Deep End

Melbourne does a lot of things excellently – coffee, rooftop bars, theatre. And pizza.

Deep End is one of the more standout pizza joints, bringing authentic American-style pizza to Brunswick Street in Fitzroy. Chef and co-owner Paul Kasten (Deeds Brewing and Host Dining grew up and studied in the US, and wanted to bring his obsession with American-style pizza to the inner north.

Deep End distinguishes itself with an offering of three iconic pizza styles. There’s the New York-style thin crust; the crispy-cornered Detroit-style focaccia base; and hulking Chicago-style stuffed deep-dish pizza. You can’t miss the decadent deep-dish pizza, which Kasten says isn’t as commonly seen in Melbourne as the others.

There’s a variety of classic and left-of-centre toppings, including a clam pie with bacon and Grana Padano, and the Thyme Crisis with confit garlic, mascarpone, mozzarella, potato and guanciale. Plus, four different chilli salts, each spicier than the next.

Sides-wise, expect brûléed chicken-liver parfait, whipped taleggio with charred spring onion and focaccia, and a decadent roasted bone marrow with toast and herby salad.

Enter off what Kasten calls the deep end of Brunswick Street – behind a graffitied exterior – into the casual, industrial space, with bold splashes of red. Kasten is joined by beer-connoisseur co-owners Kate Paterson, Kyle Campbell and Rasmus Gundel, so it’s unsurprising that the local-craft-beer game is strong here, plus you’ll find wines and easy-drinking cocktails.