AFTER a slow Friday night slumber up the Albany Highway we found ourselves outside a heaving corrugated tin shed, known fondly by locals as Theo and Co Pizzeria, latest brainchild of Theo Kalogeracos. Theo needs no introduction, known by the global culinary community as a Master Pizza Chef with a list of World Titles under his belt. We were salivating in anticipation of tasting one of his Pizzas of Art.
We didn’t have a booking so we meandered in hoping the Maitre’d might have a soft spot for a couple of reality TV show villains or might mistake us for actual celebrities. We got talking to John who is not only the Co of Theo & Co, but had to be the warmest bloke this far south of Broome.
Inside was packed with an eclectic mix of people ranging from kids to grey haired nomads. The great thing about this place is that John makes everyone welcome and is very accommodating. We nabbed a great seat out the front.
Before we sat down our waitress introduced herself and gave us menus. The venue used to be a bicycle shop and in honour of its past tradition, important to Theo, we were sitting on big bike seat stools equipped with pedals and chains. You really get a nostalgic vibe of Lost Perth here, well done.
We were asked for our orders, but as we’d never eaten on a bicycle before we thought we’d let Chef decide.
Within about 20 minutes our waitress reappeared with what looked like a bowl of fresh greens topped with bacon, a side of parmesan shavings and a generous portion of what seemed like Pizza Bianca wedges. The wedges were in fact Croutons and the salad was in fact a Caesar, best eaten as a kind of Pizza Crouton topped with the salad garnish. Very clever.
Within minutes out rolled three vibrant pizzas. The Farmers Market was a modern take on the sometimes boring vegetarian. earthy flavours of beetroot, pumpkin, zucchini and fresh parsley with just the right amount of yoghurt dressing, sprinkled with chia seeds took you on a walk through an autumn garden patch. Subtle in flavour but loaded with fresh crunchy textures.

The Jane’s Addiction was next. We squeezed lemon all over the pizza and the prawns exploded! The acidity was perfectly balanced with prosciutto and the tones of lemongrass tickled nicely. This pizza took us on a journey from the Amalfi coast to Thailand – who doesn’t love a journey under $25?
The third pizza was off the Hidden Menu. Get to know Theo and he will introduce you to wonders you never imagined from an invisible menu you have to taste to believe. The Spicy Pork was my favourite dish. A whacky combination of crunchy pork belly, sticky caramelised pineapple, mozzarella, chilli and ginger that tantalised the taste buds and packed a serious punch.

Finally came, the Carrot Cake. Not being a fan of dessert pizzas, I wasn’t as excited about this course, but I was surprised.
The carrots were poached in wine, honey and cinnamon and tasted like Christmas. The chocolate base was thicker than the savoury pizzas and textured with crunchy pecans. Finished off with dollops of cream cheese frosting this was an indulgent way to finish a great meal.
Theo’s hero Anthony Bourdain once said: “Context and memory play powerful roles in all truly great meals”. From a Greek boy who left school at 15 to become a published author and a world renowned chef, like his own personal story, his food takes you on a journey, one I personally was glad to have gone on.