0°C | Tuesday October 21, 2025 
22 September 2025
By James Mullan
From the sun-drenched region of Puglia to Sydney’s bustling markets and now a permanent home in North Sydney, Gargano Pizzeria Focacceria is bringing authentic Italian flavour to locals. Co-owner Paola Lo Campo shared the journey behind the venture.
Lo Campo and her partner, chef Paolo Meccariello, began selling their pizzas and focaccias at Sydney markets in January 2024. For Meccariello, originally from Foggia in Puglia, this was no new venture—he has been cooking for 15 years. His culinary path began on the streets of Foggia, moved through Rome’s food scene, and eventually led him to Sydney in 2017.
The market stalls proved to be a testing ground. “We had very good feedback from everyone who tried the food, the focaccia, the pizza,” Lo Campo said. Their first stall was at Canterbury Racecourse, followed by regular appearances at Bondi, Maroubra, Ryde, North Sydney and Kirribilli markets, as well as at this year’s Ferragosto Italian festival. “It was like a soft opening for us and it went really well for a year and a half.”
The name Gargano pays homage to the mountainous northern promontory of Puglia. “The Gargano coast, especially the area between Vieste and Mattinata, sculpted by wind and sea, has unique scenery—the sea caves, the Arco di San Felice, the stacks of Pizzomunno and Baia delle Zagare. That was our inspiration,” Lo Campo explained. “The Faraglione in Baia delle Zagare, also called Arco Magico, is more than just a rock in the sea—it’s a symbol of our origins, our childhood, our summers and our food. Gargano is our home.”
Choosing North Sydney was a calculated move. “We were looking at different areas because our customers came from all over. We weren’t sure where to open, but the response from the North Sydney markets was very good,” Lo Campo said. The office crowd also influenced their decision: “We were sure that at least at lunchtime it would be busier.”
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At the heart of Gargano’s menu are its signature pizzelle and focaccia. “We bring the authentic pizzella and focaccia from our hometown to Sydney. We handcraft everything with traditional techniques and the finest Italian ingredients,” Lo Campo said.
The pizzella—a small round pizza made with focaccia dough—is “soft inside and golden-crunchy outside”. She recalled buying them from bakeries in Foggia as a school lunch or a quick beach snack: “It’s small, airy, crunchy on the outside, soft and light.” Their flagship pizzella is the casereccia with cherry tomatoes and oregano, alongside options such as margherita, salami, anchovy, ham and mushroom.
Focaccia sandwiches are another highlight, with fillings such as prosciutto, mortadella, provolone, caprese and parmigiana di melanzane. “Parmigiana is a typical Italian dish and one of my favourites,” Lo Campo said. She also emphasised their in-house focus: “We are one of the very few businesses in Sydney that make their own focaccia. Many buy it in—but we are proud to make ours from scratch.”
The pizza ripiena is another specialty—essentially a pizza toasty. Options include the classic with tomato and mozzarella, the ham ripiena with tomato, mozzarella and ham, and a hometown favourite with roasted onions, olives and parmesan. “We are addicted to it,” Lo Campo admitted. “If you like onions, that’s your best choice.”
The sweet offerings include fresh donuts filled with hazelnut chocolate, biscoff, pistachio and mascarpone, or ricotta cream and amarena. To complement the food, Gargano serves De Lorenzo coffee from Italy.
Looking ahead, the couple plan to extend trading to evenings with a special menu and to open on Saturdays. True to their origins, even the olive oil is imported from Puglia. Their motto is Vedi che ti mangi!—“Look at what you’re about to eat!”