Quick Bites: Pizza!
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The idea of putting toppings on flatbread has been around for centuries, but it was only after the tomato arrived from the New World that the pizza, as we know it, was born in Italy. And while Italian immigrants baked and sold pizzas in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia in the early 1900s (New York’s Little Italy had the first pizzeria in 1905), it was the GIs returning from duty in Italy after WWII that created nationwide demand for the “tomato pie.” Here in the Gables a dozen places specialize in pizza; we sampled a few for you.
Gables juice bar & muscle pizza
Tucked away on Almeria between Ponce and Salzedo, this tiny place serves some of the best pizza in town. The pizzas are made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and hemp protein (protein is big here). All the pizzas (we tried the “Mulato” with black olives, onions, and mushrooms at $15) are “personal” so on the small size, and there’s not much room to sit. But flavorful, with a crisp crust.
230 Almeria.
305.529.9090
Grade: B+
Verace artisan pizzeria
Verace has the feel of a neighborhood Italian pizzeria, with 12-inch pies and plenty of tables for sitting down. We tried the Truffle Prestige ($24), topped with homemade truffle cream, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and truffle oil. The earthy truffle and mushrooms worked well together, and you could taste the quality of the ingredients. Our only complaint was the crust: softer and a little soggy toward the center when we wanted more crispness.
241 Sevilla Ave.
786.881.8094.
Grade: B-
Mister O1 extraordinary pizza
Pizza comes in all shapes. At Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza, that includes stars. The Star Luca ($21.99) has a thin, star-shaped crust, with ricotta filling each point, rounds of spicy salami across the red sauce and strips of basil on top. The salami gives it a kick, the ricotta its creaminess. More importantly, the thin crust holds up under the cheese and toppings, staying firm. Overall delicious.
110 Alhambra
Cir. 786.613.4159.
Grade: A+
Terre del Sapore
Terre del Sapore serves Neapolitan pizza, which means a moist, floppy, and flavorful, best eaten hot. We ordered the Mortadella e Pistachio ($21) with pistachio pesto, burrata, mortadella, and chopped pistachios. The pesto has a mild, nutty flavor that pairs well with the mortadella. We spread the burrata across each slice, for creaminess with the pistachio crunch. The pizza was a little greasier than we would have liked, however, and unevenly cut.
246 Giralda Ave.
786.870.5955.
Grade: B-
Belluz Pizza
Belluz specializes in Roman-style pizza, made with dough cold-fermented for up to 48 hours – and it shows in the crust. Thin, crisp and lightly charred, it held its crunch from center to edge. We tried the classic Cheese P ($22.99), made with quality Italian ingredients including fior di latte and tomato sauce. It’s also the only pizzeria in the Gables offering the pie by the slice.
2413 Galiano St.
305.461.0711.
Grade: A
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