Out West Food Review: New Flagstaff eatery: Pizzicletta

July 6, 2011

New Flagstaff eatery: Pizzicletta

Pizzicletta
*203 W Phoenix Ave, Flagstaff
*Only open for dinner, closed Mondays
*Menu at pizzicletta.com, specials of the day on their Facebook page

Walking in to the uber tiny Pizzicletta you are immediately taken by its size, with one long slender table in the middle, two sets of bar seats, a glassed off pizza prep area and a gigantic custom oven.... and the overwhelming heat inside the small space. (So hot that my 5 year old asked if she could just sit by the door and not eat because she was burning up and miserable after 5 minutes inside... it was quite sweltering at 5pm on a July night in there.)

I have been looking forward to trying Pizzicletta since I heard they were opening up shop bravely near two of Flagstaff's most popular pizza joints. Plus their menu looked intriguing and very European.

We ordered the pizza special of the day (a tomato, ricotta and spicy sopressato) as well as the classic Neapolitan margherita. They cooked up fast, as is tradition with the super thin style (good thing because that heat was hard to take). The special was marvelous - wonderful crust, perfectly crispy and chewy with that wood fired flavor mixed with the delish sauce and high quality toppings. Each pizza is definitely for one person, being really thin and about 9" round (which makes them quite pricey at $11-$13 each). The margharita was also good but not as special as the special.
All in all, I would not recommend Pizzicletta for families, large parties, or dates. The space just doesn't accommodate those types of dining experiences in a good way. There's also really no "kids" pizzas on the menu (no cheese or similar and it's hard to pay $11 for a pizza for each kid too, as that can add up quickly), but then this isn't a place really designed for kids, and that's okay, but just know before you go. I probably won't be coming back in the summer to eat in and I won't be going back with my kids at all. So I'll have to give Pizzicletta another try on a girls night out this fall when it cools off. The flavors are great but the taste doesn't outweigh the negatives for me at this time.

4 comments:

Ashley said...: Pizzicletta is the perfect place for a casual yet super classy (and delicious) date. I agree it's not ideal for large parties or kids (though I don't think younger kids need a whole pizza) but both can still be accommodated. And while it's slightly pricier than your average restaurant, that's because it's not anywhere near average. Also, that's too bad it was so warm at 5:00 because when I went at 6:00, it wasn't warm at all. Definitely try it!!!; July 6, 2011 at 7:48 PM
Vagabondinglulu said...: Thanks for the heads-up, Angele!

www.vagabondinglulu.com; July 7, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Jill Said said...: Hmm. Did we eat at the same place? The pizza was great and I would definatley go on a date. Maybe not the night i was getting engaged since there is community seating, but I met great people both times I have gone. Its quaint and very Flagstaff

If your kid is fussy then maybe this isn't your spot. I went with a 10 year old who thought the pizza was awesome, and didnt say a word about the heat. I agree if you want chicken fingers for your kids than this isnt your spot.

Its not air conditioned, but it wasnt uncomfortable and it was a full house.

Pizza is amazing and the vibe is hip and fun. I would definately give it a try.; July 8, 2011 at 12:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Sounds like a place that gets better as the sun sinks quickly in the west.; July 10, 2011 at 9:03 PM