Name: Double Zero Napoletana
Cuisine: Italian, Pizza
Neighborhood: Sandy Springs
Address: 5825 Roswell Rd. Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: (404) 991-3666
Website: http://www.doublezeroatl.com
Menu: http://www.doublezeroatl.com/menu/

The holidays were kind to me.  More specifically, the holidays were kind to my stomach.  Lol.  While taking the month of December off to just relax, regroup, and revamp ATLBiteLife.com, I pretty much enjoyed 30 days of unbridled, no holds barred eating.  I drove all over the East and North sides of the city checking out all the new spots I hadn't tried yet and catching back up on some of my old favorites.  But, by far and away, two restaurants in particular set the stage for the BEST DINING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.  One of them was Double Zero Napoletana.

Now, in all fairness to the other spots I visited, I have to denote that I did visit Double Zero about an hour and a half before close on Christmas Eve.  So, maybe I caught the staff at the height of their holiday spirit.  That would explain why  EVERYONE from the valet guy to the owner was over-the-top friendly and went out of their way to make sure that I would become a regular customer.

Main Dining Area 1

As I mentioned, I pulled into Double Zero a little after 9pm and I self-parked my car toward the front of the lot.  30 seconds later, I realized that I probably wasn't supposed to do this.  As I walked toward the main entrance, the valet guy greeted me with a smile and a "you know you know better" look.  My bad.  I didn't see him before I parked nor did I see any cones or signs telling me valet was available.  He was cool though.  He even opened the door for me to enter the restaurant.

Main Dining Area 2

Upon entering, I was instantly impressed. The dining room was spacious and beautiful (in a cool, masculine way of course).  There's a private cafe to your left, a full bar on the opposite side, and the dining room showcases an array of autumn colors on a classic Italian backdrop.  The wooden tables, comfortable chairs,  and designer pillows in the booths set in that dim lighting created a romantic ambiance ideal for date night.

Then, there was the food.  After perusing the menu for a few minutes, I noticed one major thing - NONE of the pizzas had PEPPERONI.  I know, to some, this may seem like a very base observation but I thought I was coming to a PIZZA restaurant.  Instead, what I got was an Italian experience.  My waiter, David, not only explained the menu but also gave me a history lesson on all the things that made Double Zero unique including the name "Double Zero" which refers to the finely ground flour used to make Neapolitan pizza. Unfortunately, because I walked in under the naive premise that I was just gonna grab a pizza and maybe a salad, I wasn't prepared to try some of the more appealing (and expensive) dishes that I saw.  So, I played it safe -  I ordered a Mozzarella Al Forno and a pizza called The American.

Mozzarella Al Forno

The Mozzarella Al Forno(a tasty combination of mozzarella cheese and pomedora sauce) came out in a bowl accompanied by a few pieces of soft warm bread .  Delicious!!!  It was much heartier than I anticipated but it also had a lighter, sweeter flavor that I couldn't quite place. The freshness of the ingredients gave it a smooth taste that totally reinforced the authenticity of this restaurant's Italian roots.

The American Pizza

The pizza was next.  According to David, they named this pie "The American" because it was the only pizza that had ingredients that didn't fit the rest of the menu.  Unfortunately, The American STILL didn't have pepperoni (I know, I know).  I forgive them though.  This was actually really good.  While explaining the menu, he mentioned that it was so thin (due to that "double zero" flour) that you could cut it with scissors.  I didn't know they would bring out ACTUAL SCISSORS!!!  This was unbelievable and cool at the same time.  I sliced right on through that crust and went to town!!!  Just like the Mozzarella Al Forno, you could taste the freshness oozing thru every bite.  It also had a similar combination of hearty taste and light texture.  It wasn't a big portion so I wouldn't describe it as "filling" but it was extremely tasty nonetheless.

Halcyom

The biggest and best surprise of the night was the absolute 5 star service I got while eating.  Not only was David an incredible waiter and tour guide (he walked me thru the restaurant describing every facet in great detail), I also had the good fortune of meeting Mr. Castellucci (the father of the owners).  Mr Castellucci was the one who really got me swept away in the deep Italian origins of my surroundings.  The stories he told with that old world accent and the way he carried himself gave him a very Godfather-esque quality.  At the conclusion of his story, he introduced me to Chris (the bar manager).  Chris topped my night ALL THE WAY OFF by bringing a complimentary cocktail called Halcyom to my table.  This thing was INCREDIBLE!!!  I don't remember all of what was in it but I remember it had beer, pumpkin spice, and another type of alcohol.  Definitely a strong candidate to make my "Best I Ever Had" list. 

All and all, the food, the service, the drink. . . . in a word - WOW!!!

There are a couple of things to beware of though.  First, Double Zero could be considered slightly pricey for anyone who was just looking to grab a large pie.  Remember, this place definitely leans more towards fine dining than casual fare (as opposed to Antico's somewhat similar concept) .  And, because of how their dough is prepared, Double Zero is VERY strict about how they will and will NOT serve their pizza.  There is actually a disclaimer on their website menu that reads -

"we DO NOT server our pizzas to-go, cut into slices, or with unlimited toppings.  You may, however, eliminate toppings just not substitute."

This is definitely not Pizza Hut.  Finally, if you are looking for a hearty meal, you may want to veer towards their pastas or their main entrees.  As I mentioned earlier, the pizzas are thin and they're only about 12 inches.  You could easily devour a whole one in one setting.  To me, they're more appetizer-ish than main course.

Even still, in spite of the smaller pizzas not quenching my larger appetite, I will definitely be back.  The atmosphere is so fly and there are so many things on the menu that I wanna try.  If they can continue match the service that I got on this trip, they will have a fan for life.

So, when are you going to make your reservation??

Happy Eating and Happy New Year!!!


Grade: A-
What's Great: Food, Service, Ambiance
What Ain't: Price
Ideal For: Dinner, Date Night

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