"Crozet-style Pizza"
C'ville Review
by gayla mills
I return to Crozet Pizza periodically to remind myself that some good things in life remain constant. Last week I went for another visit, and the pizza was as delicious and irresistible as it was ten years ago.
Some of you may wonder if it's worth driving out to Crozet to get pizza when there are dozens of places in town. The answer is clearly yes; Crozet's can't be beat for its combination of great taste and funky atmosphere. Red hair seems to be a prerequisite for employment in this place. Bob Crum, the man who makes all the pizzas (this may explain their consistent quality), stood behind the counter pounding dough, red beard and hair blazing above his red Crozet Pizza t-shirt. We were served by a red-haired waitress (one of two) who was wearing Fred Flintstone shorts, with Fred and Barney up to their usual antics. No dress code in this place.
The restaurant itself is small and cozy, with homemade dark wood furniture and lace curtains. It's easy to imagine you're somewhere far removed from this place and time, that you just left your horse outside the door, or stepped in off a dirt road in some small mining town, kicking the mud off your boots. An old Royal woodstove in the center of the room casts a warm glow; a cleaver hangs next to the toy bugle in the kitchen; dusty National Geographics, a Mona Lisa, a brightly painted parrot, and a wasp's nest complement the décor. A pinball machine entertains the kids in an adjoining room; next to it is pinned a world map which chronicles the adventures of restaurant fans, all wearing the Crozet Pizza t-shirt. These shirts have been from Botswana to Budapest, Ecuador to India. Gazing at this map can lead to all kinds of wild speculations and travel plans.
As for the pizza, it can't be beat. The flavor is rich and delicious, with a tasty tomato sauce, a generous amount of mozzarella cheese, and a balance of spices and olive oil. The dough is made fresh daily. In fact, all the ingredients seem uniformly fresh; the heaps of fresh white mushrooms are especially gratifying (too many pizzas in this world are spoiled by canned mushrooms.) In addition, to all the usual toppings, there's some spicy Italian sausage, hot peppers, and garlic. For the truly daring there's spinach, zucchini, and snow peas. There's no incriminating oil dripping off the pizza, threatening to hit you later in the evening. Best of all, the crust is exactly what a crust should be: somewhat chewy, generously proportioned, and, well, crusty. If you're in the mood for something besides pizza, you're out of luck. The only other offering on the menu is a small salad, which is like pizza in an altered form-lettuce topped with onions, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes.
The service is simple and friendly. Our waitress took our orders immediately and brought out the pizza about 30 minutes later. The wait is sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes 45, depending on whether you reserve a table ahead of time, and how many other people had the same idea you did. This is the only pizza place I know where I'd recommend reservations, even on a weeknight.
The only other real drawback to eating here is that you get hooked in a big way. But that's the risk you take with any endeavor-having the best may spoil you for the rest. And pizza's no exception.
Some of you may wonder if it's worth driving out to Crozet to get pizza when there are dozens of places in town. The answer is clearly yes; Crozet's can't be beat for its combination of great taste and funky atmosphere. Red hair seems to be a prerequisite for employment in this place. Bob Crum, the man who makes all the pizzas (this may explain their consistent quality), stood behind the counter pounding dough, red beard and hair blazing above his red Crozet Pizza t-shirt. We were served by a red-haired waitress (one of two) who was wearing Fred Flintstone shorts, with Fred and Barney up to their usual antics. No dress code in this place.
The restaurant itself is small and cozy, with homemade dark wood furniture and lace curtains. It's easy to imagine you're somewhere far removed from this place and time, that you just left your horse outside the door, or stepped in off a dirt road in some small mining town, kicking the mud off your boots. An old Royal woodstove in the center of the room casts a warm glow; a cleaver hangs next to the toy bugle in the kitchen; dusty National Geographics, a Mona Lisa, a brightly painted parrot, and a wasp's nest complement the décor. A pinball machine entertains the kids in an adjoining room; next to it is pinned a world map which chronicles the adventures of restaurant fans, all wearing the Crozet Pizza t-shirt. These shirts have been from Botswana to Budapest, Ecuador to India. Gazing at this map can lead to all kinds of wild speculations and travel plans.
As for the pizza, it can't be beat. The flavor is rich and delicious, with a tasty tomato sauce, a generous amount of mozzarella cheese, and a balance of spices and olive oil. The dough is made fresh daily. In fact, all the ingredients seem uniformly fresh; the heaps of fresh white mushrooms are especially gratifying (too many pizzas in this world are spoiled by canned mushrooms.) In addition, to all the usual toppings, there's some spicy Italian sausage, hot peppers, and garlic. For the truly daring there's spinach, zucchini, and snow peas. There's no incriminating oil dripping off the pizza, threatening to hit you later in the evening. Best of all, the crust is exactly what a crust should be: somewhat chewy, generously proportioned, and, well, crusty. If you're in the mood for something besides pizza, you're out of luck. The only other offering on the menu is a small salad, which is like pizza in an altered form-lettuce topped with onions, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes.
The service is simple and friendly. Our waitress took our orders immediately and brought out the pizza about 30 minutes later. The wait is sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes 45, depending on whether you reserve a table ahead of time, and how many other people had the same idea you did. This is the only pizza place I know where I'd recommend reservations, even on a weeknight.
The only other real drawback to eating here is that you get hooked in a big way. But that's the risk you take with any endeavor-having the best may spoil you for the rest. And pizza's no exception.
