As discussed on another thread, Talula’s has become one of my most favorite spots in AP… the vibe is a bit more hipster than some normally go for (lots of wood, some communal tables, VERY loud), but OMG, the pizza. And the meatballs. And the salads.
The owners are a husband and wife team who came to AP from Brooklyn. They started out as breadmakers, which explains why every carb bite in the place is fantastic. They know what to do/not do with dough! They’re using ingredients from very local sources, have a board that’s updated with the names of purveyors, and change the menu seasonally (if not more often). They torture me via Instagram with their lunch sandwich specials while I’m at work out of the area, and they also offer brunch. There’s a good mix of (what I call) regular items but they also cater to vegetarians, vegans, and those on gluten-free diets, so if you have a few…er…PICKY friends (as I do), everyone will leave happy!
My absolute favorite pizza (as in, I can never seem to order a different one) is The Beekeeper’s Lament: hot soppressata w honey. Don’t knock it 'til you try it, and @joonjoon will back me up on that one! I recently went with two friends and they ordered the (then new) eggplant parm pie and a white pie with fresh thyme and roasted end-of-season tomatoes. To. Die. For. TONS of really fresh (as in, not bitter) garlic on the eggplant one, and just insanely fresh flavors on the other. This time of year, they’re doing hatch chile pies, so for those of you who are fans, GET THERE SOON. Their meatballs are also fantastic, and come with a few pieces of toast. Full bar, and if you’re into shrubs and other unusual cocktails (and beer), you’ll be happy.
It’s also one of the few places down here where I’ve had some consistently good service and have even seem the same staff members off season, which seems rare.
The place is consistently packed and weekends are especially busy, and I don’t think they take reservations, but don’t quote me on that.
Check it out and try telling me you’ve had better pizza (and where)! http://talulaspizza.com
(Shhh…don’t tell the Porta folks, but if I had to rank them, Talula’s would be #1 to their #2 in that department; Porta will always win on octopus, though… )