Il Lazzarone baking up special pizza experience in St. Joe

Il Lazzarone. Pizza Hut, it ain’t. The Neapolitan-style pizzeria in downtown St. Joseph is a must stop.

Il Lazzarone opened its doors a couple of months ago and has already seen its reputation spread by word of mouth.

The pizzeria strives to become a certified Neapolitan pizzeria. If it succeeds, it will be the first in Missouri. To be a certified Neapolitan pizza maker, a pizzeria must meet specific rules by the Association Versace Pizza Napoletana.

First up on meeting the requirements is the wood-fired oven used to bake the delicious discs. The oven, which weighs about 6,000 lbs., was imported from Italy, said owner Erik Borger.

The oven heats to about 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which allows for quick cooking. A typical pizza takes 60-90 seconds to bake, he said.

Erik was kind enough to let me come behind the counter and check out the oven. It felt hot near it. It was cool watching the crew slip in pizza into the oven for baking.

The dough is handmade. We watched the crew prepare it. The dough is imported from Italy, in order to meet the AVPN rules.

The ingredients include mozzarella cheese and Italian-grown tomatoes. The tomatoes come from the base of Mount Vesuvius.  I’ve never tasted tomatoes so sweet and moist.

We started with an appetizer of bruschetta. The fresh tomatoes thoroughly enhanced the dish.

We met Beth from the Visitors Bureau for lunch. We each had the special – sausage pizza. The pizza dough is very thin. The toppings aren’t lumped on. They are spread out on the pizza, to allow for a nice baking and a tasty meal.

The pizzas are supposed to be personal size. OK! They are larger than the plates they’re served on. They were delicious. None of us could finish our meal.

Ensure you plan to dine in at Il Lazzarone. The pizza is not meant to be taken home.

The décor of the building harkens back to the original building. It used to be a radiator company. The walls are brick. Pipes are in the open.

Artwork dots the walls – one wall has naval signals, while the other has art made from metal.

The tables feature reconditioned wood from an old bridge.

Il Lazzarone is open 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. It’s open 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 -11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday.

Mangia!

For more information about the pizzeria, visit www.illazzarone.org.