Restaurant Review: Pizzeria

Reviewed by Melline Galani

Italian cuisine is generally characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only two to four main ingredients. It features fresh, seasonal, and simply prepared ingredients with olive oil used mostly to dress raw vegetables and cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta, or Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan). Pizza and pasta have become global dishes that are not only cooked in restaurants but also by most home cooks. No matter where they grow up in Europe, all children are familiar with Italian dishes, such as Pizza Margherita and Spaghetti Bolognese (including my family, of course).

Pizzeria Piazza is by far my favorite restaurant in Gwangju. Ever since I discovered it (more than a year and a half ago), I have kept going back on a monthly basis. Th is may be because I am European and love the Italian food they serve, but also because it brings back memories and tastes from home. Piazza is located just across from the ACC’s Haneul Madang at the entrance to Dongmyeon-dong. Being on the main street, it is impossible to miss. As soon as you enter the place, you notice the kitchen, which is on the fi rst fl oor, and the golden round-style authentic pizza oven. Going up the stairs, you reach the restaurant in its perfect ambience with diff use lights, green plants, soft music, and wide windows, all creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. It no longer feels like you are in Korea. Th ere is a third fl oor, too, with all the chairs facing the wide windows – a perfect spot to admire the lights of the ACC and Haneul Madang, or just to enjoy a quiet meal on a rainy day.

Being an Italian restaurant, it serves pizza, pasta, risotto, and steak. I have tried almost everything on the menu, and it was all delicious. Th e pizza crust is thin and crunchy, and the fl avors are rich but not heavy, with few

▲ Caprese & Inasalata di manzo ▲ Burrata e Prosciutto ▼ Grill Chuck Flap Tail Steak ▼ Mascarpone e Prosciutto ▲ Carbonara ▼ Pescatore

ingredients but high quality and really tasty. Th e pastas have either creamy sauce, tomato sauce, or olive oil-based sauce seasoned with fresh herbs, all types being equally delicious. Th e beef steak comes with grilled vegetables and is appetizing. Salads are always garden-fresh, tasty, and plentiful.

Pizzera Piazza off ers two set menus, one for lunch and one for dinner, and menu cards are also available in English. Th e menus include a salad, a Margherita con Bufala pizza, and a pasta or risotto of your choice. Th e lunch menu is 39,000 won and comes with a grilled chicken salad, while the dinner menu is 41,500 won with a Caprese salad. Th ese are the meals I order most oft en when I go with my children, but I have also tried other dishes separately. Th e prices vary between 13,000 to 20,000 won for the steak. For the quality and taste they off er, I would say they have reasonable prices.

Aft er placing your order and as you wait for it to arrive, they serve an aperitif or antipasti (it changes from time to time). And aft er fi nishing your meal, they also off er tea or juice of your choice. Both are complimentary.

Eating at Pizzeria Piazza not only makes you feel satisfi ed but also assured that your food is both healthy and tasty. If you have not tried it yet, wait no longer. Pizzeria Piazza is a gourmet experience diffi cult to forget.

▲ Porcini ▲ Risotto con manzo

PIZZERIA PIAZZA (삐아짜 피자)

Address: 114 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 제봉로 114 (장동 98-1번지) Operating Hours: 111:30–22:00, 15:30–17:00 break time. Phone: : 062-227-6100 Instagram: @pizzeria_piazza

Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, who is currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges, learning interesting things, and is incurably optimistic. Pizzeria Piazza is her favorite restaurant in Gwangju. Instagram: @melligalanis