If you’re down in San Diego and somehow find yourself in Little Italy, stop by Napizza — I’m told it’s the Italian slang for getting “a slice” of pizza — and grab one from the array they have on display.
We stopped by to check this place out and was surprised it was SO packed. This fast casual spot is great for a quick slice, or, any time of day. I loved the cute decor and how they offer both outdoor and inside seating.
We started with Minestrone ($2 small/$4 large) a classic Italian soup with a variety of boiled vegetables but not done the way Americans are used to. Tomatoes are not the base in this soup, and the vegetables are blended together to give it a thick consistency. In fact, this is how I make vegetable soup at home and found it really comforting to see it prepared this way.
There is an array of salads and we tried the Fisherman ($11.75) utilizing wild arugula as its base with avocado, quinoa, balsamic marinated shallots, cannellini beans and homemade garlic. Topped with local seasonal catch — on the night of our visit, bay scallops — everything is tossed together with a very subtle parsley lemon dressing and generous enough to share as a side.
Pizzas here use a flour imported from Italy which gives the crust a different texture and consistency. The pizzas are square instead of round and each square slice comes with a variety of toppings.
BAPO ($4.75 slice/$24 half pizza) was surprisingly good with thin slices of red potato, nicely salted bacon and sprinkled with fresh mozzarella and drizzled with zucchini velvet, a creamy green sauce. I don’t usually like potatoes on top of pizza, but the thin slices worked very well here.
When we saw the Truffle Porcini ($5.75/$24 half pizza) we were immediately drawn to it, however, it was our least favorite. The porcini and cremini mushrooms were ample and flavorful on its own, but when paired together with the pizza crust, the mushrooms seemed to fade into the background. Even the truffle cream, fresh mozzarella and parsley wasn’t able to help it along.
However, the Old Fashion Amatriciana ($4.75/$24) won me back with its signature tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, crispy pancetta and Roman pecorino cheese. This would have to be my favorite of the night. The tomato sauce was robust and hearty and required little else to make it shine. Everything else was just icing on the cake. So simple, yet so fabulous!
The other surprise of the evening was Z-Bomb ($4.75/$24). The slice looked plain, but the combination of the smoked turkey breast, zucchini and home made cream cheese truffle pate was an explosion in my mouth. The parsley and black pepper added freshness and complexity to an honestly delicious slice!
These are Lazio, or Roman style pizzas so don’t get upset when they’re not what you’re used to. They’re just as delicious, but just different to your usual pizza pie!
Napizza
1702 India Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: 619-696-0802
Ooh, truffle porcini!
and they use all seasonal local produce and organic whenever possible.