It'd been a long time since I'd been treated to a meal so good that I wanted to give the chef a hug on my way out the door, but such was the giddy, emotional rush after finishing La Testarosa at Azzurri. There was simply nothing about the meal that I wanted to change.
If you love pizza, but are doubting the gushingly positive Yelp assessment, please, please, per favore let me convince you to give Azzurri a try.
Reservations? A same-day request was taken and honored cheerfully. (There was even a charming little table tent, marking the reserved spot).
Is the freshness all that everyone else is glowing about? In a word: Yes. In a few words: Half of the fun is literally watching your pizza being crafted from scratch and fired in the oven. The dough will be stretched, and the toppings placed, by a practiced hand. You'll know it's the real deal, even before (but especially after) the first bite.
So there's great food but lacking ambiance, right? Hardly. While this small pizzeria isn't unapproachably formal at all, the restaurant carries itself with pride. There wasn't a disappointed or sullen face in the entirety of the house. Instead, expect an infectious conviviality from the hosts and a general sense of confident anticipation as guests (myself especially) watch pizza after pizza arrive perfectly from the kitchen. The clientele feel like a family, and it's one that you'll be a part of when you step in the door. It's not just the oven that throws off warmth.
You can't help but say "Ciao" after dining, and it will be the most honest, content thing that you say that day.