The story of Pizza Mates is first and foremost the story of a friendship.

There are two main protagonists: Federico D’Arienzo, from Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, and Giuseppe Palombella, from Trinitapoli, Apulia, respectively 29 and 26 years old.

The two met in London in 2015.

“We used to work together. Giuseppe was my head chef in a renowned chain of pizzerias - Franco Manca. We developed a beautiful friendship, at work and outside of it; Giuseppe taught me a lot,” Federico recounts.

Federico’s mother lived in Australia for a few years in the 1980s, and had always urged him to move down under. In 2017, after two years in London, Federico touched down in Sydney. From there he moved to the Gold Coast, and a year later his friend Giuseppe joined him. Eventually, they found themselves in Perth.

“Arriving in Australia, we were driven by ambition, looking for something different, wanting to make things happen,” Federico continues.

Federico and Giuseppe conspired to create something together, to continue the adventure they began in London in 2015, in the industry that they love, know and through which they met.

Enter: Pizza Mates, a pizzeria currently offering takeaway in the heart of Balcatta, Perth. Open every day, from afternoon to evening, the business is set to expand, with a dine-in restaurant in the works.

The name says it all - friendship is at the heart of the enterprise.

“For us, making pizza is a true art which we imbue with passion, professionalism, work ethic and our deep friendship.”

Giuseppe was born and raised in the world of dough, as his father is a baker. Federico inherited his passion for Australia from his mother; from his father, a military man, he inherited his rigour.

“Pizza Mates was born from the chemistry of my idea, Giuseppe’s experience, and our friendship. And, as you know, for good dough, chemistry is crucial.”

Also along for the ride are April Fitzgerald, Federico’s partner, born in Perth, and Matteo Colibazzi, another young Italian from Tuscany, who has been in Australia for a few years.

“Having a local person, like April, who has also worked in the restaurant business, is a valuable resource. She’s helping us strike a balance between Italian pizza and the tastes of Australians,” Federico says.

Matteo also plays a key role in Pizza Mates.

“He does everything, from pizzas to promotional videos and customer service, and he does it all very well.”

Matteo is the youngest of all, having arrived in Australia three years ago at 21 years of age.

“He’s a bartender by trade, but he is very capable; that’s why he joined the team. I taught him how to make pizzas and I noticed his adaptability. He’s a quick learner,” Federico tells us.

Matteo also takes care of Pizza Mates’ social media presence and overall image.

Speaking of image, Pizza Mates’ look is Pop Art-inspired, an aesthetic they encountered somewhat by chance, but in which they immediately recognised themselves.

“We found images of pizza in a lot of Pop Art, often pared with images of women - a combination in line with our logo, a slice of pizza with a woman, who has April’s face,” continues Federico.

Pop Art is also featured on the restaurant’s shutters: a work by renowned artist Michael Banks, depicting a female face with a slice of pizza and the iconic phrase “slice of art and life”.

“Every slice of pizza has led us to something; every slice of pizza has been a part of our lives. And for us, pizza is art.”

 Giuseppe and Federico have very ambitious plans.

“We met working for the Franco Manca chain when it only had three points of sale, which became seventy in five years. Our friendship was born in the shadow of this enterprise, so who knows, who’s to say our Pizza Mates won’t follow in its footsteps?” concludes Federico.

For now, the first steps have been taken - Pizza Mates was inaugurated last Saturday.

Giuseppe and Federico’s new adventure has begun, and with the addition of April and Matteo, two long-time mates have been joined by two new ones.