slides: RI’s Best Upscale Pizza Places
Thursday, October 02, 2014
Ann & Michael Martini, GoLocalProv Food Editors
We begin our two-week look at Rhode Island's best pizza with the upscale pizzas. These aren't found in pizza places, but nice restaurants and cafes. This genre of pizza is not unique to Rhode Island but it was certainly perfected here.
The pizza culture in Rhode Island started back in the beginning of the 20th Century when Italian immigrants flooded up from Ellis Island. When they settled here they found the perfect ingredients for their favorite peasant food. Tomatoes took root easily; basil flourished; and the cheese makers had local farms producing milk for cheeses. The ubiquitous red party pizza is the first--and longest lasting--version of this treat. Through the years, local chefs have tinkered with and elevated the humble pie into something extraordinary. We set out to find 5 good examples of upscale pies and came back with these...(next week: pizza joint pizza!)
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Bacaro, Providence
Chef and owner Brian Kingsford trained at the hands of Al Forno’s George and Johanne but struck out on his own many years ago, taking over the spot formerly occupied by Neath's, and immediately giving Rhode Islanders another option for sublime grilled pizza. Each nook and cranny of the crisp dough is packed with fresh ingredients that combine for that perfect bite of pizza. The restaurant’s salumeria provides handy inspiration for variations on the classic theme—the Pizza Salumi with spicy sopressata is our favorite. Beautiful thin slices of spicy soppressata is layered on top of the margarita pizza, making the whole pie zesty!262 South Water St. 751-3700
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Al Forno, Providence
As they say, let's start at the beginning... in 1980 pizza was pizza until Johanne and George returned from a trip to Italy and changed everything. Grilled pizza and this restaurant put Rhode Island on the national culinary map and led to hundreds of imitations. The original, however, remains the one all others are measured against. The dough is impossibly thin and crisp, the toppings are simple and fresh and therefore speak for themselves, and the execution is flawless. Our personal favorite is the margarita; beautiful San Marzano tomatoes are crushed over the crisp dough and topped with cheese, shaved scallions and extra virgin olive oil. It's just everything that a grilled pizza should be. A close second is any seasonal pizza they do with local corn. 577 South Main St, 273-9760,
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d.Carlo Trattoria, Smithfield
For the last several years, folks in the western end of the state have had a reliable choice when it comes to an Italian restaurant, d.Carlo trattoria. The food here is always good—with different pastas, meats and fish well prepared and reasonably priced. We are here for the pizza however, and pizza we found! There were two standouts for us, first the bolognese with caramelized onion, basil and fontina cheese and second the garlic puree with spinach, mushrooms, caramelized onions and fresh mozzarella. Think of the bolognese pizza as the greatest thin crust, open-faced meatball sandwich you've ever had. 'Nuff said. The garlic puree pizza combines the slight bitterness of the garlic and spinach with the sweetness of caramelized onion to form a great slice. 970 Douglas Pike, 349-4979
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Providence Coal Fired Pizza, Providence
Is Providence Coal Fired Pizza actually a pizza joint? We think not. The dark woods and seductive wine list elevate the look of this location, but it's the food that set it apart. Start on the appetizers. The coal fired ricotta is like Italian fondue with hints of garlic. Oh but save plenty of room for the coal fired pizza. Why coal? The higher and more consistent heat produces a near perfect crust. We love the Conrad. House made sausage, roasted onions, roasted peppers, rosemary and 2 types of cheese. It has mozzarella for melting but it's the sharpness of the pecorino that makes this pie sing. 385 Westminster St.454-7499
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Arturo Joe's, Narragansett
We mean no disrespect when we say that, during the summer, if we need a taste of the city we head to Arturo Joe's. This would be a good restaurant whether it was located in Providence or Warwick or, luckily, near the beach. We head here when we need some good calamari and a terrific grilled pizza. We are suckers for the balsamic calamari and the "#3" pizza. Broccoli rabe and sausage are accented by fire roasted peppers, garlic oil and black olives (we skip those). The real star ingredient is the cannellini beans, though. Soft and creamy and rich, they pull the pie together and make it at the same time. 140 Point Judith Rd. 789-3230
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