Luigi’s Coal Oven Pizza Delray Beach, FL
Slice Rating
Luigi's Pizza opened up months ago in Delray Beach, Fl on Atlantic Ave. They took the location of many a failed restaurant prior to them renovating this space. We have eaten at their other location in Fort Lauderdale, situated on Las Olas and really didn't love it too much. You can read that review here.
It is fair to note that this review is written after trying Luigi's Coal Oven Pizza two times, at their Delray Beach location. I wanted to make sure that my taste buds weren't altered by the $9.95 Mozzarella in Carrozza I had the first visit, which was nothing more than a deep fried burnt grilled cheese sandwich. Amazing how two slices of bread and two pieces of cheese, could POSSIBLY cost this much.
Well... onto the review of the pizza, since I am sure you aren't reading this to see how my grilled cheese experience went. I ordered a plain pie with no basil, but once again I was given the phony VPN excuse that they cannot make the pizza without it. Ultimately with some push back I was able to get the pizza the way I wanted it. Once again I need to point them to the requirements for actual certification to be VPN, As explicitly stated on the website, "1. Wood-burning oven. The real Neapolitan pizza must be cooked in a wood-fired dome oven operating at a temperature of about 900 F. Gas, coal, electrical ,or wood/gas combined ovens, while capable to produce a delicious pizza, do not conform to the Neapolitan tradition and are not allowed", so if they actually are VPN, why are they running coal ovens? They still haven't responded since my last review, so I will have to just assume that the claim isn't true, at least in my opinion.
The pizza came out quickly, like most pizzas cooked in these ovens do. I grabbed my first slice and of course, the sauce and cheese slid off. I was smarter on the second slice, and used a fork and knife, which I usually dislike doing. But hey, I am not an animal and when in Rome.....
When I was ultimately able to get the pizza into my mouth, it didn't taste too bad. From what I recall, it was better than the pizza I experienced at their Fort Lauderdale location. The sauce was sweet, and the cheese was definitely fresh. I wasn't crazy about the dough though. If there was one thing I could change, it is safe to say, the dough would be in. The sauce was also a bit chunkier than I enjoy, but like everything on pizza, it is subjective, and I understand that many readers love chunky sauce.
Luigi's Coal Oven Pizza in Delray Beach is probably paying an exorbitant amount of rent, and will have to hope for a continued flow of patrons to remain open, at least in my opinion. This will only be accomplished with some pretty extraordinary pizza. Personally, I am not rushing back to go in there since I feel that Scuola Vecchia down the block is superior, once again, in my opinion.
The hostess was gorgeous at least, so maybe that will get me to go if I walk by.
Luigi's Coal Oven Pizza in Delray Beach gets 5 out of 8 slices. It wasn't perfect, but I have most certainly had worse.