Little Italy Pizzeria

Every once in a while something comes along that changes what you know about yourself. These somethings aren’t usually restaurants, but who am I judge? I, for example, have never lived outside the deep south and knew myself to be a fan of thick crust pizza—that is, until Little Italy set up shop in Tuscaloosa and I discovered that I’m not nearly woman enough to handle a real thick crust.

Little Italy’s thick crust is, as I imagine all Napolitan crust is, immense. I’ve only ordered it once—a slice, to-go—and it completely filled the meal-sized Styrofoam box it had been stuffed into. It’s certainly filling, but the thick crust proved to be too much bread for my taste. Little Italy is one of the only restaurants where I order thin crust. I despise Pizza Hut’s cracker-like thin crust, but LI’s thin, Sicilian variety is much more flavorful and (strange as it sounds) crust-like. Ideally, I guess I’d prefer some middle-ground between the two types of crust, but for less than $2 a slice, I’m not going to complain.

That’s right. TWO dollars per humongous slice. $1.80 for Sicilian and $1.90 for Napolitan to be precise. Each topping (and there’s 27 to choose from) is an additional 40 cents. With their prices and portions, Little Italy is easily the best value on the Strip. It’s the only place I have to worry about hitting the $3 credit card minimum. They have 2 lunch specials: A) 1 slice with a side salad and a drink or B) 2 slices with a drink. Both are $5. The salad that comes with the first special is reasonably sized—it’s fairly small, but not disappointingly considering it’s only a side salad—and is quite good. The inclusion of cucumbers, cheese, and a few slices of pepperoni made for a nice touch. My slice, for the record, was pepperoni and banana peppers. Mmmm.

I would like to emphasize that the pizza is resting on a dinner-sized paper plate.

Since Little Italy is an order-and-pickup-at-the-counter joint, there isn’t much to say about their service, but what experience I’ve had with the staff has always been pleasant. The cashiers are friendly and willing to offer suggestions if you’re unsure of which crust or toppings to get. The dining area is spacious (though the lunch crowd on the Strip can still overwhelm the place) and clean. There’s a bit of a wait time, but it’s not unreasonable by any means—simply a consequence of made-to-order slices.

The only time I choose another pizza place over Little Italy is when I’m ordering in bulk on my own dime. Their whole pies run between $9.50 and $16.50 depending on size and crust (the Napolitan crust only comes in slices and 16” pies, by the way), and extra toppings run from $1.25-2.00 each. This can get pricey when you’re ordering for a large group, and even though the manager on duty will give you a discount if you let him know you’re going to be buying in bulk, the discount they offered me on eight large pizzas was still over twice as much as Hungry Howie’s $5.55 carry-out special on large pizzas across the street (Hungry Howie’s isn’t as good as Little Italy but still beats the pants off Little Ceasars’ $5 deals if you’re looking for cheap pies). In addition to pizza, Little Italy also has hot subs, cold sandwiches, calzones, Stromboli, and a variety of pasta dishes (mostly variations of spaghettii from what I can tell).

Update: I am now slightly obsessed with their Eggplant Parmesan Pasta, which is advertised on one of their exteriors signs as a $5.95 special. The spaghetti and massive amount of breaded eggplant smothered in cheese is enough food to satisfy even the heartiest of eaters. I’m fairly certain that I’d be sick if I ate that much food in one sitting, so I always make two smaller meals out of it (and considering I only paid $6 for it, that’s a cheap two meals!). I usually order chicken dishes and I’m not sure what led me try the eggplant instead, but I’m very glad I did.

I remember how excited people were a few years ago when word of Little Italy’s imminent arrival began to spread. The pizzeria has not disappointed those native Tuscaloosans looking for a good, cheap, and filling lunch or the displaced northerners who had been deprived for so long of proper pizza by the slice.

[natalie]

Little Italy is located on the Strip at 1130 University Blvd, Suite 6, between Swen and Firehouse Subs.

Monday-Thursday: 11am-2am
Friday-Saturday: 11am-3am
Sunday: 11am-10pm

Manna Grocery

In a town like Tuscaloosa, home to pulled pork and wings, being a vegetarian can be hard.  The answer, my fellow herbivores (and omnivores), is Manna Grocery and Deli.  Manna is separated into two sections: the grocery section located at the front of the store and the deli/restaurant section near the back of the store and is a fabulous spot to eat whether you are grabbing lunch for the afternoon or for the next week.

The grocery section, while not large, is adequately stocked with products you can’t find in most other stores around Tuscaloosa.  While Manna is slightly pricier than say Target or Publix on products you can get around town (primarily Morningstar and Boca products), it is only a dollar or so difference and you are supporting a local business rather than a chain store (not to mention the selection of vegan/vegetarian/organic options is much larger).  Also, Manna offers more than just organic food, sporting organic beauty products, supplements, and some other miscellaneous items like jewelry and candles.

If you venture out of the grocery section, you will find the small deli in the back.  The deli section offers cheeses, cold vegetarian and vegan snacks, limited fresh produce (you should note that this is all the fresh produce that is offered), and to-go wraps, sandwiches and burritos.  If you aren’t in the mood for cold selections, however, you can order something hot from the restaurant area.

The restaurant area is right next to the deli and offers four types of vegetarian pizza and all vegetarian burgers. But fear not, my meat-loving friends, there’s plenty for you too (and it’s healthier than anything you can get from a crinkly paper bag)!  Manna offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian paninis, sandwiches, burritos, and salad and soup plates, as well as daily specials, which vary from day to day (you can find them on their website). The restaurant, like the store, isn’t large, but there is ample room.  I ate there at around 11:30 a.m. and though it was busy, there were still tables available.

For lunch, I chose the veggie and goat cheese panini.  I should note that I’d never had goat cheese before and subsequently discovered that I am not a fan, but the panini was still very flavorful.  The portabella mushroom added a tangy taste that mixed well with the other veggies and ingredients.  The bread was well toasted and really added to the flavor.  The panini was also very filling but if you’re still hungry you get your choice of chips to go with it—not to mention you can add dessert to your meal. Chocolate or mint chocolate pie, anyone?

The staff there is also very helpful.  Anytime I’ve been in the grocery section I’ve received assistance and found the same to be true when ordering food.  With great food and a helpful staff, Manna is a nice place to visit if you’re looking for a quick meal between classes.  As a vegetarian I feel lucky to have a place like Manna that offers alternatives to the limited selection of vegetarian foods found in larger stores around town.  It’s a good place to go if you’re a vegetarian looking for variety or if you’re just looking for healthier alternatives to Tuscaloosa’s usual fare.

[amanda stevens]

Manna Grocery is located at 2300 McFarland Blvd East across from Snow Hinton Park.

Manna’s store hours are Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm.
Their deli/restaurant/lunch hours are from 11am-2:3opm Monday-Friday and 11am-2pm on Saturdays.