OLIVELLA’S PIZZA & WINE
Olivella’s was well ahead of the pizza curve when it first debuted in 2007 as Olivella’s Neo Pizza Napoletana, a cozy pizzeria near SMU in Dallas. Back then, its focus was primarily on Neapolitan-style pizza, baked in a wood-burning oven, using recipes passed down from the third oldest pizza family in Naples, Italy.
But the concept has evolved over the years – not only extending its reach to Fort Worth in 2016, but also broadening its mission and menu, from trailblazing niche pizzeria to an Italian restaurant with not only pizzas but also pastas and wine.
That transformation is reflected in its current name, Olivella’s Pizza & Wine. In 2020, in a bit of a Hail Mary response to the pandemic, owner Charlie Green began to ramp up the wine program, seizing upon relaxed regulations in the state of Texas and adding an in-house wine shop, which allowed for retail wine sales, wine tastings, and to-go or delivery alcohol orders.
Diners can now buy bottles at retail prices, whether for consumption on site or to take home. The selection includes more than 60 red, white, and sparkling wines from around the globe, providing wine lovers access to a greater variety of labels and choices.
In addition, Green initiated a set of weekly wine specials such as 50 percent off all bottles on Tuesdays. Add in daily wine tastings, and you can see why Olivella’s has become nearly as popular among wine folk as it has the pizza crowd.
And while Neapolitan has been Olivella’s trademark style, they also do Roman-style pizza, known for its lightly applied toppings and thin crackly crust. Olivella’s version comes shaped into an elongated rectangle, with toppings spread to the very edge.
Every pizza offered – from the simple margherita to the decadent Drunken Pig topped with sausage, crumbled meatballs, jalapenos, pickled onion, and mozzarella on vodka sauce – can be ordered in choice of Neapolitan-style or Roman crust.
Whatever your style of crust, rest assured that the toppings will be authentic – whether it’s Italian cured meats like capicola and speck, or mozzarella made in-house – and thoughtfully applied, with an eye towards balance and a refined aversion to gluttony. Some of their pies, such as the Snow White, with mozzarella, ricotta, oregano, garlic, and olive oil, skip the sauce entirely. That’s some respect for the crust.
