Sydney burger institution Mary’s has added a new sibling to the family, opening Mary’s Hot Pizza at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park.
Located next door to the original Mary’s, the new venue marks co-founders Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham’s return to pizza, serving Detroit-style square slices and New York-style round pies by the slice or whole.
The new spot is built for fast service and good value, with dine-in and takeaway aimed squarely at locals, families and the steady flow of gig-goers and sports fans moving through the precinct.
A shift from the original
The idea isn’t new territory for the Mary’s team. Pizza has long been part of the group’s back catalogue, with earlier projects now reworked into a dedicated venue that stays true to Mary’s reputation for “elevated trash food”.
“Mary’s Hot Pizza is definitely a big shift away from its more moody big sister. The room is golden, warm, bright and energetic,” says Graham.
“It’s a letter of appreciation to the classic old New York-style pizza joint from its Sydney-based pen pal. It celebrates Sydney’s history with pizza and all the influences that have come before, while still having a big fat boot planted in 2026.
“Bring your partner, mates or family, it’s a place for all. If breaking bread is the ultimate thing to do with those you love, then come try it already broken into four or eight slices. There isn’t an app for that. Yet.”
Starting with sourdough
At the heart of the menu is a dough program led by head of culinary Jesse Warkentin, whose background spans Odd Culture, Continental Deli and the opening team at Vin-Cenzo’s.
“We wanted New York-style pizza you can eat a lot of, and often,” says Warkentin. “That meant building a dough with flavour and texture, but also balance.”
The New York-style round pizza is built on a natural sourdough base using a blend of three flours sourced primarily from Gunnedah-based Wholegrain Milling Co, including wholewheat. Fermented for up to 48 hours, the dough is designed to be lighter, crispier and easier to eat in volume.
“For me, the process was guided more by my background in sourdough bread than traditional pizza,” Warkentin adds. “That helped shape how we approached fermentation and structure.”
Ingredients are tightly curated, with cheeses from Vannella in Marrickville, salumi from Pino’s Dolce Vita in Kingsgrove and an Italian whole peeled tomato chosen to deliver a clean, bright and umami-driven sauce.
The Detroit-style square draws on a recipe first developed by the founders years ago at the Lansdowne Hotel.
“Jake and Kenny had already created a great product, so our focus was refining the recipe and reworking the cooking process for our new ovens,” says Warkentin.
The focaccia-style dough, made with 00 flour and olive oil, is baked in custom blue-steel pans to achieve the signature crispy cheese edge, known as frico, while still keeping the slice light and airy.
Across both styles, the menu mixes revived favourites with new combinations, featuring toppings like stracciatella, nduja, Olasagasti anchovies, smallgoods from Pinot’s and LP’s Quality Meats, and classic New York ‘roni cups.
Quick eating
Slices are priced between $6 and $7.50, with larger-format pies stretching up to 18 inches for $39. The slice format was a deliberate decision by the founders, allowing customers to grab something quickly before or after events.
Drinks lean into Mary’s familiar territory, with a list spanning natural wines, beers and cocktails designed to sit comfortably alongside pizza. Expect house-made limoncello, an olive oil fat-washed martini and rotating weekly food and drink specials, including $10 prosecco, with updates shared via the venue’s Instagram.
Located within the Entertainment Quarter, the venue occupies a site the team had been watching for several years. The space sits apart from its Mary’s counterpart, with a brighter, warmer interior and splashes of colour.
“Mary’s is coming up to its 13th birthday, which is something we never imagined when we first put together a dive bar in the back streets of Newtown,” say Smyth and Graham.
“Over time, it became something bigger than we ever planned. As our lives have changed, our priorities, ambitions and perspectives, so has the way we think about Mary’s and what it can be. Having young families has definitely shaped how we see the business today and what it’s capable of.”
Mary’s Hot Pizza is now open, serving slices, full pizzas and drinks late into the night at the Entertainment Quarter.
Source: Electric Collective
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