Mario’s Woodfired Pizzeria

Let me tell you about the pizza at Mario’s Woodfired Pizzeria in Beaver.

A few weeks ago, I had some very special friends come into town and of course we went to dinner. After contemplating a whole bunch of dining options in the city and suburbs, we ended up at Mario’s, an Italian restaurant I had never been to but had always wanted to try.

Before I get into the pizza, let me talk through a few administrative details:

- Mario’s is BYOB. So, bring plenty.

- There will be a wait, at least on a Friday night. (We waited about 45 minutes.) So, be sure to bring some wine/beer and enjoy a glass or two while you wait.

- There is outside seating!

Now, pasta really isn’t my thing. So, I can’t comment on the pasta at Mario’s. All I know is that all of the pasta is made fresh. But, I can comment on the pizza.

Mario’s has good handful of speciality pizzas on the menu. I can not tell you the exact name of the pizza I ordered because I forgot to write it down, but I can tell you it had an assortment of cheeses, spinach, and tomatoes on it.

Woodfired spinach, tomato, and cheese pizza.

And, by far the best part of this pizza was the thin, yet sturdy, crust!!!

The pizza is fired off in a wood oven, which not only gives the pizza a flavorful char on the bottom, but allows the pizza to withstand the toppings and not get soggy.

Woodfired pizza = charred goodness!

As for flavor, the dough has almost a sour dough-like taste to it mixed with the taste of a Middle Eastern pita bread. I know that might not make any sense, but that’s what it tasted like to me, which was divine goodness. And, with the addition of the savory and salty cheeses, green spinach, and juicy tomatoes, this pizza is now one of my top favorites in the region.