The service was awful, we order wine and they brought the bottle opened without glasses, the food was ok but the service makes me think twice before going back read more

Delicious pizza with amazing crusts. I love the fresh garlic and red pepper and oil provided on the side. They paired so well with the pizzas! We also ordered Aranchini (okay) and Eggplant Parmesan (rich and decadent). My little niece was given a cup of gelato on the house, thank you! read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

OMG.. This place is amazing! The food is great, the atmosphere is cool and the staff is Incredible! The waiters are always checking to make sure you're taken care of. My wife and I had pizza(wife ordered so I don't remember the name of pizza) and we also had a cannoli for dessert. Their ingredients are top notch and although it was my first time eating a cannoli, I can't imagine it getting any better! We really look forward to visiting this location again. Ciao! read more

Varuni Napoli - Yummy! - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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During my first visit here I ordered a vegetarian white pizza, and it was delicious! Plenty of parking spots in the back - I made the mistake of turning into Hob Nob's valet parking lot, but the staff there was kind enough to redirect me. I like how they have many white pizza options :) the pizza is a bit pricey, probably because it's close to midtown. read more

This is the best pizza in Atlanta, hands down! I've been to Italy multiple time and Neapolitan pizza is one of my favorite foods. That being said, it's very difficult to find authentic Neapolitan pizza in this side of the world, let alone Atlanta. That is, until I came here! The Margherita pizza was as authentic as you can get and all of the ingredients are DOP. On top of that, the staff was so friendly and everyone was so welcoming. I really felt like I was back in Naples. Will definitely be returning soon! read more

Varuni Napoli - Margherita Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Where to even begin! Luca (the owner) is delightful from the minute we arrived he gave us a tour of the dining areas and checked in on us through our entire dinner. Once we sat down he took our order. We asked that he pick a white wine for us. He gave us one from his home town which was exquisite. The pizza came out super quick and we ate the entire thing #guilty Totally recommend everyone to try it! Loved the Italian background music read more

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Excellent experience at Varuni Napoli on a Saturday evening! I'm a convert!! Ever find yourself craving pizza in ATL and then immediately cringe at the idea of having to actually deal with getting out and getting a good slice? (I think we can all agree delivery doesn't do our fave food justice!) Enter Varuni. It's located right at Monroe and Piedmont (which means high accessibility and tons of parking - both major pluses). When you walk in, grab a menu, order at the counter, and find a seat. They'll bring everything right to you. Prices are a bit high but you really are paying for quality ingredients and preparation. Everything we tried (see pics) was perfectly delicious and well-made. Portions are also quite large. read more

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I loved my experience here. It has tons of seating inside or outside, a good wine/ drink selection and friendly service. You order at the front and then they bring you your food to your table. Our food came out very quick and it was hot like it just came out of the oven so it was extremely fresh. They have a ton of parking in the back and you know that is always a plus, especially in that area. I will be going back for sure read more

Can't say enough great things; the pizza is to DIE for so good Italian brick oven style pizza. They have a beautiful outdoor patio, love the space and the staff are also really wonderful. read more

I came here based off a list of restaurants my friend had given me. The staff was extremely nice. I loved the atmosphere. The outside deck was great and well-cleaned. I chose the Margherita pizza and it was delicious and I've been hooked ever since. I would definitely recommend this place and I'll continue to visit this establishment. read more

I absolutely love the pizza at this place! Easily some of the best I've had in the city (and I'm from New England so I've had some good pizza). Recently I ordered from Uber Eats and my order was unfortunately messed up. I ended up with two salads and no pizza delivered to my home. I was pretty bummed because I had a funky experience with DoorDash about an hour prior (which is why I used Uber Eats). I'm a nurse and that night I was actually recovering from some steroid injections I had in my spine earlier that day, so I wasn't feeling great. All that to say, I called the restaurant and by this time it was close to 10pm. I ended up speaking with the manager Marco. He was so kind and apologized for the mess up. Typically people don't want to "make things right" these days, but Marco and Varuni Napoli went above and beyond to make this right. He offered me a gift certificate and a free pizza for my next visit. I went in a couple days later and was planning to pay for a salad and cannoli (in addition to the free pizza that was offered). They said absolutely not and wouldn't take my money to pay for the extra items. Everything was on the house in addition to the gift certificate. These people truly know the meaning of customer service and are honestly just genuine sweet folks. Do yourself a favor and stop by!! read more

I gave it 5 star for its value. Because it is half self-service, they are able to keep prices fairly low and therefore making Varuni Napoli a great value. Food wasn't amazing but decent and definitely worth the price. If you want a chill first date spot, a quick dinner, or a group of friend hanging out, this is the place for you! read more

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This is my favorite pizza in the city of Atlanta! It is Neapolitan style pizza in a wood-fired oven with the best crust you could ask for. My favorite pizza is the porecca picante, which has roasted tomatoes, peppers, and pepperoni. I love spice, so I always add additional peppers. For dessert, I recommend a pistachio cannoli: delicious! One more thing to note, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays it is half price wine, so grab a significant other or group of friends and head there for a delicious pizza and a bottle of wine! read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Massively overpriced and overrated. You order cafeteria style, pay full premium restaurant prices, and then scrounge for a table. Wine selection is anemic. Neopolitan pizza is no longer a novelty in Atlanta. Not the only show in town. read more

We had a nice gathering in the back room tonight with about 20 people and there were all kinds of appetizers and wines to start and then pizza's started coming all different and it gave us a chance to sample just about everything. We had a great time and loved the pizza. We live close enough to walk and will be back. Thanks for the staff keeping everything moving . Thanks to our host Ken & Connie for all the goodies. :) read more

I recently walked to Varuni Napoli for dinner after a brewery tour at Orpheus and I am very glad that I came! Varuni Napoli is located on the north side of Piedmont park in the Clear Creek shopping center. There is a lot of parking in the shopping center, although it can be difficult to find as some of it is hidden beneath the shopping center. It also makes for a great place to walk to for dinner after a nice day at the park. I really like the feel of the inside of the restaurant, it is very clean and the smell of fresh made pizza the fills the room can't be beat, but their outdoor seating is my favorite. It's not the best view of Piedmont park, but there's something about sitting outside and enjoying pizza and wine with friends that is so great. When I got there, the line was out the door and it was very busy, but our order was taken and our food was on the table within 15 minutes. I was very impressed with the speed and friendliness of the service. I split the Chiattona Benni white pizza and the Arancini starter with my girlfriend and it was way too much for us to finish, which was a welcome surprise because we had leftovers for another meal! The Chiattona Benni is essentially a fancy spicy meat lovers pizza with white sauce. The meat was so full of flavor and I could tell that the cheese was fresh as well. I would definitely order this again. The Arancini were probably my favorite starter I've had anywhere. I would come back just for these little balls of joy. The Arancini are fried rice balls with beef and peas on the inside that come with marinara dipping sauce. Buy this dish if you come here. Also, even though wine is not really my favorite, I have heard that Varuni has a very good wine menu. Their beer menu is very good, featuring some Italian beers and local favorites like Wild Heaven and Sweetwater. Varuni Napoli has won my heart over as best pizza in Atlanta. read more

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The food is still excellent, but the carryout service seems to have fallen off recently. The level of care and general attitude at the carryout window are not as good anymore. Note to the employees at the carryout window; You might want to refrain from making rude and distasteful comments about customers while at the window. We can definitely hear you. That being said, I'll probably continue to visit this establishment with friends and family, but I'll probably go elsewhere for carryout from now on. read more

SUCH good pizza! My no means have I tried all the pizzas in Atlanta but of the ones I have tried, Varuni Napoli is consistently my favorite.

Went back to my favorite pizza place because I felt safe! Never mind the fact I CRAVE Chef Luca's arugula salad, spicy pizza (I forget the name ‍) and of course his famous PERFECT Negroni!! The take out line was well organized and all those patrons had masks on, even being outside. We ordered through a VERY veiled plastic shield and felt safe to yell out our order at the sweet Counter Host with a laugh Bc the shield was thick..also making us feel safe! We sat outside and the Host sat the 3 other tables around us away and spaced out. It was fabulous to linger outside and enjoy food again in an environment where the Owner is and his staff are baking pizza ( and themselves!) with hot as hell masks on, just so they can serve us safely. Thank you thank you thank you! Arugula SaladPorreca Piccante read more

I love pizza. So I usually go in with a critical palate, but that's not to say I don't enjoy a lazy Domino's Sunday here or there. However, Varuni Napoli was different. It was my first time in this area in Atlanta and I was with a group of friends on a recommendation from another friend. The ambience: a mix of old Italian brick and eccentric new-age color and pizazz. The pizza: classic, flavorful, and masterfully created. We ordered two pizzas (Margherita & Spacca Napoli). The Spacca Napoli was a really good white pizza with some incredible mushrooms and flavors from the truffle oil. But the star of the show was the Margherita. The cheese and basil were well decorated, but the sauce was, quite simply, was the best I've ever had. It was simple, fresh, elegant, and savory. I highly recommend this pizza. The staff was friendly and everyone greeted us with smiles and asked if they could help or get us any drinks. We got some looks from people as we walked in, perhaps we were under dressed or people are just nosey, I'm unsure on this matter. It is a bit on the pricey side (~$20 per pie) but well worth the quality. Overall, I think this is a win. Take your date here, take your mom here, take yourself here; you deserve it. read more

What a great experience. Was greeted by the workers in front and in back. Really enjoyed the dining experience without feeling like we were somewhere super fancy. However, the pizza is high quality! Loved it. Thin and extremely flavorful. They have a lovely patio with bistro lights and patio furniture as well as the big tables inside. It's great because you can see behind the scenes while the make your pizza! Highly suggest going here if you are looking for quick yet quality pizza. Parking is around back by dtox! read more

Varuni Napoli - Bastardo is the red pizza and the white pizza is the napoli - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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The crust was very mild in flavor. I prefer a more developed flavor but I love that this place is doing it right. Origin specific ingredients form Italy, naturally leavened dough, nice variety of pizzas. I really didn't love my pizza, but I ordered wrong. I tried a pizza with Arugula and prosciutto, and it was a bit dry. The crust was pleasant and well made, it was also cooked nicely. This place has so much to take in visually. If someone were on a pizza quest in Atlanta, GA this spot must be on the list of pizzerias to visit. While I believe there is slightly better pizza at two other places, I think this place holds one of the top spots for food+ambiance. read more

Varuni Napoli - nice crust - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Another bad experience here... or shall I say "dining to go while black". No I wasn't picking up for Uber Eats and Yes, I had a dining out passport book, getting two pizzas to go so my boyfriend and I could watch the Steelers game at home on the last day of our holiday vacation from work. I tipped based on the $50+ dollar bill, although the pizzas were 1/2. Sat at the bar and was not offered a drink. So I asked for water... the bartender gives me a plastic cup... I look at the plastic cup and then to the right of me, a white couple that was given glass cups. He says "oh, would you like a glass?" I said "yes, I'm waiting on to go. Why would you serve me a plastic cup?" He then insults me about using the dining out passport, eluding to me that I deserve a plastic cup since I paid half price. To make matters worse, he then goes and tells the dude at the register and laughs. I walk over and confront him, getting his name to report to management... long story short.. you can have great pizza but if you treat others differently based upon skin color or the fact I was dressed in casual wear or using a coupon, we will dine elsewhere. Customer service and great food go hand in hand. I should never leave an establishment feeling less of a person the way I did just now. We will never be back and I will tell everyone to go elsewhere! read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Grabbed a pair of Neapolitan-style tomato pies and a calzone on Super Bowl Sunday at the recco of my sons who know the ATL pizza scene. Varuni-Napoli is a highly regarded independent in the Morningside neighborhood just east of Midtown Atlanta. It is known for using primo ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes with other fresh and local organic produce. Cooked in Varuni's wood-fired ovens, our pies were the real thing...hugely flavorful and authentic Italian at its very best. read more

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Went here on a sunny Saturday afternoon for lunch, and had a great time! There's a parking lot behind the building, as well as a deck and stairs leading to a back entrance into the restaurant. We were greeted not only by the kind staff, but the wonderful basil and dough aroma in the air. The interior is clean, bright, and modern. Ample seating in the form of a bar, large tables, and some smaller ones. Place your order, take a seat, and your food will be brought to you. There'a nice selection of drinks from wines and beer, to "fancy" sodas. I opted for a Diet Coke, but it came in a glass bottle, and was super chilled, just the way I like it. Food wise, we went with one of the artisan whites, the Friariello: fresh buffalo mozzarella, rapini, Italian sausage, diced prosciutto di Parma, EVOO and Pecorino Romano. Truth be told, I can't say I knew what those words meant until I Googled them, but they made a delicious combination! I really loved the flavor of this pizza, and being tomato sauce free meant my acid reflux was kept at bay. It tasted fresh, not too heavy. The size is comparable to a large at most fast food pizza places, so you should have some leftovers. And for just $20, I think it's an amazing deal! Also on the menu are various white and red pizzas, as well as being able to build your own, and calzones. I'll definitely come back to explore these. There are also desserts like tiramisu and cannolis that are calling my name. The staff was super friendly the whole time, a very welcoming bunch. I know it's hard to throw around "best," but I'll at least say that this have been my favorite pizza experience yet in Atlanta! read more

Varuni Napoli - Interior, register and bar. - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Fantastic classic marg pizza. Comparable to many Nyc spots such as luzzos. Staff is very friendly and helpful. They can make substitutions for vegetarians. Will def come back again! Great beer as welll. read more

Well, if you've been hearing things like "Better or as good as Antico" or "best pizza I've ever had" or "this place is amazing," then I'm pretty sure you'll find plenty of truth in any of those statements upon your first visit. Being that Varuni Napoli is a relatively new-ish type of concept, there are a few hurdles you have to overcome to have a great experience. Located literally on the corner of Piedmont and Monroe. Same corner as Hobnob. Parking is pretty easy with the parking lot behind the restaurant proper, but can get pretty mobbed with the rest of the businesses attracting customers around the same time(s). Just make note of that. If you're in Piedmont Park or somewhere close, walking is a pretty decent option. Once inside, it's quite a sight. For those familiar, you'll find the giant ovens within the prep area doling out pies like they're going out of style. There is a good amount of seating inside and a few seats at the bar area. The process for ordering was a little wonky. You step to the side, order whichever drinks you'd like, then proceed to the register to order your pizza and other items and pay, then you find your table and your food is brought out to you. I mean, it isn't rocket science, but there are a few variable you need to consider -- Get your silverware and plates before you sit down. They may or may not tell you about their location, but you can find them on tables around the room. Water is on all of the tables inside and you can grab a bottle if you are headed out to the patio. You really must make note of the patio. Goodness gracious this is probably one of the coolest patios in Atlanta. Tall oak trees growing up through the floorboards, modern couches, bistro tables, plenty of natural light filtered by shade from the trees. It was super cozy and one of the best places to eat. Plus, it wasn't nearly as crowded or noisy as the interior. The pizza, I have to say, does live to up any and all hype that is being spread around. It's good. Damn good, in fact. We ordered the Margherita and the special -- Pesto, fired tomatoes, and basil. Both were excellent with a good amount of char on the crust (I'm always a fan of burnt crust) and chew. The sauces were both excellent. In my eyes, the sauce on the margherita was the winner, but the special pie's fired cherry tomatoes brought a perfect amount of sweet and sour to the table. We ordered these two since they are a few of the vegetarian options on the menu. Plenty of others with meats of all different kinds. I'm looking forward to checking out a few of them for our next visit. Prices are pretty easy-going. $15 for the Margherita and $17 for the special. I'd pay that again in a heartbeat without batting an eyelash. I really dig this place. The pizza is stellar and the concept really works for all manner of guests. I do think it's important to understand just how much you have to "serve" yourselves at a restaurant like this, but just go prepared knowing that you won't be taken care of by a server. Can't wait to head back! read more

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"Yeah, and I bet it was even more amazing than the time you ate your weight in Godfather's pizza, right?" -- The Goonies (1985) I love a great Neapolitan pizza and it makes me so happy that there are so many great options in Atlanta these days. It's tough to choose which is the best - but I think Varuni is at the top of the list. The very first of my UYE series - Quarterback Shuffle - we were focusing on pizza - Neapolitan to be exact. And this had to be the first stop on the tour as I had never been there AND I had heard amazing things about it. It was started by one of the previous members of the Antico team, so I knew it had to be on par with their pies. But I had to check it out for myself... and 15 of my closest Yelpie friends. We were able to have the back room for our group - which was excellent. We ordered our food in the line up front (which was crazy busy) and then took our numbers to the back room and sat down. One by one, our pizzas were delivered to us and in typical Yelpy fashion - we passed our pies all around and shared. So I got to try a ton of different things. I got to try the Arancini (rice) and Panzerotti (potato) - both fritter-type items and you know what a fan I am of fritters. I loved them both - but the Panzerotti was the winner of the two. Of the pizzas, I tried the following: *Oro Bianco - fresh buffalo mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, Taleggio cheese, pancetta, Pecorino Romano, basil, white truffle oil *Amore Mio - fresh buffalo mozzarella, roasted artichokes, sweet soppressata, mushrooms, black olives, Pecorino Romano, basil *Pako - fresh buffalo mozzarella, roasted smoked peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, Pecorino Romano, basil *Margherita - fresh buffalo mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil *Reginella - fried half-moon calzone stuffed with fiordilatte mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, corbarino tomatoes, salami, black pepper, Pecorino Romano, basil, extra virgin olive oil I have to say, the Amore Mio and the Oro Bianco were my favorites of the pizzas. The toppings were super fresh and flavorful. However, the crust is the winner here - the imported 00 flour and clearly the water used makes it top notch and gives it the perfect chew. They char it just to the right level in their brick ovens and I could eat my weight in their pizzas. But seriously, the star of the night was the Reginella - fried, not baked, calzone was an unbelievable surprise. I loved this so much, I could not even put it into words. It isn't really greasy, but you would think it would be. I don't care who you are, or what you like - I feel like you life won't be complete without trying this amazing dish... just do it. This is the best of the pizza places we tried on our shuffle (aka tour), and I have been recommending it ever since. Run, don't walk, to Varuni for some killer pizza and make sure you get a Reginella as well. read more

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I feel like Varuni Napoli/Antico's owner/pre owner sat down and thought "hmm.. what can I do to fix ANY problems Antico had?" 1. Parking - I am a stickler for parking. Gotta say, damn it's awesome. You can park in Green Sprouts/Top Spice/Rusans parking lot and just walk over to the restaurant. Antico had horrible parking. The entrance in the back is kind of hidden, but can be found if you walk past the Rapid (?) company's doors. 2. Seating - Holy Jesus - we can sit! And not feel bad if we stay longer! There's AC!? Yes, it is simply amazing. I am thoroughly impressed with how the seating arrangements were built. Antico was cool and all - but whenever me and my bf went there - we ate quickly and left. Esp if we saw people lining up to sit. #guiltyfeeling 3. Food - So delicious. I get the Don G something. It doesn't have cheese. I actually like it the most. Doesn't make me feel too full, but very happy. Overall - I give 5/5! read more

Varuni Napoli - Yummm don g something. - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

If you like antico you'll love this! The only huge difference is that you can customize you pizza, which for me, is a huge plus. Went here for a quick bite before a concert the other day and it was perfect. $18 dollars for a pizza this yum is great. We also ordered the Caesar salad. The one pizza and salad was perfect for two to share. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating, and everyone just seemed so happy. The pizza...that's what you all want to hear about. We got a margarita pizza with added pepperonis. It was perfectly thin and had crisp crust and took like 2 minutes. It was delicious. We will definitely be back and will tell more people about the best (less crowded and overrated) pizza place! read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza with pepperoni yum - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Holy moly, their pizza made a lasting impression on me & I've been craving it ever since my last visit! Thanks to Lindy D.'s "QB Shuffle" UYE Pizza series I was able to enjoy the most delicious Italian style pizza with fellow Yelper friends. Now at the end of our dinner, Lindy did mention that their pizza is better than Antico's and I didn't agree with her at first but I can honestly say that she's right! Later I found out that one of the owners used to work on the Antico team and it all made sense. He learned from the best & made his "pies" better! Since we had a large group, we were well accommodated by having the entire back room for ourselves. It seemed the perfect spot for private parties and the doors nearby open up to their lovely outdoor patio. First off, I love the red color scheme & decor. Super cute and the did a great job of branding their restaurant in a very clean/professional yet trendy way. It's neat how you can also order meats and cheeses, deli-style at the front of the restaurant. Service was fast. Pizzas came out freshly baked and every bite just melted in your mouth. Got a chance to try some of their appetizers because we took advantage of the special restaurant week menu. Highly recommend trying any of the appetizers as a first course. The cannolis were creamy and crisp. Everything about this restaurant was great! Once you visit this restaurant, you'll only crave their pizza because nothing else compares.... If you haven't been, just check them out! You & your dining companions will be fully satisfied, no doubt! :) read more

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Very cool interior & overall decor, has a nice deck (mostly shaded which is nice when it's so hot out). They have some front of the house kinks to work out, but overall service is very good. I like the pizza and it was right in the middle of not super thin crust and not too doughy, but doughy enough. They add a lot of sauce which then makes the overall crust a little mushy and since the crust isn't so thin you will either love it or hate it. It reminds me a lot of NY pizza and while good, still not the best I've ever had in Atlanta, I'm still a huge fan of Fritti, but I think this place will do well given all the other perks. read more

I dunno, my experience here wasn't as good as many people who reviewed it. I went on a random weeknight when it was slow a few months ago when they first opened. Just forgot to write the review. I didn't think the pizza was that great. Maybe I was too critical, but it seemed overly expensive for overly salty thin crust pizza. You even have to buy the perrier nice water and can't get tap water. "bouzy" for no reason just because it is in midtown I guess. Lol. Service was nice though. read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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The "pizzeria napoletana" craze has truly taken hold of Atlanta. With many wonderful establishments to choose from like Antico Pizzeria Napoletana in the Westside, Fritti in Inman Park, and Ammazza in the Old 4th Ward, you'd think we'd have plenty of options from which to choose. But in comes Varuni Napoli to stir the pot a bit more! This pizzeria located near Ansley Park is less than a month old and seems to be making an impression on many palates accustomed to Antico's pizza empire. Could Antico have met its match? I arrived on an unassuming Tuesday evening to a pretty full restaurant. There was only a few open tables. But that caught my attention right away. Not the empty tables. The tables themselves! There is ample seating! Thank the heavens! No more creeping around like a hawk waiting to swoop down on its prey! The decor is very Italian. Modern. Sleek. Clean edges. Bright lights. Lots of red and white. The music...Italian. The workers...mostly Italian. The customers...quite a few Italians! This must mean something! We stood in line, which was a bit confusing at first, and ordered. We wanted to keep it light so our eyes (and stomachs) were set on the Marinara. No cheese, ciliegini tomatoes, garlic, black olives, white anchovies and basil. Super fresh sounding. I also wanted to try the burrata because of the awesome price. $11 gets you 4 oz of burrata and your choice of prosciutto, basil and tomatoes or vegetables of the day. Naturally, I went for the prosciutto. We received our number and sat at the bar. About 7-8 minutes later, out came our wonderful pizza and burrata. First, let's talk about the smell. Intoxicating. Saliva-producing. Joyous. And the taste. Exquisite. The tomatoes were so absurdly fresh. The anchovies. Perfectly salted and again fresh. The basil was sweet perfume. The olives were tart and sharp. 4 slices later, I attacked the burrata. More wow factor. The ricotta inside the burrata was creamy and succulent and velvety. The prosciutto was authentic. San Daniele perhaps? It was an overall pleasant experience. I cannot wait to go back to Varuni. È stata veramente un'esperienza straordinaria! EDIT: I forgot to mention the sfogliatella. A crispy, flaky and sweet pastry filled with ricotta and lemon. Brings me back to my childhood when my grandma would make them. Get one! read more

Varuni Napoli - Pizza Marinara with garlic, olives, basil and white anchovies. No cheese = super light - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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I had wanted to try this for a little over a year after friends told me that chef-and-owner Giancarlo Pirrone from the infamous Antico's had left and started his own joint in Midtown. My weekend in Midtown ATL proved to be fruitful eating as two friends were also willing to join me for more than just pizza at Varuni Napoli. A mere 10-minute drive from where I was located, we feasted and feasted well on the following: -cuoppo: combination of arrancini and panzerotti -porecca picante pizza -pappa gone pizza -pistachio cannoli -nutella cannoli -tiramisu ------- Cuoppo: PROS -very filling, perfect to share for three since there are three of each appetizer -came out hot and fresh instead of sitting under a heat lamp: so hot that my friend burned his mouth on an arrancini ball -not overwhelming in sauce regarding the arrancini, good balance of flavors CONS -too much fried things overall. The dipping sauce (marinara I believe) helped a lot to take off that edge, but I ended up drinking a lot of water because of it and that filled me up really early on. --------- Porecca Picante Pizza: spicy! spicy salami, spicy sausage, with fresh buffalo mozarella. This is definitely one dish for you heat lovers out there. I can't say that this was a favorite of mine. There was a bit too much meat for my liking, but it wasn't a bad pizza. PROS -really good, not that spicy! For all the hype about the spice, it's actually got a good amount of heat CONS -ingredients not evenly dispersed: some slices barely had any toppings -not enough cheese -------- Pappa Gone: I ordered this pizza because it was the closest to the pizza that I absolutely adore at Antico's. I can't even remember the name, but I know the one ingredient that keeps me going back there, and those are the peppadew peppers. These peppers have a moderate amount of heat, but more importantly, they are sweet. This goes well with the heat and also helps break up the saltiness of the cheese and sausage. In addition, it helps cut a bit of the acidity that comes from tomato sauce. Ingredients include: Fresh smoked mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella, caramelized onions, peppadew peppers, Prosciutto di Parma, Pecorino Romano, basil (as taken from the Varuni Napoli menu). PROS -peppadew peppers! -ingredients are more dispersed than the porecca picante -less salty in general compared to the Antico version and the porecca picante (this is big for me because salt means more water intake) CONS -not as much cheese -came out LATE: I believe they had forgotten about this order, and we had to remind them. -------- Pistachio Cannoli: I really had high hopes for this dessert as I love pistachio. It came filled to the brim too! PROS -definitely shareable: this thing is bigger and longer than two churros put together. CONS -way too sweet: even with the amount of cream that was stuffed in there, the filling was just ridiculously sweet. You can taste the pistachio for sure, but at this point, I don't know if it's flavoring or essence because it is SO sweet. -------- Nutella Cannoli: mmm hazelnut! If you're a chocolate lover, please take this section of the review with a grain of salt because I am not a dessert lover. In fact, I don't have much of a sweet tooth despite random cravings from time to time. If I do have a dessert, it has to be small, and it's usually fruity in some form or another. PROS -very chocolatey: decadence is definitely a great word to describe this cannoli. They didn't skimp out on the chocolate. -less sweet in terms of intensity compared to the pistachio cannoli: maybe it's got a little less sugar content, or maybe it's the bitterness of the cocoa, but this sweetness was a little more tolerable. CONS -not really any if you like creamy chocolatey goodness. -------- Tiramisu: this was actually recommended by a friend who had eaten here before. I would have to say that this dessert, while full of cream, is more up my alley because it is less sweet than the other two desserts. In addition, there is coffee. I like coffee...a lot. PROS -generous with their coffee liqueur: some places skimp out, and some are a little too heavy handed with the booze. Not here! -definitely like the dark cocoa powder dusting: that bitterness really helps cut into the already mild-sweetness of the whipped cream. CONS -none! Wow, so excited that I could finally eat here, but I have to admit that it wasn't the best experience. Maybe it was the hype which led to overly high expectations, or maybe it was an off-night. Doesn't mean I won't eat here again, it wasn't bad pizza. It just wasn't as great as everyone made it out to be. I did have one complaint though: there isn't too much of a break between the door and the rest of the room and so any cold air that comes in cools the pizza significantly. Also, we didn't have the greatest service: at one point we took two water jugs from adjacent tables because nobody stopped by. Maybe better next time? read more

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Varuni Napoli is a Neapolitan pizza place in Midtown. It's located right on the corner of Monroe and Piedmont next to Hobnob. Parking can be found behind the restaurant in the large shopping plaza where Rusan's is located. The inside space is pretty large with the open kitchen in the heart of the restaurant. There's plenty of seating in the main area which includes a bar that goes around the kitchen (a little entertainment while you eat). In the back, there's a small little lounge with a couple of sofas and a long family style table. This area leads to an outside patio with more seating. Seems like a nice place to hang out when not rainy/cold. You start by placing your order and grabbing your drinks at the counter before being seated. They then bring the food to your table. And they bring it out FAST. I was very surprised at how fast food started coming out after we ordered. The menu is pretty much entirely pizza. Delicious, mouth-watering, wish-it-were-lunch-so-I-can-go-eat-my-leftovers good Pizza. There was a large group of us, so we each ordered a different pie to share. My end of the table had the following Pizzas: Pako Oro Bianco Margherita Amore Mio The Oro Bianco and Pako were my 1st and 2nd favorites, respectively. But all the pizzas' ingredients tasted fresh, the marinara sauce was well seasoned, and the dough tasted perfect had a great consistency/chew (although it did few a little too thin in the middle of the pizza). All of them were very good. The Pizzas are probably big enough for 2 people to share and finish. After we had all unfinished and let lose our pants, we still had enough for quite a bit of leftovers. ****Our table also ordered the REGINELLA which is a fried calzone. I think everyone agreed this was probably the best thing the table ordered. If you like Calzones this is what you want to order. Amazing is all I can say. The marinara sauce served on the side was also pretty good.**** On top of the Pizzas and Calzones, we ordered a couple of Street Food Items: The Arancini & Panzerotti. The Arancini are 3 fried rice balls w/seasoned beef. The rice and beef inside were very tasty. The Panzerotti are 3 fried potato croquettes. They weren't too bad. I much prefer the Arancini and would definitely order them again. These come out just a couple of minutes after we sat down. We finished our meal with some cannoli's which were just as good as our other dishes. Would definitely come back. read more

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If you want a real good authentic Italian pizza, this is the place to go to, fresh ingriedients and friendly staff. I recommend this place highly. I can not wait to go back, my mouth is watering as I think about their pizza!!! read more

After another few months of Varuni visits, I must uphold my original review. Solid five stars for perfect pizza every time. At this point, we have tried pretty much everything on their menu. All are winners. My all-time favorite is the Margherita, if only because in Varuni's iteration it is truly the perfect food. But you truly cannot go wrong with anything they offer. I won't set foot in any other Atlanta pizzeria anymore. read more

I thought the pizza was good but nothing spectacular or mind-blowing. I ordered 1 pie to share (amongst 2 hungry people) and I did not feel full at all. The crust of it is VERY thin. The pizza came out fairly fast, and the place was not slammed at all to my surprise. Hard to find! It is in the same shopping center as Top Spice/Ru San's but in the corner BEHIND Shell gas station. I'll try this place again someday again in the future for the love of truly Italian pizza. read more

Varuni Napoli - Bastardo and an espresso - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Rock Solid 3 stars. The vibe is better than Antico, but the star attraction is a notch below. We started with the salad. Nice, lightly dressed with some heirloom tomato and tasty sliced prosciutto. The pizza Margherita arrived promptly looking real good...all the key ingredients were on display. Too bad the chewy crust turned into a soggy mess faster than you can say Spumoni, and ours arrived from the blast furnace with a seriously heavy-duty char. Overall, varuni was a pretty decent stand in for Antico. read more

Varuni Napoli - Salad of goodness - Pizza Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia