Pizza Boys - Ragazzi Bistro Italiano

I'm glad I didn't know about this place sooner, or I might have been 300 lbs by now. Pizza Boys Ragazzi Bistro Italiano is the best-kept secret in town, until now that is. After Hubbs read about their infamous pizza on his bud's site, we made a little detour to try it out for ourselves. We ended up visiting there twice in 3 days. What does that tell you? ;)

From the outside, I have to be frank: Pizza Boys looks divey. It is located on the corner of a strip mall-esque building with a motley group of stores. You've probably driven by a thousand times and not stopped because of the exterior, or its location just a block from Bonnie Doon Mall. We were skeptical until we walked in. Then we were immediately converted. The aromatic scents of baking pizza and pasta in the air wafted up our nostrils and triggered immediate salivation. The decor, though not upscale or fancy, was homey, comfortable, and welcoming. We were seated right away when we visited on Wednesday, but for Friday's dinner we were smart enough to make reservations because the place ended up being packed!

The service was very personable and down to earth; you won't find any fake-friendly servers here! They were prompt with the drink orders (Hubbs had this soda called a Chinotto that tastes good going down but leaves a funky bitter aftertaste while I had the bottomless pop), and upfront with the fact that dinner orders take a while because everything is made fresh on order! I liked the sounds of that, and appreciated the honesty.

The food at Ragazzi is second to none. The pizza (we've tried both the Davide's Inferno and the Raging Bull) is fall-off-the-chair delicious, and their crust is this unique fluffy thin crust whose texture can only be attributed to the fact that the dough had been hand-tossed immediately prior to baking. We also had their Bocconcini Coperti (baked bocconcini wrapped in prosciutto) during visit #1 and their Soprano Bread during visit #2. The Coperti was a cheesy, delicious mess and we enjoyed that it was a light beginning to our meal. The Soprano bread, however, was not light. This is by far my favourite thing at Ragazzi, and it's not a teensy little appetizer that is meant for one. No, the Soprano bread is this bulls-eye shaped, 10" round loaf of garlicky, olive oil drizzled, anchovy-topped homestyle bread that you pull apart in rings and dip into an oil and vinegar mix. It has a dense texture, a crispy top and bottom, and the best mix of spices I've had in a non-sweet bread in forever. It is addictive, but it fills you up quick so it honestly is meant to be shared by 4 people.

For dessert, they have a limited menu of items, but since tiramisu was one of those choices, we sampled that on visit #1. It was phenomenal, and served in a tall sundae glass with a mountain of whipped cream. I know there are other places in town that claim they have the "best tiramisu in the city," but I think the one at Ragazzi rivals any of theirs. Light, fluffy, satisfying are words that come to mind to describe our divine dessert experience.

We'll definitely be back to try their pastas, but if you're looking for the best Neopolitan pizza in the city, or the most addictive bread in town, go to Pizza Boys' Ragazzi Bistro Italiano. Don't go for the atmosphere, the great service, or the affordable prices...go for the incredible food. I promise you won't be sorry.


Rating: 10 / 10

**Sorry there are no pictures to accompany this post. We sent sans camera, and the honest truth is that there are no pictures online that can capture the awesomeness that is this place.