NYC-inspired pizza spot and cocktail bar Donnie’s fires up the ovens in Teneriffe
After a few weeks of eager anticipation, Donnie’s quietly opened at the base of the Australian Mercantile Land & Finance Woolstores last weekend. Had you been in the area, you’d have spied a throng of eager diners chomping down slices of crispy New York-style pizzas, munching on Philly cheesesteak spring rolls and quaffing cocktails boasting a slight Americana twist. Donnie’s is now officially up and running – here’s what you can expect …
Every kind of pizza has its own feverish fanbase – the dyed-in-the-wool true believers that will preach the gospel of their favourite style of slice to anyone that will listen. You’ve got the Neapolitan purists (perhaps the largest contingent) and zealous devotees of Roman-inspired pizza al taglio, as well as the deep-dish evangelists and the Detroit-style die-hards – not to mention the more obscure New Haven apizza, which has its own solid support base.
Jackson McLoughlin and Nickolas Kruckel go to bat for New York-style pizzas. Clearly, seeing as they’ve just opened their own eatery and cocktail bar dedicated to the thin, flexible and piping-hot pies first created, and then popularised, by New York City’s Italian immigrant population.
The Canberra transplants have both made pilgrimages to the Big Apple over the years, where storied venues like L’Industrie Pizzeria and Joe’s Pizza captured their hearts and taste buds. Their new Teneriffe-based nosh spot Donnie’s (located between Zero Fox and Rita’s in the space formerly home to Siffredi’s) is not only a love letter to New York’s pizza scene, but also the duo’s attempt to promote the style they believe is under-represented in our local offering.
“The whole idea of the New York pizza still is kind’ve foreign – you don’t really see a lot of it in Australia, though I guess it’s become a little bit more prevalent recently,” says Jackson. “Frank Pinello’s The Pizza Show and Dave Portnoy – love him or hate him – have done a lot for that style of pizza and has given the world access to what makes a good pizza.”
Jackson and Nick are going to great lengths to ensure the pizza served at Donnie’s would rank highly on the Portnoy scale. During the fit-out process, the duo flew Alim Nayil of Patio Pizza in the UK out to Brisbane, recruiting the chef for an intensive masterclass that included dough making and recipe ideation. That knowledge, plus a desire to top their pizzas with only the best hyper-seasonal ingredients and house-made sauces, has Jackson and Nick in a solid position to make Donnie’s a top choice from the jump.
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To achieve the same mouth feel and flavour as their New York inspirations, Jackson and Nick have honed in on a lower-hydration dough recipe (made using a mixture of flours) that is cold-fermented for 48 hours. Once fired up in Donnie’s Pizza Master deck oven (the same oven used in many of America’s top pizza joints), the pizza is pliant and foldable while still retaining integrity, with just the right amount of char on the base and a crispy crust offering a perfectly chewy texture.
“You obviously have to worry about what you’re putting on the pizza and making sure you’re not just slapping everything together,” says Jackson. “But time is one of the biggest ingredients as well – resting of the dough and letting it come to temperature. Putting all of these processes in place gets the most consistent product that you can.”
When it comes to toppings, the Donnie’s team is aiming for maximum flavour. Currently eight core options feature on the menu, with highlights including the Pepperoni (coated in American cup ‘n’ char pepperoni, fior di latte, mozzarella, parmesan and basil), the Vodka (vodka sauce, burrata, mozzarella, parmesan and basil), the Nduja (‘nduja, hot honey and whipped ricotta) and the Gabagool (meatball ragu, capicola, whipped ricotta and mozzarella). There is also a vegan-friendly option crowned with house-made almond ricotta.
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Jackson and Nick have plans to introduce a monthly pizza special down the line, which is where they’ll be indulging in a bit of experimentation.
“We’ll probably start that next month – get creative and have a look at whether there’s any special dates that fall within the month and play into that a little bit,” says Jackson. “We’re eager to get cooking and experimenting with it all over the coming months.”
Though New York-style pizza headlines the offering, Jackson is quick to stress that Donnie’s isn’t just a pizza joint. Framed more as a casual eatery and cocktail bar, guests can also swing through and graze on an assortment of inventive snacks and side plates. Smoked-mozzarella sticks with pinot noir marinara, Philly cheesesteak spring rolls, pork and beef meatballs in tomato sugo and antipasti boards make for a great opening act.
“We’re trying to not pigeonhole ourselves into being a pizzeria – it’s a bit more bougie, you know?” says Jackson. “You can come here during the week to catch-up with a friend and have a wine or a cocktail and some nibblies, but then on the weekend bring a group down for some pizzas.”
The Donnie’s drinks list is a tidy affair, with a few tap beers (including Donnie’s own lager) available alongside a clutch of seasonal spritzes and classic cocktails with some Americana-inspired riffs. The Twisted Tea (boasting peach ice tea, creme de peche, black tea-infused vodka and white-peach puree) and the Coffee & Doughnuts (made with salted-caramel vodka, coffee tequila, Cinnamon Toast Crunch dulce the leche and express) are both must-try concoctions.
As for wines, the list features a healthy ratio of new wave and established players, with most options available by the glass.
“It’s sort of a mix of new school and old school,” Jackson says. “We’ve got your big Australian heavy hitters – like Clare Valley shiraz and pinot noir from the Yarra Valley, but then we’ve also got a fiano (from Minim) and a nice chilled red (from Unico Zelo).”
When Donnie’s softly opened over the Anzac Day weekend, locals wasted no time getting acquainted. Early feedback indicates that Donnie’s is a welcome addition to the Vernon Terrace strip, which is popular for its cache of casual-yet-considered dining options.
“I just want this venue to be a spot where people can hang out and catch up – like a lot of bars in America, be it pizza bars or not, make you feel,” says Jackson. “That’s how it felt over the weekend – we are just a bar serving great pizza and people can blow in at any time of day and feel comfortable.”
Donnie’s is now open – head to The Directory for more information.