Pittsburgh Pizza Potpourri - Piccolo Forno and Blue Sparrow Pizza
A couple of snippets from ventures out to Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville and Blue Sparrow Pizza at Dancing Gnome Brewery in Sharpsburg.
Hi there!
Spring time pizza adventures are in the air. You can’t take a deep breath without inhaling a hint of mozzarella or a basil breeze. This is pizza season and it’s time to blow the stink off and explore the pizza landscape. It’s times like these I need to remember that most people don’t spend a majority of their waking hours thinking about pizza. When I talk to neighbors or friends of friends about pizza they aren’t always looking out for the great new thing. Some people get the same pizza day in and day out. In some ways, a routine is freedom.
But there’s a bounty of pizza waiting for you in the world. And this week I ventured out to two classic spots that fly under the radar: Piccolo Forno and Blue Sparrow at Dancing Gnome. Two spots I’ve been previously, but haven’t craved. In the time I’ve visited both these places improved their fundamentals and are worth a revisit if you haven’t been. It’s always good to check in on old friends. People may not always change, but when they do it’s a pleasure evolution.
Piccolo Forno is a Sleeping Pizza Giant
Piccolo Forno looms large in my life. From 2010 onwards, any life event or holiday took place at Piccolo Forno. Back then, we would have a family Festivus outing. We’d put our names in at Piccolo Forno and then wait for our table to be ready as we hunt out at the Eclipse Lounge (Eclipse Lounge is now Long Story Short). If Eclipse was too busy we’d squeeze into the Round Corner Cantina. Pregaming dinner with old fashions then uncork three bottles of wine for four people at dinner. A blissful decadent outing.
Those days are long gone. After the pandemic we visited Piccolo Forno and it just wasn’t hitting. The pizza was droopy, like a sad flower longing for sun. Things were off and it didn’t feel like the special spot we celebrated so many great events. It fell out of the rotation until this week.
After going on a family outing to vote on Tuesday, we decided to give Piccolo Forno a shot. What harm would there be in visiting an old pizza flame?
Christa got us a table as Charlie and I swung by Arsenal Park for a few quick slides. There’s always time to slide down the aluminum at dusk. When we eventually met up with Christa there was a plain pizza sitting on the table ready to rejuvenate.
I was hesitant at first. But when I grabbed a slice of this pizza I felt a positive energy. The crust was sturdy. It had matured. There was a slight droop, but with every bite there was a satisfying crunch. The pizza felt robust. The cheese was sharp, salty and satisfying. Each bite was both hefty and light. The duality that makes a great pizza. Whatever was missing before had been found. Piccolo Forno was back with vigor.
Piccolo Forno is now back in the family rotation for a delightful week night trip.
Blue Sparrow at Dancing Gnome is Flying High
When I first had Blue Sparrow Pizza I thought it had potential. In January of 2023: While the top of the pizza is a true party, I find the crust a little lacking. Nothing that can’t be improved upon, but it’s simple, basic crust with little rise. Right now it’s sole job is to support toe delicious toppings, but I hope it grows into something more complex in the future.
They have indeed found that growth. The pizza this week was delicious and the crust had more give to it. It wasn’t thick and chewy, but had a crispiness. It wasn’t too bread heavy and was absolutely crushable. And I gotta say, the Sparrow Pizza was hitting. The pepperonis were properly crispy without adding too much excess grease while the banana peppers added a nice texture and crunch. A perfect pairing.
The plain pizza is $10 which seems like an insane deal this day and age. Definitely great to pair with a Lustra while hanging out at Dancing Gnome.
Always good to have a nice pizza adventure. I will probably be taking a break from the newsletter next week but will return in June with some nice pizza updates.
Thanks and pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist