La Pizzeria, Campbell

Sample Menu

• Starter: antipasto platter
• Salad: insalata caesar
• Pasta for the table: spaghetti bolognese
• Pizzas for the table: one Calabrese (topped with spicy salami) and one classic margherita

Where to Sit: If it’s a warm day, stay away from the kitchen—the pizza ovens burn at 900 degrees. Head for the patio instead.

Inside Tips

• Don’t ask to pile on a pantry’s worth of toppings. For one thing, the thin Neapolitan crust can’t support them; for another, your request may well be denied by the Naples-trained chef.
• Don’t try to grab a slice as soon as your pie’s set down, as you’ll end up picking up the whole thing. That’s because they’re served whole, in the Italian tradition. You can cut or tear pieces off.

Vocab Lesson

• Bolognese: an Italian meat sauce, typically made from onion, celery, carrots, wine, tomatoes, and meat, such as beef or pork
• Speck: cured pork leg seasoned with juniper, laurel, and rosemary

While You’re in the Neighborhood

After lunch: Explore the preserved 1920s charm of the Ainsley House (300 Grant St.), once home to local canning magnate John Colpitts Ainsley and now a museum.

Before dinner: Whet your appetite for Italian flavors with free tastings of olive oils and balsamic vinegars at The Olive Bar (232 E. Campbell Ave.).

If You Can’t Make It, Try This: La Pizzeria owner Pino Spanu’s other restaurant, Pino’s Trattoria, which boasts a broader Italian menu and a slightly more upscale feel.