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Cafe Pizzaiolo
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
507 23rd St SArlington, VA 22202
(703) 894-2250
- Nearest Transit:
-
Crystal City Metro Station (Blue, Yellow)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 am - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 10 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
109 reviews for Cafe Pizzaiolo
Review Highlights
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"I loooove thin crust pizza, and they deliver great quality..." In 13 reviews -
"...have a great selection of board games to keep the kids busy." In 10 reviews -
"Personally, I love their gelato." In 17 reviews
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109 reviews in English
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Review from Colleen P.
Arlington, VA
11/28/2011
Really solid pizza joint with good pizza and lots of other good stuff. I personally love the bruschetta platter and the smoked mozzarella/chicken panini. We've had a pretty wide range of stuff from their menu and are generally pretty pleased. They can get busy on the weekends and if you come in to pick up your food and there is a long wait they will often treat you to some gelato to make up for it.
When you dine in they have a great selection of games to play-which is really handy when you have a 2 year old in tow. -
Review from Natalie D.
Washington, DC
Updated - 4/5/2012
Taking this place off my list for good!
Ordered a pizza tonight at 8:30. It was delivered nearly cold at just before 10 pm.
Even worse, I had to call the store about 30 minutes after it should have been hot and delivered, only to be told that I'd have to wait 15-20 more minutes. Then, like I said, it shows up just before 10. No apologies. No compensation. Just an explanation that "we're running behind." Fine. I get that. But send me something hot. Or something free for my trouble.
I will not order from here again. Very disappointed. I had come to expect more from this place, but nah....I'll pass from now on.Listed in: Pizza-zz!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/31/2010
Gas I saved by calling for delivery....15¢
Tip to the driver who arrived faster than expected....$2
… Read more »
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Review from Cara S.
Arlington, VA
5/26/2012
Self professed pizza snob from upstate NY here- I have lived in S.Arlington for 6 years and this place is DEAD ZONE for decent delivery pizza plus Lost Dog just isnt as good at it once was for how much you pay... Its been very sad. But no more! While once I was forced to get in the car to drive 10+ min for Rustico or Faccia Luna- I can now have great NY style delivered to my door, usually in less than 45 min. Im not crazy about their Neopolitan style- but I think that the issue there is more about the fact that it sits and gets cold in the car on the way over- by the time it arrives its kinda cardboard- but I can see how it would be great hot and fresh. Also not a huge fan of the smoked mozz on pizza- kinda takes over the flavor... but everything else we have ordered has been delicious. The fried zucchini is awesome. Our typical order: Large NY style pepperoni with extra sauce... always good. Can't wait for them to open the new Shirlington location!
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Review from Charles H.
Arlington, VA
Updated - 5/15/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Called-in an order since I had issues using the online ordering system months ago. My three pizzas were hot and ready to go. Somewhat more expensive than your typical pizza but everyone enjoyed the freshness especially eating basil as an ingredient!
Listed in: All Things Crystal City
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/28/2011
Cafe Pizzaiolo would get 4 stars had their on-line ordering system been functional. Not sure if… Read more »
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Review from Melissa C.
Arlington, VA
5/20/2012
I've only dined in at this place, so I can't comment on delivery methods. What I can say about any place that prominently features the main dish in their name, is that you should probably get that main dish. The pizza is great every time I go, the wait staff friendly, and the atmosphere relaxed. No one is hurrying you to leave, rather, they encourage you to enjoy your food and chat with your friends. They did some renovations since the last time I went (big booths!) and have seemed to acquire more televisions (during our meal the noise was a bit too loud and distracting). It's definitely my go-to pizza place.
Oh, and when they tell you the pizza is hot, it's obviously a safety thing, but also a fatkid caution. If you attack a slice too soon and pull it away from the pie, you risk the chance of sliding off all the delicious toppings onto the metal tray. So, avoid that amateur mistake *hangs head in shame*. -
Review from Edward L.
Washington, DC
4/25/2012
For those of us who have suffered through the mediocre to brutal D.C. pizza dining scene, finding Cafe Pizzaiolo is an absolute revelation. Truly authentic NY style pizza. Fresh ingredients. Delicious pasta and calzones. Great staff. Just a fantastic restaurant. I could eat here 3 nights a week, but I do not want to be 300 pounds.
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Review from Karen H.
Alexandria, VA
3/25/2012
Cafe Pizzaiolo just opened in Cameron Station. While my husband and I have had a couple good meals, there are a couple simple improvements that would make a world of difference to the otherwise mediocre food. Let's start with the salads.
Cafe Pizzaiolo's Greek Salad is a great combination of lettuce, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta. But the dressing -- a watered down balsamic and oil -- is anything but spectacular. It ruins an otherwise perfectly good salad.
Similarly, their Cesar salad comes with what seems like a watered down creamy Italian dressing, not a rich, Cesar dressing. Bland, bland, bland.
The sandwiches are all good in concept but lack the finishing touch that gives them some real flavor. I would recommend the rolls be doused with some garlic butter and perhaps Italian seasoning. Otherwise, the sandwiches are dry.
The mussels are great, as are some of the pasta dishes and pizza.
Again, minor flavor improvements would make this restaurant a local favorite in Cameron Station, in part because of the excellent price point. -
Review from Susan D.
Pittsburgh, PA
8/4/2011
I was in Washington, DC on a short business trip and believe you me folks, I did NOT hit it lucky on my dining. I was staying in the Crystal City area and it seems really heavy on the big chain restaurants. So I was kind of glad when I found Cafe Pizzaiolo.
It looks like your typical neighborhood pizza joint with your typical pizza joint menu. You've got your pizzas, your calzones, your pastas, your panini, and your subs and sandwiches. I'm told the pizza here is fantastic, but I went for the sausage & broccoli penne. The penne pasta was good enough but the sausage was a little dry and mealy for my tastes. Though I'm a non-drinker, I did notice the large selection of beers & wines. And the service here was friendly and efficient.
Not a bad choice if you're in the area and your bummed out on Chilis, Buffalo Wild Wings, Noodles & Co, California Pizza Kitchen, etc. -
Review from Neil M.
Arlington, VA
3/4/2012
Pizza was ok, their happy hour was a joke. Half a glass of wine for half off hardly qualifies. Wait staff a bit slow. Not sure I'm going back.
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Review from Savannah H.
Alexandria, VA
2/27/2012
My family and I went to Cafe Pizzaiolo for the first time yesterday b/c it was listed in the Washingtonian magazine as a 'Top 100' best place to eat. The food was amazing but as far as the seating goes.....uh......yeah then there's that. Super small dining area, especially for the amount of people that were coming in. On top of that there is no place to stand or sit and wait. You have to wait at the register, in everyone's way. Awkward! We will be picking up the food from here on out.
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Review from M N.
Springfield, VA
7/10/2011
Awesome pizza and outstanding bier - they have many biers on tap, one of my local favorites, the 60 minute IPA from Dogfish...based on YELP reviews, I took my buddy who was visiting from out of town for a meeting. We were not disappointed.
When we first arrived, I was pleasantly surprised that they had numerous biers on tap, but we missed the Happy Hour specials (Happy Hour from 1600-1900/4-7pm). They sell bier both by the pint and pitcher. We both had pizzas - I had the Mediterranean, thin crust, tasty and flavorful, not overpowering flavor.
Located a bit away from the normal restaurant area of Crystal City, Café Pizzaiolo is located at the beginning of the walking area where there are the more restaurants - those that are not the typical "chain" restaurants.
When in Crystal City, I would definitely return again - for both the bier and pizza. -
Review from Matt H.
Herndon, VA
2/8/2012
Excellent pizza, in my opinion the best in Arlington. A great place to come with a family--they have board games for the kids to play and unlike a lot of other places in Arlington, kids don't feel out of place. I highly recommend a NY-style pizza with pepperoni and artichoke hearts. My kids love the side of italian sausage. Some of the non-pizza items can be quite good, but it can be hit-or-miss. You can usually find street parking a about a block north on Eads street near the apartments buildings.
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Review from Jeanette H.
Alma, MI
9/6/2011
I really enjoyed this place. I found it by using the Maps feature on my cell... and I read the reviews... it was a hop, skip, and jump from the hotel we were staying. The waitstaff was friendly and pleasant. The pizza was really good. My gripes: no medium size pizza. Small - 4 slices, and Large - 8/9 slices. And the real reason for this is the price, I don't think $13 for a large is worth it. Whereas my pizza was super good, I just wished it had more of a crunch to the crust. Don't get me wrong, if I ever return to that area, I will surely visit this location again. My very picky eater was still talking about the pizza and how good it was - so trust it's a place to check out.
Ps. They only serve beer and wine here - no hard liquor. *bummer* -
Review from John H.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/3/2011
Cafe Pizzaiolo is my go-to neighborhood pizza delivery.
The restaurant itself is ok, they remodeled with a bunch of gigantic booths that look out of place, but comfy I guess.
The delivery is super quick off-peak hours, and the pizza is decent. I usually go for their neapolitan style, which is thin but not soggy. Cheese is pretty good, topped with chopped basil, but the crust is a little off. It is not the chewy, puffy neapolitan crust, but rather has a hard almost cracker-like crunch.
I would skip the NY style. It is really hard to find acceptable NY slices in DC and this is no exception. It is a little too thin, same subpar crust as neapolitan they make, and not even close to enough cheese. The reviewers calling this authentic NY are way off base.
I think they still deliver 6 packs of beer, if you're running low. -
Review from Hal M.
Arlington, VA
3/31/2011
Tried several things tonight via delivery.
First, their online ordering, while not perfect, still beats doing it over the phone, so A+ for that.
Got mix-n-match 6 pack of craft beers for $12. Decent price, good selection... B+
Two Salads: Garden and Greek. A little spendy, but fresh and with mixed greens not iceberg... great dressing. A.
Eggplant Parm: Eggplant is really good. Pasta is meh. B-.
Wings: Very spendy, but decent. B
Pizza 1 - NY Style plain: Authentic. I'm a NY Pizza snob, this was top notch, but the crust got a little soggy. A-
Pizza 2 - Neapolitan: Wow. Fresh basil and mozzarella, great crust, really perfect. A+
Chocolate Cheesecake: Very tasty. B+
Overall, a great place to order delivery from when you want good pizza. Stick with the Neapolitan and you cannot go wrong. Toppings on this pizza would detract from its perfection. Keep that in mind. -
Review from Manny G.
Washington, DC
7/24/2011
Just moved here from the West coast and have been dying to try a decent pizza in the DC area....look no further, this place is the shizz!
The crust is thin and delicious, the toppings taste fresh and are delectable and the cheese is to die for. And they even delivered a bottle of vino with my order.....wow!
Yes, I'm a fan of Pizzaolio -
Review from Valarie C.
Alexandria, VA
Updated - 9/27/2011
One of the best pizza places in the DC area. I really enjoy the pizza here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/23/2010
Good pizza and fun location. A little small but we've enjoyed it. This location is much better… Read more »
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Review from Jeffrey F.
Los Angeles, CA
3/12/2011
Reading some of the reviews here, I was expecting a mouthful of ambrosia from the pizza here. It was instead just ordinary. And pricey.
I ordered the Neapolitan for delivery and added a few toppings, which cost a ridiculous $2.39 each for a large pizza -- $3.29 for "speciality" ingredients like artichokes. $2.39 for mushrooms? Really? And artichokes are a specialty topping? The pizza itself was really just okay. I'm not sure where the $2+ per extra topping went because it wasn't to actual toppings on the pizza. There were just a few bits of mushroom.
I see they deliver beer as well which would be nice. When Armand's was open in Arlington, it was far better and cheaper. -
Review from Michael K.
Arlington, VA
4/11/2011
Mmmmm. Cafe Pizzaiolo - the large New York style pizza with extra cheese, pepperoni and garlic is like a slice of greasy heaven. I'd give them 5 stars except their delivery can be a little subpar. For example, last Saturday I ordered a pizza and it arrived cold and squashed (as in, the pizza guy must have been holding the box at an angle).
Still, on the whole, it's one of the best pizzas around. -
Review from Marty L.
Arlington, VA
8/18/2011
Pros:
Tasty pizza
Small but nice dine-in/take-out wine selection
Nice atmosphere
Cons:
Way over-priced
Not enough toppings
Hit or miss service
If you are going to charge $18 for a pepperoni pizza, it better have plenty of pepperoni. You get 2, maybe 3 pieces, a slice. If you get a speciality pizza like The Diavala Pizza , you are lucky to get a piece of sausage on every slice.
Last time we went for pick-up, the pizza took 10 minutes longer than they said it would and then they messed up the order. All they offered me was to take it or make a new one. No discount or something while I waited, so I just left.
The one saving grace of this place is Crystal City has very few good restaurants, so we end up getting take out there more than they really deserve. -
Review from Kevin L.
2/16/2008 4 photos
I loved this place from the moment I walked in the door. I loved it even more by the time I walked back out. Upon entering, it just feels - homey. Maybe it's the open kitchen and pizza ovens in plain view. Maybe it's the cluttered stack of random kids' games on the window counter. Maybe it's the sunlight that warms the room during the daytime. Whatever it is, Cafe Pizzaiolo is inviting and comfortable and simple.
I had a side Greek salad to start with and it was a very generous portion of fresh veggies for a side salad. As other people have already noted, the pizza here is really enjoyable. Thin, crispy crust, great ingredients. I especially liked the Diavolo - it had just the right amount of heat without being unpleasant. The Caprese was very traditional, simple, and yummy. Between six people, two large (16") pizzas were more than enough to fill us all up, so be warned.
The staff are really low key and accommodating - it's amazingly easy to flag down a server when you need one, otherwise they pretty much stay out of the way. The last time I was there, our server was very helpful with advice on picking out one of their various bottled beers.
Whether you're going for a laid back lunch or a comfortable family-style dinner, Cafe Pizzaiolo is a total winner in terms of ambiance and enjoyable Neapolitan pizza. -
Review from Michele D.
Sterling, VA
2/12/2008
What a pleasant surprise....
Since I've never been, I didn't know what to expect. When I first walked in, I was welcomed by what I presumed to be the owners. Both of them seemed very pleasant. I picked a table and then decided to try a glass of wine. The Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) was suggested, and I thought it was nice and light.
Once my awesome dining companions arrived, we got right down to business and started ordering food. We started with the Antipasto Platter, which for all the meats, cheeses and greens, was a wonderful start of good things to come.
We ordered a small Caprese pizza and a large Bella. They were both very good; I liked the fact we decided on the thin crust. Slightly crisp, but not too heavy or chewy. Just enough toppings, just the right flavor for the sauce, really god all the way around.
For dessert, we all decided to get the gelato. The woman helping us invited us to get up and come look at all the flavors and said we could have samples if we'd like. There were so many flavors to choose from, but to make things easier, they allowed us to get 2 flavors side by side!!! I decided to get the mango and strawberry. Very, very good!
I enjoyed the atmosphere and thought it was a nice place to hang out it. I'm anxious to try more things from the menu so I can add that extra star!Listed in: Eating in the 202 and the 703
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Review from Jazzzione J.
Washington, DC
10/6/2011 1 photo
I love pizza. Good pizza that is. The best NY pizza I've ever had was at some hole in the wall in a shady NY neighborhood really late at night. It was cheap, cheesy, and greasy, with a foldable thin crust - outstanding!!
This place - not even close. This was made like California Pizza Kitchen but CPK is better.
The staff was nice. The place had only two customers at 5:30PM on a weekday. I got the NY style plain cheese 12". The pizza looked great, cheesy, and fresh (see my pic).
Good cheese in taste and amount, not enough sauce so I couldn't really taste it, crust was the biggest problem - like cardboard. No flavor, too hard - not crunchy or chewy, just really hard and flavorless. I just pulled the cheese off and left the crust. It wasn't repulsive, just not good because of the lack of sauce and awful cardboard crust. I wouldn't go back.
I'll stick with the Italian Store.
PS- I also tried the 'gelato'. Chocolate was okay. Strawberry sorbet was off-tasting. Over $3 for the tiniest container ever. If it were good, I wouldn't mind the splurge, but it was not that good and way overpriced. I think I paid less for gelato in Dubai and it was actually good stuff. -
Review from Andrew M.
Washington, DC
7/18/2011 1 photo
This place is terrible - they screwed up our delivery twice and then we had to pull teeth just to get our money back...never order food from here.
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Review from Joye P.
9/29/2010
Not that great.
I visited in Sept 2010 and wasn't impressed. The service was good, but the pizza was just meh. We got one with proscuitto on it, and it was tasty but the crust was bland. The ambience is decidedly "family friendly" and not romantic at all. The lights are too bright in there. They do have Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, an excellent regional brew. The pizza here is two notches below the Hill's "We The Pizza." -
Review from Tia K.
Arlington, VA
6/4/2007
Great addition to the Arlington food scene (not to mention Crystal City where it is located). The food is good and well-priced. Try the NY Style pizza- it's very good considering our options in this area. That being said I wish it were 1) less greasy 2) had more sauce. Great place to get a glass of wine, a simple salad and a pizza. My advice is to keep the pizza toppings simple and minimal... too many seem to weigh down the slices and make them mushy and droopy.
They had a case full of gelato flavors which I did not get to try but they looked yummy.
Good for takeout too- I just wish they stayed open past 9pm. (I believe the owner is working on this) -
Review from J S.
Arlington, VA
9/19/2011
I used to really like the pizza here. Seems to be consistently bland and not worth the price these days. You get much better pizza elsewhere e.g. Z Pizza or Pete's in Clarendon. Also they have not figured put how to deliver without the pizza getting stone cold and having to be reheated (which affects taste). Delivery person does not use an insulated bag to keep pizza hot.
Please Cafe P, get back to how good you once were! (2-3 years ago) -
Review from Emily C.
Syracuse, NY
4/5/2011
I tried this place on a Saturday afternoon with a friend. The place was mostly empty- But it seemed like just a neighborhood pizza place/bar. The food was outstanding- I especially loved the bruschetta- they brought out 3 kinds- the typical olive oil and tomato, pesto and fresh mozzarella, and pickled red/yellow peppers with olive oil- delicious! The pizza crust was great (it's my favorite part).
The waitress was very slow- so we were waiting for the check for a while, but I'd definitely go back again. -
Review from Emily R.
Virginia Beach, VA
10/21/2009
Two tidbits of advice here:
1. Get the Pizza.
2. Don't deviate from #1.
Oh yeah...the beers are good with lots of microbrew selections, and the gelato looked good as one of my coworkers was scarfing it down. Other entrees...? Not so much.
The spaghetti was overly al-dente, as in not cooked enough. The sauce tasted canned and was too watery. My Gnocchi had the consistency of tapioca balls, better suited to a boba drink. The hot italian sausage and peppers were bland and did nothing for the dish. The portabella panini was grilled right, but the sogginess of the insides quickly turned it into a knife and fork affair.
The pizza though, was fantastic. We tried the Caprese Pizza with a neapolitan crust, and a pepperoni with a NY crust. Both were equally good, and they did not skimp on the toppings.
The service was friendly, the space was inviting and very kid friendly, and the prices for the pizzas were absolutely worth it.
5 stars for the pizza and service. Blah stars for the pasta and sandwiches. -
Review from Steve K.
Arlington, VA
2/2/2010
We went looking for what was reputed to be some of the finest pizza in DC and we weren't disappointed! We ordered a neapolitan with spicy Italian sausage and pepperoni (we like meat) and we were very satisfied with the pizza. The crust was crispy and flavorful and the ingredients were fresh and delicious. We also ordered some wine and it was a great pairing with the pizza. We deviated from the OP's recommendation that we only order pizza and we had a plate of antipasto and some calamari. The antipasto was meagre and unflavorful and the calamari was nicely crispy but bland. Next time we will try the New York-style crust.
Definitely go and definitely get the pizza.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Chris D.
Arlington, VA
11/1/2010
I absolutely love this place!
1) They have a small but pretty decent craft brew selection.
2) The pizza is amazing
3) They deliver both amazing pizza, AND craft brew to your doorstep!
I have never had anything but pizza at their Crystal City location, but every pizza I have had has been outstanding. I strongly recommend the Neapolitan crust. The NY crust is good, but the Neapolitan has a crunch and 'umph' the NY is missing.
My favorite pizza? Portabella, smoked mozerella, and arugula - wash it down with a Bell's Two Hearted Ale. YUM YUM -
Review from Jamie M.
6/19/2008
My first visit to this place wasn't very impressive. I ordered the Portobello Panini and the ingredients just weren't working for me in that combination that day. The one good thing was that it wasn't soggy (a lot of portobello panini's come out horrible soggy - i.e. Panera!).
Luckily we decided to give it another go and went back for pizza. I'm sooooo glad we did because it was fabulous! I got a 12 inch neopolitan pizza and it's now in my top three favorite pizza places in the DC area. The crust was nice and crisp and the cheese and sauce was delicious without being too oily.
Great place to come have a beer, some pizza, and hang out. I haven't tried their gelato yet but I think it was in metal bins, which means it's homemade!Listed in: My neighborhood
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Review from Steve M.
8/13/2008
In my limited interaction with Cafe Pizzaiolo, I must say that I was very pleased.
I ordered delivery of a "New York Pizza" with hot Italian sausage and red onions. The crust is definitely thin and crunchy, which is a product of their touted brick oven. It was delish. Delivery took 30-40 minutes, and the person on the phone was super friendly and helpful.
I'll def order this place again next time I'm in a pizza(iolo) mood. -
Review from Aja A.
Arlington, VA
1/14/2010
I actually said "yay" after this pizza entered my mouth.
Definitely the best pizza i have had in the DC area.
We ordered take out, I love that they have an online store.
However--beware the mozzarella sticks. They are highly ordinary in take out fashion.
We got the Diavala pizza, with spicy sausage, yellow and red bell peppers. Tastiness. If you're in the area, you have got to check this place out.
They deliver wine and beer too! You can build your own pizza, order a speciality creation, or get sandwich/salad. i will definitely be a repeat customer. -
Review from Justin D.
Arlington, VA
8/24/2011
Great pizza and outstanding giant calzones (if ordering online they are hiding in the "Daily Specials"...every day) - definitely the best (or maybe second best...Z Pizza is right up there too) I have been able to find around the DC area. I love that you can order online and have your pizza typically in around 20-25 minutes (I do live 1.5 miles away).
What I love even more is their service. I don't ever review places on Yelp because I never tend to feel that strongly about a place but after last night's Pizzaiolo experience I felt I owed it to them to write a review. What happened was I placed an order online as I've done a couple dozen times in the year I've lived in the area and then waited....and waited....and 45 minutes later decided to call and ask where the hell my 2 calzones were. First I looked at my email to see what the estimated delivery time was and to get their phone #. That's when I saw that the order was for pickup and not delivery....I had apparently not been paying attention when I ordered and ordered for pickup.
So I called to ask if I could have them delivered - when the manager got on the phone I just told him that I had screwed up and apparently not been paying attention to the fact that the online ordering defaulted to pickup. Rather than say "Sure, we'll get them right over" he offered to make fresh ones at no charge and get them delivered ASAP. I was amazed because I had obviously been the one who screwed up, not them, but he went out of his way to make it better - at their expense. Sadly I didn't get his name, but I must say I was truly impressed.
Bravo Pizzaiolo, I will continue making you my first choice!
Only bad thing I could possibly say is not to order the jumbo cookies...they are about the size of a famous amos and not good at all. -
Review from Jalyn H.
Alexandria, VA
6/8/2007
Cafe Pizzaiolo might have one of the friendliest staffs in the Crystal City area. The owner, who was busy shlepping food and bussing tables, was SO nice and accomodating that I'm willing to overlook the fact that the other servers were very slow and got confused easily.
That being said, Tia K. is right. CP is a lovely little place with lots of cool art on the walls. The lunch specials range from sandwiches to pasta to pizza. The Neapolitan pizza was simple, light, and scrumtious (just the way it should be). The chocolate gelato is outstanding, however I found the strawberry to be a little flat (No, I didn't get 2 servings. I've been there twice, dammit!).
If you are in the city of Crystal and have a few hours to kill, Cafe Pizzaiolo is worth the trip. Oh, and they have wine by the bottle to go. Always important for those alcoholics who just can't sit still. -
Review from Mark M.
7/22/2010
Oh, Crystal City.
Café Pizzaiolo was recommended as a place when one needs lunch delivered to one's hotel.
- the food came very quickly!
- the salads and pizzas were simple, fresh, and delicious
- the prices were reasonable
- items were wrapped well as to avoid spilling/leaking
- placing our order was easy
- though the order was quite large, they send no: plates, napkins, forks, or knives
- when the delivery person was asked why (above) he replied "not my problem"
- minus one whole star...... -
Review from gail s.
Alexandria, VA
9/14/2011
Cafe P was our 'go to' place in Del Ray. We have done take-out since they closed that location.
Last week our delivery order of eggplant parm & pizza was really, really bad. Pizza was stone cold and eggplant consisted of four slices of eggplant & pasta. no bread, no salad despite confirming (with the employee on the phone) that both would be included .
what has happened to this great place -- who also used to care about their customers. that also seems to be over as emails to the restaurant go unanswered...... -
Review from Mary S.
Washington, DC
12/26/2009
this is the best! the Neapolitan pizza is to die for. The crust is thin, crisp and air-y. The basil was fresh tasting and the pie was so good I will come back over and over.
Also, some people said just order the pizza. Wrong! The Fried Calamari was wonderful. They don't make that icky type with thick breading and oregano in it. This is a thin, delicate batter probably Panko, and the squid was fresh and not fishy, unlike what you get just up the block at the Thai place. -
Review from Janette Y.
Washington, DC
2/3/2010
Such a cute little place! Friendly, down to earth casual atmosphere... I could definitely hang out chatting with friends for a while, feeling at home.
They really make a great pizza pie! I loooove thin crust pizza, and they deliver great quality with fresh ingredients. You'll eat every last bite including the crust. You'll feel full, yet not lethargic when you're done... well, unless you have one of their huge bottles of wine. In that case, let the lethargy set in :)
