Zucca Pizza Now Open
Decatur Metro | January 25, 2009 | 6:50 pmSounds like Decatur can now get New York-style pizza late into the evening!
Ever-reliable Rus reports that Zucca Pizza – on the Square, next to the Brick Store – is now open. And adds this special note…
If you felt sorry for them when they got a couple of TVs stolen last month .. Don’t worry they have a TV in every booth
Wow…kinda like the antithesis of a Brick Store. Instead of no TVs, lots! Could serve as good contrast. Pick your poison!
Also, I noticed their Decatur website is now up and running with background info, events and menus.
I went for lunch with my family and thought it was quite good. In my opinion the crispy crust pizza is a nice contrast from the super-doughy Mellow Mushroom and over-cheesy Fellini’s. Seems like a good sports-bar option versus the beer enthusiast appeal of Brickstore. Sometimes, you just want pizza, miller lite, and a basketball game. I think it fills a nice niche and wish them success.
Went with some girlfriends 2 weeks ago on the “soft” opening day. Met one of the owners, super-nice guy. Pizza was tasty. Glad they’re in the neighborhood, hope they do well.
Went last night….pizza was good and thin crust the way I like it.
Agreed with Bo. IMHO, Taco Mac is great for wings, but all of their other food is not great, at best. Zucca could fill the lets go grab a pizza and watch game thing…
Beer list was great for a Pizza/Sports Bar. However, they are asking $9 for a St Bernardus draft vs $6 at the Brickstore. Might think about lowering the price on that one Zucca….
Interior was great also, think they did a good job and definitely spent some dough (hhaaaayyyooooooo!!!!) on the inside.
I’m really happy to see that Zucca is going to stay open late. Although I don’t imagine myself loading up on pizza at 1 a.m., Decatur eating choices get quite limited after 10 p.m. (actually, after about 9:15, as I often feel guilty arriving after than when I know restaurants want to close). Apart from Taco Mac, Carpe Diem, and maybe Feast, I can’t think of many places that stay open late?
If anyone has any suggestions on Decatur restaurants open until around 11 p.m. I’d be very interested. I’m hoping you’re all going to tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about, and give me a huge list of late night eating options.
I work at business behind Zucca and let me tell you. The owners, whoever they, are have spent some bucks on that place. I have seen so many workers and craftsmen fixing the place for months. It is unbelievable. They have rennovated every square inch. It should be beautiful on the inside. They have really spared no expense in getting it open. I wish them the best of luck in this shaky economy. Can’t wait to try a crispy, thin slice! Good Luck Zucca!
Just so I don’t sound like an idiot, how are we supposed to pronounce it? Zuh-kah, or Zoo-kah?
Or maybe I’m actually an idiot, and it really is Zo-Kay.
E, that’s not a bad question! For about a year my wife and I mispronounced the previous tenant’s name as zo-CAH-lo.
Do they offer just straight up slices? I know I ate there but I didnt look or ask….
Just had a most righteous dinner there. Victory Pie, their award winner. Good vibe, good food, great build out, friendly folks, decent price, cold beer.
I shall return.
I waked through yesterday and the interior looks great. It will be nice to have an option close by when Brickstore is too corwded or when there is a game on that I want to watch and want to stay close to the square without having to deal with all the kids at Taco Mac.
Wife and I did take out Friday night, one regular pie, and one margherita plus a caeser salad. Pizza was dynamite. So much so that I called and thanked them. Salad was a tad sloppy. I’ll request a little less dressing, or maybe more romaine next time.
Thanks again to the folks at Zucca, which, incidentally, is pronounced hippopotamus.
I believe it is pronounced Zoo-kah. We went with a group and tried a little of everything … the pizzas, bruchetta and lobster ravioli are to die for!
“Hippopopotamus my lyrics are bottomless!”
Mondo Gentleman, thanks for clearing that up. Shwew!
Tried it out tonight. Very happy. Large menu with selection of pastas, pizzas, sandwiches. Service was very good. Ordered “personal pizzas” and couldn’t finish them. Reasonably priced. I’m not into the TV’s everywhere but we sat at a table and were able to hold a conversation. Clean. We’ll be back to try other things on the menu. Welcome Zucca!
The hours on their website seem to conflict with the posted hours of serving until 4 AM daily. Perhaps that was an afterthought to cater to the Trackside regulars and service industry workers from throughout the metro area. At any rate, it’s great to have another late-night food option besides T’Mac, particularly since Fellini’s started closing earlier a few months back.
We went for dinner last night – LOVED it. Just a fantastic addition to the square. The food was great, and it is a perfect fit for Decatur. I encourage everyone to check it out.
I suspect that they will have a solid amount of traffic just from overflow at Brickstore on busy nights.
Went there the other night… very yummy. The TV’s are a little different, but you can always turn them off… plus if you have the kiddos, you can take them out.. plug in Cartoon Network and let them fry their fragile little minds while you actually have a conversation with your spouse.
We also think it’s a great addition to the square, but the beer prices are a bit steep.
The veal parmigiana sammich was tender but not particularly flavorful. Will go back to try the pizza soon. Beer prices look high for a 12 oz. glass. We couldn’t explore the beer list ‘cos it was lunchtime on a work day. A pizza joint should have pitchers available, though.
Right on FM…. $9 for a Bernardus is highway robbery….
or at least a metro mugging
At first glance, the pizza toppings are wildly overpriced too. $3 to add feta to a small pie?
We went in tonight with our five-year-old. As soon as we sat down at a booth and realized we couldn’t escape the overwhelming amount of TVs, we immediately left and went to the Brick Store instead. I felt like I was at Best Buy. If you’re into television, this might be your place, but we’ll go elsewhere on the square.
Went last night. Enjoyed the pizza (seemed “fresher” than some other places) and the service was attentive too. I agree with Dev that the quantity of TVs is overwhelming. Great if you want to watch a game or something – too bad they opened after football season is pretty much over. Went with the kids and turned off the tv at our booth (that is a nice feature) so we could talk but the kids were quickly distracted/absorbed by one of the other numerous tvs within eyesight.
Mrs. Wife and I went last night.
There was a short wait for a table. We tried to congratulate them for being so crowded (new restaurant + recession + limited parking seldom equals crowds), but I think the hostess misinterpreted it as a complaint.
The Victory Pizza was super. I haven’t spent enough time in NYC to judge how true it was to NY-Style, but everything about it tasted bright and fresh. I’m a big supporter of carbohydrates, however the thin crust was refreshing.
I hope it’s a success. It complements the Square’s other offerings quite nicely I think.
If someone can convince Frank Ma to open a Chinese restaurant on the Square, I’ll never leave the city limits again.
Isn’t the new place around the corner going to be a pizza place too? The one that the Brick Store guys are opening?
No…its supposed to be more of a “gastropub” like Holeman and Finch.
I work at Zucca (Zoo-kah) and just wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful comments. I am happy to be part of the Decatur community.
And you are right about the TVs, remember superbowl is sunday at 6!! Come watch with us!
PS My appologies for the beer prices, you have to understand, we just opened and can’t compete with Brickstore because they have such a high volume and get discounts on the amount of kegs they purchase! Give us time, we are working on it!
We do however offer specials every night on drinks and hope you all will join us if you haven’t and try the pizza that won us Best pizza in the southeast!!
Thanks and look forward to seeing you!
Maybe you could offer a decent domestic draft like Yuengling’s at a lower price, Top Secret.
Review 1/30/2009
Atmosphere is great, with bick walls, long bar, TVs, video games, etc. Service was also attentive and freindly.
I’d rate the food as average. We ordered a large pizza and cheese sticks. The pizza was average, nothing too exciting. I would not personally rate it above Mojo, Mello, or Fellinis. The cheese sticks, fresh out of the Sysco freezer, were not fully cooked.
I am an admitted beer snob. The beer slection is weak and over priced.
That being said, I hope others love it and that it does well.
They do have pitchers after all, although they are only for Sam Adams and Miller Lite.
Went last night. They told us an hour wait, we were seated in 20 minutes. We went “family style” so we could try lots of things – had salad, white pizza, chicken gorgonzola pasta and the veal francaise.
Husband loved the veal. I loved the pizza. Chicken gorgonzola seemed lacking in the gorgonzola and sauce could have been better. Atmosphere was fun. We will go back – menu was huge and we have lots more to try. Prices were fine for feeding adults, might be a little high if you are feeding a family. We had three adults and one Sweetwater – tab with tip was about $60. Service was excellent.
Oh, and plenty of left overs so we can have Zucca for lunch today at home.
Went for lunch today so I could try the slices.
Gotta admit….they were damn good. DAMN GOOD!
Wife got a chicken salad and loved it and she’s a salad snob.
18month got the grilled cheese. Told me it was the best one she ever had
My personal opinion is that whenever I want a slice for lunch I am now going there.
went for lunch this past weekend. LOVED the pizza, it was great. good service, too.
Went last night with my son and we loved the food and the service was outstanding.
My only slightly negative impression was about the men’s room (it was pretty dirty and the choice of wall art in there left a little to be desired (but that, i am sure, is just me))
Now I can’t wait to check out the wall art in the men’s room! Oh wait…I guess I’ll have to get my husband to do that…
Nah, tell whatever guy is in line you can’t wait and you really need to go ahead of him. No point in missing out on potentially inappropriate men’s room art just cause of gender.
I think it’s a riot that posts about eating in Decatur generate the most comments!
I was actually commenting on the toilets, not the food
We went last Friday night and were very impressed. So much so that my husband took another group of people there the next night!
We tried the Victory pizza and the white pizza. Both very good!
The house salad was yummy! I thought the ceasar had waaaaay too much dressing. I would skip it or at least ask for dressing on the side next time. It’s probably just my personal preference, though.
The beer and wine list did look somewhat limited and relatively expensive. Probably wouldn’t go there just for drinks, but it’s fine for a drink with dinner.
After reading comments on here, I expected every square inch of the place to be covered with overly loud TVs. Not so. I didn’t find the TV situation overwhelming at all. It reminded me of the atmosphere of some of the classier, up-scale sports bars.
Can’t wait to try the shuffle board table in the back on our next visit!
To clear up, the dirty was about the cleanliness although now that I think about it, I guess the dirty could apply to the art too but that is even more prude than is normal for me. It just lead to some questions about the ladies dress from my son
.
For whoever didn’t know whether the pizza compares to true Staten Island pizza, it doesn’t.. BUT it’s the best you’re going to do in Atlanta. There is something about the water up there that just makes the pizza better, but I’m glad the ATL finally got an almost worthy substitute.
I agree that many TVs are annoying and maybe they will think about taking a few out for people who just want to chat in their booth without the constant distraction of a screen in your face.
IT never occurred to me (anyone else?) to COMPARE it to Staten Island Pizza…but if I am ever looking for pizza while in/around Manhattan, I will report back????
Jeff Varasano, who knows pizza like nobody else, will tell you that the whole “New York water” thing for pizza or bagels is a myth.
I wonder if instead of water it actually has to do with how different cities smell.
If you took a Zucca pizza up to NYC would it taste more authentic?
It’s not the water in New York that makes the pizza good. It’s the technique and ingredients. Most NY pizzarias proof (let it rise) over 24 hrs. Dough that is made today is served tomorrow or the next day. Many pizza places in Atlanta or elsewhere don’t do that. The other big difference is in the cooking temperatures. In NY it is not uncommon for a pizzaria to cook at 800-1000 Fahrenheit. Most pizza ovens here are set to 500-600 F. At higher temperatures, the crust gets crispy without drying out the interior of the crust. They just know how to make a good pizza up there. Ask any pizza joint in Atlanta what their cook temp is and they will tell you 550 F. Most pizza served in the South is just undercooked, unproofed dough….chewy and gross. Can I get a witness? Zucca was alright. I tried a plain cheese pizza as any good New Yorker would and it got a B- in my book. I did like the tomato sauce though.
In the south, we love to undercook pizza and overcook vegetables.
I have never had a good bagel in Atlanta. . . . New York or southern New York (South Florida) are the only places!
Guess it is like trying to get good fried chicken, field peas or cornbread up north. Its a regional thang.
I did have some excellent cheese grits in NYC last month; they were just called polenta.
Those of you insisting that there is no worthy NY-style pie in Atlanta: Have you tried Bella’s up in Smyrna? That is the best slice I’ve had in this town (and I’m including Zucca, which we sampled this evening, in that estimation). Thankfully, my parents are building a house within walking distance.
That said, we did enjoy our meal at Zucca. We shared the fried risotto balls (I believe the proper Italian name for these is arancini), which were good, but needed a bit of salt. Came with a large cup of their marinara for dipping purposes, and it was EXCELLENT. Mrs. had the personal-size Victory Pie, which was quite tasty. I usually don’t like the super thin crust, but here it worked. And the toppings were delish. I had the chicken and spinach cannelini, which were good, but don’t know that I’d order them again.
Service was passable, but you can tell they’re still working out the kinks. And if the TV in the booth really bothers you that much, there is an off button. In any case, it’s a pizza joint/bar, not fine dining. I could definitely see spending some time here when there’s a big sporting event on. Also will be great to have it available in the wee hours when everything else is closed.
It would be nice if Decatur restaurants could be consistent or at least give out the correct information. Ted’s can’t seem to give me the right “deal” menu and now Zucca’s staff can’t even give me a straight answer on when they have slices. Stopped in yesterday afternoon when the place was dead. Asked before I was seated if they were serving slices and was told by the host- yes. Ordered a couple of slices at the bar and was told that slices weren’t available but he would check because sometime they are and sometimes they aren’t- depends on what the kitchen has available. Not like they could tell me an actual time on when they would have slices for future planning.
And, the beer list…..come on…..have you not checked your competition. There’s no way that I’m going to pay upwards of $4.50 for a 12 OUNCE draft. They may not be able to compete penny for penny with Brickstore but I’d expect it to be competitive to get people in the door.