First time trying Pizzeria Gusto and it did not disappoint. You can tell right away the ingredients are the real deal — Italian “00” flour, imported San Benedetto sparkling water, Polselli Classica flour straight from Italy, all the details you don’t see at a typical pizza spot. Everything tastes fresh, nothing felt like it had been sitting around, and you could taste the difference between this and your average pizzeria.
We had the Meat Lovers, which came out of their wood-fired Malagutti oven with a great char on the crust — mozzarella, ham, sausage, pepperoni, and salami all working together — and a BBQ Chicken pizza that was loaded with grilled chicken, bacon, caramelized onions, and a solid drizzle of BBQ sauce. Also had the spaghetti and meatballs, which was simple and comforting, classic red sauce done right. For dessert, the cannoli case had us — chocolate chip, pistachio, and peanut butter options, all dusted with powdered sugar and packed full.
The vibe inside is great too — comfortable, welcoming environment with an open dining room, blue leather booths, a tin-tile ceiling, and a bar up front pouring Peroni. It’s clearly a place that cares about getting the details right, not just cranking out pies. They even had a chalkboard out front with summer cocktail specials, which was a nice touch.
If you’re in the Oak Ridge area and want pizza that actually tastes like it should, this is the spot. Definitely going back.