Stracci Pizza — Restaurant in Alexandria

OK, I agree, one of the best pizzas in Northern VA.

A friend told me about this place a couple of years ago but due to the evening operation hours only, I have just never been able to get there and had to make a special trip to knock this review down.

The good. The pizza is damn good! I was expecting something heavier and more doughy like an almost Detroit Style pizza, it's not even the same. Lighter, flakier crust, not doughy, not rubbery and no flop on the crust at all and a great flavor. Ticked the boxes for both me and my buddy who both love pizza but slightly different criteria. For a pizza review I normally do only pepperoni but because the likelihood of me getting back here is slim due to the hours, I did Pepperoni and Sausage and also went in for the Stracciatella cheese. I wasn't sure about the cheese but it's their thing and I am now on board with it. My buddy had a 1/2 cheese only and 1/2 sausage, his normal review pizza. We both give high marks, he 8.2 and me an 8.5. I am not a fan of acidic sauce, this one great, up to snuff, savory and smooth. Toppings tasted good quality and amounts were proportional and on the money. Cut in squares, no flop in the crust makes it easy to eat by hand, no fork and knife needed. Very crispy crust on mine, slightly less crispy on my buddies, but both were very good. We had drinks and the Rosemary Focaccia while we waited for our table and all was delicious. Get the focaccia with the oil dip for sure. I like a little salt splashed on the oil but there was none to be found. For dessert, chocolate gelato which was a 2 small scoops in a cool little bowl, also delicious. Well worth the trip and the food is amazing. We had Highball drinks which were excellent.

Not my favorite. Street parking, do not park in the lot across the street, they tow. Plan to drop off your people and then hunt for parking. Long wait, 1 hour 5 minutes for us to get a table having arrived 20 minutes after opening. Things were slower around 7:30 when the initial crowd started to leave though. No option for a reservation that I could find and not on Open Table. This was a 3 hour dinner for us. Small tent out back to wait but no additional seating so be prepared to stand or wait somewhere else until you get the text. No soft drinks, alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks or water, this was a bummer for us. No real table service. You are required to order through a portal and grabbing someone for questions was tough. To-go orders are also left to you to remember to enter online and also time correctly. We waited 10 minutes but our to-go orders came out in about half the time our own food took and was quite early. My pizza came out 10 minutes later than my buddies, when we finally snagged someone, we were told this is common due to multiple ovens doing different things but he was done and I was just starting. Staff are all very nice but it is not a very personal experience in the service portion.

Pizza is fantastic, food and drinks were great, as are the staff and I love the small shop success story. It's a different kind of pizza too which I love. Charming spot with nice menu and drink options. A lot jammed into a tiny spot and condensed traffic to only a few hours per day makes it very crowded. Staff are all very nice but due to lack of actual table service and in person ordering, it is impersonal. Definitely a great spot and you need to...

• Stracci is Michelin star worthy * Updated review: I'm happy I get to write the review I always wanted to. Their pizza is the pique of experience; if you can manage to order 10a-noon on Sunday, you will thank yourself for the best meal-prep you could've imagined. Think Michelin-star worthy.

The crust: it marries the best things between a pizza crust and a freshly baked loaf of your favorite bread. The outside is firm and crunchy. The slice supports itself, leaving a soft, buttery inside to whet the appetite for the rest of the slice you're about to eat. Occasionally brushed with char, the flavor of the crust alone is so rich and complex, without weighing your stomach like a lead weight. A serious contender for the best part of the pizza, except for the namesake of the restaurant... The cheese: straciatella. If you've ever had bufala cheese (which I'd recommend you search out and try), let me share a quick lesson. Bufala cheese is like a dumpling: it's got a semi-firm outside, which is mozzarella cheese, and the filling is a soft gooey-buttery stracciatella cheese. So the namesake is the protected, delicate cheese. Its wonderful! Its light and airy and buttery and melty and YOU'VE GOT TO TRY IT. The sauce: a fresh sauce that is thick enough that doesnt leave the crust soggy, while providing that umami punch that unites the rest of the flavors. The toppings: let me break this down to the 3 pizzas I've had from them. The Stracci: their namesake pizza is a very basic pizza, with red sauce, stracciatella cheese, and basil. Its satisfying, its delicious. It lets the crust and cheese shine through without anything altering your perception of their flavor. This was the first pizza I got from them. It was cold on receipt, but after my first review, Stracci offered to make it up to me. (Which was really cool! I never had that experience before!) They did, in spades. The Salty Mariner: Don't knock it till you try it! A lot of people are scared of anchovies, but it is really good on pizza! And the garlic balances it out. It smells strongly of garlic, but the garlic flavor is much more mild. BE NOT AFRAID I ordered it after I got the cold Stracci but before I responded and I got it warm. I'd say the cold pizza was a fluke; both pizzas were good. The Brooklyner: this was the pizza I got as compensation. It was everything I had hoped for. As I opened the box, my face glowed warm, as it was greeted by this pizza. I ate half of it in the parking lot across from the truck. (After I told myself to wait until I got home to enjoy with my pizza... I ate the entire pizza before I got home) It was unique to me how the toppings seemed to stand out from the pizza, while simultaneously melding with the pizza. The service/staff: really awesome people. They care about their customers (good social distancing amidst a global pandemic), each other (again, trying to keep each other healthy), and their pizza. I'm still astounded that they comp'd me after giving me a cold pizza. Really, unbelievably cool of them.

Bottom line: try it. I cant wait to show my wife. (Work keeps us...

I walked in one Sunday evening to order takeout. My objective was to gather a first impression of the restaurant at a fast pace. Whenever I do this, my indicator are three things; interaction with the staff, the atmosphere without accounting for other patrons, and the food.

The hostess is confident and to the point in her role; This is a huge plus because it shows that she’s listening with the intent of providing what you need.

The atmosphere is social, intimate, and welcoming. This allows for a great date night, gathering with a group for business or socializing. During the colder months, the restaurant place space heaters by the outside seating and standing tables to make being outside comfortable.

Placing my takeout order was easy. I kept it simple by ordering the Stracci Pizza. It’s was close to closing time, so I didn’t want to create high stimulus for the chef. I was able to taste two of their wines; great selections overall. One was the type of wine you can drink at anytime. If they had a house wine, that would be it; Pronounced and pleasing to the pallet, yet not too sweet. The second wine I sampled was less pronounced though more desirable: if I were dining in with others and desire a bottle, or two, for the table the second one is it. I should have wrote this review the evening of my visit, but… I am certain if you ask about the wines per my descriptions i.e. pronounced and desirable, they’ll know which ones they are…

After placing my Stracci order, I was informed it would take about 20 minutes; Armed with this information, I proceeded to inquire about the wines. This resulted in my discovery of the two reds I described prior. The interaction was memorable and welcoming. One thing I must mention is that they are skilled in the art of upselling. After all it’s a business they’re operating. So this is expected…

My order was ready in about 15 minutes. The hostess handed it to me, and I immediately begun experiencing the flavors; sense of smell. Expressed my appreciation and said goodbye.

As soon as I got home I opened the box, picked up a slice and took a bite of my Stracci Pizza; Thin crusted and good flavors! A little less sauce and it would, for me, be a five-stars pizza…

Based in this experience, I recommend Stracci Pizza for whatever your dining occasion may be. Another plus, the menu is simple and the offerings in each category complements each other. It’s evident that there’s real intention behind this restaurant…

Will the selections be as desirable as the seasons change?… Will they offer Sangria in...