building – 200 Rittenhouse Ave., Bayfield, WI., 54814
St. James Social is a hotel and restaurant combination that offers a new and modern take on things in the restored original 1883 St. James hotel. Annalisa and Cody Bermel bought the building in May 2022 and they manage, bartend and do whatever is needed along with their 2 daughters. . The first floor is a large space with a lounge area, curved bar counter with seats and tables for dining. The two story room is filled with wood, brass, chandeliers and mirrors along with artwork to give it an urban yet comfortable feeling. Upstairs they have a 8 rooms and on the roof is a small lounge area for hotel guests. The kitchen uses local ingredients when available, which for this short growing season are amazingly abundant. One of their specialties is pizza and Tuesday they dedicate the menu to their artisan Neapolitan style pizzas. They have a sourdough crust with more on that later. Thursday through Saturday they offer the Chef’s menu with more plated options and a fewer number of pizza varieties. Sunday is brunch only. The service is great and the vibe is too. We really enjoyed our evening there with some long time friends. I would highly recommend a meal and maybe a stay here when you visit the lovely town of Bayfield. Continue reading →
entrance – 170 W California St #9237, Jacksonville, OR 97530
Bella Union Restaurant and Saloon is locally owned and operated and open daily for lunch and dinner. We were there to meet a friend from college for lunch which goes back even further than the restaurant’s 37 years. Offering a full bar they are also known for their live music events. The diverse menu had a number of Italian (including pizza) options and was supplemented by a large list of daily specials, which included local fish. The large place was spread over many rooms and a large, very popular covered patio. Some of the rooms were smaller which probably can be secured for small parties. Service was helpful and efficient and most importantly, left us alone so we could catch up. For such a large place I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. My husband really liked his fish and my sandwich was scrumptious. Color my opinion only slightly by the joy of spending time with a long time dear friend. It was a great lunch and one I’d recommend when and if you find yourself in historic Jacksonville. Continue reading →
exterior – 2 Greek St, London W1D 4NB, United Kingdom
Nobel Rot was visited by Frankie and us about one year ago (click here). The restaurant where we had a reservation had electrical problems and so closed for the day and we decided to repeat since our visit last year was so wonderful. It was a different day though so it wasn’t nearly as magical. This visit we sat upstairs which was cozier and had nice murals painted on each of the walls – one of the street where the restaurant is located. Small marble tables were set closely opposite bench seating lining both walls. A small bar/service area was at one end. Curtained windows to the street added little to the lowered lighting of the room. No music was in the background and the menu was printed daily. Service was fine but the food did not measure up to last year’s. It’s still a fine place for a casual meal but it didn’t have the lick-the-plate quality I remembered. Continue reading →
Community Pizza and Beer Garden was opened in 2018 by husband and wife team Michael and Morgan Mekuly. It featured wood-fired Neapolitan Pizza, 32 tap beers and a full bar. It’s a huge place with playscapes for children and a variety of seating options. Music was in the background, it was well lit and filled with people. The large indoor room holds the bar, with seats and the glassed-in wood-fired pizza oven, complete with cooks tossing the pizza dough. We were there just after Christmas with family and I think most everybody had the same idea. The place was in the midst of a bunch of stores and other eating and drinking establishments. As usual, when out with people, photos get blurred, things get eaten and I generally get bad about taking notes. However, we did have a good time and sampled many items that I tried to get photos of. The pizza had a nice puffy edge crust and it was tasty but I think I might have liked the sandwich even more. Either way, if you’re in Wimberly doing whatever, this certainly would be a filling place to stop and have a bite to eat. Continue reading →
building – 1318 S Main St Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72202
Raduno Brick Oven and Barroom serves pizza and an Italian style menu in a long space. One side is the 36-foot bar counter with seating and the opposite wall is a long bench seat fitted with small combinable tables. A couple of large TV screens are above the bar and a mirrored wall covering is above the bench. Some plants and sports memorabilia serve as decorations for the room. There was faint music in the background but you could barely hear it for the loud hum of conversation in the room. There are 20 beers on tap as well as a full bar offering. The modern, casual feel is blended with the reclaimed wooden floors that had previously been 18-wheeler trailer beds and the antique brick bar. The name Raduno translates to “place of gathering” which it seems to be in the SoMa section of Little Rock. The service was slow and constantly disappearing but it was very crowded. However, someone other than our server brought out the pies and they had sat in the back for some time. The food was average at best. Continue reading →
building – 1839 N. Henderson Ave., Dallas, TX., 75206
Louie’s has been written up here before but it was time for an update. It’s one of our favorite spots, we probably go weekly. The ambiance is dark and friendly and the martinis are first rate. All the staff know us and that probably helps but the food is good, although there have been some changes since Covid came through. They are now closed Monday and Tuesday as well as most major holidays. You must be over 21 to enter and parties cannot be larger than 6. The school building nearby has remodeled their parking lot but for now seems to be a regular spot where you can still park, as street spots are limited. The pork chop is totally different from before and not as juicy and the baked potato is off the menu. Menus are by icon/link to be viewed on a smartphone rather than printed. They are still fairly busy but now often have a waiting list at the door which helps. We generally eat sandwiches there rather than the pizza and if we eat pizza we ask for it to not be heavily browned on the edge. It’s hard for me to judge how it would seem to a stranger but for newbies or singletons, I’d recommend sitting at the bar. Casey, one of the bartenders will help guide your journey and he’s suggested many new options for us to try, food-wise. All the table servers are friendly and helpful too if you go as a couple. It’s not a great wine spot but they have it. I encourage you to go for the martinis and strike up a conversation with whoever is sitting next to you. I hope you like it as much as I clearly do. Continue reading →
exterior- 2063 Middle St, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
The Obstinate Daughter is named for the American victory in the Battle of Sullivan’s Island in 1776, where a British cartoonist illustrated the defenders of Charleston as “Miss Carolina Sulivan, one of the obstinate daughters of America”. Their website describes the place as a ‘Lowcountry Food Fort.” They have a wood-fired pizza oven as well as a raw bar and relationships with local fishermen and farms. It’s a large place on the second floor of frame house with a patio facing the street and a very small parking lot downstairs. The eclectic menu has influences from Italian and Spanish cuisines and the interior is decorated with a nautical theme. There were 2 main rooms, one with a bar and counter and the other with an open kitchen and an assortment of table types. Music was in the background, lots of windows look to the outside and the staff was all super friendly and helpful. The food was excellent. Continue reading →
building –21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, CA.
Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria is in an historic building on the main street of Geyserville. They bill themselves as serving Califorian cuisine with an “Italian state of mine.” Their regularly changing menu features locally sourced meats, fish and produce. Chef/Owner Dino Bugica spent 10 years in Italy learning local methods. They are open daily for lunch and dinner, with a bigger menu at dinner. It’s a good sized places with 2 interior rooms, the larger one also housing a long bar with seats and the kitchen. The second room is a good bit smaller but there is also patio seating. There is a full bar, music in the background, lowered lighting, tin ceiling, wood floors, brick walls and parking is on the street as you can find it. In addition to the house cured salumi they make Neopolitan style pizza in the wood burning oven. The bread for their sandwiches comes from a bakery in Healdsburg. We were there to try the Prime Rib Sandwich which is only available on the lunch menu but got seduced by the oven to order a pizza too. It’s worth a visit. The food is great.
Set up
sign outsideentranceinteriorto another roomsecond interior roomkitchenbar areaFrankie found some artmenudrinkswinewine
Food
The Prime Rib Sandwich comes with thinly sliced prime rib, tonnato aioli, onions, giardiniera, salsa verde, Pt. Reyes Toma and horseradish. It also came with a good portion of chopped salad on the side. The well-stuffed sandwich was wonderful and plenty for 2, although it did not come cut. It was so stuffed that some of the meat and cheese dripped out into the salad which made it even tastier. The marinated cauliflower was almost meatlike and was part of one of the sauces on the beef. There were a lot of seasonings and some oil on the ingredients that made it pretty drippy, but also full of flavor. As I mentioned earlier, they did not make the bread it came on but it was great and nicely toasted. It was really good.
prime rib sandwichturnedturnedinsidesalad
The Boscaiolo Pizza was topped with sausage, mushrooms, house-smoked pork belly, peppers, local greens, and creamed onions. The onions were basically the sauce for the pizza. There was a generous amount of cheese on the pie and a lovely rise to the edge of the crust. The fresh mushrooms were thickly cut and added a wonderful amount of flavor as did the sausage. The pork belly melted into the cheese and onions but added even more fun flavor. Each table has a bottle of Calabrian Chili oil if you want to add it to the pizza. It is not too spicy, it just added even more flavor. This was a great one too.
Boscaiolo Pizzaanother angleclosercloser Calabrian Chili oilFrankie enjoyed the bathroom arrangement
exterior – 1014 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA
Bettina is in a neighborhood shopping center which is too popular for the parking available. It’s a good-sized place with a large outdoor patio for additional seating. Windows inside look out onto it as well as the parking lot. They specialize in naturally leavened breads, fine dining and simple dishes based on the owner’s visits to Italy. Open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations are helpful if you want a table, but a bar is inside with first come-first served seating. Inside the bare wood tables are small and nicely spaced and music is in the background. The service was helpful and efficient and the pizza was good. Continue reading →
Al Forno Restaurant was opened in 1980 by Johanne Killeen and George Germon to use New England’s farms and waters to produce renditions of Italian food. Al Forno means “from the oven” and they use wood burning ovens and open flame grills to incorporate that concept into their dishes. It is where the concept of grilled pizza was first used, which is served as an appetizer. It’s a larger place with a dedicated parking lot. Inside there are 2 floors for eating and a bar area that also serves food. Small white cloth covered tables are quickly turned for the constant flow of people. The downstairs room we were in had a wall of windows to the parking lot with the opposite wall’s windows being mirrored. The lighting is lowered and no music was in the background. Service was very friendly but not well coordinated. Restaurants need to learn that if you provide very small tables you can’t bring too many dishes to the table at the same time. Our pizza came out first following the bread bowl and then quickly followed by clams. Food was piled to an uncomfortable mess. I asked the server to slow down a bit and then it was 30 minutes after we finished that before anything else came. It was good food but timing can really make me less fond of a place. Continue reading →
Buludo Nicollet is a small storefront off a street with only a to-go order/pick-up area. They offer Argentinian dishes that Chef Facundo DeFraia learned from his grandmother. The local newspaper food critic named him the “dough wisperer” and indeed he is. They now have 2 locations since opening in 2018, there were a couple of outdoor tables for eating here whereas the downtown location has indoor seating. They offer fresh made pizzas and empanadas as well as a couple salads and desserts. It took about 20 minutes to make our order and it all came out at once. It is well worth visiting for pizza and especially empanadas. Continue reading →
Tinder Hearth is a wood fired bakery of pastry, bread and pizza. The owners, Tim and Lydia Semmler, started the bakery in 2007 and they added making pizza a few years after that. They currently make pizza on Tuesday – Friday nights (this will change when the weather gets colder) for take out and outdoor dining but reservations are required for either option. You need to call (207-326-8381) on the Tuesday morning of the week you want to come and make a reservation – and they go fast. They also offer salad, ice cream and beverages. There was a good amount of on-site parking and then you walk up to the check in booth where you will be assigned a table and given your water, glasses, plates and flatware. A separate ‘building’ sold the flavored beverages including wine and beer. The tables are spaced throughout the garden area and there is a good sized sand pile for the little ones to play in. Hours are from 4:30 to 8:00 and the menu is posted weekly on their Facebook and Instagram pages. Continue reading →
The Brickery is the pizza part of Café Beaujolais’, a complex of restaurants in the artsy town of Mendocino. On the street is Café Beaujolais, a fine dining option open for dinner and in front of the Brickery is The Waiting Room which is a coffee and pastry shop till dinner time when it becomes a lounge. It is a bit confusing at first but we followed the path between the buildings and found ourselves in a lovely garden area furnished with an assortment of tables and a window to place your order. The daily menu and specials are written on chalkboards that hang on either side of the order window. Inside you can see the fired brick oven where the pizza is cooked. They also sell beer and wine along with offering a free jug of iced water. After you order you get a buzzer that makes a noise when you can walk back to the other window and pick up your pie. It is a truly lovely spot with good pizza. You can visit the Waiting Room up near the street if you need a bathroom break. Continue reading →
Santarpio’s Pizza in east Boston is in a corner building that was a bakery in 1903. In the 30’s the Santarpio family began selling New York style pizza from there and they still are along with barbecued lamb, beef and sausage. It is open daily and accepts only cash. Walls are adorned with boxing paraphernalia and posters. There are 2 main rooms filled with booths and tables along with a long bar divided from the rooms by a partition. The grill area is at one end of the bar whereas the pizza oven is in the back of the two dining rooms. The bar sells beer and wine, which is also available by carafe. The lighting is lowered and no music is in the background. Staff was friendly and helpful. Continue reading →
Manny’s House of Pizza is in the historic Arcade Building in downtown Nashville. As you walk up don’t be surprised to see a line out the door but be assured it moves quickly and as you wait you can watch Manny toss the pizza dough and spread the tomato sauce. Born in Sicily, Manny started in a Brooklyn pizzeria where he learned the skills needed to open his shop in the mid-80’s down in Nashville. (His brother has a shop in Brentwood). You can also get calzones, pastas, subs and pastas there but the majority in line with me were just getting a slice. They are open weekday from 11 am to 4 pm. When we went it was cash only. Continue reading →
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele is made up of two rooms. They serve beer, water or soft drinks, no wine and serve only Margherita or Marinara pizzas. There is no menu. The entry room is slightly larger and houses the pizza oven, prep area and check out register. The bare marble tables are large enough for multiple parties to be seated at. Not sure they really liked having tourists in the place and I noticed they sat all the Asian people at one table, whether they were in the same party or not. They let the folks in early as it was raining that day and when it was formal opening time one of the men came round to the tables and asked how many of each type you wanted and took drink orders. Plastic cups, a pile of napkins and some flatware are then unceremoniously dumped on your table. Continue reading →
Naples is the home of pizza and Da Attilio served the best pizza I’ve ever had. It’s a medium sized place in a touristy area but packed with people speaking Italian. The red cloth covered tables are topped with plastic and set with paper napkins. A large pizza oven is at the entrance to the restaurant where there is room for a few people to wait for a seat. The wait was not bad. The counter keeps a list and calls outside when it is your turn. Inside there are a couple rooms with fairly close tables and lots of decorations on the walls. No music is in the background just the hum of people happily eating pizza with friends. When you get to your table there is a large menu and sometimes a special pizza of the day. After you finish there is a counter up front where you can pay. They serve wine and beer but I didn’t see hard liquor. The staff were very friendly but pretty much in a rush as they have lots of people to attend to. It was so good that we came back for a second visit. Chef Attilio is the third generation of ownership of this business, named for his grandfather who started the restaurant. He started helping his mother at the age of 6. Continue reading →
Barnes Trading Post serves breakfast, burgers, chicken and pizza. It was packed every time we drove by so we decided to stop in and try the pizza. It’s a large place with lots of game machines. There are stools at the large bar counter as well as various sized tables around the room. A low ceiling, lots of light, many TVs, beer signs and lots of light wood make up the family friendly atmosphere. Paper napkins and condiments are on the table. Service was friendly. Continue reading →
La Bonne Mère is a tiny place with about 6 tables – very casual. It is mostly a place for excellent pizza run by partners in life, Jérémie Piazza and Mahéva Angelmann. The walls are pretty much covered with mementos and art, with one wall being formed by a long stainless bar and that holds the register and wine bottles. The tables differ, some being wood and others metal, some clothed and others bare. It is a wonderfully cozy spot but if you want a table, reservations are a must – even at lunch. The rest of the business is take out. In the back of the restaurant is the giant pizza oven, where Jérémie makes incredible pies. The excellent crust is topped with fresh, quality ingredients. Not much English is spoken by the owners but enough for us to get by (especially with the help of another customer). However even with a language barrier, we couldn’t have felt more welcome. Wine selection is limited but very adequate.
Coop’s Pizza has been in business almost 40 years and serves primarily pizza but also serves sandwiches (including burgers), salads, snacks, pressure fried chicken and a few Italian plates. They offer a good lunch deal but you have to be willing to eat buffet style. It seemed to be the popular choice but we wanted to just try their fresh made pizza. The large place has a few counter seats, lots of tables spread throughout a couple rooms and booth seating. One set of booths is in a smaller room with windows to the street out front where a large patio is also available in better weather times. A couple of the tables in the largest room are next to a huge aquarium and the rest of the place has lots of pictures and other decorations to look at. There are a ton of horns around some used for door handles and some for lighting fixtures. We were there in the winter and Christmas decorations were everywhere adding to the casual atmosphere. Service was efficient and friendly. Continue reading →
All Purpose Pizzeria opened a year ago last March and it is a fairly large place. There are a variety of seating options which are placed fairly close together. Some seating at the bar is available. It has a cool tile floor and wood slats in the ceiling to cover the exposed duct work. At lunch it is pretty much a pizza and sandwich shop, whereas at dinner there are a few more options, so it was not surprising to find a number of families with children eating there. We wanted wine by the bottle and the list is on the back of the dinner menu so I was able to get a photo of that to include with this. Service was friendly, efficient and helpful. Continue reading →
