Vintage Pizzeria- Good Atmosphere and Family Friendly in Chamblee

I needed to take MARTA last week when my car was being serviced on Peachtree Industrial Blvd, and was quite impressed by what I am seeing in Chamblee. It seems urban planners are doing something right on Peachtree Rd. across from the Chamblee MARTA station. There are numerous lofts already built and several more on the way for those looking to ditch their morning commutes for a more eco-friendly mode of transportation. And in the middle of this new enclave of housing density sits Vintage Pizzeria.

Vintage Pizzeria sits on the ground floor of a new brick loft building at 5434 Peachtree Rd. The place is a great combination of casual food, good beer list, and a good place to take the youngsters. In fact, when we went last Saturday, almost every table had at least one child. But, don’t get me wrong, this is no Chuck E Cheese. It would be just as comfortable for a couple of friends or young couple to grab some pizza and drink a few bevvies. The beer list boasts 14 brews on tap and another 20 in bottle. My wife and I were commenting how this had an “in town” feel to it, and was something we have missed since moving to Sandy Springs.

I will say that if you’re a really picky pizza critic, Vintage is probably not for you. We started with the calamari that included slices of jalapeno and okra. The spicy fra diablo sauce provides a little extra kick. But without the spice, the calamari was actually sort of bland. I’ll definitely skip that next time. The pizza was okay, and I definitely devoured my half, but I wouldn’t put it in the same class as Capozzi’s or Napoli’s. (Although these places are solely take out for me- the dine-in experience leaves much to be desired.)

Here’s the thing though, I enjoyed eating here. The atmosphere more than made up for the shortcomings of the kitchen. And I live close enough that I don’t really feel like I am going tremendously out of my way. So for those of you with young families in Chamblee and Brookhaven, you may want to check it out if you haven’t already done so.

Lo Lo Lo Lo Lola

I had mentioned a few weeks back that I had popped into Lola in the Terminus complex in Buckhead and was anxious to check out the fare. I thought the prices looked reasonable, and it would be a place that baby Steakhead would do well in. Right on the first count…wrong on the second. More on that later.

Lola is a Tom Catherall Italian concept and I would say he is focusing on the lighter side when you look at the menu. The featured item appears to be the Antipasto Bar, where you can get a combo of three meats and cheeses for $15 or five for $22. We split a plate of the Caponata (a relish of eggplant, tomatoes and olives), the Copa (a spicy salami of pork shoulder) and the Latur cheese (a soft cheese that’s a combination of cow/sheep/goat’s milk). This was very good, especially the caponata…and usually I am not an eggplant fan.

The great thing about Lola is they have done a great job of making a night out easy on the wallet. The menu features several wood-fired pizzas, several pasta dishes which can come in a half order if you so choose, and a couple of features in the “light” category (under 600 calories). All of these dishes are under $20.

I had the linguine with clam sauce, which seemed to get better as I ate it. At first, I thought the broth didn’t have a lot of flavor. By the end, I was eating the remaining sauce with a soup spoon! For some inexplicable reason, they took our bread away when they cleared the appetizer plates, and it would have been nice to have with the pasta and mopping up the sauce. The linguine was not your typical linguine, having the width (over a ¼”) and the curved texture of an egg noodle. I was told this is “real” linguine and all the other linguines I have ever had “are really just spaghetti”. I sort of want to call BS on this, but can any Italians out there confirm what real linguine is? Lady Steakhead had the Primavera pizza and her Dad had the pappardelle with sausage Bolognese, both of which I sampled and were quite good.

This is not a romantic spot, as the scene can be quite loud. The bar area is particularly lively and takes up a good chunk of the overall restaurant space. The service at Lola was very good, and they were quite patient when it came to Little Steakhead and her occasional screams. We spent half our meals taking turns walking her outside to ensure we weren’t bothering anyone else. Obviously, we have entered a phase where we just can’t take her and expect to have a relaxing meal anymore. This is partly why the posts have been a little sparse on the blog lately, and unfortunately, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Steakhead Recommends: Yes
Price: $$

A Slice of NY Heaven at Capozzi’s

One of my biggest pet peeves about Atlanta has been the lack of decent New York-style pizza. As good as the Atlanta dining scene can be, there are a few staples from home- namely pizza and Italian subs- where I find most of the options completely unsatisfying. Well, I may have found the answer to one of those cravings.

I was turned on to Capozzi’s NY Pizza & Pasta by a co-worker who makes a special trip from Decatur all the way to this East Cobb joint located on Roswell Rd. just east of the intersection with Johnson Ferry. Lady Steakhead and I went Sunday night and it was a bustling scene. This place looks like a New York neighborhood joint (and the main wall is adorned with pictures of the Manhattan skyline, to drive the point home). The kitchen and the counter is in the front as you walk in, with a narrow strip of tables extending toward the back of the restaurant. The place was almost completely full when we arrived at 6pm, and as you can imagine, is quite child-friendly.

I ordered two slices of pepperoni and onion, and did the traditional fold (Lady Steakhead doesn’t understand this practice). Pepperonis generously covered the entire slice, and yet were not overpowering. Furthermore, this may have been the least greasy pepperoni pizza I have had in Atlanta. I gobbled down my two slices with great gusto, and still had room to try some of the wife’s Penne Bolognese. This bowl of pasta is massive, and provided enough food for her and Baby Steakhead (and the occasional forkful stolen by yours truly), and there was still enough to take home for dinner tonight.

And here is the kicker for the evening- two entrees, an appetizer of cheese garlic bread, one glass of chianti and a bottle of Sam Adams only cost $27! Since Capozzi’s is only about 5 miles from the house, it is primed to takeover as favorite pizza for takeout. Ippolito’s may still be the favorite for dining in, based solely on atmosphere. But make no mistake, the food and prices at Capozzi’s kick the pants off of Ipp’s.

Steakhead Recommends: Is there better NY-style pizza in Atlanta? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Prices: $