Pizza Preview: Three New Spots to Look For


neopizza_250Neapolitan-style pizza is all the rage in NYC these days, and we’re getting a few places to call our own. Here are more details on these soon-to-be-open parlors.

Slice
Opening: This is the second outpost of this spot (the first being in South Philly), and it opened last week.
Pizza style: Napolitano-style, cooked in a traditional gas pizza oven. The pies here come in two sizes, a personal 12-incher or a larger one to share. The crust isn’t as floppy as traditional Neapolitan pizza, but it’s thin and very light. The sauce isn’t sweet, but well seasoned and fresh, meaning one could (um, we did) eat a lot of it.
Toppings: The toppings range from traditional Italian like the Margherita (San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil) to the Hawaiian, which is topped with pineapple and prosciutto. You can also get whole-wheat crust.
Other menu items: Salads here are first rate and really add to the meal (read: It’s impossible to find good, quick salads in Center City). There are fresh apple slices and gorgonozla with a light vinaigrette, and more complex salads like prosciutto and pineapple, arugula with pine nuts, and a garden salad. All come with a slice of a garlicky flatbread.
Vibe: This is your typical order-at-the-counter joint but has a bright, clean feel inside and you can BYO and get takeout or delivery.
Location: 1740 Sansom Street, 215-557-9299; slicepa.com.

Pizzeria Stella
Opening: End of September/early October.
Pizza style: Stephen Starr went on a journey to find the perfect pizza (read a great article by Rick Nichols about it here) and decided that the super fold-y and drippy true Neapolitan pizza wasn’t for him. Expect a more sturdy thin crust, individual 12-inch pies, and San Marzano tomatoes. The oven he’s using is embargoed information — if we told you, we’d have to kill you. No, seriously, we don’t know either, but we do know it’s more expensive than our car and it was made in Italy.
Toppings: Not many details yet on toppings; finding the ideal dough and sauce is still in the works.
Other menu items: Early reports point to a selection of antipasti and salads.
Vibe: This 75-seater will be a full-serve (with more than 20 wine options), sit-down restaurant and offer lunch, dinner, and eventually takeout. Sounds like the décor will be old-world with modern touches.
Location: On Headhouse Square at 2nd and Lombard.

Zavino
Opening: October.
Pizza style: Owner Steve Gonzales, who has spent time cooking in Italy and for Marc Vetri, says his pizza will be a cross between a Neapolitan and Sicilian, not too thick, not too thin. (So, in reality, we aren’t getting any Neapolitan pizza places.) His oven is wood burning and will reach a temp of 900 degrees, so expect a crispy crust.
Toppings: Seasonal toppings will abound. Think artichoke and Swiss chard, as well as all-year classics like the Polpettini, with tomato sauce, provolone cheese, and mini-veal meatballs.
Other menu items: This will also be a full-serve restaurant with wine, beer, and cocktails; pastas (think beef ravioli and roasted lamb with eggplant and mint); salads like panzanella; and cheese and charcuterie.
Vibe: They are going for a rustic feel, have outdoor seating, and are hoping to pull in a late-night crowd with food served till 2 a.m.
Location: The unstoppable 13th Street corridor — 112 South 13th Street; 215-732-2400.