Pizza and a Decent Bottle

[Coop]

Any ideas? Icendio is in the building. Anyone eaten there? Anything in Kits or on the Westside?

[Mooshmouse]

I'm drawing a blank on pizza in the Kits area, but I'd suggest Yuji's if you're up for a cuisine change. Some of the best izakaya and sushi you can get in town... or out of town for that matter. 1/2 a block east of Arbutus on West 4th Avenue.

[Daddy-A]

I've got the pizza, just no bottle The Firewood Cafe does really good pizza, but doesn't have much in the way of a dining room per se ... not a liquor liscence. 3005 Cambie Street ... right beside this cool little kitchen design studio

A.

[montrachet]

It may be a bit far but why not pick up a nice pie at Nat's on Broadway, pick up a decent bottle at Broadway International Wines a half a block west and then enjoy them both at home. With the annual road checks starting up soon, it may be the best way to go.

Make sure to ask them to top your pie with their special marinated spicy shrooms along with your other choices. Perhaps a Ruffino Riserva Ducale?

[Keith Talent]

Vancouver is the town that pizza forget. And mexican. Especially mexican.

[2roost]

Simpatico on West 4th - solid pie, good greek salad and I'm sure you can find an appropriate bottle on the list.

[Xando Head]

I can sadly say I have eaten once at Incendio. I had inattentive, slow service (don't you think they'd have the "fast" thing down since they're next door to the cinema?) and the pizza tasted like it had generic tomato sauce and was more than slightly undercooked. That, and they sat us at a table next to a leak in the ceiling (there was a bucket on the floor to get the drips) ... One experience, I know, but I can't say I'd ever go back or recommend it to anyone.

[Sam Salmon]

I've had Pizza @ Incendio-Veggie was so/so, 5 cheese much better neither exceptional.

The oven isn't wood burning just a gas fired brick setup so no distinct flavour.

I haven't been back for 2 years so I guess it didn't make much of an impression.

No wine just beer-of-the-day.

I do know the place has had trouble with the Liquor Board over just serving drinks no food in the past but no details.

The food service setup is poorly designed and cramped it's just a bar really.

[Keith Talent]

I just spent ten minutes typing an opinion on the Commercial location, then I remembered that it was Marcello's, not Incendio. I'm going to stick to sidetracks and snide off topic responses, it's much easier.

[montrachet]

Keith,

Did you like Marcello's though? Do you prefer it over Lombardo's if you were in the same area craving some wood-fired oven pie?

[Keith Talent]

I like Marcello's. I like the room, I kinda like the menu, and think the pizza is the best in town, but that's faint praise, tallest midget thing. Lombardo's I've only been to a couple of times, both for Saturday lunch, didn't recall being particularly taken either time, plus the whole sitting inside the middle of a mall is a turnoff.

Plus, Marcello's is worth it just to admire the oven. I enjoy telling my wife that one day I'll have a wood burning pizza oven oven just like that in the backyard, just to watch to look of horror on her face. Seriously coolest oven in the world though.

I hosted a birthday party for my wife there a few years back. It's a good place for a casual group. Antipasto, pizza, platters of pasta, place is already loud, so no decorum will be offended. Wine isn't cheap there though.

[Ling]

I like the pizza at Marcello's as well. Haven't been to Lombardo's or Incendio so I can't comment on those places.

[butter]

Zacharry's on Oak at 16th makes good takeout/delivery pizza.

[Tete Carre]

Can't speak for Incendio but given it's proximity to the 5th Avenue theatre ( I can't stand Alliance theatres because the greed is so naked and the delivery of the film experience is so pathetic - JMHO) it's probably worth a try. Otherwise you might want to try the Ordinary Cafe (on 4th and a block to the east of Burrand) which has a good menu, pretty good wine list and very good prices. Probably go there once a week.

There really isn't much of a difference between Lombardos and Marcellos. Marcello lost Lombardos to his, now ex, wife when he got caught teaching some fancy moves to a young, female soccer fan . Shortly thereafter he (and his investor group?) bought Imperio Cafe and thus Marchellos was born (I'm sure others know the story better than I). The menus are almost identical except Lombardos no longer has the Marchello Pizza. Best pie in town but I agree with Keith - not much competition at the high end resulting in some variation in quality from visit to visit.

[Coop]

We ended up having both good pizza and a very nice bottle. I agree Marcello makes good pie but the service and the wine list generally suck. In a moment of brilliance I thought of, oh I'm so emberassed, Earl's on Broadway. Near the theatre, great prices for good wine on the reserve list, (Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape, $43.00) and pretty decent wood burning oven cooked pizza. We were early enough to miss the yuppy family crowd. The place was basically empty until we left.

BTW we saw Sideways. Very nice bit of film making. The scene where Miles get's chased by the tow truck driver must be seen. Pretty hilarious. The movie is a nice blend of humour and melancoly. I don't want to say much more or this post will seem off topic.

[montrachet]

Glad to hear that you found the right venue. I completely forgot about Earl's and their excellently priced wine list.

Now which burger would go nice with that St. Emilion I wonder?

[Jojosan]

Hi there, I've got to chime in on this one. I LOVE Incendio pizza, but much prefer the gastown location with the real wood burning fire. Their food is always fresh, yummy, reasonable and unpretentious service. I find the location on Burrard a bit too busy with the movie crowd.

I've had pizza at all of the places mentioned here and think Incendio can give any of them a run for their money.

[Vancouver Lee]

...and I'd all but given up on finding decent pizza in Vancouver.

Back in Toronto, we had discovered a little hole-in-the-wall family run pizza place with the second best pizza we'd ever experienced (the first place finisher was a now-bankrupt pizzeria in a strip mall in suburban Baltimore, Maryland, between a Hallmark Cards store and Jenny Craig - I'm not making that up). It's been more than 6 months in Vancouver for us, and we have yet to discover anything even approaching a good take-out or delivery pie.

We've tried The Firewood Cafe, Brick Oven Pizzeria, Rebellious Tomato, Amadeus, Martinis, Johnny's Pizza Factory, and Gigi's along with the usual assortment of large chains (we REALLY like pizza so we are quite motivated). We finally begged a waitress at a restaurant on Commercial to tell us where her favourtie pizza place was, and she directed us to Lombardo's. It was the best we've had in Vancouver, but that's like being smartest idiot.

Just when we'd given up (and decided to focus on perfecting our own home-made recipe), along comes this thread and some new possibilites. The search goes on...

BTW, I paid my first visit to Gourmet Warehouse today. Has anyone tried the frozen gourmet (oxymoron, I know!) pizzas they sell there?

Edited December 19, 2004 by Vancouver Lee (log)

[nwyles]

Back in Toronto,we had discovered The smartest idiot.

I was able to read between the lines in your post.

Welcome to Vancouver , Vancouver Lee.

Marcello's

Nat's

My buddy owns Pizza Pizzaz on Granville Island. I have always had great slices there but they are free for me so I do not know if that sways my decision.

Good luck on the quest to find the perfect pizza !

[montrachet]

Although it's not true thin crust pizza, I can't forget the pies they served at Camarra's on Dufferin just south of Lawrence in T.O. Nat's here does replicate a nice NY style pie and depending on the guy on duty, the pies made at Lombardo's is quite nice. They need a better wine list though for me to be a regular.

I will try Pizza Pizzaz though Chef Wyles as it's so close to home.

[phoodphan]

Pick a rainy afternoon, head to Cardero's Marine Pub in Coal Harbour, grab a comfy leather couch by the fireplace with a waterview. They have an inexpensive wine list. and wood oven pizza. The pizza was so good that we ordered a second one.

[Vancouver Lee]

Although it's not true thin crust pizza, I can't forget the pies they served at Camarra's on Dufferin just south of Lawrence in T.O.  Nat's here does replicate a nice NY style pie and depending on the guy on duty, the pies made at Lombardo's is quite nice. They need a better wine list though for me to be a regular.

I will try Pizza Pizzaz though Chef Wyles as it's so close to home.

←

Never been there, Montrachet, but I'll be in the neighbourhood over Christmas and will check it out.

Neil, thanks for the welcome. I'll definately check out Pizza Pizzaz. I don't recall seeing it, though - where exactly is it on the Island?

[Megs]

I live just up Burrard, steps from Incendio, and I have to agree with the majority- my experience there has been far from great. Mediocre food, mediocre service.

As for the good stuff, I'm definitely a fan of Nat's..very tasty indeed...and I must also put in a vote for Earls...their thin crust pizzas are great, and also the best second day pizza I've had.