Do a time warp with taste at Flinders Lane's Pezzo

Crack out the confetti cannon: a new one-handed snack cometh. Actually, seeing it's from the Grossi clan, better make it a ten-gun salute with glitter. Melbourne was introduced to the pezzo around a year ago at Ombra, la famiglia's wine bar. Now, like Joey Tribbiani from Friends, it's got its own spin-off. Guy Grossi and co's entry to the fast-casual paradigm, Pezzo is here to sling stuffed pizza pockets and a support cast of Latin snackage – and unlike Joey, we reckon this one is going to stick around.

The space

Right in the prime of Flinders Lane's food mile, Pezzo is a retro-leaning space cafeteria from the future. The swirly blue and white floor is pure psychedelia, while the exacting lines of the high-ceilinged space with its gleaming steel and quorum of timber is like the Scandinavians have finally conquered Mars. The ordering situation – go to the counter, pay and take a number on a stick – won't be to everyone's taste but it pays to remember this isn't the Florentino, Grossi Grill, Merchant, Ombra or Arlechin. On the plus side, a United Nations of uniformly charming waiters will deliver to the table.

The food

A fine addition to the pantheon of carbohydrate delivery vehicles, the pezzo is 48-hour fermented pizza dough baked in a bun and stuffed with classic Italian combos such as polpette, sugo and provelone, or fried calamari with zucchini and tangy white sauce. The bread itself is faithful to the commandment of great pizza – namely, the crisp crack of the delicate crust versus the soft fluffy yield of the interior – while structural integrity means you won't be wearing your lunch back to the office. The support cast extends to petite arancini, oozy with cheese; panzerotti, little crimp-edged fried turnovers filled with ricotta and spinach; smooth, southern Italian-style fava bean dip; rugged pickled veg; Italian slaw. A conspiracy of bomboloni line up under glass at the front counter. Resistance is futile, although it pays to know they also do a zabaglione ice-cream sandwich.

The brew

Coffee is by Territory Melbourne, the label launched by the Grossi clan two years ago on their quest for global domination and now served across their stable. The six-bean blend roasted specially for Pezzo makes a caffe latte that's an affable Italian brand ambassador. In other beverage news, Capi owner Pitzy Folk is a partner in the business and the Melbourne-based company's primo sparkling fruit sodas are along for the ride, but even better is the new range of Capi alcoholic headliners, including a G&T and pink grapefruit spritz. Vino? It's bottled in 250 millilitre serves under the Pezzo label, with grape action (prosecco; pinot grigio; sangiovese, shiraz and chardonnay) courtesy of Pizzini and Rathbone Wine Group.

Avo factor Are you kidding?

Overheard "Noooo, I don't want to look at the bomboloni. It'll kill my diet."

Caffe latte $4.00

Loving The swirly floor. Groovy, baby.

Not getting Why we're ordering at the counter when so many lovely waiters are standing idle.