Stuzzi Pizzeria Napoletana Bar e Vino

Stuzzi Pizzeria Napoletana Bar e Vino Restaurant Review:

As fun as it is to say Stuzzi (rhymes with tootsie), it’s more of a blast to eat at this casual, Euro-sleek pizzeria boasting Neapolitan certification and a volcanic stone oven tiled in colors of San Marzano tomatoes (which, indeed, are employed here). Wood-fired to 1,000 degrees, its products are softer and puffier than more pedestrian pies (gluten-free dough available). We wish the mozzarella on our margherita was allowed to melt more (still, it is house-made) and that the pizzaoli (pizza maker) was as generous with basil as our waitress was with napkins, but the menu states pies are minimally topped as in Naples. Artfully blistered crusts are a nexus of crêpe and soft pretzel, and pizzas come in a variety that include meats like sopressata and gourmet pepperoni, and vodka sauce with that house-made mozzarella, Parmigiano, Reggiano and sweet fennel sausage. There’s also a sprinkling of pasta dishes and plenty of Italianate tapas and bomba sandwiches. Desserts include profiteroles and zeppole with Nutella dip. A soundtrack alla Louis Prima and TVs rolling Fellini-esque films vie for attention with the bar’s ever-changing backlighting. Even if everything isn’t perfect, the crowd packing the joint seems happy, snug and well-fed.