First Impression: Antico Pizza Napoletana: Westside
Published by The Blissful Glutton on September 28, 2009 at 8:55 PMIt takes a lot for me to to jump off of my couch, throw on some clothes and speed over to a restaurant after settling in for the night. But that's just what I did after getting a call from my friend (partner in crime and pizza freak), Kit Fenton, tonight proclaiming he'd just had "the best pizza in Atlanta." I have no idea how Antico Pizza Napoletana flew under my (and everyone else's) radar. But my first visit was a revelation. 
Owner Giovanni Di Palma (a native of New York and Naples) is the kind of man who instantly wins your adoration. His enthusiasm and pure passion for true Naples style pizza is so infectious, I was thrown into a manic state of pizza lust the moment I entered the brand new Westside Pizzeria. Yes, lust. And anyone who wants to know where Enrico Liberato (the former pizzaiolo at Fritti) has disappeared to need not look any further.
Luca Varuni, Giovanni Di Palma and Enrico Liberato.
Is it completely irresponsible for someone who reviews restaurants on a semi-professional basis to say this spot is the real deal after just one visit where I chatted with the owner without the requisite veil of anonymity and ate in the kitchen while interviewing the staff? Completely. Hate me or love me--I'm all about full-disclosure when it comes to my readers. So, forgive my loss of control. There is so much to say about this place, but I'll just give you my first impressions for now.
The ingredients are impeccable and the kitchen exceeds all the criteria for authentic pizza Margherita dictated by the Margherita Regina Associazione of Napoli. Check out the certificate that proves it:
It sits next to this framed record of Di Palma's grandfather's arrival to Ellis Island.
Love it!
Love it!
The three ovens were imported from Naples and reach temperatures up to 1000 degrees, which means the pizzas cook in 60 seconds or less.
This was waiting for me when I pulled up:
The San Gennaro
The Margherita D.O.P
It tasted just like Italy. The slightly sour crust is puffy--as it should be--so the ingredients have no where to go and are therefore cooked uniformly. This classic method--I think the Italians know a bit about architecture--ensures there is little sogginesss. The sauce is made with beautiful San Marzano tomatoes, the crust uses a special flour from the hometown of Di Palma's family (a town the size of Inman Park) and a high quality Bufala mozzarella, which both Liberata and Di Palma still lament is just not the same as the kind you get delivered to your door by the farmer in Italy.
A selection of some of the ingredients
Luca Varuni runs the dessert area where impeccable cannoli (available in many flavors) are filled to order with a pitch-perfect ricotta they import from Italy.
A very bad picture of the cannoli after we attacked them.
Every order of crackly cannoli comes with a free espresso made the old-school way on the stove. Observe:
Above the dessert area and cash-wrap is a Lichtenstein inspired banner with pictures of Di Palma's son, Gian Luigi, demonstrating how to eat the pizza the correct way. Yes, I did complain about Varasano's signage, but this is cuter:
Gian Lugi is not just a pretty face. He can talk trash about his pizza skills versus another well-known Atlanta "pizza maker" and will be teaching pizza-making classes to other kids starting in a few weeks. He is also quite the pint-sized gent who refused to let me carry my order to my car alone.
More information to come on this new spot as it develops. But I have to say it has loads of promise. The "seating" is pretty much non-existent at this time (there is talk about having outdoor tables in the future), so be prepared to stand at the "bar" while you eat or take it to go. I would stand and eat if I were you.
The restaurant is located at 1093 Hemphill Avenue. Atlanta, GA. 30318. 404-724-2333. www.anticopizza.it.
It's open on Monday through Friday from 4:00 PM until "the dough runs out" and Saturdays from noon until--you guessed it--"the dough runs out."The pizzas start at about $15 depending on what you order. But they are so worth it. Run do not walk.
I've got some videos from my visit that I will be posting as soon as I can figure out how to edit them. Stay tuned...
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Dear lord, that looks AMAZING. Damn if I don't want to change out of my PJs and go over there RIGHT NOW!
Until the dough runs out? You know it's serious stuff when a shortage in dough marks the closing time. Kinda far away from Athens so I'll have to hit this place up when I'm out for break. Thanks for the find!
Is that the space where Jaqbo Bakery used to be? It looks like it from the photo. The google maps link is somewhat inconclusive but I believe that's what I'm seeing.
I used to live a block from there. Jaqbo was a regular stop, but not as regular as this place would have been if your pictures are any indication!
oh man, nice find! i may have to hit them up tomorrow.
Edward: I do believe it is the same location. Sorry about the Google Maps link. It was acting wonky so I took it down.
Wow! I've been in Atlanta almost 20 years and have yet to find a good Sausage pizza(normally it's that sliced variety). My wait may be over...
Wow-the pizza looks amazing! Will definitely have to give this place a try.
Google map wonky b/c zip is 30318.
OMG!!
As a New Yorker I am truly jealous! this place and the stories and the Photos are a revelation. The next time i'm in GA, I must get to athens!!! WOW!
This looks SERIOUS. How long has he been open? How could we not know about a pizza place like this!!
Thanks for the info.
You did it again BG!!! I can't wait to try the pizza... looks incredible! - Freakshow.
This is the absolute best pizza we have ever had! When we asked our little ones what they wanted for dinner...they said Giovanni's Pizza. :)
We live an hour away, but my sweet husband is stopping by today to pick up some more. We can't wait to order online and have it shipped to the door. YUM!!
They really need to get rid of the Flash movie on their home page that took two minutes to load and a minute or so to play! At least give me a chance to click past it and get to the information!
Wow. So it's not "pure douchebaggery" to instruct someone on how to eat pizza, so long as the instructions are accompanied by a picture of a kid? Got it.
In case anyone needs a reminder, here's BG just a few weeks ago:
"I understand you may need to explain certain details of particular dining styles if we are taking about a churrascaria for instance. But do we really need to be told how to eat pizza??? I find it insulting and equally ridiculous that the signage seemingly indicates that eating the pizza with a knife and fork is taboo. Well, here is a little truth: This is NOT a New York street slice. You actually do need a knife and fork lest the inherent juiciness ruin your favorite outfit. Pure douchebaggery."
I also think I spy garlic from a jar in that picture of the ingredients.
chip
if varasano's pizza didn't suck so bad, maybe you wouldn't have to come over here and cry like a little bitch
the truth is that this pizza is four times better than varasano's will ever be
please insert a rubik's cube up your tight ass
Dear Chip,
The answer to your question is: yes, kids negate the douchebag factor. And I do believe I linked to my rant in my post but thanks for quoting me anyway.
As long as we are asking questions, just wondering if you work for Jeff or are you Jeff himself?
XOXO
Jen
P.S. Great name. Couldn't fit you better.
Chip.
I must join in here. I have been eating G's pizza for three years now and it is as real as it get!. Don't be sad. No one else seems to be.
It looks like this pizza is take out only. Does it survive the drive home or is it a eat now Varasano's type?
I drove by today and there were people knocking on the door trying to get in even though they don't open til 4:00. I can't wait to try it.
it's not like you can fold JV's za slices anyway. they flop around like a flaccid member
it's like trying to fold a wet wash cloth
BG-
I tried to reply earlier, but for some reason it hasn't posted. To your question, no, I'm not Varasano, nor do I have any connection whatsoever to that restaurant or its namesake. I haven't even been there, though I'm sure I'll make it some time. I was simply interested in juxtaposing your earlier rant, which I found unfair (as I did all the pile-on comments), with your new contrary position. Points to you for linking to your earlier post though. I'm still not sure what to make of the change of heart - I guess an invite into the kitchen does wonders for one's aspect.
To anon's point- I'm not "crying like a little bitch." I'm just hoping for a little evenhandedness. I'm sure the pizza at this new place is good, and I'll try it when I'm on the westside next.
Listening to people in Atlanta bitch about Pizza is like listening to New Yorkers cry about who makes the best grits.
All of you just shut the hell up!
Chip:
Let me explain myself since you have never been to Varasano's. Well before the opening, most of Atlanta was hit over the head with hype about how great the man and his pizza were. Jeff touted his methodology as superior and even bashed many existing pizzerias in his self-promotion. When the restaurant opened, diners quickly realized Jeff wasn't cooking the pizzas. And the pizzas were woefully inconsistent. Furthermore, every single time I visited the restaurant, the servers went on and on about Jeff's accomplishments. It got very tiring and made the entire dining experience one of dread instead of pleasure. I don't like ego served with my food. The table tents were just the last straw.
This new spot did no such preopening press. The guys are incredibly humble, friendly, passionate and the owner is actually making the pizza. So, I can forgive a cute little colorful sign starring the guy's son.
I hope that helps you understand my reasoning.
You should try both regardless as my opinion is only one of many.
Jen
P.S. No idea why your other comment didn't go through. I get an email for each one and only saw the two that posted.
Jen,
Your spite for Varasano's in your comments makes it seem like you were stood up on a date by Jeff himself. Although I agree with you that Jeff's ego, marketing tactics, and instructions on how to eat a pizza don't bode well for my dining experience, in my opinion, the pizza wars should be solely about the pizza. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to trying out this pizza- hope it lives up to the hype you certainly are creating.
And Di Palma, if you are reading these comments, your website takes far too long to load.
Eating the Margherita right now with wife and daughter (drove by after work..read this review today). Yes, this is the best pizza in Atlanta. On par if not better than Luzzo's in NYC. Finally, a proper pizza place. No pretentiousness like Varasanos or Fritti. The pizza does the talking. Delicious.
Anon #18 -
The pizza holds up wonderfully on the way home!
Chip -
The "instructions" are more of a decoration, art that's on the wall, not directions. That's a big distinction in my book.
The Best Pizza in ATL is an understatement. I believe the best in the USA would be the more appropriate title for ANTICO. If you have doubts, go try it and see for yourself. I did.
DMAC
I couldn't sleep last night and decided to search for any new eateries. I looked at BG and was I surprised! This new pizza place called Antico llooks incredible. My search for the perfect pizza in Atl might finally be over. I'm going to Antico to find out for myself today. Tune in tomorrow for my review.
Whoa...this place was hoppin' last nite.
I had the San Gennaro…truly the best pizza in the history of ATL!!
yum stopped by last night - they crank that shit out! can't wait to go back. thanks for the heads up Jen!
People need to relax, it's just an opinion (albeit a very well respected one). She's allowed to have whatever opinion she wants and we're free to disagree with it. I can't believe how serious people get about this stuff. I appreciate the find and am excited to try this place.
I ate the pizza last night and it is truly the best pizza ive ever had! The place was slammed and rightfully so. Cant wait to eat Antico again!
Best pizza in ATL for sure! Ate there last night and i will definately be eating there very often.
I have a new restaurant. I would like to pay for an "advertorial" like Antico. Please contact me with pricing and timing.
Thanks.
I went tonight and it is the best pizza I've had in the city. The owner is super nice too. We couldn't even wait and ate our pizzas on the little strip of grass right outside the restaurant. This is one of those places that I would still go to even if I lived in a truly amazing food city (but the find is even more sweet in Atlanta).
I rushed to Anitco as soon as I read this review. I must say that all of these raves woefully understate the importance of this pizza.
I ordered a margherita (my test pizza for gauging the quality of a pizza joint). I decided not to wait and ate it in my car. Warning - if you go this route, make sure to get extra napkins. Upon taking my first bite, I felt every synapse in my brain firing simultaneously, sensed my blood pressure rapidly racing upward, and began convulsing in an unrestrained delicious pizza-induced seizure. This lasted for 37 seconds, at which point my head literally exploded.
I am dead now, and my car is a mess. I realized the extra napkins would have come in handy as my disembodied soul watched my poor wife try to clean off the our Camry's dashboard.
It was so worth it though. Antico is not simply the best pizza in Atlanta as BG belives, nor is it as someone noted above, the best pizza in the USA. And it is so much more even than the best pizza in the entire world. It is the best THING that has ever existed: one bite delivers an experience so profound, so majestic, that it catapults you clean through the walls of reality until you're gazing into the face of god. and then your head explodes. Thanks for the tip, BG!
Pizza vs. Pizza....Antico is Varasano's wet dream. It's no comparision. Varasano's is pretty god awful with its super sour crust. This talk though, about Antico being the best in the US...I wouldn't quite go there yet. Luzzo's, Una Pizza in NYC...or Bianco in Phoenix are as close to perfection as you get. This is not to put down Antico, it is clearly one of the better ones, just not the best. After all of the Varasano's hype in this town, I'm so glad that people will finally get to taste a real pie, way to go Antico!
It is indeed great pizza. Had it last night. Some of the best around... if you don't mind eating in your car in the tiny 5-car parking lot.
Sorry if I sound negative, but this kind of pizza doesn't travel well and it is incredibly expensive for the GA Tech neighborhood it's in. Then need to find a way to serve you there or their days are truley numbered, no matter how good it is.
They'll serve the pizza on a sheet pan you eat off at the counter.
The pizza is pricier, but you are paying for the quality of the ingredients.
I do have some concerns about their business model as the pizza does not stay crisp on the drive home. But we tried reheating it in the oven last night and it came back to life remarkably well.
Eat it in your car, eat it on the curb, eat it at the counter, eat it on the grass, eat it in the small parking lot...who cares? This za is so good I'm sure Antico will eventually make allowances for their sure-to-be ever-expanding cosmic popularity.
If they are eager for patrons to eat the pizza somewhere other than their establishment then they can be the first one around to offer pizza delivery in the home. I dont think anyone has ever thought to do that before...
There are like 10 places in NYC that offer pizza just like this---and they all have figured out how to put out tables and chairs. These guys should do the same.
I'm a Georgia Tech student that has fallen in love with Neapolitan pizza after working in DC and New York.
When I returned to Atlanta this semester I immediately set out to find more of the pizza that I have grown to love. The fact is I enjoyed the pizza at Varasano's. I enjoyed the sauce on the pizzas at Fritti (although not the crust).
And now, I look forward to trying this pizza. This sure looks like it will be worth the one block walk from my dorm room. I'll be sure to write up my findings at some point.
Ok - ran by tonight with a friend. This place is amazing.
1. The cooks are talkative and amiable
2. The pizza is great: soft, fluffy dough; light, fresh tomato sauce; crisp underside that didn't get soggy
3. The experience... Standing around the table and talking to the other pizza loving patrons was great!
I'll be back here again... probably within the week.
The price of the Margherita has increased from $15 to $17.
Could Antico Pizza replace my beloved Rosa's!
"The pizza is pricier, but you are paying for the quality of the ingredients."
Amen, BG. I finally had the chance to stop by Antico this afternoon. I won't gripe about the price because in my opinion it's worth it (and you will certainly taste the difference). The pizza here is no joke (love the Margherita D.O.P.), and don't get me started on the calzoni. While it is true that the pizza doesn't travel well (best eaten fresh from the Antico oven), a reheated slice is still pretty tasty in my opinion.
Best pizza in Atlanta? Well, it's certainly the best pizza I've ever had in this city.
Great job Antico! The new seating is perfect. I like the idea of community and family, not to mention, the awesome pizza. Now, we just need a store closer to our home. LGM:)
I forgot to mention they are now open for lunch if you are in the area...craving good pizza.
http://www.atlantamagazine.com/blogs/covereddish/home.aspx
WOW! WOW! WOW! The best pizza this pizza hound has ever eaten in Atlanta, and really the best I've ever had. We got it to go, so now i can't wait to go back and eat it there!!!!
Tried Antico for the first time last night. I thought the pizza was very tasty although to my taste, not as good as Verasano's. I prefer my crust a little crispier, which Verasano's delivers, while Antico's crust was softer and chewier. The toppings seemed to be of similar quality between the two. That said, I agree with some of the comments here about rampant douchebaggery at Verasano's and I feel much better giving these guys my pizza dollar than I do giving it to Jeff. Plus, the canolis are delicious, and a gratis espresso at the end of the meal was a nice touch. All in all, I'll probably continue to frequent both pizza establishments -- they're the two best in town, IMHO. I'll enjoy the pizza at Verasano's a little better but on the whole I'll enjoy the dining experience more at Antico.
Tried it for lunch today, absolutely fantastic and the best I have had in Atlanta, and as good as anything I have had in Italy. Espresso and cannolis were a great finish to the meal. Can't wait to get a chance to reserve the kitchen table with friends and family.
First time I tried the pizza I got it to go, mind you I only drove from midtown to downtown, and it does not travel well it was a sloppy mess. The second time I ate in the restaurant and still very wet and soggy. Its obvious that the ingredient are extremely high quality, but honestly it was a quite soupy. And considering all the other posts I'm gonna look like the asshole but I feel that it fell a little short, considering the hype.
antico is the Best pizza in Atlanta, but it can be better.
it is equal to or better than most of the so-called best pizza places in new york city (and i have eaten at many). yet, it is still not as good as the best in connecticut, such as pepe's or sally's (both famous from new haven) or luna's and first and last tavern (hartford and avon) or harry's (west hartford). just as a note, i have had pizza in naples, rome an other spots in italy as well.
the first time i had antico, i ate the pie fresh in the restaraunt. it was great, with high end ingredients and cooked almost to perfection (it could have used a very little more time in the oven). still it was missing a little of the magic found in the very best. it needed to be seasoned a bit better with a little more depth of flavor as well. the biggest problem that was only slightly noticeable on-site was that it was a little soggy and floppy towards the center of the pie. it is possible that the tomatoes need to be drained of some moisture or maybe cut down on the amount added to the pizza. regardless this was very good/great pizza. an exciting day
the second time i picked up the pie and brought it home. this time it still had the same basic strong flavor, still slightly bland due to seasoning. but i almost started crying because the pizza was so soggy i cold not eat it as is. i probably could have squeezed water out it was so wet. so i put it in the oven to dry out some of the moisture. unfortunately the night was a huge letdown. most likely it also steamed in the box a little on the ride home eventhough they cut a big hole in the center of the box top.
with a few slight changes antico pizzeria could go from really good and best in atlanta to one of the best places in the US/world.
glenn campagna
pizza guru