The Black Sorrows, Midnight Oil, AC/DC and Steely Dan are on the stereo. Three-child families camp at tables littered with stray pizza toppings. And with no apparent irony, salads come in those dinky faux-wood bowls that pubs used to serve chips in.
Welcome to Harley and Rose, the expectation-defying, sort-of pizzeria from Josh Murphy and Rory Cowcher, two chefs who spent years at Three Two One, Cumulus Inc., the Builders Arms and Cutler and Co.
But they’re not cooking that kind of chef-y, fashionable food. Here you have six pizzas; heaps of snacks and salads; and a banging wine list by peppy manager Mark Williamson, another Andrew McConnell alum. He also oversees the attached bottle-o, a weird little room behind the bar – one you’ll think you’re not allowed in. You are, and it’s filled with bottles from established producers and trendy low-interventionists such as Lucy Margaux.
Either style goes well with the pizza, which could be piled with Goolwa pippies, parsley, garlic and cream. Or basil, tomato and buffalo mozzarella, to make a classic margherita.
Ten or so snacks include mortadella from Meatsmith; fennel salami made by Dave Roberts, an ex-Movida chef; wood-fired octopus with pesto; and burrata with rocket oil and fig and olive tapenade.
Roberta’s Romaine Lettuce with candied walnuts, pecorino and mint leads a quartet of salads, which bring some balance to the otherwise heavy selection.
A recipe from Harley and Rose is featured in The Broadsheet Italian Cookbook. Buy your copy at shop.broadsheet.com.au.
