Dolomiti Pizzeria and Enoteca sits in a 140-year-old historic building in Millwork Commons and is owned by Tim Maides and his partner Carlos Mendez. When developing the pizzeria, Maides said, “We were not allowed to change anything that had historical significance.” This worked in tandem with their vision to create a space that was rustic, timeless and not too modern.
When you step inside Dolomiti, you can’t miss the heart of the pizzeria, a Marana gas-fired pizza oven imported from Verona, Italy.
“To us, having a piece of Italy here meant a lot,” Maides said. The oven fits with the rustic décor, and its rotating base allows Maides and his staff to be faster and more efficient.
Dolomiti was busy when we arrived early for our 8 p.m. reservation on Saturday. The dining room held a packed dinner crowd and was supported by a wait staff unphased by the evening rush. We thought we’d grab a drink and take everything in while we waited for our table.
Dining area
We were able to order our drinks at a pub table in the back near the bar – a neat way to handle reservation overflow. Our drinks were delivered promptly, and we barely tried a few sips before we were offered a table – 30 minutes ahead of our reservation. The staff was on top of things – friendly and accommodating.
For cocktails, we ordered the Old Fashioned and the Bicicletta. Italian for “bicycle,” the Bicicletta turned out to be a welcome and refreshing prosecco spritzer made with Concratto and grapefruit cordial. The Old Fashioned was a little heavy handed on the bourbon, which I generally don’t mind, but for some it might overpower the other ingredients.
We ordered the Marinated Olives, Meatballs as appetizers, and under the insalata menu, the Citrus Beet. Both the olives and meatballs came with toasted focaccia They were well seasoned, toasted just right and very tasty on their own. The olives, marinated in olive oil with hints of orange and fennel, were delicious. I recommend spooning the marinade on the toasted focaccia before topping on the olives.
The Meatballs
About those meatballs. They are so easy to overmix and over blend. Dolomiti’s is a reminder of what a good meatball should taste like. They are expertly mixed, loose and tender without being crumbly. They’re topped with aged parmesan and a tomato sauce that isn’t overcomplicated – nor too simplified – but packed with flavor.
The Citrus Beet insalata was a great dish to share. The beets are roasted and come with house-made ricotta, little slices of orange, pickled fennel and toasted sesame seeds. The combination is delightful, a refreshing contrast to the savory side of the menu.
For pizza, we tried the Proscuitto, the Rustica and the Pepperoni.
The Prosciutto pizza
The Proscuitto commands attention with a nice ball of burrata cheese in the middle of the pie. Topped with marinara, arugula, red onion, pecorino and prosciutto, it makes for a combination that should satisfy most pizza lovers. I like the idea of the burrata as you can top it on the pizza yourself or enjoy it separately. It makes for a creamy counterbalance to the natural saltiness of the prosciutto.
The Rustica pizza
The Rustica comes topped with plenty of spicy Italian sausage, charred broccolini, roasted garlic, mozzarella, aged parmesan and smoked Calabrian honey. The honey is a nice surprise as it really cinches the profile of the other ingredients together. The honey adds just enough sweetness, but not at all too much, to counterbalance the savory.
Dolomiti gives the standard Pepperoni a pleasing enhancement by adding leaves of fresh basil. Not too much cheese and more than enough small, yet slightly thicker, pepperoni that chars just right on the edges in the oven. A pepperoni pizza is generally a staple in pizzerias, and Dolomiti’s makes a good one.
On a second visit, this time for lunch, we had a smaller sampling of the menu. We tried the Bella Donna and the Mercy Mercy from the cocktail menu. The Bella Donna was similar to the Bicicletta, a very nice elderflower grapefruit cocktail. Bella was a little more to the bitter side than the Bicicletta, but refreshing nonetheless. The Mercy Mercy, made with mezcal, Aperol and Cocci Americano, was smoky with a great balance of bitter and sweet, really a perfect partner for the pizzas on the menu.
We shared the Summer Salad, which replaces the Winter Salad for the current season, and the Patata pizza.
Summer Salad
The Dolomiti Summer Salad is made with a miso dressing, thinly sliced beets, orange slices and toasted sesame seeds. The miso dressing compliments the beets and citrus in a medley of slightly sweet and sour with a hint of citrus.
The Patata might just be the best pizza on the menu. Paper thin shavings of potato partner with pancetta to top the mozzarella, caramelized onions and aged parmesan. I’ve heard of potato-topped pizzas before and had yet to try one. As far as I’m concerned, the Dolomiti Patata is the standard to beat.
Citrus and Cream
Dolomiti collaborates with Coneflower Creamery just around the corner for their desserts. We tried the Citrus & Cream, a blood orange sorbet, with crème fraiche ice cream , lemon curd, Campari syrup and topped with neat little slices of meringue. It’s light and refreshing and something I recommend to cap a Dolomiti pizza.
Maides uses his own sourdough recipe for the pizzas. There’s no disappointment at the end of a slice because the crust is so darned good. Like many items on the menu, it’s bold and delicious without overpowering everything else. In addition to great flavor, the crust has that little bit of crunch with a bubbly dough in the middle that melts in your mouth.
The name “Dolomiti” comes from the Dolomite mountain range in Italy. Maides worked in a hotel in northern Italy alongside his brother, Benjamin Maides (who also owns a restaurant in town with partner Carlos – Au Courant Regional Kitchen). The mountain range separates Italy from Switzerland and Austria.
The Maides brothers were born in Switzerland, so Tim wanted a pizzeria that reflected a Swiss and Germanic influence. Knowing this explains the menu’s inspiration – it’s a nice counter to traditional southern Italian cuisine.
Entrance to Dolomiti Pizzeria and Enoteca
“Every neighborhood needs its own pizzeria,” Maides said. “It’s the cornerstone of a community. So when we got the chance to be a part of Millwork Commons, we knew we had to be a unique pizzeria. We call ourselves a ‘pizza restaurant.’”
Dolomiti will be opening a patio soon. If you’re planning to dine al fresco, I’d recommend Aperol spritzers, one of the salads and literally any of the pizzas.
I’m looking forward to many return visits to Dolomiti, so I can travel through the rest of the menu, and revisit some new favorites, like the Patata.
Dolomiti Pizzeria and Enoteca
