By Roberto Giammellucca, The Sourdough Science Academy
When we launched our first Pop-Up Sourdough Pizza Night on 2 October, it was a test. We wanted to know: is there a real appetite for this in the Gold Coast community? Would people come out for proper, slow-fermented sourdough pizza made with certified organic flour and no commercial yeast?
The answer was overwhelming. We sold out in 48 hours. Every pizza went. Every customer was happy. And by the end of the night, we already knew, this wasn't a one-off. This was the beginning of something.
So we're doing it again.
Wednesday 28 October. 4:30 PM. Funny Bone Coffee, 6 Emerald Drive, Helensvale QLD 4212.
And this time, we've made it even better.
What's New for the 28 October Pizza Night
The first event taught us a lot. The format worked. The pizza was great. The community showed up. But we also had ideas we hadn't been able to include the first time around, and now we're bringing them.
For 28 October, we're adding three new things to the menu:
Homemade Arancini, two options, both fresh on the night. Our Cheese Arancini (15for3x)aretomatorisottostuffedwithfiordilattemozzarella,crumbedanddeep-friedfresh.Vegetarian.Ifyouwantsomethingwithabitmoreheat,theSpicyMeatArancini(18 for 3x) use the same risotto base but add 'nduja for that deep, spicy kick. Both are made from scratch. Both are worth ordering.
Mini Sicilian Cannoli ($12 for 3x), Sicilian-style mini cannoli filled with sheep's milk ricotta, pistachio crumb and icing sugar. Fresh on the night. If you've never had a proper cannoli made with real sheep's milk ricotta, this is the one. Contains dairy and nuts.
The Gourmet Pizza Special: Mortadella & Stracciatella, every Pizza Night will now feature a limited gourmet pizza that changes each event. This is what gives people a reason to come back every month. October's special is Mortadella & Stracciatella, two Italian ingredients that don't need much explanation if you've had them before, and that will absolutely convince you if you haven't. Limited quantities. Once it's gone, it's gone.
The Pizza Menu: Everything Available on 28 October
For those who haven't been to a Pizza Night before, here's the full picture.
Every pizza is made with certified organic wheat flour, naturally fermented with sourdough, no commercial yeast, no shortcuts. Roberto stretches and bakes each pizza fresh in live 5-minute batches right in front of guests, so you're always eating something that came out of the oven minutes ago.
You choose your style: Roman (thin and crispy) or Neapolitan (puffy edges, soft centre). Same topping, two completely different eating experiences. Many people order one of each.
The Pizza Menu:
- Margherita, the classic. Organic tomato base, fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil. Simple, honest, and the truest test of a sourdough base.
- Meat Lover ($30 AUD), rich tomato base, melted fior di latte mozzarella, savoury artisanal pepperoni cups and delicate shaved smoked ham.
- Prosciutto ($33 AUD), tomato base, fior di latte mozzarella, authentic Italian prosciutto crudo and peppery fresh rocket. One of the most popular from the first event.
- Hawaiian ($26 AUD), artisan organic sourdough with tomato base, fior di latte mozzarella, tender shaved smoked ham and sweet pineapple. Yes, Hawaiian. On sourdough. It works.
- Truffle Mushroom, for the mushroom lovers. A proper earthy, rich pizza that holds up perfectly on the Roman-style base.
- Garlic Focaccia ($25 AUD), thick, dimpled sourdough focaccia-style slab, baked golden with fragrant garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil. The perfect thing to start with while you wait.
- Mortadella & Stracciatella (Gourmet Special, limited), October's exclusive. Creamy stracciatella, thin-sliced mortadella, finished simply so the quality of the ingredients does the talking.
Plus the new additions:
- Cheese Arancini · 3x ($15 AUD)
- Spicy Meat Arancini · 3x ($18 AUD)
- Mini Sicilian Cannoli · 3x ($12 AUD)
Drinks, beer, wine, coffee, are handled by Funny Bone Coffee directly. The two businesses run side by side on the night, so you pre-order your pizza through us and enjoy your drinks through them.
How the Night Actually Works
This is important to understand before you book, because it's different from a sit-down restaurant.
We bake in live 5-minute batches, right in front of guests, at the poolside area of Funny Bone Coffee. Every pizza is made fresh to order. That's what makes it good, and that's also why we run the night the way we do.
Here's how to collect:
- Arrive near your chosen time slot. When you book, you'll select a 15-minute collection window. Head to the poolside area at Funny Bone Coffee, 6 Emerald Drive, Helensvale QLD 4212, around that time.
- Give your Order Number and Name. Tell Shelley your order number and the name on your booking. She'll queue your ticket straight away.
- Roberto bakes it fresh. Roberto stretches, tops and bakes your pizza right there. Shelley hands it to you hot, in takeaway boxes, to enjoy poolside or take home.
You're not waiting long. You're watching it happen. That's the experience.
One thing worth noting: sourdough pizza is pre-ordered through The Sourdough Science Academy. Drinks, beer, wine and coffee are purchased directly from Funny Bone Coffee. Separate businesses, same location, smooth night.
Why Sourdough Pizza Is Different
People sometimes ask why we go to the trouble of using sourdough for pizza. The honest answer is: once you've had it this way, you understand.
Commercial pizza dough is made with fast-acting yeast, mixed quickly, and used the same day. It does the job. But it doesn't develop the same depth of flavour, the same lightness, or the same digestibility as dough that's been slowly fermented over time.
Our dough is naturally leavened, no commercial yeast. It's made with 100% certified organic wheat flour. The long fermentation process breaks down the gluten structure differently from conventional yeasted dough. In fact, the bread we've had independently laboratory tested showed almost 40% less gluten compared to the yeasted comparison bread used in the test.
It's important to be clear: our pizza still contains gluten, and it is not suitable for people with coeliac disease. But for people who find conventional pizza sits heavily, or who simply want food made with real ingredients and real process, this is worth trying.
The crust is lighter. The flavour is deeper. The base has character.
That's what sourdough fermentation does, and that's why we won't make it any other way.
Take the Academy Home With You
The Pizza Night isn't just about eating great pizza. It's also a chance to discover what we do at The Sourdough Science Academy, and to take a piece of it home.
At every Pizza Night, we make two products available:
Bake with Stella, Roberto's Dehydrated Sourdough Starter (Pizza Night special pricing), Stella is a 7-year-old dehydrated sourdough starter, ready to activate and bake with in 3 days. She comes with instructions and the same recipe Roberto uses in his workshops. If you've ever wanted to start baking sourdough at home but didn't know where to begin, this is the easiest entry point.
Frozen Sourdough Pizza Dough · 4-pack, four 230g organic sourdough dough balls, ready for your freezer. Includes instructions and videos on how to defrost, stretch and bake at home. If you want to recreate the pizza night in your own kitchen, these are how you do it.
Support the Concept: Keep the Oven On
If you love what we're building and want to help us bring more of these nights to the community, there's an optional $2 contribution at checkout, "Keep the Oven On." It's completely voluntary, it doesn't consume any pizza capacity, and it goes directly toward making more of these events possible.
No pressure. But if this kind of event matters to you, it's a small way to back it.
Can't Make It This Time?
Join the waitlist. Leave your name, email and mobile number on the Pizza Night page and we'll let you know as soon as the next date is announced. We're planning to run one Pizza Night per month and eventually bring the concept to other venues around the Gold Coast.
If you have a café, restaurant, brewery or venue and you'd like us to bring a Pop-Up Sourdough Pizza Night to you, message us on Instagram. We'd love to hear from you.
Book Your Spot: Wednesday 28 October, 4:30 PM
Spots are limited. The first event sold out in 48 hours.
If you want to be there on 28 October, don't leave it.
📍 Funny Bone Coffee, 6 Emerald Drive, Helensvale QLD 4212
🕐 From 4:30 PM
🍕 Pre-order online at thesourdoughscience.com/pizza-night
Follow @the_sourdough_science_academy on Instagram for behind-the-scenes content, future dates and everything sourdough.
See you on the night. 🍕🔥
, Roberto
Allergen Notice: Prepared with 100% certified organic wheat flour (contains gluten). Not suitable for individuals with coeliac disease. Cannoli contains dairy and nuts.
