il Buco

I’ve always been a big fan of Il buco in Ponsonby so it’s great to see them branching out to the CBD. I love selecting their pizza by the slice from the cabinet. Part of the enjoyment of going there is waiting for the slices to come from the oven. They also offer croquettes, stuffed mushrooms, soup, salads and some sweet treats.
Great loyalty program too — buy ten slices and get one free!
Try some pizza when you are on Vulcan Lane next!

Went here for lunch (about a month ago) because I had heard through the grapevine that it had just opened! I have walked past the Il Buco restaurant in Ponsonby a billion times, but have never been in. I can’t believe I have waited this long to try one of their amazing pizzas!
It was very busy when we arrived (1pm), but we managed to get a table inside, which I thought was lucky considering there are only four small tables inside and a few outside! However, most of the customers were ordering takeaway pizza.
They serve a wide range of pizzas and you order by the slice ($ 6 a slice or if ordering 10+ or more, $ 5 per slice). We ordered a slice of ‘Boscaiola’ (mushroom, mozzarella, Italian sausage and capsicum), the ‘Primavera’ (caramelised onion, asparagus, mozzarella and brie cheese), the ‘Spinaci e Funghi’ (mushroom, spinach, mozzarella, parmesan and olives) and one ‘Suppli’ (an Italian risotto ball priced at $ 1).
All were delicious! The cheese was stringy, the flavours all worked well together and the pizza itself was very hot out of the oven — just how it should be!
The staff were very friendly and kept calm, considering how busy they were!
Will definitely be coming back and might even make it a weekly occasion because it is just so darn good!

I am a huuuuge fan of Il Bucco but in the last couple of years I haven’t indulged nearly as much as I’d like too. Why? Well, I no longer work in Ponsonby and we all know that finding a park in Ponsonby is a bloody nightmare — especially around lunchtime. So you can imagine my excitement when they opened in Vulcan Lane, a mere 10min stroll from my co-​working space! The pizza is just as delicious and what’s more the new town version has more seating (I’m talking like 5 tables instead of 2).
For those of you who are new to Il Bucco, they serve pizza by the (rectangular) slice. Sans them pricing it by weight, it’s just like what you’d get in Rome! As far as toppings go, there’s no cheese laden Hawaiian pizza here — instead, expect fresh and simple flavour combinations. My favourites are potato, zucchini, onion and capsicum and plain ol’ potato rosemary (they do have meat options but their vegetarian pizza is the best!).
At only $ 6 a slice (they’re pretty large) it’s a great lunch option for those on the go. Plus they make a mean flat white!