Reale’s Pizzeria
13450 N. Hwy183,
335-5115
It’s all there, the smell of garlic, the collection of empty Chianti bottles,
the Frank Sinatra tapes, the paint-splattered naugehyde booths. On the East
Coast, it would be nothing special, but in Austin, Reale’s is a miracle. Drop
what you’re doing and drive out there right now. On the way you can decide
whether to go for the big, bubbly-crusted 16-inch pie which gets a little wet
in the middle or to stick with the 14 incher which stays crisp all the way
across. It’s a tough choice. You sacrifice the big bubbles with the 14 incher,
but the crust stays perfect. Don’t miss the fennel sausage and don’t bite into
your pizza until it cools off!
Roppolo’s
8105 Mesa, 346-9800
A new, thinner crust has revived Roppolo’s popularity among the crispy pizza
crowd. After all the grief they’ve gotten for their too-thick crust, it’s hard
to argue with their decision to roll the pizza thinner. That’s not the way it’s
done in New York, but in this case it’s an improvement. The toppings were
excellent as ever. Roppolo’s may not be my favorite New York pizza in town
anymore, but they still make a great pie.
Tony’s Vineyard
2348 Guadalupe,
474-8040
The thin crust had been rolled out with a rolling pin and although it lacked
the air bubbles that make New York pizza great, it was very crispy. The balance
of sauce and cheese was perfect, although the sauce could use a healthy dose of
garlic. The sausage is excellent. All in all, a very good pizza.
Milto’s Pizza Pub
2909 Guadalupe,
476-1021
It was a cold, rainy day. The hot pizza, Greek salad, and red wine soothed our
souls as we stared out of the steamy, rain-streaked windows onto Guadalupe. The
sausage and anchovies were good, the ambiance and Greek salad were wonderful.
The bottom of the pizza crust showed the telltale alligator skin pattern of the
pizza sheeter. It would have been crisp if the pizza sauce wasn’t so runny; it
soaked through the crust as soon as they cut it. Still, on that dreary day,
Milto’s seemed like a blessing.
Nick’s Great Pizza
11302 FM2222, 331-4471
Nick’s reminds me of the boardwalk pizza joints on many East Coast beaches.
The pizza is ultra-thin with a crispy, cracker-like crust that breaks rather
than bends. I like the pizza, but it’s the pinball machines and funky screened
porch ambiance that always brings me back. It’s a great place to stop on the
way home from Lake Travis and the kids love it. Nick’s is only open on weekends.
Marcello’s
New York Style Pizza
3301 Hancock #1, 453-3200
(delivery only)
Good crust, wrong oven. The crust is fluffy enough, but it doesn’t cook right,
it stays doughy on the outside while the center gets gloppy. The anchovies were
good, the sausage pellets were bad. Sauce was decent. They go a little
overboard on the cheese. Don’t go to Marcello’s to eat a pizza on the premises;
there are no tables, chairs or even a stand-up counter.
Brick Oven
1608 W. 35 St., 453-4330; 1209 Red River, 477-7006; 10710 Research,
345-6181
Nice oven, wrong crust. The Brick Oven on Research makes a damn good pie. The
one on 35th is obviously still learning. It’s hard to figure out how they can
put a pizza in such a great oven and have the crust come out tasting like
cardboard. I suspect they need a new crust recipe — one with a little yeast in
it.
Frank & Angie’s
508 West Ave., 472-3534
When Frank & Angie’s first opened, I had little hope for them. The
ingredients were mediocre and the pizzas always seemed undercooked. Now I have
to admit, they have come a long way. I took the family there for a giant-size
pizza recently and I was pleasantly surprised. The crust was crispy all the way
across and the sauce seems to have improved too. But Frank & Angie’s
strongest appeal has always been their prices. The daily lunch special offers a
slice of pizza, a salad, and tea or coffee for $4.95.
Cozzoli’s Pizza
704 Congress, 480-8440
Everything looks legit at Cozzoli’s downtown (the crusts are hand tossed and
it’s quite a show), but the massive, sold-separately slices appear to be the
way to go to get as close as possible to a New York experience. The fact that
they stick the slice back into the oven for warming alone will ensure a
crustier bottom. But the two medium pies we ordered for take-out were
undercooked, and I actually witnessed the pizza cook, on intermittent looks
into the oven, push down with a spatula the bubbling crust edges we yearn for.
What a shame.
Niki’s Pizzeria
2021 Guadalupe (inside Dobie Mall), 474-1876
When Niki’s was downstairs at Dobie Mall — before it became part of a “food
court” — it felt like a pizza parlour you might find on the Jersey Shore. And
the Pizza was as close to N.Y. as we could find back then. But just because
it’s nestled in neon now doesn’t mean they’ve started making a fast-food pie. A
Niki’s large cheese is giant, and the crust — though a tiny bit thick — is
still perfectly crisp all the way through. The sauce could have had a little
more flavor, and perhaps they go a bit light on the cheese for our tastes, but
a Niki’s pie is still a winner.
Dishing Austin Pizza: Send your pizza comments and any suggestions for Reale’s
new downtown location to: RobbWalsh@aol.com
This article appears in February 28 • 1997 and February 28 • 1997 (Cover).