Capri, Italy – Pizza Roundup Time!
OK first, let’s get a few things straight: 1) You’d have to try pretty damn hard to have a pizza here that’s not tasty. Either that, or you’re onna those types who only like Sicilian deep-dish. Or you’re just a Pizza Hater. OK, we did find one place, after 4 visits here over the past 12 years, that did suck. Read on… b) So we’re basically splitting hairs when we grade these pies, since they’re all good 3) Yes, you can eat pizza every day. And I dare say, maybe every meal of every day. d) We packed on the pounds for this post, so enjoy it! e) We had our pal Barry with us, so were able to order more pies – Yee haw! and, 4) I can’t remember them all and was pretty hammered most of the time, so here’s the ones that stuck:
Trianon Da Ciro
Pizzeria Trianon Ca Ciro – This one’s in Napoli, not Capri, but close enough. So sue me! Wait, on second thought don’t. Anyway, where Villa Verde gets the award for Best Pizza on the Island of Capri, the pie here is the best pie of the trip. Read our review. Grade: 5
Aurora – Back in the day, when it was Aurora Pizzeria, this was our fave. A daily go-to for thin crust margy with hot oil and a carafe or three of house wine. Well, the pizza is still very good even though Aurora has gone from Pizzeria to a more upscale restaurant. The cheese is very flavorful, and the tomato sauce has an excellent blend of sweetness with some nice bite from the oregano and garlic. Oh yeah, great crust too! Grade: 4
Villa Verdé
Villa Verdé – Fan-f’ing-tastic Margarita pie. The crust was perfectly thin, with a very slight crisp to it and perfectly blistered. The sauce rocked it, with a slight sweetness from the San Marzanos, and the cheese was tender Bufala, melted perfectly. The Key Ingredient Distribution of the cheese and sauce was perfection. And the addition of hot oil makes it! Our fave on the island this time around! Grade: 5
La Capannina – This is a cute spot, with a good menu. But, blah pie for most part. Nothing about the crust, sauce or toppings stood out. We wanted it too, we’re looking for a new daily go-to! But, no. Remember, this is a tough grading scale! Grade: 2.5
da Giorgio
da Giorgio – Bam. These guys are solid. Located near the Piazza above Marina Grande (read: Touristica-ville), we always blew right past this spot. But our bud Vincenzo from Casa Morgano (an excellent hotel here), where our pal Barry was staying, hyped it big time and got us in on a busy Saturday night. Bada-bing. In addition to all the awesome non-pizza food we enjoyed, the Margarita Pizza was spot-on. And, the people here are even more fun and cool than usual, and that’s saying something about Italian hospitality. I mean, if an Italian hates you, you’re either 1) French or b) A d-bag. Anyhoo, check it. As with most Great Pies, it’s the basics that make it. Simple, fresh and perfectly cooked. And I liked the way the basil leaves were so randomly tossed on, and right at the end so they were ever-so-slightly softened from the heat of the pie, but still garden fresh. Yum! Grade: 4.5
La Piazzetta
La Piazzetta – Hey itsa great pie. We hit this place every time we’re walking down to Marina Piccola, it’s super laid-back, with a big outdoor terrace. We had a couple pies, one a Margy w/ Mushrooms and one Pomodoro with Arugula. This little place brings it, people. Both pies were excellent, but the Pomodoro, with the sweet little cherry tomatoes and spicy arugula was a real winner. Plus, they put sauce on it. Sometimes when you order a Pomodoro the only tomato is the tomatoes on it, this one had terrific sauce as well. A slight knock for the crust getting just a tennsy weensy too thick near the edges, but that’s it. Hey we’re bitches, you wouldn’t even notice! Grade: 4
Ristorante Sollievo – We’re gonna knock the pie, but I gotta tell ya fella, the rest of the meal was awesome. Anyhoo, this is called ‘Pizza’ roundup for a reason, so here goes. We had the Marinara pizza, and I just didn’t like it that much. The crust was a little chewy, and I guess I just wanted cheese. Yes, yes, I hear you; “Well, don’t order a Marinara Pizza then, dumbass.” But I tried to keep an open mind, and will also defer to my co-tasters. The sauce was a little bitter. Blah! But go for other food, the seafood & pasta dishes are OFF THE HOOK!! Grade: 2.5
They call this a Pizza?!
Capri’s Ristorante – Pizza? You call this Pizza? WTF is this crap? THAT’S NOT A PIZZA!!! Now I’m pissed. Shit, this was our last day too, we got a late start to grabbing lunch and this was the only place we could find still serving. Two words: Buzz Kill. Grade: 1. Wait. Make that 0.
Even the Airport makes a killer pie!
Napoli Airport: Yes, a no-name airport resto. And no, it’s not in Capri. I know! But after being royally bummed about that crap they served us at Capri’s Ristorante, I mean look at that (up and to the right)! Ugh. OK, I’ll get over it. Anyhoo, we were still a bit hungry, so went to the one ‘restaurant’ in the Napoli Airport. They served salads and panini mostly. But we saw one station, completely empty, that ‘said’ they served pizza. Like I said, deserted. No server, no people, no nothing. So I yelled out ‘Pizza!’ and a woman from the salad station walked over. Great, I’m thinking. It’s gonna be a shitty pizza day for VdV. So I order a Margarita Pie and a huge bottle of wine to wash down what I think is gonna be a real loser.
But wait! They make it fresh, I almost wept. She pulled out a ball of dough and went to town on it like a pro, kneading it then tossing it like she’d been doing it for decades. Then ladled on some tangy smelling tomato sauce. Then she grabbed a ball of mozzarella, and tore little chucks off. Same with fresh basil. It made us happy. The crust could have been a little more blistered, but WTF, we’re at an airport! And it helped us end our pizza exploration on an up note after that f’ing horrid pizza (pizza?) at Capri’s Ristorante. Grade: 3
So long story short? Ha. Short. Right! Like I said (or she said), it’s hard to go wrong on this island no matter what you eat and it’s that way with the pies too. Except for Capri’s Ristorante, even a ’3′ beats almost anything you’d find in the States.
One Response to “Capri, Italy – Pizza Roundup Time!”