Papa Gino's Pizza Restaurant

We have been going to Papa Ginos since we discovered it in an Age Good Eating Guide article back in the early 90s.
The pizzas aren't the type that you'd be served up by some 16yo in a chain. They use quality ingredients, the base is crispy without being rock hard and they make fantastic, basic "Italian peasant food" for want of a better term. In other words, they keep it simple.

400 Gradi which has won international awards also makes top pizzas, but I tend to favor Papas. Alex and the team (mostly his brothers) at Papas excel in both service and quality of food.

There are lots and lots of pizza joints , making average every day pizzas. And then there is the one and only PAPA GINO's. The best for over 40 years, since my university days and still as recently as today. If only there was decent nearby parking we could come far more often.

I don't mind Italian food, and while I have had dinner on Lygon Street a couple of times, I generally don't make it a regular occurrence, which is probably a good thing due to the average price of a meal. However, I generally do enjoy the atmosphere of the place. As for Papa Gino's, well, there wasn't all that much about this place that made it stand out from the rest of Lygon Street, though my German friend with whom I had dinner here with chose the place so she obviously liked it. Mind you the dinner itself was fun because it was a 'let's get together and speak German' dinner, which was an experience since even though I can speak, and understand, German, I am still a very long way off from being able to hold up a decent conversation with a native speaker. Oh, the pizza was hot, but that was probably because of the cheese, and I pretty much expect that whenever I order pizza (unless it is from pizza hut, but then I don't make a habit of buying food from there Papa ...read more

THE BEST family restaurant ! love love this place ... my family has been going there for years. highly recommend . affordable delicious family restaurant .

Food is great! They have the one of the best pizza in town. They have this Veal Parmigiana, that tops with Napoletana sauce and grilled cheese. The price is very reasonable and worth the menus served.