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Mamma Mia! Pizza in Atlanta
Hey paizanos, here are some places where you can find the Ninja Turtles' favorite food in the Atlanta area. For general Italian, see my Italian restaurants list: http://www.yelp.com/list/grazie-italian-food-in-atlanta-atlanta.
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L'avis 5 étoiles de Daniel A lot has changed since my first review of Antico. I reviewed the restaurant in October 2009, shortly after it opened. Since that time, over 700 more reviews have been written for this neighborhood pizza joint. A few things have changed at the restaurant too, so it's time for an update. This place has become extremely popular. It seems to be busy around the clock now: dinner, lunch, weekends, weekdays. Expect a full parking lot and full restaurant. The restaurant isn't very big to begin with, but at least more seating has been added in the kitchen area. Designated the "Dough Room," it has three picnic-style communal tables and one high-top table (with TV tuned to sports). This seating is in addition to the large communal table outside and the countertop-style seating along the wall and windows. If you choose to dine-in, the eating experience here is unique. You'll be dining in the company of others. This place has an energetic feel and buzz about it. In the Dough Room, you can see the giant woodfire ovens owner Giovanni Di Palma imported from Italy and all of the pizzas being made by hand. The room is warm because of the ovens. The pizzas come out fast, no matter how busy the restaurant is. All of the pizzas come in one size and cost about $20 each. Don't let the Euro pricing on the menu confuse you - there is only one price and one size for each pizza. They're all authentic Neapolitan pizzas. My favorite pizzas are the Margherita D.O.P. ($18) and the San Gennaro ($21). The Margherita D.O.P. is a great basic pizza that everyone can like. D.O.P. stands for "Denominazione di Origine Protetta," which means the pizza uses real San Marzano tomatoes, grown in Italy. In addition to the tomatoes, the Margherita uses buffalo mozzarella, basil, and garlic. The San Gennaro comes with sausage (salsiccia), sweet red pepper, buffalo mozzarella, and small onions (cipolline). This is my favorite among their pizzas served with meat. The pieces of sausage of big and hearty. The pizzas come out hot from the oven and are served on a baking tray. The crust varies from slightly charred to very charred and is super soft and deliciously chewy. The slices themselves can be quite floppy and messy to eat. You may want to consider eating with fork and knife. In the Dough Room, you can pick up some complimentary cheeses and seasonings to add to your pie, such as freshly crushed red pepper and black pepper and whole red chilis. Drinks are of the refrigerated, bottled variety. Cokes and Sprites ($2.50 each) come in small 8.5 oz. bottles. I've seen several customers BYOB (beer, wine) even though a sign on the front door says "No Outside Drink." It's interesting to note the sinks located near the big communal table and one in the Dough Room. If your hands get messy, you can wash them in the middle of the restaurant. These sinks are good for drinking (free tap) water too. Service is fast and efficient. Parking space has expanded to include two additional private, marked lots. Oftentimes, even those are full. In those cases, park along Ethel, where you shouldn't have a problem finding a spot. There's only one restroom, which is unisex. Outside the restroom are some autographed wooden pizza peels signed by various "celebrity" visitors to Antico, such as Arthur Blank, Kasim Reed, Andrew Bynum, Chris Rock, and Alton Brown. Antico is open Monday-Saturday from 11:30am until the dough runs out. Closed Sundays. -
L'avis 5 étoiles de Daniel Atlanta's renowned pizza restaurant, Antico Pizza, opened its third location at The Battery Atlanta, the mixed-use development built alongside the Atlanta Braves' SunTrust Park. Antico's opening at The Battery coincided with the ballpark's opening in March 2017. As a big fan and longtime neighbor and customer of the original Antico that opened near Georgia Tech and Atlantic Station in 2009, I think this new Antico at The Battery is just as good as, if not better than, the original location thanks to more seating and ample free parking. Park in The Battery's Red Deck at 2565 Circle 75 Parkway. Parking in this deck is free for the first 4 hours. You'll want to park and exit on level 3. You won't have to walk far because Antico is right next to the deck. This Antico location is spacious and bright. It's got an open kitchen, a fully built-out bar with TVs, a dining room with large communal tables, bench seating, and high-tops, a cafe and gelato bar with cafe/bistro-style seating, and a nice, covered patio. Naturally, the stars of the show are the two Italian-import, hand-built, wood-burning Acunto ovens. The ovens are named San Giovanni and San Nicola and they burn at upwards of 700-900 degrees Fahrenheit. The menu at this location is the same as the original location. There are five red pizzas and five white pizzas, one size only, priced at $20-22 per pizza. There's also the special Sophia pizza (bufala, cipollini onions, roasted mushrooms, white truffle oil) for $27 and three calzones priced at $18-19 each. I tried a couple of my favorites, the tried and true Margherita D.O.P. ($20) and the San Gennaro ($22). They were just as delicious as the pies baked in Westside. D.O.P. stands for "denominazione di origine protetta" or protected designation of origin, an Italian certification ensuring the San Marzano tomatoes used in the pizza are genuine. Other ingredients in the Margherita include bufala (buffalo mozzarella), basil, and garlic. Every pizza is made-to-order and cooked fast. The pizzas have thin, floppy crusts with the bottoms and outer edges slightly charred. The Margherita is a simple pizza and it tasted great. The San Gennaro is made with salsiccia (Italian sausage), dolce piccante pepper (sweet and spicy peppers), bufala, and cipolline (onions). It was awesome. The small red peppers and chunks of sausage burst with flavor. And of course, the tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella cheese, both on this pizza and the Margherita, were very good. The crusts (on both) were delightfully chewy as well. Next to the hand washing station, fountain drink machine, water dispenser, and disposable eating utensils is a small self-serve condiment bar. I love it. It's got different types of olive oil (spicy and regular), a small bucket of Calabrian chili peppers, grated Parmesan cheese, freshly minced garlic, two types of red peppers (one is a paste and the other is dried crushed red pepper), finely ground black pepper, and salt. I especially like the mildly spicy Calabrian peppers and the pungent raw garlic. The cafe has a simple menu with coffee drinks like espresso ($3), cappuccino ($3.50), macchiato ($3), and iced beverages (e.g. iced coffee for $3.50 and iced latte for $4). The gelato bar offers a dozen different flavors in single ($5), half/half ($6), and cone ($6) servings. Flavors include cioccolato (chocolate), Fabbri amarena (Amarena cherry), vaniglia (vanilla), fragola (strawberry), limone (lemon), caramello salato (salted caramel), pistacchio, biscotti e crema (Italian almond biscuits and cream), cappuccino, stracciatella (gelato with chocolate shavings), nocciola (hazelnut), and cioccolato menthe (mint chocolate). Service was good. If you're dining in and need a box for leftovers, there are a bunch of boxes already assembled and stacked against the wall on the cafe side of the restaurant. -
L'avis 5 étoiles de Daniel Varuni Napoli is a Neapolitan pizza restaurant that opened April 2014 in the Morningside-Lenox Park neighborhood, just east of Midtown. There are many great Neapolitan pizza places in the Atlanta area (e.g. Antico, Double Zero, Ammazza, Sapori di Napoli, Campania) and Varuni is right up there with them. The business is named after chef and co-owner, Luca Varuni, who is originally from Naples and has extensive experience in the industry. He was one of the top pizzaiolos at Antico. Varuni Napoli is located in the Clear Creek shopping center near the corner of Monroe and Piedmont. Other restaurants in this shopping center include Top Spice and Ru San's. Varuni has two entrances: the main storefront entrance on Monroe and a back patio entrance connected to the parking lot. The lot is accessible from both Monroe and Piedmont, but it's easier to get into from Piedmont. The restaurant has a very nice, modern build-out. It's spacious and open. The main dining area, wine bar, and kitchen are in a single congruous space. Seating primarily consists of long communal tables. The pizza bar can seat over a dozen customers. It faces the counter where chef Varuni and his pizzaiolos prepare each pizza. Installed behind them are two imported, wood-burning, 900-degree, tiled, Stefano Ferrara ovens. There's a large, semi-private table along with lounge-style seats in a back room. This room is connected to the elevated and enclosed outside deck. The ordering style is fast casual, where you order and pay upfront, take a number, and wait for your pizza(s). Reservations aren't typically accepted, but exceptions can be made for exceptionally large groups. The menu consists of 12+ pizzas (red and white), a small selection of calzones and salads, fresh mozzarella, and Italian street food. In addition, there's a display case next to the cash register containing various cured meats (e.g. soppressata, capicola, pancetta), other pizza ingredients (e.g. black and green olives), bottled drinks, and desserts for sale. As is standard at other Neapolitan pizza places in Atlanta, expect to spend roughly $20 per pizza. I think one pizza for every two people is a good way to go. Here's the rundown of items I've tried: Street Food * Arancini - lightly fried rice balls with seasoned beef and peas * Panzerotti - lightly fried potato croquettes with parsley, Pecorino Romano Red Pizzas * Margherita - fresh buffalo mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil * Pako - fresh buffalo mozzarella, roasted smoked peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, Pecorino Romano, basil * Amore Mio - fresh buffalo mozzarella, roasted artichokes, sweet soppressata, mushrooms, black olives, Pecorino Romano, basil White Pizzas * Oro Bianco - fresh buffalo mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, Taleggio cheese, pancetta, Pecorino Romano, basil, white truffle oil Calzones * Reginella - fried half-moon calzone stuffed with fiordilatte mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, corbarino tomatoes, salami, black pepper, Pecorino Romano, basil, extra virgin olive oil Dessert * Cannoli - fried pastry dough with ricotta-based cream filling and chocolate chips The ingredients are top notch, from the imported 00 flour and Sorrento olive oil used on every pizza to the DOP-certified San Marzano tomatoes used for the sauce on every red pizza to the fresh buffalo mozzarella. My favorite dish here is actually not one of the pizzas, but the Reginella calzone. It's surprisingly phenomenal. You must order one. The Reginella is fried, not baked. The gently fried dough is magical. It's supremely tasty yet light and not too oily. The melty combination of fiordilatte mozzarella (made from cow's milk), buffalo ricotta, and Pecorino Romano (made from sheep's milk) is outstanding. Did I mention you must order one? Varuni's arancini are some of the best I've tried. His rice balls are big and filling as well as quite flavorful. The panzerotti aren't bad either, highlighted by the delicious Pecorino Romano cheese. Freshly made. Of all the pizzas I've tried so far, my favorite is the Oro Bianco white pizza. I'm a sucker for mozzarella and ricotta di bufala and this pizza has both. On top of that, there's mildly flavored Taleggio cheese, savory pieces of pancetta (Italian bacon), Pecorino Romano cheese, and truffle oil. It's simply excellent. Of the red pizzas, my favorite is the basic Margherita. It's simple yet gratifying. The Pako and Amore Mio are both good. The Pako is comparable to Antico's San Gennaro with its sausage and peppers. The subtly tangy artichokes and the mouthwatering soppressata (salami) are the highlights of the Amore Mio. When it comes to red pizzas, I think Antico still holds the edge for best in Atlanta due to taste and consistency. The cannoli are fantastic and some of the best I've tried (if not, the best). The cream filling is luscious and euphoric. Service is A-OK. The food is served in a reasonable amount of time. Varuni gets the five-star bump-up due to the Reginella fried calzone. -
L'avis 5 étoiles de Daniel Wow. The pizza I had from Dominic's NY Pizza was, without a doubt, the best pizza I've had to date from any sort of food truck or food stand. In fact, the pizza from this truck (technically, it's a trailer pulled by a pick-up truck) stands among the best pizzas I've had anywhere, brick and mortar restaurants included. The trailer has a legit 1000 °F, wood-burning, all-brick oven inside which the staff uses to bake pizzas fresh. Dominic's was one of a few food trucks we had come to our company's summer party this year. Out of all the food trucks that came, this one was my favorite. The special menu for our event consisted of personal-sized 9-inch pizzas. The types available were cheese, pepperoni, sausage and red onion, veggie (spinach and mushroom), and a white pizza made with fresh mozzarella, ricotta, shredded mozzarella, garlic and oil, and Parmesan. Yum. I asked Dominic's son, who was working the truck at the event, how much the personal pizzas regularly cost and he said $9 each. The truck also normally sells garlic knots, calzones, strombolis, other pizza varieties (e.g. Neapolitan), and desserts like cannoli and NY cheesecake. I ordered a pepperoni pizza was it prepared by Dominic's son. He made it to order fast. I watched as he put the toppings on and inserted the pizza into the oven. The oven is lined up with the order/pick-up window, so you have a front row seat to watching your pizza bake. My pizza came out perfectly and it was absolutely delicious. The crust was thin with a soft and chewy middle and crisp, smoky, black, charred edges. The dough had great appetizing consistency and there was a noticeable garlicky flavor which was terrific. The cheese and pepperoni were tasty and addictive. I never expected pizza from a food truck to taste this good. The staff was nice and speedy. They do have that brusque NY Italian manner. I look forward to trying Dominic's again. I'll probably get the white pizza next time. -
L'avis 5 étoiles de Daniel I'm somewhat surprised Brezza has a 3.5-star rating on Yelp (at the time of writing this review) because our dining experience here was excellent. Brezza serves a blend of New American and Italian cuisine and is also a pizzeria. It's a casual restaurant inside Ponce City Market's Central Food Hall, located in a corner next to Williams-Sonoma. The restaurant is spacious, open, and airy and fits in naturally with the whole rustic warehouse vibe PCM is going for. There's a large bar area (with TV), big dining room (ideal for groups), and a fun-to-watch open kitchen. The space is seamlessly integrated with the rest of the market and feels inviting. Brezza has a simple seasonal all-day menu featuring small and large plates, pizza, and dessert. During our visit, small plates cost $7-12 each and included items like arancini (stuffed rice balls), pork & veal meatballs, prosciutto, and PEI mussels. Large plates ($12-18 each) included items like shrimp & grits, swordfish, and a chicken milanese sandwich. There were over 10 different kinds of pizza ($15-19 each) from a classic margherita to a short rib pizza with onion jam, buttermilk cheddar, and balsamic. The two of us went with a couple small plates and a couple large plates: Small plates * Burrata, heirloom tomatoes, basil dressing ($11) * Kale, pecorino, breadcrumbs, anchovy dressing ($11) Large plates * Fiorentina (skirt steak) salad, arugula, grana, balsamic ($17) * Gnocchi del giorno ($16) In general, the food was incredibly fresh and flavorful. The burrata was served in a Staub cast-iron skillet with some toast, basil leaves, and some freshly cracked black pepper. The super soft cheese spread nicely on the toast and paired perfectly with the basil dressing. If anything, the toast was a little too buttery, but still good. I love burrata and it was hard to find much wrong with this dish. The kale salad was so simple yet delicious. It was one of the best raw kale salads I've had. The kale was chopped into small pieces with fine shavings of pecorino and tiny breadcrumbs. Just the right amount of dressing made this relatively healthy dish very appetizing. If you don't like kale, this might change your mind. The Fiorentina salad was superb. The skirt was nicely cooked and served sliced. It was tender and tasty, juicy even. The arugula was fresh as could be and the grated grana cheese was yummy. The gnocchi were fantastic. There were about 16 soft, savory, bite-size pieces on the plate along with some cherry tomatoes, corn, sauce, basil, and freshly grated cheese. Gnocchi del giorno is Italian for "gnocchi of the day" and during our visit, it was potato gnocchi. It was great and I highly recommend it. Service was terrific. A bottle of water was left at each table, which I liked. Servers will help refill if needed. Brezza is on OpenTable so book your reservations for free through OpenTable and earn dining points that will be good towards discounts at any OpenTable restaurant. Parking at Ponce City Market costs $1 for every 30 minutes up to 4 hours. Parking 4-8 hours costs $10 and parking 8-24 hours is $15. Don't forget your license plate number when paying at the kiosk. Save yourself time by downloading and paying for parking using the Parkmobile app. The app will notify you if you're running low on time and you can automatically add more time to your meter from your phone so you don't have to go back outside. Convenient. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Ammazza is a Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant that opened on Edgewood in Old Fourth Ward in 2012. Like other Atlanta area Naples pizza joints such as Campania, Double Zero Napoletana, Sapori di Napoli, Varuni Napoli, and of course, Antico, Ammazza has a couple fancy pizza ovens on display in the kitchen. In this case, two 900-degree, wood-fired, Forno Bravo ovens. The restaurant is located in an old brick building where Randolph St. dead-ends into Edgewood Ave. The building looks like it was once a warehouse. They've cleaned it up nicely and it looks great, particularly the spacious open dining room with natural lighting, communal bench seating down the middle, smaller tables and booths along the sides, and a beautiful bar in the back. They have patio seating (picnic tables) though it is limited. The atmosphere is casual, sometimes a little loud, and being in O4W, the clientele skews towards hipster. One way Ammazza differentiates itself from the competition is it's open late: until 11pm on weeknights and until midnight on weekends. Like some of the other pizza places, you order up front, have a seat, and wait for the pies to be brought to you. Plates, silverware, napkins, glasses of water, and to-go boxes are self-serve from a station near the kitchen. As mentioned above, the kitchen is on full display, behind glass windows, to the dining room. You can stand and watch your pizza get made from scratch. The ovens are where the magic takes place. There are about 16 different types of pizza on the menu. You can choose from two sizes: 12-inch and 16-inch. 12-inch pizzas cost roughly $15+ each. 16-inch pizzas cost roughly $20+ each. These prices are on par with competitors around town. They've also got salads and a few appetizers, pizza fritta (deep-fried pizza), and desserts like cannoli. Ammazza makes their own mozzarella and they get their cured meats locally from The Spotted Trotter. Do order the Polpette and share with your table. These are homemade meatballs in tomato sauce with melted, oozy romano, mozzarella, and ricotta cheeses. Four larger-than-golf-ball-size meatballs come with each order. They're served in a small black iron skillet, piping hot. It's tough to eat each meatball in one bite. The meat is soft and savory. I've tried a few of this restaurant's most popular pizzas. They include: * Margherita - house mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil * Carne - pepperoni, Italian sausage, sorghum-cured bacon, house mozzarella, fresh basil * Amarena - roasted black cherries and artisan sausage, peppadew peppers, caramelized onions, basil, house mozzarella The Margherita is the classic, basic pizza that many judge Neapolitan pizza places by. I think Ammazza makes a fine one. The dough is nicely charred, dusty, chewy, and appetizing -- a common theme among the pizzas here. The ingredients are simple, fresh, and flavorful. If you're looking for a no-fuss pizza, this is the one to get. The Carne is the meat lovers pizza. It's hard to go wrong with Spotter Trotter meats. It's a treat, actually. You get plenty of their tasty meats on this pizza. The slices of pepperoni and bits of sausage are very good. I really like the Amarena. From what I was told, it was a 2014 addition to the menu. The already-delicious sausage and cheese is made better, sweetened with the addition of roasted black cherries, peppadews, and caramelized onions. This pizza might be my favorite of the bunch. The Capricciosa is another one of the mostly commonly ordered pizzas. It has marinated artichokes, wild mushrooms, olives, shaved ham, mozzarella, and fresh basil. It's one I look forward to trying on a future visit. Generally, the pizzas are addicting. If dining in, I recommend ordering several 12-inch pizzas and taking leftovers home. You can also order to-go. They've got a separate counter/cashier for that. Service is good. Free parking is available in parking lots on either side of the building. Free street parking is available too. If street parking, I recommend parking along Randolph St, which faces the restaurant. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Varasano's remains one of my favorite places to get pizza in Atlanta. They have a great variety of creative pizzas with fresh and high quality ingredients. I revisited recently on a Friday night without a reservation. It's probably a good idea to get a reservation for weekend dinners at this place because the only place we could sit was the pizza bar at the back. There is enough room for five people at the pizza bar. I enjoyed sitting there however because we got to chat with the pizzaioli (pizza makers), Chris and Jeff, and watch them make our pizzas. Food ordered: Salumi platter - thinly sliced Italian cured meats with onions, olives, bread, cheese, chopped tomatoes Fontina mushroom pizza with added sausage and fennel Nucci with added sopressata Canoli Tiramisu Chocolate-covered strawberries The salumi platter featured four slices of three different types of cured meats. My favorite was the sopressata, which tasted like a mild version of pepperoni. You can also get a salumi pizza, which I tried on my last visit. Same ingredients, except served on a pizza. As for the pizzas, I'm a big fan of their Nucci because of the garlic, olives, and arugula. I decided to mix it up this time and add a second meat to it with the sopressata. Chris recommended the sopressata cooked and the capicola (default meat for the Nucci) added after the pizza was baked. Because of the two cured meats and the olives, this pizza came out salty. If I could do it over again, I would not add a second meat to the Nucci. We added sausage and fennel to the Fontina mushroom pizza and it turned out great -- quite delicious. We went a little overboard with the desserts. Everything sounded good so we went with three (!). In all honesty, I thought the desserts at Varasano's were okay. They were good, but I probably wouldn't order them again. The chocolate-covered strawberries are not on the menu, but are a holdover from Valentine's Day. Apparently, they are pretty popular so they've kept them around. Overall, good service from hostess to server to the pizza makers in the back. If you're looking for a good pizza in Atlanta (a mixture of Neapolitan and New York styles), Varasano's is the way to go. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel I've returned to Double Zero a handful of times over the past 8-12 months and this place continues to be one of the better pizza (and Italian) restaurants in Atlanta. Thanks to its spacious interior, it's ideal for large groups. Excellent service. Some new dishes I've tried that I really like and haven't mentioned in my previous review include: Insalate (salad): Burrata & Prosciutto - Burrata mozzarella, Mangalitsa prosciutto, arugula, red onion marmalade, balsamic caviar, saba vin (cooked grapes) Antipasti (appetizer): Pork Belly Risotto - crispy pork belly, sweet potato-pumpkin risotto, balsamic glaze, broccoli rapini, slow poached egg Pizze (pizza): Funghi pizza - seasonal mushrooms, grape tomatoes, fior di latte, caramelized onions, truffle oil Secondi Mains (second entrees): Capesante - seared scallops, smoked sweet potato puree, fennel & asparagus salad, crispy shallots The Burrata & Prosciutto salad ($14) uses organic prosciutto as its base, followed by a layer of arugula, with a soft mound of burrata with caviar on top. The slices of prosciutto are large and the texture is lush. Arugula is fresh, but not so crisp because of the juices from the other ingredients. The burrata and caviar is where it's at. The cheese is served at room temperature and is mostly the ultra creamy center portion. The Pork Belly Risotto ($13) comes with three thick pieces of pork belly surrounding a pile of risotto with poached egg on top. The pork belly is a combination of fatty and crispy and the risotto has a fine consistency. If you like pork, nothing more needs to be said. The Funghi pizza ($19) is delicious. The cheese, crust, and truffle oil are the best parts. This is a round pizza with plenty of crust. Like other Double Zero pizzas, you cut it with a pair of scissors. Firmness of the slices is more on the floppy side. High quality toppings. The Capesante ($26) comes with 3-4 good-sized scallops mixed with various shredded veggies, fried shallots, and a lump of sweet potato puree on the side. Fennel and asparagus have an appetizing crunch to them. Scallops have good flavor all-around. And the sweet potato puree is as smooth as can be. A couple dishes I wrote about in my original review that I still order and recommend are L'Arrosto ("The Roast" pork shoulder appetizer) and the Paglia e Fieno pasta (spinach and egg tagliatelle). One note on L'Arrosto -- when sharing this dish, it's best to share it 4 people at a time. This way, there are plenty of accoutrements (bread, sauces, toppings) to go around. Sharing in smaller groups makes this app much more enjoyable. Check out my previous review below to read my thoughts on other good dishes to try at Double Zero including their great array of desserts. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel I've eaten at some of Fritti's neighbors, Sotto Sotto, Pure Taqueria, and Parish, but never made it inside Fritti itself until recently. I went two times: once for a weekend lunch and once for a late weeknight dinner. The restaurant was mostly empty for Sunday lunch, but quite busy for Thursday night dinner. Not so busy that we had to wait for a seat, though. Fritti is housed in what looks like an old garage. It's pretty evident as you sit inside and look out onto North Highland through the restaurant's huge retractable doors. While these doors don't provide the best insulation, the space inside is naturally well lit thanks to all the glass. Along with the main dining area, there's also a small bar in a separate, smaller area right of the entrance. Fritti serves authentic Neopolitan pizza and the restaurant boasts on its menu certification by the "Verace Pizza Napoletana Association," one of the few restaurants in the country that have this designation. Like other nice pizza places around town, Fritti uses grade 00 flour to make their dough. Server Daniele recommended the Cape Sante appetizer. These were two large skewered scallops on top of a bed of cucumbers and radishes in a light lemon-vinegar sauce. These were good. The scallops were plump, tender, and juicy. I liked them so much I ordered them again on my second visit. Other appetizers I tried include their Arancini, which are Sicilian risotto and sausage croquettes, and the Bresaola di Tonno, which is cured tuna with arugula, radish, and lemon. The croquettes were dark brown and crispy on the outside while soft and delicate on the inside. They were served with tomato sauce. They were salty and didn't have much flavor. While not a terrible app, I probably wouldn't order it again. The tuna appetizer, on the other hand, was quite good and rich with flavor. I wish I could have some more. As for pizzas, so far I've tried: Maialona - salami, cotto ham, sausage, pancetta, and black olives Salsiccia e Peperoni - sweet italian sausage, roasted peppers Quattro Stagioni - cotto ham, artichokes, mushrooms, olives As it goes with Neopolitan pizza, toppings and ingredients are minimal. The Maialona is one of Fritti's more ingredient rich pizzas. Our server gave us the option to have the toppings either mixed together or separated (e.g. 1/4 of the pizza would have the salami, another 1/4 would have the sausage, etc.). They are able to do this with certain pizzas. We opted to get them all mixed together. For the Maialona, the meats were savory and salty (somewhat expected since many of the meats were cured). The pancetta was like eating juicy strips of bacon. The sausage had somewhat of a gamey aftertaste to it. The Salsiccia e Peperoni had plenty of sausage and sliced orange bell pepper. The Quattro Stagioni was pleasantly sour thanks to the olives. In general, I thought the pizzas were very appetizing and the thin crusts were delicious. Crushed red pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese is available upon request. The service is friendly and attentive. Complimentary valet parking is available on busy nights. You can also parallel park along any of the neighboring side streets for free. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria is an Italian restaurant that opened May 2015 on Cobb Parkway in Vinings. It replaced the old Taverna Fiorentina inside the Riverview Village shopping center (same shopping center as Kroger). This is one of the best (and only) places to get authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in Cobb County. The business is named after Roman empress Bruttia Crispina. The chef and owner, Raffaelle Crispino, previously worked at Maggiano's and various Darden Restaurants around town. The restaurant is modestly sized. There's table seating for about 40-50 inside and more on the covered patio outside. There's a compact bar that can seat just a handful of folks. It's stocked with a lot of Italian wines and assorted local and imported beer. The dining room is simple and elegant with hardwood floors, wooden furniture, and iron chandeliers. The highlight is the open kitchen which features a wood-burning brick oven. The atmosphere is casual, but classy. The menu has a variety of traditional Italian food including appetizers like La Parma (imported buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto and arugula), Polipo Grotta Blu (grilled octopus), and Zeppole E Panzarotti (Naples street food: fried dough and potato with mozzarella cheese); soups, salads, handmade pastas, panini sandwiches; entrees including seafood (e.g. Pan-Seared Scallops), pork chop, and steak; pizzas, calzones, and desserts like Homemade Tiramisu, Ricotta Cheesecake, and Panna Cotta. Some of the cheeses are made in-house. Expect to spend roughly $10-15 each for most apps, $6-10 for soups and salads, $10-12 for panini sandwiches, $15-25 for entrees, and $10-18 for pizzas and calzones. The lunch menu is an abbreviated version of the dinner menu. It doesn't have some apps nor dinner entrees like meat and seafood, but it's got most, if not all, of the pizzas and pastas. I believe panini sandwiches are served at lunch only. I think the lunch and dinner prices are mostly the same except for the pasta dishes which are less expensive during lunchtime. At lunch, pasta, panini, and pizza orders come with soup or salad. I've tried a couple pizzas and a calzone and generally think the food is good. Here's what I've had: Pizza * Quattro Formaggi ($15.99) - fresh mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano, Asiago cheese * Sofia Loren ($15.99) - fried pizza dough, hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, smoked buffalo mozzarella, grated Parmiggiano, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil Calzone * Toto ($17.99) - fried calzone stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, Parmigiano, ground black pepper, mild salame, tomato sauce, fresh basil, marinara The pizzas look to be just over 12 inches in diameter. The Quattro Formaggi is delicious and I recommend it to anyone who likes white pizza. It's robust and flavorful. The various melted cheeses have a smooth and buttery texture. The taste of both the Parmigiano and Asiago cheeses seems to be most prominent. The Sofia Loren isn't bad. Ask Chef Crispino about how he came up with the name. The pizza is a variant of the Regina Margherita. The two twists are fried dough instead of baked and smoked buffalo mozzarella instead of fresh. The differences are noticeable as the Sofia Loren's crust is crispier and the cheese definitely exudes a smoky flavor. I think the crust could be more appetizing on this one (perhaps more crispy fried dough similar to the fried calzone). I also feel there could be more cheese as the tomato sauce seems to overpower the pie. The Toto is quite tasty and it's definitely worth ordering, especially if you've never had a fried calzone before. I think fried calzones are much better than the standard baked calzones. It's all about the fried dough, which in Crispina's case, is delectable. The dough is crispy and addictive and I would be happy eating it by itself. The dish comes with a side of marinara, but I don't think it's needed because the calzone already has enough flavor from the cheeses, cured meat, and tomato sauce. The food seems to have a lot of salt; not that it's excessively salty in taste, but it can be dehydrating. Service is excellent all-around. In the end, I give Crispina 3.5 stars with a bump up to 4. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel We were very happy with all the different pizzas and other food we tried at Genuine Pizza. This restaurant is a great addition to Phipps Plaza and I recommend it to anyone looking for good food at the mall. Genuine Pizza opened January 5, 2018 just inside the main entrance to Phipps which faces Peachtree Road. The best places to park for the restaurant are the Peachtree Road-facing surface lots in front of Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstrom, or the underground garage beneath the restaurant (the entrance ramp is across from Phipps' main entrance). This is a modern pizza joint that originated from a small chain in Miami (this is the first Atlanta location). There's a storefront dough room and an open kitchen, featuring a Marra Forni traditional brick pizza oven, so you can watch the pizzas get made from scratch. The interior is stylish yet simple with a casual atmosphere. Seating capacity inside is about 60+ customers including seats at the pizza bar facing the kitchen, a regular bar, a counter facing into the mall, and a tiny private dining room that has a six-person table. There are also 30+ seats on the patio outside (with heat lamps during cold weather). During our dinner visit, the menu featured 12 different pizzas, like slow-roasted pork pizza and rock shrimp pizza, including one seasonal pizza: the spicy fennel puttanesca. I'd describe the pizzas as Neapolitan-style with thin crusts. They come in one size only (about 10 inches) and are priced at $13-17 each. Along with pizzas, Genuine serves apps and snacks like eggplant caponata with warm focaccia ($6) and oven-roasted chicken wings ($12), a variety of salads like tomato and burrata ($12), and entrees like pan-roasted churrasco ($21) and pan-seared mahi ($21). They also serve desserts, coffee, and tea, and have a full beer and wine menu. Here's what we tried: Snack: * Polenta fries ($7) - spicy ketchup Salad: * Warm Brussels sprouts and burrata ($12) - sliced pears, pistachios, torn herbs, creamy Parmigiano Pizzas: * Spicy pepperoni pizza ($16) - tomato sauce, chili oil, Fontina, mozzarella, arugula * Bacon pizza ($16) - caramelized onion, potato, Gruyere, arugula * Short rib pizza ($17) - Gruyere, caramelized onion, arugula * Mushroom pizza ($14) - porcini, cremini, Italico, Fontina, thyme * Meatball pizza ($16) - peppers and onions, escarole, Auribella In general, the food was presented beautifully and most everything tasted delicious. Six perfectly formed cuboids stacked and arranged neatly, corner to corner, were served in our order of polenta fries. These were thick-cut fries, hard and crispy on the outside, soft and appetizing on the inside, with a nice, light dusting of salt. As a fan of ketchup and spicy food, I thought the spicy ketchup was yummy, but not very spicy. Still, not bad and this is an app I'd suggest. The warm Brussels sprouts and burrata were tasty. A clump of burrata was served over the Brussels sprouts. I liked that the Brussels sprouts weren't roasted nor seasoned to death. They tasted fresh. The burrata was par for the course. There were more Brussels sprouts than burrata in this dish. In hindsight, I'm thinking we probably should have ordered the tomato and burrata instead for potentially more burrata. As for the pizzas, I rank them as follows: 1. Short rib pizza 2. Spicy pepperoni pizza 3. Mushroom pizza 4. Bacon pizza 5. Meatball pizza The short rib pizza is one of Genuine's signature and most popular pizzas. It comes with a decent amount of tender, savory short rib. The Gruyere and caramelized onion combined help make this pizza slightly sweet, rich, and full of umami flavor. The spicy pepperoni pizza is pretty straightforward and satisfying. I enjoyed the chili oil which gave this pizza a subtle kick of spiciness. I would have preferred the pizza to be spicier, but at least we had the shakers of red pepper flakes to add more spice if we wanted to. (There were also shakers of Parmesan cheese and oregano.) The mushroom pizza was excellent. If you like mushrooms, I don't think you'll be disappointed. While a little bit oily, this pizza was flavorful and had all the right textures, from mushroom to crust. The bacon pizza was quite yummy. Like the short rib pizza, the bacon pizza utilized Gruyere cheese and caramelized onion so it had a similar rich flavor profile. What made this pizza unique were the small pieces of chopped potato. I think they were fingerlings. I believe this was the first time I've had potato on a pizza and it actually worked in a comfort-food sort of way. You'll just have to try it to see what I mean. Our group's least favorite pizza was the meatball pizza. It sounded good on paper, but didn't come out like we expected. First, it was more like a sausage supreme pizza than a meatball pizza. Second, it had a strange taste to it - the Auribella cheese likely the culprit. It was sharp with an unpleasant aftertaste. I wouldn't order it unless you like cheeses with funky aromas. Service was good. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel STG Trattoria opened March 2012 in Buckhead in a discreet shopping center not too far from the intersection of West Paces Ferry Rd. and Peachtree Rd. The entrance is somewhat hidden - just walk to the back of the building, away from the road and you'll find it. There's an "STG" sign on the sidewalk next to the driveway of the restaurant's parking lot. STG is one of the city's latest stylish and chic pizza (and Italian) joints. STG stands for the names of the owner's three sons: Sebastian, Tristan, and Gabriel. The owner is Brian Lewis, who also owns Bocado in Westside. Chefs from Abattoir and Sotto Sotto lead the culinary team. STG feels more "upscale" and trendy when compared to Bocado, but still manages to maintain a relaxed and casual atmosphere. It definitely looks fresh, sleek, and modern. Like Antico and Fuoco, dining setup is communal. The space is bright and open, naturally well-lit, with semi-viewable kitchens and floor-to-ceiling curtains. There's a nice (uncovered) patio outside. As you step through the doors to enter the restaurant, you'll immediately be in the "walk-in wine cellar," surrounded by walls of bottles of Italian wine. Beautiful presentation. Wine is ordered off an iPad. What I like most about the space is the bar-style seating with metal trays installed into the full length of the tables. These trays, designed for the pizza, increase table space and make it easy for groups to share food. The U-shaped table is cool too. It looks like a bar, but you can sit on either side. In addition to pizza, like Bocado, STG's menu features local and seasonal fare: farm-fresh salads and veggies, fish, pork, quail, duck etc. Most small plates are priced around $9-12 with mains at $16-19. There are about a dozen small plates and a handful of mains at any given time. While that stuff looked very good, I came here for the main attraction: pizza. So far, I've tried 6 of STG's roughly 9 pizzas. I say "roughly" because their pizza selection can change. Like its aforementioned competitors (and Double Zero), the restaurant uses Acunto wood-burning ovens imported from Naples in its kitchen. These things are the real deal and help to produce authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas. Expect to spend about $20 for each full-sized pizza. It's best to budget at most 2-3 people per pizza, depending on how many appetizers you get. Here are the pizzas I've tried: STG Pizza: Lamb sausage, sweet onion, ricotta salata, mint Classic Pizzas: Pomodorini (little tomatoes), oregano, garlic, mozzarella Tomato, mozzarella, cappicola, basil, chili Tomato, basil, mozzarella, Parmesan Spinach, prosciutto, mushroom, Bechamel Mozzarella, fontina, taleggio, gorgonzola, thyme The pizzas here are good. All of them. At least the ones I tried. In terms of purely the pizza and its taste, Antico is still my favorite, but STG is right behind, followed by Double Zero and Varasano's. All of the pizzas taste so fresh and flavorful and the crust is delicious -- perfectly charred and appetizingly chewy. If I had to choose a favorite pizza from the above, it would be the lamb sausage pizza - tender, savory shreds of lamb with mouthwatering globs of ricotta cheese and fresh, raw mint leaves on top. Second favorite is probably a tie between the cappicola with basil and chili and the spinach pizza with prosciutto, mushroom, and Bechamel sauce. If you like spicy foods, then you'll enjoy the cappicola pizza. It's really not that spicy, but the slices do have a nice "kick" to them thanks to the chopped, oily red chilis. Antico is the only Neapolitan pizza place that I know of to have these chilis available at a self-serve seasonings bar. I wish the others would follow suit. At the very least, you can probably ask for these chilis on the side if you like them as much as I do. The cappicola ham is a little bit salty, but that's nature of dry-cured meats. I like the spinach pizza mainly for its Bechamel sauce. It's rich, smooth, and creamy. Tastes so good, but can't be good for you. You can never go wrong with the Margherita (tomato, basil, mozzarella, Parmesan). It's just a good, classic pizza that everyone can enjoy. Relatively speaking, the pomodorini pizza is OK. If you like tomatoes, this is your pizza. It's topped with a generous amount of plump, succulent cherry tomatoes. The "four cheese" pizza (mozzarella, fontina, taleggio, gorgonzola) is expectedly rich and super cheesy. Very oily, yet very good too. If you like cheese pizza, go for it. Service is fantastic, from the hostess to the sommelier. Sara is a good server, assertive and attentive. My only minor gripe about the service is it seems the pizzas take a long time to come out from the kitchen. All of the other nice pizza places serve their pies faster. Not sure what's up with that. Note if you plan on coming to STG for a special occasion, like a birthday party, and bring your own cake, there is a $2 per person cake cutting fee. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel My coworkers are big fans of Blue Moon and it's our preferred lunch spot when we want pizza. The Windy Hill location is close to our office, but it's always busy at lunchtime. Fortunately, there's another location in Smyrna's West Village that's never crowded at lunchtime, so we're willing to make the extra trek just to avoid the wait. West Village is a "live, work, play" development located just off the South Atlanta Rd. exit from 285. It has several restaurants including Crepe Revolution, Five Guys, Lime Taqueria, McCray's, and Yuraku. Blue Moon is nicer than the usual casual pizza joint. It's got more of a sports bar/pub type feel to it. It's comparable to Mellow Mushroom, though not as gnarly. I like that they have several TVs here tuned to ESPN. Unfortunately, they carry only standard definition. No high def here. The outdoor patio is enclosed and spacious with a nicer view than the Windy Hill location, because you're in the quaint and aesthetically pleasing West Village neighborhood. Blue Moon serves food typical of a pizza joint - salads, sandwiches, and pizzas - with their own spin. For example, their salads are almost like pizzas themselves, served on baked pizza dough. Their sandwiches, which they call "Flatwiches" use pizza dough as the breading, and instead of two slices of bread, they just roll the pizza dough over. It's almost like a pizza dough wrap. Specialty pizzas come in three sizes: personal (10-inch, 6 slices), medium (16-inch, 8 slices), and large (18-inch, 8 slices). Personal pizzas are about $11-12, mediums are about $21-22, and larges are about $25-26. Personal pizzas are more than enough for one person. If you order a personal pizza for yourself, more than likely, you'll have leftovers to take home. You can get pizza by the slice ($2.50 per slice plus 69 cents per topping), but only if you create your own pizza. Specialty pizzas aren't available by the slice. Some good pizzas and salad I've had at this location include: BBQ Chicken Pizza - seasoned chicken, green onion, cayenne-candied bacon, and BBQ sauce The Meateor Pizza - pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham, and cayenne-candied bacon Buffalo Chicken Salad - Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, red onions with blue cheese dressing, topped with fried Buffalo chicken and crumbled blue cheese Blue Moon makes a really nice thin crust pizza. The crust is crispy and tasty and not overdone. Also, the pizzas not only taste good, but they look good too. All menu items are cooked to order, so there is a short wait for the food. The toppings are fresh. The miniature chunks of chicken in the BBQ Chicken Pizza are tender and the BBQ sauce drizzled on top is smoky good. The Meateor is essentially their meat lovers' pizza. The top of the pizza is just overflowing with meat and bits of ground beef easily fall off the slice as you pick it up to place in your mouth. Blue Moon really likes to use this cayenne-candied bacon in some of their pizzas. It's candied alright as it's quite sweet and a bit sticky. However, I don't taste any influence of cayenne at all. Maybe my pro-spicy tastebuds can't sense the cayenne seasoning because it's too mild. Also, I must say that reheating leftover pizza from Blue Moon arguably tastes better than when it comes fresh from the oven. The salads here are pretty awesome and the Buffalo Chicken Salad is no exception. They are large and filling for two reasons: (1) the salads are huge and (2) they are served on top of pizza dough. Just like the personal pizzas, don't be surprised if you have leftovers from your salad. Yes, salad. Service is fine. Kristin is one of the good servers at this location. Parking is plentiful outside. If you can't find a spot in front of one of the storefronts, there are two parking decks close-by where you can also park under cover. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Gino's NY Pizza Bar is located at the intersection of Piedmont Rd. and Cheshire Bridge Rd. The restaurant is a spacious, casual pizzeria with plentiful seating both inside in multiple dining areas and outside on the covered wooden patio. There's a glass bar with pizza pies on display as well as an enclosed case with a few different cakes. There are TVs playing sports and the atmosphere is laid back. In summary, it's a traditional American pizza joint. One of the great things about Gino's is it's open late, until 6am, on Friday and Saturday nights. There are three locations in the Atlanta metro: Midtown, Norcross, and Johns Creek. The menu features many typical Italian and pizza restaurant favorites such as mozzarella sticks, fried calamari, salads (e.g. Greek, antipasto), all sorts of pastas (e.g. spaghetti bolognese, fettucine Alfredo), baked ziti, lasagna, entrees such as chicken, veal, and eggplant Parmesan, New York style hero (sub) sandwiches (e.g. meatball parm, NY cheese steak), calzones, and of course, pizza. They also have desserts. Along with the aforementioned cakes, they have tiramisu and cannoli. Expect to spend about $5-10 per appetizer and $10-15 each for most of the pastas, entrees, and heros. Pizza by the slice is available for about $3-4 per slice. 14-inch medium pizzas run about $13-20 each and 18-inch large pizzas run about $17-25 each. The garlic knots are very good. 10 freshly baked garlic knots come to an order with a side of marinara sauce. I think the garlic knots are tasty enough on their own where no marinara sauce is needed. The knots are tossed with plenty of olive oil and garlic and sprinkled with bits of parsley. They taste great and have a strong, pleasant garlicky flavor, which I really like. All of the pizzas I've tried here have been pretty good. They include the lasagna pizza, white pizza, meat lovers pizza, and Sicilian pizza. My favorite is the white pizza. The white pizza is made with olive oil, roasted garlic, mozzarella, ricotta, and oregano. The simple pizza is rich, herby, and flavorful, particularly the sections with smooth and creamy ricotta. It's delicious. The lasagna pizza also contains ricotta along with mozzarella and a meat sauce. Therefore, it tastes just like lasagna except in pie form. This and the Sicilian pizza are quite filling and gratifying. The Sicilian pizza is a deep-dish pizza that, unlike the other pizzas, is served in rectangular form. Its thick yet soft and rather savory crust is the best part about it. The meat lovers pizza is prepared with pepperoni, meatballs, sausage, ham, and mozzarella cheese. It's a solid pie packed with plenty of meat that probably won't leave you feeling disappointed. In general, the toppings are fresh and the crusts delectable. Service is good. The servers are friendly and pies come out from the kitchen relatively quick. All in all, this is not a bad pizza place for the neighborhood. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel I thought the pizzas here were pretty good. Atwoods opened April 2016 on the ground level of the Biltmore apartment building in Midtown, right around the corner from Cypress (same owner). This is a pizzeria and cafe serving Neapolitan-style pizzas, breakfast, sandwiches, and subs, plus beer, wine, and coffee. They open early, close late, and have a really friendly staff. This is a casual, cozy place that consists mainly of bar-height communal seating. You order and pay upfront and pizzas are delivered to your table. Silverware, condiments, fountain drinks, tea, etc. are self-serve from a counter in the middle of the dining room. We stopped by for dinner and tried 5 of their pizzas. Atwoods serves 7 different kinds of red pizza and 4 kinds of white pizza. They come in 8 and 12-inch sizes, but the 8-inch pizzas are only available from 11am to 3pm. Most of the 8-inch pizzas cost $8-9 each while most of the 12-inch pizzas cost $12-15 each. Here's what we tried: Red Pizzas: * Festival ($12) - sweet fennel sausage, peppadew, fior di latte, mozzarella, caramelized onion, garlic confit, Romano * Right on 6th ($13) - ham, fior di latte, ricotta cream, roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, oregano, Romano White Pizzas: * Tartufo ($15) - Fontina, mushrooms, gorgonzola, thyme, sea salt, garlic confit, truffle oil * Zucca ($15) - roasted butternut squash, kale, caramelized onion, pancetta, fior di latte, mozzarella, rosemary oil * Googootz ($13) - grilled zucchini, fior di latte, mozzarella, ricotta cream, garlic confit, lemon, mint, olive oil All of the pizzas were thin crust and cut into 6 slices each. My favorites were the Festival and Tartufo pizzas. They were both just loaded with flavor. The Festival came with plenty of pieces of savory sausage that tasted just terrific. I also really enjoyed the caramelized onion. As for the Tartufo, the cheese, garlic, and truffle oil made this pizza pretty amazing. I loved all the mushroom slices too. I highly recommend it. The Googootz came in 3rd for me. It was another fantastic pizza. The three cheeses, particularly the ricotta cream, were just delicious. I could've done without the zucchini, but appreciated that they slipped veggies in on this one. This is another recommended pie, especially if you like white pizza. I thought the Right on 6th and Zucca were OK. Not bad at all, but I'm not sure I'd order them again. I wasn't a huge fan of the ham on the Right on 6th. Salty and kind of plain. I did like the butternut squash on the Zucca, but overall, this pizza seemed to lack more toppings and flavor. Lots of dough and it just didn't do it for me. In general, the pizza crusts were good. Appetizing, chewy, and charred. Great service. There's no free parking in this part of Midtown that I'm aware of. You can either park on the street (metered) or park in the Biltmore parking deck which is accessible via Cypress St behind Atwoods. You'll most likely spend $2-5 to park. Here's a photo I took of the parking rates: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/atwoods-pizza-cafe-atlanta?select=TL_vs3xKtZOnSgD5AioAMA&userid=j14WgRoU_-2ZE1aw1dXrJg. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel When my coworkers and I are feeling pizza for lunch, these days we usually wind up at Mellow Mushroom on Windy Hill. However, we also really like Blue Moon. I actually prefer the pizza at Blue Moon over Mellow Mushroom. The only problem is, Blue Moon's Windy Hill location is incredibly popular and is usually very busy at lunchtime, no matter what day it is. This has led our group to sometimes travel further to the Blue Moon location at West Village in Smryna, where there isn't a wait at lunchtime. I guess that should tell you how good the pizza is. I like that Blue Moon has a pub or tavern type atmosphere to it. It's kind of like Mellow Mushroom, but a little bit more sophisticated. There are several TVs tuned to sports, which is always a good thing. Inside, there's a mixture of high top and standard tables. There's also a covered outdoor patio, but space is limited. The patio faces inside towards the Windy Hill Village Shopping Center parking lot where street noise from busy Windy Hill Rd. really isn't noticeable. Blue Moon serves food typical of a pizza joint - salads, sandwiches, and pizzas - with their own spin. For example, their salads are almost like pizzas themselves, served on baked pizza dough. Their sandwiches, which they call "Flatwiches" use pizza dough as the breading, and instead of two slices of bread, they just roll the pizza dough over. It's almost like a pizza dough wrap. Specialty pizzas come in three sizes: personal (10-inch, 6 slices), medium (16-inch, 8 slices), and large (18-inch, 8 slices). Personal pizzas are about $11-12, mediums are about $21-22, and larges are about $25-26. Personal pizzas are more than enough for one person. If you order a personal pizza for yourself, more than likely, you'll have leftovers to take home. You can get pizza by the slice ($2.50 per slice plus 69 cents per topping), but only if you create your own pizza. Specialty pizzas aren't available by the slice. Margherita Pizza - Roma tomatoes, mozzarella, basil The Meateor Pizza - pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham, and cayenne-candied bacon Half Moon - calzone with cheese, ricotta, pepperoni, and a side of marinara sauce Italian Flatwich - sandwich with salami, ham, pepperoni, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese, and Italian dressing Turtle Cheesecake - chocolate chip cheesecake with Oreo crust, topped with chocolate, pecans, and caramel Blue Moon makes a really nice thin crust pizza. The crust is crispy and tasty and not overdone. Also, the pizzas not only taste good, but they look good too. All menu items are cooked to order, so there is a short wait for the food. The toppings are fresh. While Margherita pizzas are good, I'm not a huge fan of them. I want more toppings. Blue Moon's version of the Margherita is quite good and refreshing. The Meateor is essentially their meat lovers' pizza. The top of the pizza is just overflowing with meat and bits of ground beef easily fall off the slice as you pick it up to place in your mouth. Blue Moon really likes to use cayenne-candied bacon in some of their pizzas. It's sweet, but I don't taste any bit of cayenne in it at all. Also, I must say that reheating leftover pizza from Blue Moon arguably tastes better than when it comes fresh from the oven. The calzones are huge and filling. Blue Moon refers to their calzones as "Half Moons" for two reasons, I think: (1) it's a play on the restaurant's name and (2) the calzone itself is shaped like a half moon. The calzones are tasty, but also heavy. There's a good chance you'll have leftovers. I've only tried one of the sandwiches here and it's the Italian Flatwich. It's almost like eating a pizza since the restaurant uses pizza dough in lieu of bread. The combination works well and their Italian sandwich is a decent one. While the meats are cold cuts, the sandwich itself is heated, soft, warm, and full of flavor. The Turtle Cheesecake is pretty awesome. If you love chocolate, cheesecake, or Oreos, you can't go wrong with it. The Oreo cookie crust is my favorite part of this dessert. The caramel drizzled on top is just icing on the cake. Service is generally good. The parking lot can get busy at lunchtime, but never so busy where you won't be able to find a spot. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Liberty Pizza is a New York-style pizza restaurant that opened May 5, 2015 in Powers Ferry Plaza (same shopping center as Micro Center). Head chef Gerry McCrudden and his wife Michelle own and run this joint. They're originally from the New York/New Jersey area where Gerry previously worked as a partner for over a decade at a pizzeria in Stony Point (if I remember what Michelle told me correctly). The pizza here is quite tasty. The restaurant isn't terribly big. I guesstimate the inside can hold about 30 guests (mostly table seating). There are also a couple three-person tables (covered) outside. The interior is simple and clean with concrete floors and minimal decor. The atmosphere is casual. New York memorabilia includes a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline before 9/11, a Deron Williams #8 Brooklyn Nets jersey (at the time of writing this review, he plays for the Dallas Mavericks), and a subway sign for the A & C trains that connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. The highlight is an awesome, comic book-like wall mural that combines a variety of New York pop culture icons from Frank Sinatra to the Ninja Turtles. There's also a TV. Liberty sells brick oven pizza whole or by the slice. They offer a dozen "gourmet" options priced at $19.95 a pie or $3.95 a slice. These include a multitude of preset toppings and are named after famous people or places in New York such as the Little Italy (chicken parm, marinara, mozzarella), the Naked Cowboy (BBQ chicken, bacon, red onion, mozzarella), and Times Square (Sicilian slice with basil, garlic, and tomato sauce). A regular New York slice is $2.25, a Sicilian slice $2.95, and whole pies range from $10.95 for a 12-inch to $16.95 for a Sicilian. Toppings are extra of course (over 20 available) and they've got a $6.95 ricotta and mozzarella calzone too. Aside from pizza, this place also sells various appetizers and snacks like mozzarella sticks and fried ravioli, hero sandwiches (New York-style subs, hot and cold), salads, wings, and pasta. So far, I've tried the Henry Hill (spicy Italian sausage, green and red peppers, white onion), the Arthur Ave (white pizza made with ricotta, mozzarella, and garlic), and a Sicilian with cheese, tomato sauce (filetto di pomodoro I believe), garlic, and fresh basil. I think the latter is identical to the Times Square pizza except the Times Square doesn't come with cheese. All of these pizzas are delicious. The white (Arthur Ave) is my favorite. The soft and succulent ricotta is magical and I'm a big fan of the pie's strong garlicky flavor. Some people may find it too garlicky, but I like it. Unfortunately, it also means I go back to work with garlic breath. Oh well. If you like white pizza, I highly recommend this one. If you order a Sicilian slice, ask for a corner piece. You'll get more scrumptious and crispy crust that way. In comparison to other Sicilian pies I've had, the crust on Liberty's Sicilian is slightly thinner, but it's thick enough. The crust is crisp on the outside and light and airy on the inside. Yum. The tomato sauce tastes fresh. All in all, good stuff. The Henry Hill is a savory, meaty pizza with plenty of toppings. They don't skimp on toppings here. True to New York, the crusts on the regular pies are thin. I did find them to be crispier, drier, and more brittle than a typical, easily foldable, New York street slice. In the end though, they're still satisfying. Check in using the Yelp app and get a free order of garlic knots. Four big, seasoned, garlic knots come per plate with a side of marinara dipping sauce. Not bad. Hopefully, this check-in offer will still be available when you go. Beverage-wise, Liberty carries Dr. Brown's sodas such as cream soda and root beer. They're available in a self-serve fridge located next to the ordering counter. Water, cups, silverware, condiments, pizza boxes (for leftovers), etc. are available self-serve from a stand in the dining room. Service is terrific. Gerry works in the back and Michelle works up front. Michelle is a friendly lady and tries to make sure everyone is taken care of. Orders come out from the kitchen in a reasonable amount of time. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Osteria 832 is a casual Italian restaurant in Virginia-Highland known for its fun and active patio, one of the best in VaHi. Osteria is an Italian word for a casual restaurant with a simple menu. Trattoria and ristorante refer to more formal restaurants. 832 is the restaurant's street number on Highland Ave. I visited for Sunday brunch and had a pleasant experience. Yes, this place has a brunch menu -- an Italian brunch menu. The weather was beautiful, so of course everyone chose to sit on the patio. There were still several customers seated indoors, but the inside felt empty compared to the outside. The restaurant's atmosphere is casual and laid back. It sort of reminds me of a Fellini's or La Fonda, but nicer. The inside has a bar and a mixture of booth and table seating. The patio is enclosed and decorated with trees and other plants for a bit of privacy from the street. The string lighting hanging from above is a nice touch. The place sort of has a bit of old school Italian charm to it. The brunch menu has both brunch/breakfast type foods as well as traditional Italian pizzas and pastas. I sampled a bit of both. Examples of brunch items include eggs in various forms (omelets, eggs Benedict), shrimp and grits, French toast, and breakfast pizza. Italian items include bruschetta, caprese salad, different types of spaghetti, and thin-crust pizzas. Expect to spend roughly $8-12 for most entrees. The brunch item I tried was the Highland Benedict ($9). This entree consisted of fried eggs, chicken sausage patties, and sausage gravy served over polenta cakes. The egg dishes come with a choice of fries or locally grown, stone-ground Parmigiano grits. I usually never turn down an option of grits and they were great. They were flavorful and succulent. An excellent bowl of grits. I didn't expect to find one at an Italian restaurant. Two chicken sausage patties were tucked in between a top layer of fried eggs and a bottom layer of polenta cakes. The stack was drenched in a creamy and savory sausage gravy with a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese on top. The dish was tasty and I savored every bite of the chicken sausage. The polenta cakes were soft and delicate, almost melting in my mouth. I tried one of the classic pasta dishes - Spaghetti & Meatballs ($10). This is an intrinsically simple dish with spaghetti noodles, meatballs, and a pomodoro (basic tomato) sauce, yet it can vary widely from restaurant to restaurant. I was surprised with Osteria 832's version because it was unexpectedly amazing. The meatballs were the best part. Four meatballs were served in the bowl and they were absolutely delicious. They were tender and packed with flavor. They seemed to be freshly made. The noodles were appetizing and the tomato sauce wasn't overpowering. Service was good. Despite a busy day, our plates came out quite fast. Our server was mostly efficient. Free street parking is available along any of the nearby residential neighborhood side streets. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Athens Pizza is a family owned and operated pizza restaurant that has been in Decatur since the 70s. It's a neighborhood pizza joint that has remained popular among locals all these years because of its good food, friendly service, and reasonable value. This is both a casual Greek and Italian eatery where you can order gyros and moussaka or pizza and pasta. On the Greek side, apps include "Athens potatoes," which are basically lightly fried chunks of potato, pita bread with cheese and/or hummus, fasolada (Greek bean soup), Greek lentil soup, and Greek salads. Entrees include the aforementioned moussaka (eggplant dish with bechamel sauce) and pastitsio (ground beef dish with bechamel sauce). If you're looking for something lighter, they also have a variety of pita wraps. You can build your own pizza or choose from one of Athens' specialty pizzas. Their specialty pizzas have a definite Greek spin, using ingredients such as Kalamata olives, gyro meat, and feta cheese. I'm a fan of the "Athens Special," which consists of feta, ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. The pizzas are deep-dish, thick-crust style. The toppings are generally fresh. I like how the veggie toppings are more on the raw side than cooked. While there's nothing too fancy about it, I find the pizza here to be soft and satisfying overall. The pizzas come in four sizes: 6-inch, 10-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch. The 6-inch is like a personal pan pizza. The 10-inch is typically good enough for two people. The gyro meat is pretty tasty. It's a combination of beef and lamb that has been flame-broiled on a spit. No matter how you order it, on a pizza, in a wrap, or as a platter, it's good. The strips of meat are tender and flavorful. The restaurant itself is basic with small booths and tables. There's usually ample seating inside. While the parking lot is big, finding a space can be difficult on nights when an event is going on nearby. You can pay for your meal at the register, which makes it easy for separating checks. Athens Pizza is located next to the strip mall with The Nest, Bhojanic, Community Q BBQ, and Pyng Ho Chinese Restaurant. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel We found Graffiti's Pizza using the Yelp app after playing a round of golf in McDonough. We were hungry and Graffiti's was one of the highest rated restaurants nearby. True to the name, this place has graffiti on the walls inside. It's a fun look; bold and colorful. Exposed ductwork and piping is painted purple and red. The restaurant has a very casual, laid back atmosphere with friendly, welcoming employees. When we came, they had Ghostbusters II playing on the TVs. The general manager Wes and his wife Carrie were wearing Graffiti's Pizza T-shirts that had the 1980s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on them. Totally up our alley. The dining room is pretty spacious with an open kitchen and what seems to be plenty of seating. The restaurant serves bread (garlic, pita), fries, wings, salads (Greek salad, Green village-style salad), pizzas, calzones, grinders (sub sandwiches), entrees like lasagna, chicken parm, and spaghetti, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, wraps, and desserts like baklava, cheesecake, and Greek funnel cake. Prices are reasonable with most items, except for the pizza, less than $8 each. Pizzas come in three sizes: small (10"), medium (14"), and large (16"). Cheese pizzas range in price, depending on size, from $8.95 to $12.95 each with toppings ranging in price, depending on the size of the pizza and whether or not the topping is a specialty topping, from $1.25 to $3.25 each. They have five special pizzas ranging in price from $12.95 to $21.95 each depending on size. Our group of three split a medium special pizza ($16.95) which was cut into six slices. Our server, Carrie, told us we could choose two different specials, one for each half of the pizza. I asked her which specials were the most popular at Graffiti and she told us the "Olympia Special" and the "Titans Special." The Olympia Special comes with hamburger, mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, peppers, and onions. The Titans Special is essentially a meat lovers' pizza with pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, and Canadian bacon. The pizza was good. We demolished it. My friends liked the Olympia better while I preferred the Titans. They said they liked the Olympia better because it had vegetables which provided some contrasting textures. I just liked all the savory meatiness the Titans provided. Either way, you can't go wrong in my opinion. In general, the toppings were fresh and plentiful. The pizzas were thin crust. Carrie offered to add a bit of Parmesan cheese to the pizza after serving it to us (we accepted). We also had an order of Greek fries ($3.95) as an appetizer, also recommended by Carrie. The fries were delicious; thin and crispy, topped with feta cheese and served with a side of Greek tzatziki yogurt sauce. The fries were tasty enough on their own. Hot and crisp out the fryer. We demolished those too. Service was great. Carrie was attentive and really nice. She split our pizza and fries on the bill evenly and each person was charged for the drink(s) ordered. One of my friends tried their hard root beer. I think he liked it. Wes overheard us talking about video games and said, "Y'all are nerds." He then joined in on our conversation. Like I do at other restaurants, I asked the staff (in this case, Wes) about the history of the restaurant; when they opened, etc. Wes attempted to explain it to me, but the business' history (or the space's history, rather) was quite complicated. It wasn't a simple, "We opened in March." Wes could see the wheels turning in my head, so he drew me a little "treasure map" of the restaurant's history. Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/BE4DHY3QBmv/?taken-by=td2timemvp. I've dined at a lot of restaurants. This was the first time anyone's ever done something like that for me. Wow. Thanks, Wes! Graffiti's current incarnation opened on September 14, 2014. If you live or work in McDonough or are ever down in that part of metro Atlanta, the pizza at Graffiti's is worth checking out. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Maddio's is a decent place to get pizza, salad, or subs if you're in the North Druid Hills area. It's located near the Chipotle, Top Spice, and Publix in the Toco Hills Shopping Center. They serve a wide variety of pizzas and like other pizza joints, you can make your own here with over 40 toppings to choose from. Their signature pizzas is where it's at, though. I've tried the BBQ Chicken, Portabello Pesto, Jamaican Jerk, and Steak & Blue and they are all pretty good. You have the choice of regular or wheat dough and all of the ingredients are fresh. The food is prepared quickly and service is great. Larry, one of the pizza makers, is very friendly and knowledgeable. The ordering process is similar to other pizza places, such as Mellow Mushroom and Fellini's, in that you order up front and wait for your food to be delivered to you. There is a soda fountain and a place to get your silverware/condiments just near the cash register. This place can get pretty busy during dinner hours, especially when trivia is going on, so that's a good sign. Indoor and outdoor seating are both available. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel I went to Lobby at TWELVE last Thursday to cash in on some Summer Swag. Coincidentally, I learned from our hostess and server that Lobby is also currently offering an all-you-can-eat pizza deal for $10 every Thursday night (6-9pm) throughout the summer. You can add all-you-can-drink beer to that deal (basic beers only) for only $5 extra. After hearing this offer too good to refuse, my friend and I jumped on it. The location for Lobby at TWELVE is self-explanatory. It's located in the lobby at TWELVE Hotel Atlantic Station. You can pay to valet or park in Atlantic Station's parking deck. The first two hours in the deck are free. Note that the parking deck price schedule is going to change on July 11, 2011, a change brought forth by the new ownership of the property. Lobby at TWELVE only validates valet tickets and not Atlantic Station parking deck tickets. Boo. I love the look and design of this place. It's modern and chic. There are two bars, both with cool ambient lighting. The front and back dining rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that face out into Atlantic Station and 17th St. There are a few outdoor patio seats, which are good options if the weather is nice and you want to people watch. There are also a few areas with more casual, lounge-style seating. This place can get loud and if you want to get away from the noise, you can sit in one of the booths in front of the inner bar for a bit more privacy. The hostess allowed us to choose our own table. The AYCE pizza deal is simple. Each person gets their own pizza (thin crust) and chooses from any combination of the following toppings: ground beef, banana peppers, pepperoni, red onion, zucchini, and spinach. I told our server, Alteriq, to just give me a supreme (everything). This was a solid, cooked-to-order, pizza. All of the ingredients were fresh and the topping proportions were perfect. The pizzas came out hot from the oven and were served with a bit of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper. I also tried Lobby's fried calamari appetizer, which my friend ordered. To me, fried calamari is fried calamari, no matter where you get it from. They mostly taste the same. Lobby's version is relatively less greasy and is served with two dipping sauces, a pepperoncini mayonnaise and a marinara. I didn't think either were anything special. The service, when we actually got it, was outstanding. The restaurant was unusually crowded last Thursday, partly due to Summer Swag and the pizza deal, so the servers and kitchen were very busy. It took a long time for the pizzas to come out. Alteriq and the hostess were very accommodating. The crowd at Lobby is diverse. I saw out-of-town business people, moms who brought their kids (one in a stroller), college students, and couples on dates. One of the Cheetah's most popular dancers was at the bar. I only know this because someone pointed her out to me -- I wouldn't know. There were actually a lot of beautiful people here, so the scenery is nice. (I also saw Jarrett Jack in Atlantic Station after we left Lobby, but he was headed to Strip.) I'll be back later this summer to swag their regular menu. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel This review for Costco Cumberland is for its food court only. This place is great. Here's why: Hot Turkey & Provolone Sandwich: $3.99 Berry Smoothie or Latte/Mocha Freeze: $1.45 Very Berry Sundae: $1.65 Nonfat Yogurt (vanilla, chocolate): $1.35 Hand-dipped Ice Cream Bar: $1.50 1/4-pound+ Hot Dog or Polish Sausage and Fountain Drink: $1.50 Slice of Pizza (combo, cheese, or pepperoni): $1.99 Chicken Caesar Salad: $3.99 Chicken Bake: $2.99 Every single item on the menu is less than $4. The food tastes decent, the service is fast, and you don't even have to be a Costco member to take advantage of the food court. Just bring cash because it's cash only. At these affordable prices, you'd think they'd skimp on the quantity of food, but they don't. Everything is big from the sandwiches to the salads to the slices of pizza to the ice cream bars. American-sized, if you will. I like how there are options. If you want to eat healthy, you can get the Chicken Caesar Salad. Costco's Chicken Caesar Salad consists of crisp Romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, a few grape tomatoes, chopped strips of grilled chicken breast, and a large container of Caesar dressing. Croutons are optional and come sealed in a plastic bag. The Caesar Salad is big and good enough for a meal on its own. The hot dogs are good. I prefer to get the Polish sausage over the standard all-beef hot dog just because it's a bit tastier. The only difference between the Polish sausage and the hot dog is the additional spices used to prepare the Polish sausage. The sausage is nice and long. Not too plump, but not scrawny either. It's an ideal size. I like their clean, simple-to-use, and easy-to-read hot dog condiment station, which offers ketchup, mustard, deli mustard (spicier), relish, and chopped onions. Perfect. The food court is located after the checkout lanes. If entering the food court from outside, you can enter through the Exit and head left straight there. Costco Cumberland is located next door to Cumberland Mall. They share the same parking lot. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Kouzina Christos is a popular Greek and Mediterranean restaurant located in the Terrell Mill Village shopping center, next to LA Fitness, near the intersection of Powers Ferry Rd. and Terrell Mill Rd. The restaurant used to be known as Christos' Pizza and was located in the nearby Delk Spectrum shopping center with Publix. Christos has been a Marietta favorite for decades. It's named after the owner, Christos Giannes. I frequented the old location on Delk Rd. for lunch with my coworkers for many years. The current location opened Spring 2012 and we continue to return. While the menu and food are the same (still very good), the physical space for the current location is a vast improvement over the old one. The old location was a small casual joint. It kind of felt like a deli or diner. At lunchtime, it often got cramped. The current location is big and spacious. The place can better handle large groups now. It's also nice. It has a long bar, open kitchen, and flat screen TVs. There's an outdoor patio and a dessert display. Plates and silverware are high quality. The atmosphere remains casual even though the surroundings have sophisticated. Christos is popular for its gyros. I order the gyro almost every time I go. Other menu highlights include salads, falafels, grinders (New England term for sub sandwiches), pasta, pizza, calzones, and desserts including local Honeysuckle Gelato and Greek desserts like baklava. Expect to spend about $10-15 per entree. At lunchtime, this isn't cheap. Unfortunately, there aren't separate lunch and dinner menus. The only lunch exclusive is the 6-inch pizza. If you've got a huge appetite, the gyro plate ($11.95) is the way to go. The plate includes an open-faced gyro with rotisserie beef and lamb, tomato slices, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce, and pita bread. It comes with a side of fries or Greek potatoes. I've had both the fries and potatoes and both taste good. The potatoes are cut into wedges. They give you so many, it's almost like eating an entire potato. The wedges are seasoned and sauteed and come out from the kitchen hot and glistening. If you want to downsize, get the $9.95 gyro. It's not as big nor as overwhelming as the gyro plate and it also comes with a side of fries. It filling. I think Christos' gyro is very good. The ingredients are generally fresh, the feta is amazing, and the meat is savory. The ordinary pita bread could use some work. Whether Christos' gyro is the best in Atlanta is debatable. In Marietta alone, I think Nick's Session Street Grill makes a better gyro, but the dining environment and seating/parking situation at Nick's is completely different to Christos'. Another dish at Christos which is great is their Greek salad which comes with Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, cucumber, Salonika peppers, dolmathes, and a housemade Greek vinaigrette. The veggies are fresh, crisp, and ripe, making for a flavorful salad and one of the better Greek salads I've tried anywhere. Check out the specials on the chalkboard as you enter. Some are worth trying. I once had the housemade bolognese sauce over pappardelle pasta. It's a simple dish (meat sauce + pasta) that's filling. It's $8.95 and comes with a side salad. Try one of the restaurant's desserts. They have fresh-baked baklava, chocolate eclairs, and fruit tarts. There are two varieties of baklava, the regular style and shredded. The shredded baklava is more dense. Service is fine. Payment transactions are completed using iPads. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Christo's is a casual Greek restaurant that specializes in gyros, subs, salads, and pizzas. They are located in the Delk Spectrum shopping center that also houses a Publix. I go to Christo's for one reason and one reason only: their gyro plates. The gyros are served open-faced and stacked high with lamb, lettuce, tomato, onion, and tzatziki dressing all over pita bread. It's delicious, filling (large portion sizes), and reasonably priced. The lamb is soft and savory and the tzatziki dressing is very good. I've only been for lunch and it does get busy around lunch time. Sometimes there's a wait, but it's usually no more than 5 minutes. Servers are friendly and the orders come out relatively quick. You pay at the front before you leave. Ample seating inside and plenty of parking outside. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Fellini's is an Atlanta institution and has been a mainstay in this city for years for a few reasons: 1. Cheap pizza (and beer and wine). 2. Friendly, fast service and a relaxed, casual atmosphere. 3. Open late - this location until 2am every night, except Sundays (midnight). There are seven Fellini's locations in metro Atlanta. I visited this location in Buckhead late last Friday night for Tom E's late night UYE (http://www.yelp.com/events/atlanta-uye-late-night-fellinis). It was my first time at this location, surprisingly. If I go to Fellini's, I normally go to the Howell Mill location, which is closer to where I live. I also went to the Ponce location while at Tech. They're all pretty much the same. Order at the counter and wait for your food to be brought out to you. Silverware, fountain drinks, tea, etc. are self-serve. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. The outdoor option is popular. Several Fellini's have a fountain and string lighting outside, and are also located next door or nearby to a La Fonda Latin restaurant (same owners). You can order pizza by the slice for as little was $2-3 per. Whole pizzas are anywhere from $12-15 each. There's nothing too fancy or complicated about this place. They don't use 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, or have imported ovens from Italy. They just make comforting and reliable pizza. On Friday, I tried the White Pizza, which is made of mozzarella and ricotta cheese, garlic, and oregano. I also had a salad ($4.50) that comes with iceberg and romaine lettuce, mushroom, onion, green pepper, green & black olives, mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes. The White Pizza was delicious. It was made fresh and the garlic was very potent. I love garlic, so I naturally enjoyed this pizza. The crust was thin, light, and appetizingly chewy. Overall, tremendous flavor for a simple pizza. The salad was okay. There's really not much to say about it other than it was loaded with green and black olives. I could have done with less olives and more of the other ingredients, including lettuce. The other veggies were fresh enough. I wouldn't rank Fellini's house salad very high. The staff was friendly and attentive. Fellini's Buckhead has a free parking lot in the back. Be sure to park in the correctly marked spaces. -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel Viiza rates somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me. This Chinese cafe sells bubble tea and other unique drinks in plastic cups that look like light bulbs, savory pizza cones, salads, and ice cream. While they look gimmicky, the light bulb drinks taste OK and the pizza cones are actually quite yummy. This place is worth checking out. Viiza opened in July 2017 on the ground level of the Arium Westside apartment complex (formerly Tenside) at the corner of Northside Drive and 10th Street near Georgia Tech. It replaced Bubble Cafe which lasted less than two years. Bubble Cafe really didn't have anything to differentiate itself from a vastly superior Asian bakery and cafe like Sweet Hut, so sadly, I'm not surprised it closed. At least Viiza has the eye-appealing light bulb drinks and the distinctive pizza cones, although they're not the only ones in the Atlanta area doing this schtick -- Mist Poke Dessert Bar on Buford Highway serves both (and more) as well. Viiza is the only one doing it in West Midtown so that counts for something and, admittedly since I live nearby, there's a bit of a neighborhood bias in my skewed-to-4-star rating. Plenty of free parking is available inside the Arium Westside parking garage. The cafe is simple and small. If you ever went to Bubble Cafe, Viiza pretty much looks exactly the same. The interior is minimally decorated, but functional. There are six tables that can seat up to 28. There are two corners with sofas, ottomans, cushioned armchairs, and coffee tables for more relaxed, lounge-like seating. Finally, there are a couple tables on the uncovered patio out front. There are about 20 different kinds of drinks. They come in one size only and all are served in disposable light bulb cups. Most green teas cost $3.75 each. All other drinks cost $4.25 each. This isn't stated on the regular menu, but boba (tapioca pearls) are $0.50 extra per drink. At Viiza, there isn't as much of a focus on milk teas as there is on fruit (green) teas, non-alcoholic sweet cocktails like mojitos (in various flavors) and pina coladas, and sparkling drinks. In general, the drinks are cute, colorful, and photogenic (light bulb drinks seem to be made for Instagram). I've tried the Calpico grape drink with boba (#13 on the menu, $4.75), the sparkling green mango drink (#17 on the menu, $4.75), and the Thai milk tea with boba (new addition, along with taro milk tea, $4.75). The drinks were fine. Calpico is a Japanese noncarbonated soft drink that tastes similar to plain yogurt. Viiza's Calpico grape drink tasted like a sweet, grape-flavor-infused, milky, yogurt drink. It wasn't bad. I wasn't a big fan of the sparkling green mango drink. This bright green-colored drink had ample fizz and bite to it. I found it to be slightly sweet, sour, and bitter. The bottom of the drink had a bunch of what were described to me as "green mango jelly" pieces at the bottom. I wasn't certain what they were (they were firmer than the jellies I've typically had in teas) and the lady behind the counter admitted she wasn't really sure either. The Thai milk tea was alright. I prefer my Thai teas to be stronger and sweeter. There are over a dozen pizza cones priced at $4.25-5.25 each. You can also create your own pizza cone with three toppings for $4.25 (additional toppings are $0.50 each). If you create your own cone, you can choose from four sauces, 13 vegetable toppings, seven meat toppings, three seafood toppings, and three special toppings (lobster, Peking duck, and eel). I tried the following cones: * Peking duck cone ($4.50) - Peking duck, lettuce, mushroom, scallions, BBQ sauce * Sauteed beef fillet cone ($4.25) - beef fillet, onion, mushroom, peppers, BBQ sauce * BBQ eel cone ($4.50) - eel, avocado, crushed peanut, Asian zing sauce * Durian cone ($4.75) - durian, Philadelphia cheese, pineapple * Grilled chicken cone ($4.25) - grilled chicken, spinach, onion, BBQ sauce * Spicy cone ($4.25) - pepperoni, onion, corn, jalapeno, banana pepper, tomato sauce Overall, I thought the cones were tasty. For the most part, they tasted like pizza except in a neater, tidier, rolled-up cone shape. The handheld format reminds me of Hot Pockets. The crusts were soft, sometimes flaky, and many of the cones were filled with a good amount of melted cheese. The ingredients were fresh and the quality was good, as were the execution and presentation. I can't say I had a favorite cone because each had its own distinct and appetizing flavors and characteristics. Two of the more memorable cones for me were the BBQ eel cone and the durian cone. If you like unagi (Japanese freshwater eel, typically served as nigiri sushi), you'll like Viiza's BBQ eel cone. It tastes similar to unagi and I suspect the "Asian zing" sauce is simply a tare sauce like the eel sauce traditionally used on unagi. The durian cone was surprisingly creamy, custardy, pleasant, and flavorful. Service was good. There are two other Viiza locations (Brooklyn and Nashville). -
L'avis 4 étoiles de Daniel The Painted Pin is an upscale bowling alley and restaurant/bar in Buckhead that opened June 9, 2014. It reminds me of the old Ten Pin Alley in Atlantic Station (closed 2011), but better, and Ormsby's, the popular bar with lots of games in Westside. The Painted Pin is located in an old warehouse on Miami Circle. Its location is non-descript, almost hidden, much like Ormsby's. Miami Circle is a collection of art galleries, antique shops, furniture retailers, and interior design showrooms just off of Piedmont Rd. in Lindbergh. You wouldn't think to find a high-end bowling alley in this part of town and maybe that's just the way the owners like it. Eclipse Di Luna (tapas bar) is tucked away back here too. There are two signs on Miami Circle that point you towards the driveway to The Painted Pin. The bowling alley's entrance is on the side of the building. Parking is complimentary valet. The entrance is a giant hinged door flanked by gas lanterns. Upon entering the building, it feels very much like a chic and posh nightclub and lounge. The warehouse has been nicely renovated and decorated with billowy curtains, sexy furniture, ornate rugs, and even Greek and Roman statues. The Painted Pin is only open during the evenings on weekdays and opens at 11:00am on weekends. After 7:30pm, it becomes 21+ and a dress code is enforced. Before 7:30pm, feel free to wear whatever -- T-shirt, shorts, sandals if you want. While the focus is bowling, this place offers a whole lot more than that. Other games, which are free, include: Skittles - an old English pub game, similar to bowling - two sets Darts - one board Table tennis - two tables Bocce ball - two indoor courts Table shuffleboard - two tables Skee ball - two machines Basketball hoops - four hoops The two ping-pong tables are located in a tight, but well cooled room. The basketball game is not electronic. You have to keep score yourself. There are a total of 20 bowling lanes. These 20 lanes are split down the center, 10 on each side of the space, by a beautiful, rectangular-shaped, standalone bar. Behind the bar is an open kitchen with two Naples-style pizza ovens. I haven't tried any of the food or drinks here yet, so I can't comment on any specific dishes or cocktails. However, I've read the chef previously worked at One Midtown Kitchen and Parish and the bar manager previously worked at The Spence and Restaurant Eugene. Seating consists of a variety of comfy couches, chairs, and booths, along with a few high-top tables near the bar. There are several large TV displays, so the venue can double as a sports bar if you want to catch a game. As for the bowling itself, here are the rates: Monday thru Thursday: $25 per lane per hour Friday thru Sunday: $35 per lane per hour Rental bowling shoes: $4.50 Socks: $4.00 The cost of the lane can be split among the number of people bowling. Time can be added to lanes in less than one-hour increments. I know they can add time in as little as 15-minute increments. Since the business is new, everything is in great condition from the balls to the equipment to the shoes. The Painted Pin uses QubicaAMF brand bowling shoes for its rental stock. I like these shoes because they are comfortable and have easy/convenient Velcro tops. Unlike your typical bowling alley, the service at The Painted Pin is nicer. Examples: Staff will input bowlers' names into the computer scoring system. Shoes are delivered and picked up from the lane, not at a counter. A server is assigned to your lane(s) and takes/delivers food and drink orders much like a restaurant. I'm not sure why this place is called The Painted Pin, but one of the pins in each rack is painted red. One complaint I have is there is not enough space between the table and the couches at each lane. It's incredibly tight, uncomfortable, and awkward for people to get up and bowl their turns. The couches are nice though. They are UK-style chesterfield couches, presumably made of leather, with buttons. Old school and classy. Overall, The Painted Pin is a neat place to go, have fun, and hang out with friends. It's great for a group activity and I can see it working out well for private functions like a company party too. -
L'avis 3 étoiles de Daniel Sapori di Napoli is a Neapolitan pizza restaurant that opened August 2011 in downtown Decatur, just south of the square. In metro Atlanta, we're spoiled with several great Naples-style pizza restaurants from Antico in Home Park and Avalon to Varuni Napoli in Morningside to Ammazza in Edgewood to Campania in Alpharetta. Sapori di Napoli means "Taste of Naples." It's actually been around longer than almost any of the aforementioned businesses. As far as an authentic Naples restaurant ambiance goes, I think Sapori, along with Antico and Varuni, fit the bill best. The chefs/owners of Sapori, Daniele and Ambrogio Florio, are from the Naples area. As I was told by one of the servers here, Daniele is the pasta chef and Ambrogio is the pizza chef (pizzaiolo). Like their competitors, the brothers Florio imported their oven from Italy. In this case, it's a single Mario Acunto wood-burning oven. Stefano Ferrara is the other popular variant. The restaurant is modestly sized with both indoor and outdoor seating. Outside, there are several umbrella-covered tables both on the semi-enclosed, string-lit patio as well as the storefront sidewalk facing Church St. Inside, there are several tables of varying sizes in an open format. Unlike the other Neapolitan pizza places, Sapori is a sit-down restaurant. If dining in, a server will seat you and orders are placed from your table. The restaurant has a laid back, casual, family-like atmosphere. The open kitchen, with the Acunto oven proudly on display, and dining area are contained within one congruous space. There's a projector screen, which displays a variety of programming including vintage black and white movies. There are about a dozen red pizzas and a half-dozen white pizzas on the menu. Expect to spend roughly $20 for each. Each is about 15 inches in diameter and I'd say one pizza is good for every two people. True to the Neapolitan standard, ingredients include "00" flour and San Marzano tomatoes. Here's a rundown of the pizzas I've tried: Red Pizzas: * Diavola - San Marzano tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, spicy soppressata salame * Carnosa - San Marzano tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, Italian sausage, spicy soppressata salame, cotto ham * Mergellina - San Marzano tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, Italian sausage, roasted sweet peppers, onions * Cinque Formaggi (special) - San Marzano tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, smoked bufala mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano White Pizzas: * Bianchina - smoked bufala mozzarella, bufala mozzarella, ricotta, Pecorino Romano My favorite so far is the Bianchina. Not surprising since I'm a fan of white pizza. The soft, succulent lumps of ricotta are what gets me. The Cinque Formaggi isn't far off. Cinque formaggi means "five cheeses" and it is truly a rich, cheesy pizza. The Diavola, Carnosa, and Mergellina are all A-OK. I can't say I prefer one over the other. The soppresata is cut into long, somewhat thick strips. It is indeed spicy, almost overpowering to a fault. Easily the spiciest salami I've had on any sort of Neapolitan pizza. The Carnosa is the meat lover's pizza with savory chunks of Italian sauage and bits of cotto prosciutto (cooked ham). Generally, I've found the dough on Sapori's pizzas to be comparatively soggier. Whether it's slightly "under" cooked or there's too much tomato sauce (who am I to question a pizzaolo?), I don't know. The outer crust is charred and has some decent crispness to it, but overall, I just don't find the crust as appetizing, soft, and pleasantly chewy as some of the other places. Also, the cheeses don't seem to flow and meld together as nicely. That said, the pizzas aren't bad by any means. They're just not as good. Sapori offers quite a bit else other than pizza including Italian cured meats (speck, finocchiona, coppa, cacciatorini) and cheeses (e.g. bufala), salads, imported olives, daily handmade pastas, traditional entrees like eggplant Parmesan, and desserts including cannoli and tiramisu. Try the Arancini as a starter. One order comes with five fried balls of rice cooked with peas, mushrooms, and ground beef with a side of San Marzano tomato sauce. Hot and satisfying. Service is good. The pizzas don't come out lightning quick, but your mileage may vary. Parking can be found right next to the restaurant. The parking lot is free after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. In Decatur, street parking is free after 6pm, Monday-Saturday, and free all day Sunday. Parking in the courthouse deck is free after 5pm and all weekend. In the end, Sapori di Napoli is great if you're looking for Neapolitan pizza in Decatur. However, I'm not sure it merits a special trip if one of the other places is located more conveniently to you. -
L'avis 3 étoiles de Daniel Don Antonio by Starita is a Neapolitan pizza restaurant that opened in Buckhead in January 2014. It opened in the old STG Trattoria space. I was a fan of STG (http://www.yelp.com/biz/stg-trattoria-atlanta?hrid=j_MLDBNLXRefoolRPqL1wQ) and was sad to see it go. While Don Antonio is similar to STG in that it serves Neapolitan pizzas, the menu is much bigger and the pizzas are served in a more rustic and traditional Italian setting as opposed to STG's sleek and modern environs. Don Antonio comes to Atlanta by way of New York, where another location of this restaurant resides. The business is brought to you by experienced pizzaiolos Roberto Caporuscio and Antonio Starita. Roberto's daughter, Giorgia, is also a pizza chef and may likely be the one you'll see running the show in Buckhead. The restaurant is hidden, tucked away in the back corner of a nondescript shopping center next to the St. Regis hotel. Though there is a sign on the street, I think most customers find out about Don Antonio's existence through media and word of mouth. Perhaps the somewhat hard-to-find location was part of the reason for STG's shuttering. And with Your Pie's opening in June 2014, there's a more visible pizza alternative just down the street. Don Antonio is an open and fairly spacious restaurant. It's great for groups. They've got an outdoor patio decorated with string lights and optionally covered with big umbrellas. The restaurant interior has two dining spaces, one for small groups and one for big groups (with long communal tables). The sections are separated with sheer, decorative, floor-to-ceiling curtains. There are a couple bars and an open kitchen. The pizza bar features two Acunto wood-burning ovens. Of all the Neapolitan pizza restaurants in the Atlanta area, I think Don Antonio has the biggest menu. They serve an eye-popping 60-70 different types of pizza, including over a dozen that are gluten-free, plus a whole host of small plates and salads. Some apps can be as little as a few dollars (e.g. $3 Fraticelli) to $15-20 for a luscious, homemade plate of burrata. Each pizza is 12-inches in diameter and cut into four slices. Most pizzas run about $15-20 each, though some of the special pizzas can reach upwards of $25. I've tried the following: Antipasti (apps): * Arancini - Neapolitan rice balls with baked Italian ham * Fritattine - spaghetti cake with baked Italian ham and smoked buffalo mozzarella Pizza Fritte (lightly fried pizza): * Montanara Genovese - lightly fried pizza dough topped with pork, onions, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil * Montanara Starita - lightly fried pizza dough topped with "signature" Starita tomato sauce, smoked buffalo mozzarella, basil Pizze Bianche (white pizza): * Quattro Formaggi - buffalo mozzarella, gran cru, Caciocavallo Ragusano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, BelGioioso Crescenza-Stracchino, basil Pizze Rosse (red pizza): * Margherita with Prosciutto - tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil, extra virgin olive oil * Calzone - tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, fresh ricotta, salami, Pecorino Romano, basil, extra virgin olive oil Pizza Speciale (special pizza): * Noci e Zucchini - smoked buffalo mozzarella, cream of walnut, zucchini, basil, extra virgin olive oil Senza Glutine (gluten-free pizza): * Margherita - tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil, extra virgin olive oil The various antipasti balls are small, but delicious. They're lightly fried, crispy, not too greasy, and flavorful. I like both the Arancini and Fritattine. I recommend one order for everyone 1-2 people. The fried pizzas are excellent. They're my favorite items on the menu here. You can't go wrong with either the Montanara Genovese or the Montanara Starita. The Montanara Starita seems to be the quintessential pizza at Don Antonio. The sharp, distinct flavor of the tomato sauce really shines through. The crusts on the fried pizzas are a bit thicker than the typical Neapolitan pizza. The dough is also crispier, but still maintains that appetizing, hearty chew. I think the Genovese is the tastier of the two just because of the savory ground pork. The Calzone is also great. Listed under the red pizza section, the calzone sports the same crispy, chewy dough as the fried pizzas and it's filled with succulent cheeses. This isn't your typical Americanized calzone. This is an authentic Neapolitan calzone. The red and white pizzas I've tried have been OK. The Quattro Formaggi and Margherita with Prosciutto are slightly underwhelming mainly because much superior versions can be had elsewhere in Atlanta. I'm not a fan of the Noci e Zucchini pizza nor the gluten-free Margherita pizza. The former didn't taste very good and the latter seemed overly doughy with too much of a burnt, char taste from the crust. Service can be slow and it's difficult to communicate with some of the servers at times (language barrier). In summary, stick with the fried apps, fried pizzas, and calzone.
