Arguments over the best pizza in cities such as New York and Chicago have been going on for decades. But nowadays, crust, tomato sauce, and mozzarella are debated as a foodie phenomenon in terms once reserved for vintage wine and extra virgin olive oil.
Here in Atlanta (which, let’s face it, has never been a great pizza town), Fritti, Varasano’s, and Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria are at the center of the new gourmet pizza wars. But other, less heady, long running joints — including the likes of Mellow Mushroom, Everybody’s and Fellini’s — sustain loyal followings.
Bar and oven
In Sandy Springs, Hearth Pizza Tavern opened late last year, offering another easy-to-like take on the contemporary pie place. As the name precisely explains, stone hearth-baked pizzas and a convivial tavern atmosphere are the heart of the concept.
Located in a shopping center at the corner of Roswell Road and Hammond Drive, the restaurant is arranged around a long rectangular space. Fittingly, the sprawling bar and the gas-fired pizza oven are the focal points. Brick walls, dark wood, and the modern lines of cozy, high-backed booths and long tables create a pleasant, architecturally coherent atmosphere. Outside, the patio is sheltered from the surrounding parking lot by a horizontal slated fence and diners perch under canvas umbrellas.
American pie
In a recent GQ article, food writer Alan Richman argues that America not Italy is now the nexus of the best pizza in the world, and that there at least seven distinct kinds of pizza in this country.
Judging by Richman’s standards, the pizza at Hearth owes a debt to the original Neapolitan style, but also represents much of the substance of the American pie — which he defines as having an airy but chewy, bread-like crust coupled with a wide variety of inventive toppings.
Executive chef Rob Philip developed Hearth’s pizza, with a dough made from organic wheat flour and a sauce cooked up from a combo of fresh and canned tomatoes, garlic, herbs and olive oil. The pizza is baked at 500-600 degrees and develops a bready, springy end crust with nicely charred blisters and a soft but not limp middle. The Queens Right is a tasty Margherita-style, with loads of creamy fior di latte (fresh cow’s milk) mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato sauce and extra virgin olive oil.
Beyond that royal delight, other pies run the gamut from a simple white pizza and a gentle blend of mushrooms and spinach to a burner called the Ring of Fire, with chili oil, chorizo salami, cherry peppers, caramelized onions and cremini mushrooms. Recent weekly specials have included: shrimp and goat cheese with roasted eggplant and Kalamata olives; steak, roasted potatoes, and Gruyere cheese; and a funky barbecue chicken combo with cheddar and applewood smoked bacon, served with bread and butter pickles.
Pies are available in 8 or 12-inch sizes, priced from $6-$18 — which is quite a bargain, given the quality of the ingredients, and the fact that in these recessionary times, pizza has become gourmet food. You can also build your own red or white pie from a list of meats, cheeses and vegetables.
Starters and libations
Pizza is the primary reason to trek to Hearth. But a good number of starters and salads and a full bar make it a good place to stop in for an early or late snack or drink. Among the munches, Rob’s meatballs are a savory blend of beef, veal and sausage braised in red sauce, topped with ricotta, and served in a cast iron skillet with a side of focaccia. There’s a decent beer list, with Sweetwater 420 and Chimay Red on draft, and wines by the glass start at $5.
Signature dish: Hearth-baked pizzas
Entree prices: $6-$18
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 3-10 p.m. Sundays.
Reservations: For parties of eight or more
Credit cards: Yes
Online: www.hearthpizzatavern.com
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