Andiamo Brick Oven Pizza

Reviews

Name: Andrew Myones
Occupation: Sales Executive
Lives In: Miami
Restaurant Pick: Andiamo Pizza
Reviewed Andiamo Pizza: September 10th, 2009

We were able to find street parking just up the block from the restaurant and sat down at a table immediately. It was nice to have citronella burning, as eating outdoors in South Florida in the summertime can turn into an itchy affair. We scanned the long list of specialty pies and decided on the Godfather which boasted a bevy of my favorites including sausage, pepperoni, meatballs and lots of veggies. We actually began with the Greek salad which was a nice starter. Everything arrived quickly and the pizza came straight from the brick oven to our table, which is one of the most important things you look for. Sitting outdoors, even in the summertime, is a treat and the atmosphere at Andiamo is great. If you catch it on a game day, you’re likely to see the Dolphins or Heat on the screen or a classic movie other times. The freshness of the food is definitely noticeable, and it is a great place for both a date and a large group. I would highly recommend giving Andiamo a try if you’re in the neighborhood.

Name: Regina Bellora
Occupation: Pilates Instructor
Lives In: Fort Lauderdale
Restaurant Pick: Gabose Korean
Reviewed Andiamo Pizza: September 10th,2009

The drive is easy from Fort Lauderdale, and the restaurant is close to the highway. The lot across the street had plenty of parking spaces. We walked past the car detailing service that is attached to Andiamo and found ourselves a table near a fan. The afternoon heat was decreased considerably by the large overhead porch. The plants and well-placed fans helped too. We were brought menus right away. Our server, Guillermo, was attentive and helpful. I ordered lemonade, and it was nothing special. The toughest part of the whole experience is picking out the pizza. Mmm!! So many wonderful combinations, Soprano and Portobello were the winners. We decided to throw in a Greek salad for good measure, it would have been nice if the salad came out a little earlier than it did, but that’s just being picky. I don’t think Andiamo is a good place if you want to chow and go. It seems to lend itself to a leisurely dining experience. The salad was crisp with a good amount of vinaigrette mixed throughout. The lettuce was tossed with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olives and pepperocinis. It was very good.

The pizzas came out shortly after, two 14” rounds of pleasure. The Soprano pizza had broccoli rabe, sliced sausage, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. The broccoli rabe wasn’t too bitter, and the sausage wasn’t greasy. I was pleasantly surprised. This one was my friend’s favorite. He said it had a good balance. The Portobello pizza, my favorite, had portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, goat cheese, and fresh basil. The pizza was very cheesy but not waxy. You could taste the mozzarella AND the goat cheese. The caramelized onions added a nice sweetness and the sun-dried tomatoes had a tang that broke up the cheeses. The crust on both pizzas was thin, airy, and crispy. It had a subtle char flavor from the brick oven, but didn’t taste like you were eating one of the logs. That deliciousness was followed by an espresso. No room for dessert, though the Italian gelato sounds amazing. Another time. Guillermo boxed up my food and brought the check. We left feeling full and happy, a feeling that even lasted through I-95 traffic on the way home. That’s saying a lot! I will be back.

Name: Susan Lee-Chun
Occupation: Artist
Lives In: Miami
Restaurant Pick: Parrilla Liberty
Reviewed Andiamo Pizza: September 13th, 2009

Andiamo is so unique and interestingly-situated in former gas station, and although this fact would draw us to frequent the place, we held back from returning because of one very bad experience a couple years ago. Thus, we bit our tongues as we decided that we would head over there for a late Sunday lunch.

Parking was easy to find, as the lot across the street was pretty empty. We walked over and sat at one of the large picnic tables. Shortly after seating ourselves (which is their policy), we were given menus and our server came by for our drink order. As we looked over the menu, we were excited to see the multitude of options they had in the pizza portion of the menu.

With the plethora of tasty options, we asked if we could order ½, ½ and were given the good news that we could. We ordered the Godfather and BBQ chicken for our pizza and a Philly cheese steak sandwich. The great thing about brick oven pizza is because the way the oven is constructed, the pizza does not take a long time to cook. So, we knew we would not have to wait as long as we would have to with a Chicago-style stuffed pizza.

As we waited for our food, we just could not stop talking about the architecture that was around us. The simplicity in their décor, nothing posh or chic about it at all, really was a great choice so the structure of the former gas station would ring loud. I knew they played movies on the weekends, but never noticed the large suspended screen center to the outdoor space.

Our server brought us the Philly cheese steak sandwich, and we were not thrilled by sight with the amount of meat. We would have been fine with skipping on that part of our meal. Soon after, our pizza arrived and just by sight we were thrilled by our choices. They sure did not skimp on toppings, as the pizza was loaded with the ingredients. I personally enjoy picking up my slice of pizza and eating it. The stretching cheese with every bite, the perfectly thin crust, and the texture of all the toppings on the Godfather was just so delicious and wonderful. The BBQ chicken half did not disappoint either. The BBQ sauce was nothing special and though I would have preferred there be more cilantro, the gooey and melted Gouda made it for me. After two slices for each of us, we were very full and glad to see that we would have plenty leftover for dinner and the following day’s lunch. I didn’t realize, because I was occupied by the pizza, that our server was very attentive and had refilled our drinks a couple times.

We decided that we’ll definitely be making Andiamo one of our regular stops in the future, fully knowing that sometimes the service may be spotty. We’re glad that we were made to finally go back to try their pizza. Special thanks to the reviewer who recommended it, and to Check, Please!, that we were put on the same show.

Restaurant Information

Location: 5600 Biscayne Blvd. (Upper West Side), Miami, FL
Phone: 305-762-5751
Parking: Lot across street free until 5 pm / after 5
Website:andiamopizzamiami.com
Restaurant Owners: Mark Soyka and Frank Crupi
Executive Chef: No
Pastry Chef: No

Type of Cuisine: Pizzas, salad, sandwiches, panninis
Signature Dishes: Traditional and gourmet pizzas
Vegetarian Options: Various toppings to create you own pizza
Alcohol Served: Beer & wine
Corkage Fee: $10.00
Bottle Limit: None

Restaurant Hours:
Monday – 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday – 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday – 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Thursday – 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday – 11:00 a.m. – Midnight
Saturday – 11:00 a.m. – Midnight
Sunday – 1:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner
Prix Fix Menu: No
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Limited delivery area with $15 minimum
Average Dinner Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, %15 gratuity, w/o alcohol):$10 to $15
Average Lunch Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, %15 gratuity, w/o alcohol): $10 to $20
Payment Options: do you accept credit cards and if so, which ones? Visa, Master Card and AMEX
Accept Reservations: No
How far in advance do you require reservations be made: N/A

Accommodations for Children: Yes
Dining Style: Family
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: 150 seats
Accommodate Groups: Limited
Private Dining Room: No
Tables with Scenic Views: Yes
Outdoor Dining: Yes
Entertainment: 2 large projector screens for sports events