In Rome pizza is a religion with many churches: thin and crisp, tall and soft, by the slice, in a tray. At Da Luisu, a restaurant and pizzeria at Via di Boccea 724, the pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven, as the restaurant itself says on its profiles, and the menu is organised simply: red pizzas, white pizzas, focacce and calzoni.
Why a wood-fired oven
A wood-fired oven works at very high temperatures and cooks pizza in a few minutes: the crust puffs up and colours, the base stays dry, the scent of wood accompanies every bite. It is a cooking method that takes skill and experience and gives pizza an unmistakable character, different from that of an electric oven.
Red pizzas
Red pizzas are the ones with tomato and range from the simplest to the richest. You start with the rossa (tomato only) and the marinara (tomato, garlic and oregano), then move up to the margherita (mozzarella and tomato), the napoli with anchovies, the diavola with spicy salami, the boscaiola with mushrooms and sausage, the amatriciana with guanciale and pecorino. Among the richest are the 4 stagioni, with artichokes, mushrooms, olives and cooked ham, and the capricciosa with hard-boiled egg and cured ham. If you want a richer margherita, you can choose the version with buffalo mozzarella.
White pizzas
White pizzas have no tomato and rely on cheese, vegetables and cured meats. This is where we find the restaurant's signature pizza: the Luisu, described on the menu as "our Special", with mozzarella, sautéed calamari and bottarga. Among the others, the caprese with raw buffalo mozzarella and basil, listed among the most requested, the rustica with sausage and roast potatoes, also among the most requested, the chicory and sausage, the courgette flowers and anchovies, the salmon and rocket, the 4 formaggi, the ortolana with vegetables, the cacio e pepe with pecorino and pepper and the bresaola, rocket and grana.
Vegetarian options
For those who do not eat meat or fish there are, among the white pizzas, the caprese, the 4 formaggi, the ortolana, the vegetariana (courgettes, grilled aubergines and peppers), the courgettes and roast potatoes and the cacio e pepe; among the red ones the margherita, the rossa, the marinara and the aubergine. For allergens and intolerances, always ask your server for confirmation.
Focacce and calzoni
For those who love the filled format there are calzoni: chicory and sausage, vegetarian, boscaiolo, mushroom and cooked ham, cooked ham and frankfurter and fries. The focacce, from the plain one to the topped ones (caprese, salmon and rocket, bresaola rocket and grana, vegetables, cured ham), are perfect to share as a starter.
Before the pizza: fried starters
In a Roman pizzeria the pizza is almost always preceded by fried food. The menu has homemade supplì, courgette flowers, salt cod fillets, olive ascolane and potato croquettes: you will find everything in the fried food and bruschetta section.
No-stop pizza menu
In the menu section of this site you will also find the no-stop pizza menu with various flavours. For details, booking and drinks, the best way is to call the restaurant.
A few tips for choosing your pizza
If it is your first time, the margherita is the most honest test: mozzarella and tomato show dough and baking right away. If you like bold flavours you can go for the diavola or the amatriciana; for something more Sardinian, the Luisu with sautéed calamari and bottarga. If there are several of you, order different pizzas to taste by the slice, perhaps one red and one white, and add a focaccia to share. To go with them, the wine list has fresh whites and young reds, all with a pairing note: ask your server for advice.
How to book
To book a table you can use the form on the site or call 06 6156 4012. Da Luisu is at Via di Boccea 724, Rome: wood-fired pizza, Sardinian and Roman cuisine.
