Cheap Eats 2008: Cafe Pizzaiolo

Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Ann Limpert , Cynthia Hacinli , Dave McIntyre , Rina Rapuano

Cafe Pizzaiolo

507 S. 23rd Street
Arlington, VA
Phone: 703-894-2250

Cuisines:
Pizza

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Crystal City

Price Range:
Inexpensive

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
N/A

Reservations:
Not needed

Special Features:
Kid Friendly

Best Dishes
The Neapolitan, lightly sauced and simply adorned with mozzarella and basil, or the heftier New York style, with its sweet, zesty sauce and crackly crust.


 

Reader's Rating:
5 out of 5

Why go: Yes, there’s a stone-hearth oven, and the crisp, well-salted crusts are minimally sauced, but these pizzas aspire less to the boutique ideal than to the flat, zesty pies owner Larry Ponzi grew up eating during Brooklyn summers. →

What to get: The Neapolitan, lightly sauced and simply adorned with mozzarella and basil, or the heftier New York style, with its sweet, zesty sauce and crackly crust.

Best for: Families. This is no temple for pizza purists: Little kids crayon at the tables, while bigger kids flip through the stacks of magazines or stare at the pizza makers behind the glass counter and parents sip a glass of wine as they wait for their pies to bake.

Insider tip: Many pizzas don’t survive the trip home, steaming to sogginess in the cardboard box. Ponzi’s are an exception—the crispness of his thin crusts lends itself to takeout.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

See all 2008 Cheap Eats restaurants

Reader ReviewsWrite your own review
 
Excellent Pizzaiolo Every Visit
GaNana — August 24, 2009 7:08 PM
We LOVE Mr. Larry's pizza. We go every time we visit from Georgia - which is OFTEN!! It is the best pizza we have had since we left Italy!!! Great family atmosphere.
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Excellent GREAT pizza
andorsali — August 24, 2009 10:29 AM
Pizzaiolo rocks! Thin crispy crust (the way God meant pizza to be), just enough sauce and cheese. Always consistent. Have to admit I'm in a bit of a rut, almost always ordering the Bella pizza (prosciutto and fresh arugula -- like having a salad on More ...
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