1. Home
  2. Archive by Category "Italian Food & Pizza Culture"

Italian Food & Pizza Culture

Italian food is shaped by region, ritual and respect for ingredients. Pizza is no exception. This category explores the broader world of Italian food culture, with a focus on Roman traditions, street food history and the social rituals that surround pizza.

From International Pizza Day to how Italians share meals and approach pizza differently across regions, these articles provide context beyond the menu. They explain how Roman pizza fits within Italy’s culinary landscape and why its crisp texture, balance and restraint reflect Roman dining culture.

Here you’ll discover the traditions that influence technique, the cultural differences between Roman and Neapolitan pizza, and the everyday habits that shape how pizza is enjoyed in Italy. It’s a deeper look at the history, identity and rhythm of Italian food — and how that spirit continues in Surry Hills.

Rigatoni Amatriciana - Rigatoni, San Marzano Tomatoes, Guanciale, Pecorino Romano, Chilli, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

What Is Roman Food? A Guide to Cucina Romana

At 170 Grammi in Surry Hills, the menu is built around one city’s cooking — Rome. Not Italian food in the broad sense, not a tour of regional Italy, but specifically the food that developed in and around the capital over centuries:…

Margherita Classica Pizza - San Marzano, La Stella Buffalo Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Basil, Coratina Extra Virgin Olive Oil

What Are San Marzano Tomatoes? The Sauce Behind Every Roman Pizza

At 170 Grammi in Surry Hills, every red-base pizza starts the same way: a tin of San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, with nothing added. No sugar, no herbs, no thickener. The reason is simple — when the tomato is right, it…

Cacio e Pepe Pizza - White Base, Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper

What Is Cacio e Pepe? The Roman Dish Built on Two Ingredients

Cacio e pepe means cheese and pepper. That is the dish — in full. No stock, no cream, no garlic, no olive oil in the traditional version. Two ingredients, applied to pasta or pizza with precision, producing something that tastes far more…

Prosciutto e Burrata - Prosciutto San Daniele & La Stella Buffalo Latticini Burrata, Grissini

What Is Burrata? Why Freshness Changes Everything

There’s a moment at a good Italian table when burrata arrives. It sits whole on the plate — smooth, white, slightly irregular at the knot on top — and when it opens, it doesn’t so much pour as exhale. The cream and soft…

Amatriciana Pizza - San Marzano, Guanciale, Pecorino Romano, Basil, Coratina Extra Virgin Olive Oil

What Is Guanciale? The Pork That Defines Roman Cooking

Guanciale is one of those ingredients that turns up on Italian menus without explanation — listed confidently next to San Marzano and Pecorino Romano as though you already know what it is. If you’ve ordered an Amatriciana pizza and…

Crocchante Bianca - Crispy Crust, Porchetta alla Romana, Pecorino Romano

What Does DOP Mean on a Menu?

You’re reading a menu. Maybe it’s a pizza, maybe an antipasto. And there it is, sitting quietly next to an ingredient name: DOP. It might seem like shorthand for something you’re supposed to already know. But it’s…

Hands sharing a variety of wood-fired Italian pizzas including Margherita, porchetta, and spicy salame, with burrata and wine at 170 Grammi in Sydney

International Pizza Day: Celebrating Pizza the Roman Way

International Pizza Day is one of those rare food holidays that actually deserves the hype. Not because pizza needs an excuse — it doesn’t — but because it gives you permission to do it properly. Slow down. Order with variety. Share…