Pizza Religion Hawthorn — Restaurant in Melbourne

I have been coming here for years, usually for takeaway and occasionally dining in. The quality and consistency of the pizzas has been good.

The past few interactions have been disappointing to say the least.

A few months ago on a quiet night with no dine-in patrons, I went to pickup my pizza order. After a minute of not being greeted nor any eye contact made either by the wait staff or the kitchen staff, I politely said ‘Excuse me’ as it seemed everyone was unaware I was there. One of the older kitchen staff a couple of metres away in clear sight- presumably the owner- curtly replied ‘Just wait, someone will be with you’. I would have thought a simple acknowledgement would have sufficed as it was clear he knew I was already there. On another night, the three pizzas I had ordered for pickup were sitting on the bench ready. I was told the pizzas were still coming and took their advice as there was an Ubereats driver also waiting. After waiting 10 minutes I was told my pizzas were ready: the same three pizzas that had been sitting there. Ended up heating up the cold pizzas when I was home. On the most recent visit last week, I brought my family of 5 to dine in with our table being the only one served. I ordered two pizzas, a soft drink and a salad. After approximately 15 minutes our pizzas were served by the wait staff member without a word being said, and no sign or word of the salad. As the wait staff member was mainly at the front entrance, I gave it a few more minutes before approaching her asking if she knew how far away the salad was. She impatiently replied ‘It’s LITERALLY being made RIGHT now’ with a clear look of annoyance. I was taken aback by the attitude and politely pointed out to her that I was merely asking as I was not told anything. On a smaller note she had the time to get herself and her team a jug of a drink with ice, but the soft drink I ordered was served just in the can; in the past they used to at least serve this in a glass with ice. It feels like if they have time to get ice for themselves, surely the same level is also extended to customers. Throughout the night I have never been made to feel like me being there was such an inconvenience to her and the team. Upon leaving, one of the younger kitchen staff at least courteously asked how everything was, in part because he had overheard the rather unnecessarily rude exchange about the salad.

It is a shame as the staff from years back were more friendly and at least looked like they enjoyed being a part of Pizza Religion. As much as I have tried to support them, I will now be going elsewhere for pizza, to places that are at least appreciative of...

Just moved to the area and thought we would give this place a try. The pizza was delicious and was a nice change from the oily bases other pizza places can sometimes serve up. However, the last three times I have placed an order, they have forgotten one of the pizzas I ordered each time. I have never ordered more than 3 pizzas in a single order for our family so to have forgotten to make a pizza on each of the last 3 occasions is quite poor. Importantly, after my last experience they just had me stand and wait whilst they cooked from scratch the forgotten pizza. They left the two other pizzas sitting on the bench when by the time the forgotten pizza was out of the oven, the other two were stone cold. I asked for a refund which the staff was more than willing to fulfil so that was the best part of the experience which isnt saying much.

Extra comment - I initially went to give this place a 3 star rating based on my experiences to date but then discovered the awful comments left by the owner on recent reviews of the restaurant (edit: it appears they have now removed them after this post. See an example of their comment in the screenshot attached). Really poor to see that the owner doesn’t take feedback well and has am aggressive attitude towards customer service. I would have certainly given this place another chance but I really don’t want to support a local business who treats customers the way the owner does when my money can go to more appreciative and deserving...

I'm giving this place a solid 4 stars, but let me break it down in a food review style:

The atmosphere of the restaurant was delightful, creating a pleasant dining experience. The interior was beautifully designed and creating a post industrial raw brick ambiance. However, I have to express my disappointment with the pizza. Not with the taste, but with the price

Spending $26 on a pizza with very few ingredients made me question its value. I understand that things change over time, but in my days of making pizzas, we used to serve fully loaded pies for only $11.90. We had an award-winning chef on board, and we managed to deliver quality.

The dough was good, nothing exceptional, but the thin base was a nice touch. I've always been a fan of thin crusts, and it added some enjoyment to the experience. However, I do have a suggestion for improvement. When the pizza comes out of the oven, it would be great if they could slide it out of the pan and throw it back in the oven for a few minutes. This would crisp up the base and elevate the overall taste.

Despite my criticisms, I would probably give this place another try. The pizza was enjoyable, even though I felt it could have offered more value for the price. I understand the importance of profits and bottom lines, but fairness should be considered too.

To sum it up, I'm sticking with my 4-star rating because, in all honesty, the...