3. Cavallino
corner McCarrs Creek Road and Yulong Avenue,Terrey Hills. Phone:9450 1777

These days,the residents of Terrey Hills tend to walk around with smug,self-satisfied smiles on their faces. The reason for this is the recent arrival of Cavallino - part pizzeria,part bar and part ristorante with the air of an Italian hunting lodge - set up by Giovanni Pilu of Pilu at Freshwater and Ventuno founder Lido Russo. The pizza oven takes centre stage,fringed by a horseshoe bar that gives the chosen few a ringside view of the Sardinian pizza chefs in action. The end result of their twirling is a pizza with a golden,crisp,lightly scorched cornicione (crust). There are 16 in all,including the much-ordered Naia - a Margherita topped with hot chips ($19). Yes,chips.

Beyond pizza:The sliced-to-order salumi,including locally made Quattro Stelle salami,are worth a visit in their own right.

4. Rosso Pomodoro
Shop 90-91,24 Buchanan Street,Balmain. Phone:9555 5924

We love The Rules. Hardened regulars at this modest little establishment tucked away in White Bay already know them by heart but for newcomers,they are framed and hanging on the wall."No half and half. No ham and pineapple. Only Italian mozzarella. Only Italian toppings. No corkage. Italian-certified pizza-maker. Pizza cooked straight on the stone."Well,that's settled then. The oven might be electric but the pizzas have the kind of rustic charm and lightly chewy crust that usually only come with wood and smoke. The big order is the Rocco (tomato,mozzarella,rocket,prosciutto,shaved parmesan,$23) but if you're after a"white"pizza,the Patate e Salsiccia (mozzarella,Italian sausage,potato,rosemary,$21) is a treat,the paper-thin slices of unpeeled potato adding a wonderfully earthy note.

Beyond pizza:The unremittingly cheerful staff turn the joint into an impromptu pizza party most nights.

5. La Disfida
109 Ramsay Street,Haberfield. Phone:9798 8299

After helping lead Sydney out of the pizza dark ages for the past 16 years,local wood-fired pioneer Ruggiero Lattanzio has hung up his pizza paddle. That's the bad news. The good news is that Peter Zuzza,whose family ran Glebe's legendary Mixing Pot restaurant for 25 years,has taken over La Disfida. While he has spruced the place up a bit and built up the menu,the pizza remains sacrosanct - Zuzza and his pizza chef went through rigorous training sessions with Lattanzio. So the base is still elegantly thin,the crust still light and bubbly and the topping still fresh-tasting. All the old favourites - Napoli ($22),Margherita ($22) and the popular Disfida topped with tomato,mozzarella,ham,smoked mozzarella,olives and anchovies ($22) - are not only present but correct.

Beyond pizza:It's worth dining in for the Italian-accented wine list.

6. Pompei's
126-130 Roscoe Street,Bondi Beach. Phone:9365 1233

George Pompei's parents might have come from northern Italy,a fair trek from pizza's southern-Italian heartland,but this hasn't stopped him from becoming one of our most dedicated and knowledgeable pizza proponents. At his popular indoor/outdoor corner cafe,all pizze are made with stone-ground,unbleached flour,extra virgin olive oil,natural yeast and sea salt,with the dough proved for 36 hours. Crusts are thin and lightly puffy and toppings are simple,seasonal and correctly layered. Surprisingly,for someone so finicky,Pompei decided against a wood-fired oven,preferring the control and precision of electric. There are 25 pizzas,including an Oberhammer of pancetta,mascarpone,mushrooms,tomato and fior di latte ($21.20).

Beyond pizza:The gelato is as artisanal,freshly made and seasonally adjusted as the pizza. Go for the dark chocolate (70 per cent Amedei) and swoon.

7. Ventuno
21 Hickson Road,Walsh Bay. Phone:9247 4444

The Tricolore pizza here ($25) would have to be the prettiest pizza in Sydney,with its fresh,bright,flag-waving combination of cherry tomatoes,mozzarella and rocket. It's much-loved by theatre-lovers before

a show at the nearby Sydney Theatre Company. Opened by Bacino Bar supremo Lido Russo in 2007,Ventuno is one of the few places in Sydney where you can eat a proper,wood-fired pizza alfresco,complete with Italian attitude and accent,at the water's edge. Roberto Taffuri,the pizzaiolo,turns out a good,thin,uniform crust with just the right amount of scorch."The flour,"he says,"is the most important thing."

Beyond pizza:Ventuno has its own private marina berth,so you can come by boat if it isn't more than 18 metres (sorry,James Packer).

8. Agapé Organic Restaurant
1385 Botany Road,Botany. Phone:8668 5777

Pizza? Healthy? Agapé's owner and chef,Simon Lawson,is out to prove the two words aren't mutually exclusive. To prove his point,he has set up a pioneering organic restaurant featuring a range of pizzas made from spelt,a primitive grain and distant cousin to modern wheat that is more easily digestible and has a higher protein content. The result is a clean-tasting,light pizza that feels as if it's doing you good,while at the same time satisfies your more basic pizza urges. While not wood-fired,the electric oven's heat is intense enough to cook a pizza in two minutes,which also aids digestibility. Vegetarians generally go for the pumpkin,pesto,spinach,feta and caramelised onion pizza ($23),while meat-eaters prefer the chorizo,smoked eggplant and roast peppers ($23).

Beyond pizza:The all-organic menu showcases spelt and other ancient grains such as amaranth and quinoa.

9. Love Supreme
180 Oxford Street,Paddington. Phone:9331 1779

Is this Sydney's hottest pizza joint? Vlad and Bosko Vujovic,formerly of the much-loved Arthur's Pizza,have returned to their old stomping ground to dispense"emotional pizza for one and all". It's cosy,dimly lit and packed solid with Paddington's coolest crowd,who manoeuvre themselves with ease around towers of takeaway cartons,flour sacks and bags of organic onions. This is the best of Sydney's"fashion pizza". It might be too model-thin and super-crisp to pass any stringent Italian definitions but the integrity and glamour of the toppings win your heart. The delicious Love Supreme pizza of artichoke hearts,buffalo mozza,anchovies and gremolata ($25.90/large) tastes even better when you learn most of the produce is organic and biodynamic.

Beyond pizza:Mmm,warm mixed olives to share while you wait for your pizza.

10. Fourth Village Providore
5A Vista Street,Mosman. Phone:9960 7168

Peter and Annette Quattroville initially opened Fourth Village as a beautifully stocked food store and greengrocer. Within a couple of months,they had added a restaurant,with Italian chefs,a wood-fired pizza oven and fine olives and olive oils sourced from the Quattrovilles'own Hunter Valley olive grove (they also make the restaurant's house wines). By day,the restaurant is full of Mosman mums;at night,tables are scattered throughout the closed food store,giving it a rustic market feel. Their ultra-crisp,thin-based pizza is the order of the day (and night) with 19 varieties on offer,from good old Margherita ($18) to the Gaella (minted potato,roasted pumpkin,Spanish onion,ricotta,cracked pepper,$22).

Beyond pizza:At lunchtime,it's very handy being able to stock up for your next meal just after finishing your last.

Source:the (sydney) magazine - April issue out now

Have we missed your favourite pizza joint? Email us atthesydneymagazine@smh.com.au and we'll publish your suggestions in an upcoming issue.