0°C | Friday January 23, 2026 
22 January 2026
With more than 22 years of experience in the industry, pizza chef Andrea Di Vaio has brought his family’s Neapolitan heritage to the Lower North Shore with the opening of 250 Pizza Lab. The pizzeria’s name is itself a nod to tradition, referring to the grams of dough used for each pizza.
Di Vaio was born and raised in Milan, though his roots lie firmly in the south. “I am the only one in a big family who was born and grew up in Milan, because my father moved from Napoli to Milan back in the ’90s,” he said.
Pizza is a family tradition. Di Vaio’s father ran a pizza restaurant in Milan for decades, while several cousins serve pizza around the world. At just 13, Di Vaio left school to join the family business, later working the ovens at other restaurants across Milan.
His move to Australia in February 2014 proved challenging. “It was crazy hard for me because after 12 or 13 years making pizza in Italy, I had a full-time job, I was okay, renting my apartment. Then I moved here and worked in construction for minimum wage. It was challenging,” he said.
Di Vaio eventually returned to the kitchen after helping out at a pizza shop in Manly through a cousin. He later worked at Surry Hills venue Franco Franco, now Via Napoli, and more recently helped overhaul the pizza offering at Watsons Bay Hotel. There, he was responsible for setting up the entire pizza kitchen, from selecting the oven to positioning the benches.
After years of helping other businesses grow, Di Vaio decided it was time to open his own venue. “I always dreamed of opening my own shop. It’s my dream to do my product, everything I’ve done my whole life,” he said. Neutral Bay was chosen for its location between the city and the Northern Beaches.
He opened 250 Pizza Lab with his partner Sara Amaranto, who looks after customer service.
Authenticity remains central to the concept. “My goal is to bring Napoli to Australia. That’s the only reason why I opened this place. To bring my knowledge of food, my family, everything about Napoli.”
Neapolitan pizza, Di Vaio said, is distinct. “I prefer Neapolitan pizza because the way we do it is slightly different. Neapolitan pizza could never be crunchy. It’s very light.” His dough formula, refined over decades, is the foundation of the menu.
From flour to toppings, most ingredients at 250 Pizza Lab are imported from Italy, with many sourced directly from Napoli. Di Vaio emphasises quality over complexity. “I want to give people simple food, very simple, but the quality is always the best. We don’t have more than four ingredients on one pizza.”
The pizzas
Margherita: A Napoli classic using San Marzano tomato, fior di latte and fresh basil.
Marinara 250: A traditional cheese-free pizza revisited with anchovies, roasted cherry tomatoes and basil. “It’s a very traditional-tasting pizza.”
Salsiccia & Friarielli: Italian sausage with cime di rapa. “Cime di rapa grows only in Campania, my region. You won’t find it anywhere else.”
Piccante: A spicy option featuring buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, hot salami, red capsicum and Calabrian nduja. “It’s a very hot and spicy pork mince.”
Mortadella: A white-base pizza topped with mortadella, burrata, pistachio and olive oil.
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The specialties
Frittatine Napoletane: Deep-fried pasta discs that are crisp outside and soft inside. “It’s real Neapolitan street food, something you won’t find anywhere else.”
Montanare 250: Deep-fried pizza bites topped with combinations including buffalo mozzarella, mortadella, pistachio, tomato, basil, ricotta and anchovy.
Gli Antipasti: A selection of boards including prosciutto, salumi and parmigiana di melanzane. “It’s not chicken parmie. It’s layers of eggplant with cheese, tomato and basil.”
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The pasta
Rigatoni Genovese: Slow-cooked for seven hours with braised beef and caramelised onions, based on a family recipe. “I used to smell this sauce every Saturday night when my mum cooked it.”
Pasta e Patate: A Napoli comfort dish with blended potato, smoked provola and parmesan. “It’s very creamy and very cheesy.”
Spaghetti Gamberi: Al dente spaghetti with prawns, gently sautéed with garlic and olive oil.
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The drinks
The restaurant is fully licensed, offering Italian wines and spirits, including an Aperitivo selection featuring Aperol Spritz and Amalfi Spritz. The wine list focuses heavily on Italian producers, particularly from Sardinia.
Beer is also sourced from Napoli, including a lager and American pale ale from Kbirr. Di Vaio said the beers are difficult to find elsewhere in Australia and pair naturally with pizza.
250 Pizza Lab has already attracted attention, including a visit from Sydney foodie Spanian. With a menu grounded in tradition and personal history, the venue is likely to draw both locals and visitors keen for an authentic slice of Napoli in Neutral Bay.
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