Last spring, my friend and I unintentionally went to Lampo2GO, Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria’s takeout-only location near IX Art Park, when we had meant to have a sit-down meal at the main location. Since then, I have been planning to find a time to do it right and dine in. After spending a day bouncing between far too many group projects and cooped up in my apartment chopping away at finals prep, I decided it was the perfect evening to get out and re-energize myself with dinner.
Lampo was founded in 2014 by chefs Loren Mendosa, Mitchell Beerens, Andrew Cole and Ian Redshaw, all of whom became friends while working at Charlottesville restaurant Tavola. The pizza parlor, aiming to achieve certification by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, goes all out. Lampo uses the proper “00” flour, serves pizza unsliced and even imported a wood-burning pizza oven that had to be lowered into the restaurant from above. There are only 94 certified restaurants in the United States, and Lampo is determined to get on that list.
Lampo is located in Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood, just a six-minute walk from Ting Pavilion and about a 10-minute drive from Central Grounds. The restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Lampo operates on a first come, first serve basis rather than offering reservations, and given that the small space has only 21 seats, you’ll want to arrive close to opening to clinch a table.
The restaurant, a narrow, pale yellow building with backlit letters, was much smaller than I’d initially perceived from driving by so many times. I arrived at just the right time — at quarter to 6 p.m. on a Saturday, I was able to snag the last bar seat. The restaurant’s small size, combined with its dim lighting, gave it a classy feel, and the staff was laid back and made me feel relaxed.
I spent a few minutes pouring over the menu, which offered a mouthwatering array of salads, panuozzi — a type of Italian sandwich made with stuffed pizza bread — and pizzas. I asked the bartender whether he’d recommend the Margherita Pizza or the Margherita DOC Pizza. Per his suggestion, I ordered the Insalata Verde to start and the Margherita Pizza as my entrée.
As I waited for my starter, I got to see the massive pizza oven in action and staff creating dishes with fresh ingredients just by the bar. I also took in the space, which had a simple yet sophisticated character to it, serving dishes in an environment so small and stripped down that it felt both cozy and elegant. I was also able to see the art of drink making right in front of me, with the bartender masterfully rimming a glass with salt and using jiggers to carefully craft each beverage.
Just 10 minutes after ordering, I dug into the Insalata Verde, which was presented in a hearty portion completely covered in shaved parmesan cheese. The little gem lettuce was very fresh, each piece perfectly coated in anchovy dressing. The large pieces of parmigiano frico atop the dish could easily be broken apart into smaller bits and were light, crunchy and added a bitter element to the dish that contrasted the sweetness of the shaved parmesan.
Less than 10 minutes after I got my salad, the main attraction was before me. My 12-inch pizza, uncut and adorned with dollops of fior di latte cheese spread across a sea of vibrant red and basil leaves, came equipped with pizza scissors — dining made fun. The crust was chewy and had a slight char that gave the dish a smoky effect without tasting burnt. The sauce, made with San Marzano tomatoes, had a lightly sweet taste that blended beautifully with the rich flavor of the cheese. The pizza itself was thin, making it all too easy to keep returning to the scissors for another slice.
I decided to round out the night with dessert by ordering the Zeppole dish, which consisted of five massive fried ricotta donuts generously doused in cinnamon sugar with a lemon on the side. The donuts came out hot and, given their size, rather dense. The exterior of the donuts was soft and thin, and the cinnamon sugar supplemented a nice flavor to the donut interior. This sweet treat was the perfect add-on to an already satisfying meal.
All in all, I felt that I had gotten a steal for such generous portion sizes — the Insalata Verde was $8, the Margherita was $17 and the Zeppole was $9. It is worth noting that Lampo uses an automatic 18% service charge.
Lampo cooks up a fantastic night out, from the subdued yet sophisticated atmosphere to carefully curated dishes that evoke snapshots of Italy here in Virginia. When pizza is the main entree a restaurant offers, it’s got to be good — and at Lampo, the Neapolitan-style pizzas are phenomenal. Whether you’re looking for a nicer night out with friends, searching for a date night location or want to celebrate the end of a successful fall semester with family, Lampo’s got you covered.
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