to thin, crisp La Tonda Romana—along with that signature Roman twist: flavours inspired by classic Roman dishes.
We’ve also been recognised for the broader experience: the lively Surry Hills location, the share-friendly format, and the idea that Roman pizza belongs in Sydney’s pizza conversation, not on the sidelines.
If you found us through a “coming soon” announcement, a “now open” feature, a review, or a friend forwarding a link, thank you. That early momentum helped shape the energy we still feel in the room today.
👉 Explore more Roman pizza stories and guides
Community recognition: winning Best New Business (City Suburbs)
Press is lovely, but community support hits differently—because it’s built on real visits, real meals, and real word-of-mouth.
We’re proud to share that 170 Grammi was awarded Best New Business in the City Suburbs Local Business Awards. It’s the kind of recognition that feels like a collective win: for our team, for our neighbourhood, and for everyone who backed Roman pizza from day one.
What we’re building: Roman hospitality in a Sydney neighbourhood
170 Grammi isn’t just about the base (although yes, we’re obsessed with it). It’s about creating a place where people feel welcome, relaxed, and genuinely looked after—whether you’re dropping in for a quick dinner or settling in for a long night of sharing.
Roman pizza is the centrepiece, but the bigger goal is atmosphere: good food, good people, and the kind of energy that makes you want to come back with friends next time.
If you haven’t visited yet, start simple: book a table, order with variety, and share. Roman pizza makes the table feel alive.
👉 Book your table at 170 Grammi
👉 Prefer pizza at home? Order online
👉 Browse all menus
Frequently Asked Questions
Because every pizza starts with a 170-gram dough ball, which helps create the thin, crisp Roman-style base.
170 Grammi is located at 428 Crown Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
170 Grammi is led by pizzaiolo Luigi Esposito, bringing Roman pizza traditions to Sydney.
We serve Roman-style pizza in a round format, designed to be crisp, structured, and easy to share.
Yes. 170 Grammi was awarded Best New Business in the City Suburbs Local Business Awards.
Yes. You can order online for pickup or delivery via the order page.