A friend emails me this morning looking for a weekend recommendation. He wants to head to a cheap and cheerful Italian place in Dublin city, but doesn’t know where to go.
He mentions Bottecelli’s in Temple Bar, Taste of Rome and Pasta Fresca on Chatham St, the Little Caesar’s empire, Milano, and Nico’s on Dame St. I’ve yet to try Milano or Nico’s but I’ve heard good things.
One of my favourite cheap Italian eats around town, however, has to be Pizza Stop. Hidden away on Chatham Lane, just off Grafton St, it has a warm, welcoming, and simple interior with red and white check tablecloths. Set up in 1982, it was one of the first pizza places in Dublin.
I tend to gravitate towards the old reliable pizzas and pastas in here, because they do them so well, but I’ve heard good reports about their other mains.
The Food
- I think their lasagana with salad (€12.50) is easily one of the best around. The pizzas (€9.50-12.50) have a delicious thin crust, a sweet tomato sauce, and quality toppings.
- Penne arrabiata (€8) is a light, cheap, and filling meal. I love this spicy blend of tomatoes and chillies.
- Pizza Stop also prepare some great salads. Like most places, they’re priced at around €8.50, which is a bit more than I’m willing to pay for some leaves and vegetables – irrespective of their overheads.
The Service
Non-fussy, simple, friendly, and attentive. I occasionally go here for lunch, or to meet up with a gang of old friends for a reunion. I’ve spent many hours here as part of big tables, and there’s always a great, relaxed atmosphere.
The Value
I’m inviting arguments here. Pizza Stop’s prices are slightly below average. You could easily have a starter, main and coffee for no more than €20. That’s about what an early bird might set you back in a similar restaurant. It’s not going to change the way you look at Italian food, but I’ve never been let down by this charming place and I’ve always come away satisfied.
Friday 20 February, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i have never tried here … but there is a place on Capel St .. Romanos. Real retro, you have to ring a door bell to get in. Its good service, friendly, cute, delicious pizzas (9 or 12 inch) and pastas and good wine .. best of all .. its cheap.
don’t tell everyone though 😉
Friday 20 February, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I have been going to Pizza Stop for years and generally their food is always great.. however I was there about four weeks ago and had the arabiata and it was terible.. Just a plate of pasta in a pool of chilli based oil.
Think I will stick with the pizza the next time.
Sunday 22 February, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Pizza Stop is always reliable, no-fuss, tasty, very well priced food. And reading this I wonder why I don’t go more often…..must change that
Monday 23 February, 2009 at 11:00 am
Have been going there for years too. Went there a couple of weeks ago though and it was dreadful. Got a garlic bread with mozarella to start. Bread was stale and untoasted and there was no taste of garlic. It was essentially just melted mozarella on stale bread.
Had the seafood pizza for main. This was so salty that I could only eat around 1/4 of it.
The house white was also the worst I’ve tasted in quite a while. Vinegar.
It was one of the snowy freezing days as well. We were sitting under an air conditioning unit which was pumping out freezing air, we mentioned it to the waitress and it took a good 5-10 minutes before anyone bothered to turn it off. (we also saw them up on a chair turning it back on as soon as we left).
After many years as a customer I will not be returning.
Tuesday 24 February, 2009 at 12:18 am
I haven’t eaten in Pizza Stop in years. I always liked their pizza and thought they were great value, but the last time I was there we were seated beside Michael Flately and Lisa Murphy, and frankly, I still haven’t recovered.
Tuesday 24 February, 2009 at 2:59 pm
great spot – good food, friendly prices and great service. haven’t been there for a few months now. saw bono there before, turns out he’s mates with the owner. tend to wind up there if i’m in town for a few friday evenin drinks…
Saturday 25 July, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Very disappointed with my recent visit to Pizza Stop, food took ages to arrive, starter of crositini was very small not all that flaoursome. Lasagana was far from the the best around, very little meat in the sauce, mostly pasta layers. Wasn’t exactly a cheap eat either…maybe I should have stuck with the pizza!
Saturday 26 December, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Dreadful place! Ate here recently – unfortunately. Pasta dish was warm and we asked for it to be re-heated. It was returned to the table, still warm, although the edges were very hot (presumably from the microwave).
The pizzas were warm also, but we didn’t ask for them to be re-heated as they may have become ‘soggy’. But we did point it out to the waiter who showed little concern by walking away!
We could see that our food had been left sitting on their counter which doesn’t have warming lamps to keep the food hot, so that was the main problem.
A complaint to a waiter met with little response. The managers attitude was indifferent also – remiiniscent of the Celtic Tiger days.
We were never offered dessert or coffee.
While the pasta dish was deducted from the bill, the overall discraceful and appalling lack of quality and customer service will ensure that neither I nor my colleagues will ever darken their doors again.
In summary, AVOID. Choose from many of the other fine restaurants who will value your custom and treat you as a welcome patron in these difficult economic times.
Monday 25 January, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Had been going here for years and really liked both pizza and pasta dishes; the service and atmosphere were also great. Then they closed for a while following a fire, and when we went back after they had re-opened it was disappointing. I’ll go back in a couple of months to see whether they have managed to get things back to how they used to be.