Mission Pizza Napoletana, Winston-Salem – Location, Interior
When it comes to pizza, one of the most authentic types is the traditional Neapolitan pizza. Cooked in wood-fired ovens, Neapolitan pies are usually single-serving and made to showcase top-notch ingredients (00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala cheese) with just the right balance of flavors. And if you happen to be in Winston-Salem, you’ve got a great option for Neapolitan pizza, Mission Pizza Napoletana! This restaurant has been featured in many culinary magazines and after a visit, I can tell you why. Read on, fearless foodie…
If you’re headed over to Mission Pizza, just look for the bright red and basic storefront. Inside, Mission Pizza gets more interesting sporting a small lounge and bar up front along with a long and deep dining space. The colors are bright but the lighting (at night) is dark and sultry. Mission Pizza feels like a great spot for a date or smaller dinner party. The open kitchen shows off all the culinary skills of the staff and the big pizza oven in the back hints at the deliciousness to come!
Mission Pizza Napoletana, Winston-Salem – Menu, Food
While Mission Pizza Napoletana’s menu does focus on their pizzas, they also offer a short smattering of appetizers (meatballs, prosciutto) and pastas that aren’t eaten by the slice! But let’s face it, 95% likely you’re here for the pizza and it is GOOD! During our visit we tried a white pizza with ricotta, a pepperoni pizza, and special pie with arugula and sausage. You can immediately tell that Mission pizza uses high-quality ingredients and toppings but it’s the crust that really delivers.
While most people usually focus on sauce, cheese, and toppings, for Neapolitan pizza, it’s all about the crust which is usually proofed for at least 24 hours. And Mission Pizza does a great crust which is ethereally light and puffy. The interior shows off a lot of large and open crumb and stays a bit chewy. The pizzaiolos here, bake the pie just right getting a good amount of leopard-spotting around the edge and underneath. You want a bit of char on your Neapolitan pie but some places can go too far. Mission Pizza gets their pizza bake (time in oven, rotation) just right! And again, don’t expect a stiff and dry crust, Neapolitan pizza crust tends to be a bit soft in the middle.
Mission Pizza also offers a handful of desserts, the zeppole with chocolate sauce is an Italian-American classic and a good way to finish off your meal if you can handle more carbs!
Mission Pizza Napoletana, Winston-Salem – Service, Conclusion
Service at Mission Pizza Napoletana, is casual but nicely done for the setting. They certainly know their offerings and get all the details and ingredients described correctly. If you like pizza, I think you’re going to love Mission Pizza Napoletana! Their Neapolitan pizzas are some of the best in the state and it’ll help if you’re familiar with what they’re serving up.
And if you want to get all pizza’ed out, they offer several “pizza experiences” which puts you in the hands of their chef with a prix fixe service (5 plates) and even a “pizzakase” which means you just eat up whatever the chef feels like for that day. So if you’re in the Winston-Salem area and love pizza, make sure you stop on by Mission Pizza Napoletana. You definitely don’t want to miss out on that delicious pizza crust!
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