Raleigh has great independent pizza: Lily’s, Amore’s, Moonlight, Vic’s, and Capital Creations. Still, downtown has had a serious gap in places to quickly grab a quality slice, until now. Martin Street Pizza opened its doors this week, and after an initial visit, I am confident this pizzeria is here to stay.
The seasonal menu has a lot to offer other than pizza, with an emphasis on well-crafted original sandwiches and the intent to feature more traditional Italian dishes in the near future. Cheeses and oils are imported from Italy while most of the meat and vegetables come from local sources. I tried a slice of pizza topped with incredible Italian sausage links made in-house that morning. A second slice had perfectly caramelized onions and roasted peppers. The pizza was flavorful and filling, but absolutely not too heavy or overdone. My friend ordered the Martin Street, a bun piled high with roast pork, petite fries, and slaw served with a side of house-made chips and a delicious homemade pickle. The large portion size and quality made the sandwich a steal at $7. Despite being the pizzeria’s first lunch service, the food quality was top notch and quick.
While the space was nothing to brag about, it was comfortable and pleasant. Tables are neatly covered in cloths. Unlike some other new restaurants downtown, Martin Street Pizza makes the effort to use washable napkins, silverware, and plates because honestly, drought or not, styrofoam is inexcusable. Two flat screens hang behind the metallic bar and a projector will soon be installed to air the occasional sports event, but more often than not, classic movies. An awning will be in place by the end June, offering much needed outdoor dining downtown.
By the end of June a full liquor bar should be in place alongside draft beers: Big Boss, a couple of undetermined microbrews, Guinness, Yeungling, and PBR. Expect to see rotating specialty drinks using fresh squeezed juices once the liquor bar is in place.
For now the hours are 11am-10pm, but should be extended to 2am by late July. Currently the restaurant is closed Sundays, but expect that to change too. Martin Street Pizza is located at 14 W. Martin St. on the street level above Alibi and below the former Downtown Event Center, which rumor has will be a new bar called the Five & Dime, but thats another post all together.
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