Feedbag - Pie, oh my!
Hole-in-the-wall Cameli’s outshines the competition
I’m a firm believer that there’s no such thing as bad pizza. At its worst, it’s still pretty damn good. Crust plus sauce plus cheese equals satisfaction. But when it’s really good — as it is at Cameli’s — it’s a blissful experience. And that’s saying something, considering what a dive the place is. Tucked away in a crumbling corner of the Ford Factory Lofts on Ponce de Leon, Cameli’s makes no bones about its hole-in-the-wall status. With its beat-up old booths and dirty linoleum, the joint is the proud polar opposite of swanky pizzerias like Fritti and Baraonda. But make no mistake: In its own way, Cameli’s is just as good.
The list of create-your-own pizza toppings is expansive, with high-end items like prosciutto, gorgonzola and Greek olives, but my advice is to leave the creativity to them and try one of the specialty combination pizzas. The Marguerita, Cameli’s’ take on the classic margherita pizza, almost comes across as health food. The pie is topped with plenty of garlicky marinara and fresh basil, and just a sprinkling of mozzarella. The Papa C, on the other hand, piles on pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onions, mushrooms and black olives. The crispy-chewy crust is substantial enough to handle all those toppings without going limp. Even after you’ve completely gorged yourself, you’ll still have to polish off that last slice.
If you can tear yourself away from the pizza menu, the sandwiches are respectable, too. Two pieces of toasted focaccia can barely contain the messy but fabulous chicken pesto sandwich, which oozes chunks of grilled chicken, melted mozzarella, wilted spinach and tomatoes. There’s also a vegetarian version that replaces the chicken with onions and marinated artichoke hearts. Good stuff.
Service, such as it was, was downright pleasant. The girl behind the counter actually smiled at us as she took down our order. Other local pizza joints seem to cultivate churlishness like it’s prizewinning behavior. Don’t get me wrong — it’s never actually deterred me from eating at those spots. But service with a smile is always a nice surprise.
When it comes to pizza, everybody has their personal favorite. And I guess there’s enough business to go around, because a new pie joint seems to pop up every week or so. But for my money, Cameli’s is the best slice in town.