As oxymorons go, “beautiful ugly” is up there with “affordable housing” and “punctual public transport”. Yet Bella Brutta marries beauty and the beast better than Disney ever dreamed of.

Perennially popular clam pie (recently named among the world’s best pizzas) is a bright and briny blend of white wine-steamed Arctic surf clams with veloute, fermented chilli, pecorino and lemon juice atop a wonderfully gnarly, black-blistered base. Salsiccia pizza with creamy fior de latte, chilli, parmesan and tangy pickles is nicely balanced with chunks of garlic-and-fennel pork sourced from restaurant owner Luke Powell’s LP’s Quality Meats. Better still with a side order of vibrant, house-made Jersey-milk stracciatella.

Grab a seat at the marble bar to watch the chefs work the well-proofed Italian-and-wholemeal-Australian dough. Or kick back in a banquette in the narrow, moody grey dining room, right through to cinnamony ricotta cannoli.

Good to know: If you can’t snag a table, Bella Brutta’s takeaway joint is just around the corner

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.