Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge 2023

Johannesburg restaurant Gino’s (Robertsham) claimed top two position in this year’s Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge. Voting for the participating restaurants was done by their customers.  

Gino’s in Robertsham, was the winner in 2021 but lost out to Ferdinando’s in Cape Town last year and placed second.

The Top 10 in this year’s Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge are:

1. Gino’s (Robertsham, Johannesburg)
2. Osteria Rossa (Bedfordview, Johannesburg)
3. Gino’s (Stellenbosch)
4. Ferdinando’s Pizza (Observatory, Cape Town)
5. Mooiuitsig Kombuis (Groot Brakrivier)
6. Piccola Rossa (Edenvale, Johannesburg)
7. Corlies Italian (Somerset West)
8. Julia’s Eatalian (Potchefstroom)
9. Lucio’s Pizzeria (Northcliff, Johannesburg)
10. Enzo Pizzeria Trattoria (Scottburgh)

A Johannesburg institution, Gino’s celebrated its 40^th anniversary this year. Although Gino’s was the brainchild of eldest son Gino Mazza, the entire family, from father Guiseppe to mom Antonia, sisters Carmela and Maria and youngest brother Dom, were drawn into the business in true Italian style. Today there are two family-run restaurants – the original Gino’s, run by Mazza and his sister Carmela and Gino’s in Stellenbosch, which opened in 1996 with Dom in charge, and which came in third in this year’s challenge.

For their win, Gino’s received a winner’s pizza paddle, Porcupine Ridge wine for a year and R25 000 worth of marketing materials, while the nine runners-up were given a bespoke Top 10 pizza paddle, six cases of Porcupine Ridge wine and marketing materials.

The Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge also offered consumers the chance to win weekly prizes of an EarthFire cutting board and pizza slicer, with one grand prize winner walking away with an EarthFire TableTop Pizza Oven, pizza accessories, pizza for a year from his/her favourite establishment and six cases of Porcupine Ridge wine, all with a combined value of R10 000.