Slim's Hot Pizza combines American-style slices and dive bar vibes in Mount Eliza

Mornington and surrounds are slowly becoming a stronghold of Americana, at least on the food front. Slim's Hot Pizza in Mount Eliza is the third spot to open on the peninsula from the crew behind Wowee Zowee and Loosie's Diner.

While Wowee leans into fried chicken and Loosie's is more about burgers, Slim's is a pizza parlour styled on Italo-American shops.

But it maintains the very Australian approach of cherry-picking the best parts of tradition.

The dough borrows from Neapolitan pizza, with extra semolina underneath each disc to make it crisper and less floppy. Toppings are more American and applied generously, says chef Simon Tarlington (ex Jackalope).

Buffalo chicken pizza with gorgonzola riffs on the more common US bar snack of buffalo wings; caramelised pineapple and streaky bacon star on the Hawaiian pizza; while a medley of mushrooms on a confit garlic base is proving a hit with meat-eaters, too. Spanish tinned seafood, salads and cheese round out the menu.

There's no mistaking the dive bar look. Wood panelling, fairy lights festooned overhead and bar seating are the backdrop to walls crammed with black and white photographs of celebrities, which the team have signed with cheeky messages, such as "That's a knock-out pizza" on a shot of Muhammad Ali with The Beatles.

"You're going back in time when you walk into the place," says Tarlington. "One thing we've noticed is no one has their phones out. They're having a good time."

The Slim's team encourages people picking up takeaway to stay for a drink and pull a slice or two out of the box before they head home.

Italian and Australian wines share space on the list, while cocktails are a fun-loving mix of classics given an Italian twist (hello, limoncello margarita), or Italian favourites pushed in new directions, such as the basil-scented Bazz'erol Spritz.

Tarlington has moved on from his executive chef role across Jackalope's restaurants in Red Hill to focus full-time on these three more casual venues. With a young family, he said the time was right to switch gears. Toby Marks, former head chef at Jackalope's more casual restaurant, Rare Hare, has stepped into Tarlington's clogs.

Open Thu-Sun 4pm-11pm

19 Ranelagh Drive, Mount Eliza, 03 9787 9400, slimshotpizza.com.au