After two years perfecting pizza, Octavo opens its doors to Hamilton

Wednesday, 13 August 2025

For two years, while Hood Street’s Craft sat dormant, owner Carl Bloxam was quietly perfecting pizza recipes with his kids.

After countless trials and a few failures, Bloxam has emerged with something new: Octavo.

The plan includes a $30,000 pizza oven, some unique flavour combinations and a “premium casual” vibe, he says.

This isn’t his first time transforming a space on Hood Street. His first venture, Gothenburg, opened on the site 16 years ago before moving to the river. Gothenburg was followed by Craft, which launched in 2012 and closed two years ago.

Octavo is a complete departure from its predecessor, he says, and it’s set to open on Thursday, following a soft launch on Wednesday.

“Craft was a craft beer place, and Octavo is a lot more food-focused,” Bloxam explains.

“We’re sort of aiming for premium casual, so great food, great drinks, great service, but chill, relaxed, comfortable casual sort of environment.”

Octavo is a place where you can come for high-quality food without the formal atmosphere. “It’s a lot more open to everyone,” Bloxam says.

For Bloxam, the idea for Octavo has been brewing for a while. After the closure of Craft, he took some time to focus on Sage, but when he returned to the space, it was clear that he wanted to make changes.

“I think my tastes have changed as well, and I like to create places that I want to hang out at,” he says. “And while Craft was sort of what I wanted to do, it never really got the attention it deserved.”

For Octavo, pizzas will be the speciality, Bloxam says proudly.

The wood-fired pizza oven, a $30,000 setup, is the focal point of the new space.

“If I’m stuck with this, I better make the best pizzas I possibly can,” Bloxam laughs.

“I’ve been trying to perfect pizzas for about five years, and I’m really happy with them. I’d say 90% of where I want them to be.”

Even while Craft was closed, Bloxam says he was making doughs and making pizzas with his kids.

“There’s been some serious failures,” he admits, but he loves pizza.

“I want people to be like, ‘Oh, have you tried the pizzas at Octavo?’”

The name Octavo—Latin for “eight”—is a nod to the pizza slices, which are cut into eight pieces.

“I’m really proud of the pizzas we’ve got,” Bloxam says, referring to the Roma-style pies that will be a staple on the menu. The unique flavour combinations, like pickled fennel and burnt orange, are part of the restaurant’s creative approach to pizza.

“It’s been really fun bringing the kids in, and they’re into it as well,” Bloxam says.

Although Hood Street has changed significantly over the years, Bloxam is confident that Octavo will add something to Hamilton’s dining scene.

“I think there’s a gap in the market for something like this,” he says. “So I already had the location. I’m kind of attached to it now, because I’ve been here so long. So part of it was like, I’m not sure I’m ready to let it go.”