Pizzaiuolo -- Florence Brick Oven Restaurant Reviews Discuss Pizzaiuolo -- Florence in the Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart forums; After trying to get in for months, we finally found a table at Pizzaiuolo (which is not how you spell ...

[james]

After trying to get in for months, we finally found a table at Pizzaiuolo (which is not how you spell Pizzaiolo). We got the last un-reserved table around 8PM, and then they were fully booked for hours. This is the restaurnat where we couldn't get a table at 11PM one night.

To get right to it, the pizza is excellent. You could be in Naples. They have a large pre-cast oven (sadly not ours) and they keep it very hot with 4+ 2-3" pieces of wood burning much of the time. The pizzas are big, with a soft thin crust and a huge cornicione. I'm not sure which flour they use, I but asked and the dough ball in 280gr. Our 13 year-old couldn't finish her pizza. The cornicione was soft and pliable and has a nice flavor. The dough was a little salty, but it was nice.

The quality of the cheese and olive oil are excellent. We had a Caprese salad to start, along with bruschette pomodoro (Pane Toscano), and the mozzarella was authentic and fresh.

The place was loud and packed; it's an interesting mix of tourists and locals. One thing I did not like was that you could see they were interested in turning tables over -- a very non-Italian experience in a country where you can have your table all night, and have to beg for the bill. There was a little pressure to keep it moving.

When we left at 9:30P, there was a long line to get it.

Michael has eaten in 5-6 pizzerias in Florence in over the times we have met here, and he thought it is the best pizzeria in town. That's from a pro.

If you are here visiting, give it a shot.
James