Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal Bar and Pizzeria resides within the second oldest, continuously operating theatre in the country.
Whether you are attending for live entertainment, a movie on the big screen, or just a night out for dinner, TR will furnish you with the finest drinks and pizza around.
Their semi-sourdough pizza is made with organic ingredients and a very little amount of yeast. The magic is said to be in the fermentation process, which takes up to 72 hours. Each pizza is then balled up and hand-stretched to order.
Chef Nathan Phillips, who has carefully curated the menu alongside TR co-owner Felicity Cripps, has been making pizza for 30 years. From St Kilda to Castlemaine, Nathan brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the art of pizza making.
“We cook our pizza in a 500c oven with a stone floor. The effect is a thin, crisp base with a puffy, leopard-spotted crust. A little burn is what we aim for – it provides the ultimate flavour and texture,” he says.
What makes the TR kitchen even more of a stand-out, is the fact that they not only cater for the general public, but also for the many amazing local and international acts that come through the theatre doors.
“Adalita always orders two pizzas when she plays here – she is gluten-free and loves our handmade GF bases the most!” Natham says.
“Cosmic Psychos and Amyl and The Sniffers are big TR pizza fans too, which makes us pretty happy!”
Along with their pizza menu, the Theatre Royal also offers handmade choc-tops by Woodend Ice Creamery and cherry pie (inspired by the RR Diner in David Lynch’s series, Twin Peaks).
Now that the warmer weather has hit, the Theatre Royal will expand to once again re-activate the Garden Bar, pouring beer from the boys next door at Love Shack, spritzers, cocktails and local and international wines.
Throughout the summer months, a series of free live music events will take place in the garden over most weekends, sponsored by Creative Victoria and Love Shack.
