As a native of New Jersey and Italian at that, I take my pizza very seriously. White Street Pizza opened up a few weeks ago, and last night I had an opportunity to try it out. I had high hopes, as this is a new endeavor for one of the founders of the Red Shoe Island Bistro, a Key West restaurant that I love. Well, I was not disappointed last night.
My husband and I arrived early, at 5pm, when they open. Things always seem to get busy as the evenings progress down here. Upon entering, we were greeted by the owner, Rob, and a clean, beautifully done interior. The new booths were very comfortable and the bar was gorgeous. Red and white striped walls made the interior bright. All of this gave the space a warm, retro feeling like you were stepping back in time to a soda shop in the 1950’s.
The Food
Rob brought us waters and I ordered a glass of cabernet sauvignon and the roasted Brussel sprouts and cauliflower as an appetizer. Now, cauliflower is not one of my favorite vegetable, but the slight charring of the veggies and the sweet chili coconut sauce made this a really special dish.
One simply must get pizza at a pizza place. My husband ordered a red pizza with pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms. He devoured the entire thing, so I never got the bite he promised me. He obviously hated it (lol). I decided to go out of my typical wheelhouse and try the White Baked Oysters Rockefeller pizza. This had cheese, spinach, shucked baked oysters, some EVOO, and a horseradish sauce. I really enjoyed the pizza and the pairing of the spinach and oysters. However, I think that I would have liked it more sans the horseradish sauce. Both pizzas had a thin and flavorful crust, making us full without feeling like we had overeaten.
For dessert, we decided on the coconut mango cheesecake. It was not too sweet and the fruit was not overpowering, making it a nice finish to our dinner. I thought about pairing this with a cappuccino, but it was too late for my husband to do coffee and I didn’t want to make him jealous, so I skipped that.
More About White Street Pizza
This is certainly one of the best pizzas in Key West, and I am looking forward to going back and enjoying some of the other options. The oven roasted peppers and burrata sound heavenly and I am going to have to get a red pizza next time. The modest beer and wine menu is very good, with about ten great wines and both draft and bottled beers.
White Street Pizza is open Wednesday though Monday, from 5pm to 10pm. They are closed on Tuesdays. Unless you are going very early, I recommend reservations through Open Table as the seats started filling up as we were leaving. And, when word gets out about this place, I have the impression that it will be very busy very soon. You can also order pickup or delivery, so if they are busy you can still enjoy the food!
More About Key West
Before deciding where you are going to eat while visiting Key West, be sure to read my other restaurant reviews too; check out our restaurant review section of this blog as well as our previous restaurant reviews.
And, to see what is happening on Key West during your visit, check out our Key West Events Calendar to see other upcoming special events. For more information about the fun side of Key West… things to do and see in our island city, go to our Key West Web Site.
Feel free to Email Me if you have any questions about Key West!!
Island Genn
Key West Concierge
