A Pizza My Heart
Where: 106 Bulwer Road, Glenwood
Open: Tuesday to Saturday noon to 8pm, 8.30pm on Friday and Saturday
Call: 065 090 5486
It’s a Glenwood neighbourhood secret. It’s not particularly well sign-posted. A red heart drawn on an old house is the only give-away. That and some cars parked outside in the road.
The entrance is not auspicious: most of the front of the house is empty (I’m sure that will change) but at the back is the pizza oven and a few tables which spill out into the garden. It’s a beautiful night, so we’re happy to sit out there.
Plus A Pizza My Heart is not licensed, so you’re welcome to bring your own ‒ and there’s no corkage. Drinks include a range of Italian soft drinks. There are no desserts yet.
It was started in 2019 by Judd Campbell of Coffee Tree fame, but then came Covid. Two brothers took it over last year and have improved recipes and added some decidedly gourmet toppings to the humble pizza. At the moment most of the business is takeaway, but the Glenwood community is welcome to pop in and chill, if they don’t mind things being slightly organic. We certainly didn’t. But a new, bigger pizza oven is on the cards and then things will be ramped up a bit, and presumably the liquor licence will follow.
The menu is simple and chalked up on a board. There’s the modern classics like bacon, avo and feta, Hawaiian, and four cheese pizza ‒ Brie, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella and Parmesan. There’s also a “Margarita”. A word here about the misspelling. It’s actually named after Queen Margherita of Savoy and is a key dish that came from the reunification of Italy, with its three ingredients ‒ tomato, basil and Mozzarella ‒ representing the colours of the new Italian flag.
And then there are options with barbecue beef or tandoori chicken or shredded gammon. There are two pastas on the menu ‒ one with home-made meatballs and a puttanesca ‒ and two burgers, both beef but one topped with Brie cheese and caramelised onions.
We opted for a pizza topped with that Brie and caramelised onions (R85) which was delicious, the sweetness of the onions making it an interesting alternative. The thin-based pizzas here were beautifully crisp, just as they should be. I also enjoyed the polpette pizza (R110) with meatballs, chilli, feta, Parmesan and avo. The meatballs were excellent.
Another winner was the diavola (R85) with pepperoni, artichokes, chilli, mushrooms and olives. The pepperoni here was a good one and although the pizza was perhaps a shade over filled, the other ingredients added to a good taste sensation. And just to try some more options, the three of us tucked into a Siciliana pizza (R110), this one unusually with salami, anchovies, chilli and olives. But it worked.
The vegetarian option of roast red onion, courgettes, mushrooms, feta and pesto will be my next try, although a pizza with coppa ham and artichokes also appealed.
We relaxed munching on pizza while finishing the red wine. It was a most enjoyable and sociable evening, and the irascible Scooby, the Staffie cross, would have some treats when my friend got home.
Food: 4
Service: 3½
Ambience: 3½
The Bill: R360 (On Tuesday nights there is a pizza special. I didn’t quite get how it worked, but R70 was knocked off the bill.)
The Independent on Saturday