Amorina Cucina Rustica
“I'm no pizza gourmand, and I know people rave about Franny's, which is not too far away on Flatbush, but I prefer the pies here.”
“One of my dining mates had the Prosciutto & Fichi, with slices of prosciutto, bits of sweet figs, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, and thyme.”
“we also got the norma (eggplant, mint, ricotta, basil, fresh moz and cherry tomatoes), which was good despite my dislike of eggplant.”
Amorina Cucina Rustica
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I wasn't crazy about this place. The potato pizza with fresh garlic was yummy, but we also had eggplant parmesan and it was just OK. The restaurant is small and has an authentic Italian feel to it with the decor. I just wasn't moved. I also didn't feel as though there was enough variety on the menu, but I'm also very picky. I wouldn't return.
One of my Brooklyn favorites. The pizzas are delicious!!! I like the one with anchovies on it. It's so good!!!!!! I can never get enough. Also if you want an awesome plate of spaghetti with marinara sauce, come here. I am in love with their tomato sauce. It's so great.
Their pasta specials are usually fabulous. Great salad specials during the summer!!!
Lovely neighborhood spot for very good trattoria-type pasta (eg spaghetti w/ meat sauce) and some artisanal-ish pizzas — I especially liked the puttanesca, with black olives and stewed tomatoes.
So my close friend found out some amazing news that required a small celebratory dinner. She said her favorite restaurant in Brooklyn is a pizza place called Franny's. I said "tonight is YOUR NIGHT and we can go anywhere YOU want." Using my yelp app, I quickly took a look at the reviews for Franny's. Have you ever read a bunch of yelp reviews and stated to get a little angry? I'm a pretty easy going guy, but the more I read, the more I did not like the sound of Franny's. I read one review after another, and while most said the food was good, the general consensus was that the place is overpriced, pretentious, and if you order a pizza pie, it does not come sliced…you have to cut it yourself (with steak knives they supply you with). Hmmm, OK, no big deal. I try not to sweat the small stuff, BUT WHAT I FIND ASTONISHING AND FRANKLY, OFFENSIVE, IS THAT APPARENTLY IF YOU ASK THE SERVER/RESTAURANT TO SLICE YOUR PIZZA, THEY REFUSE TO DO SO. WHAT?? I'm coming to your restaurant spending my hard earned money and if I make a simple request to slice my pie you will not accommodate me? While good food is the most important thing at any restaurant, at the end of the day the restaurant business is all about SERVICE. I don't have the time or patience to patronize a restaurant that does not respect their customers. Sure, it's not a big deal for me to cut my own pie into slices, BUT IT IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.
If they wish to serve their pizza without slicing it, that is fine. But if a customer asks that it be sliced, for them to refuse is the equivalent of spitting in the customer's face. IT IS REPREHENSIBLE AND I REFUSE TO BE TREATED THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE OTHER GREAT PIZZA OPTIONS….like Amorina. I should mention, before talking about our very nice dinner at Amorina, that my dinner companion (let's just call her "ms. sullen purple") was absolutely incensed by my thoughts re Fanny's unwillingness to slice the pizza. It was as if I had insulted her mother, she went on and on about how Brooklynites are spoiled babies who need to "man up" and cut their own pizza (I live in Manhattan, but thought such ugly vitriol was unnecessary and misplaced…just a fact of life I guess, when people don't have the facts on their side, they resort to these kind of ad hominem attacks. Sad and slightly pathetic, really. But like I said, she was enraged, like a crazed, pregnant animal infected with rabies, she would not relent. She even went so far as to refuse to EVER go to Franny's with me, apparently because I told her that even if it was the best pizza I have ever had, I could not see giving Franny's more then 3 yelp stars if they refuse to cut my pie into slices. I told her, that I would love to try it, despite the less than stellar reviews on yelp, because I VALUE HER OPINION SO MUCH, and EVEN PROMISED NOT TO ASK THEM TO SLICE MY PIZZA, so as not to make a scene and upset her even more. That said, she told me I was biased and insisted we go elsewhere for dinner. Not trying to be overly contentious, I happily complied.
Several yelpers had mentioned, while reviewing Franny's, that Amorina was a good, less expensive alternative AND THEY ACTUALLY SLICE THE PIES. So we went there. My first impression was that it is a chill neighborhood pizza place. Best of all, at 7:45 on Saturday night we only had to wait about 8 mins for a table (although after we were seated I overheard them saying the wait was around 20 mins.) Happy that we were seated so fast, we were quickly given some bread/olive oil, which was slightly better than average. Our waitress was exceptional and I was very impressed by how reasonable the prices are at Amorina. We started with a kale salad, which was OK/Good…but nothing great. I would probably try something else next time. We ordered two pizzas and both were good, slightly above average for a gourmet type pizza. Actually, I thought the crust was perfect…not burnt, but crispy and not too many bubbles (I hate too many bubbles that invade the real estate where the cheese and other ingredients should rightfully reside.) We ordered the margarita and tricolore pizza, next time I will try something else, as these selections were good, but nothing to rave about. I would definitely go back to try their other pizzas, because I think this place offers quality ingredients and great value for your money. My lovely dinner companion, glowing, while at the same time still seething with rage and literally foaming at the mouth from my anti-Franny's tirade, thought the dinner was just average.
My only complaint regarding Amorina is that I asked the hostess to bring me some gravy and she must have forgot, because I never got it. Notwithstanding, I will certainly return, if in the area, to try the pasta and other pizzas. Nice to be able to get a quality/tasty dinner and nice glass of wine, without breaking the bank.
Amorina is a decent pizza place in Prospect Heights but is nowhere near on the level of Franny's. My friend and I shared the Ceci e Cipolle salad with fresh chickpeas, peppery baby arugula, crisp red onions, and a tasty balsamic vinaigrette and the Norma Pizza with a thin, crispy crust, marinated eggplant, fresh mozzarella, ripe cherry tomatoes, ricotta salata, topped with fresh basil and mint. It was a satisfactory though not transcendent meal. What spoiled my experience here was the service. Our waiter was simultaneously too hands-off and too hands-on, if you will. When he came around to tell us about the specials, he squeezed in way too close to my friend when there was absolutely no need to do so given that the table next to us was empty and the space was bigger than, say, Chavella's. After our food was delivered, it was impossible the flag the same waiter down for missing silverware and basic condiments as well as the check when it came time for that.
I arrived in Brooklyn at around 9:15 p.m. on a Thursday night. I was on Pacific time, so I was hungry for dinner and ordered take-out. I searched for pizza near where I was staying and Amorina fit my requirements. I called to order the Diavola (sSun-dried tomato pesto, spicy salami, fresh mozzarella, peperoncino), which Yelp reported to cost $12.00. The person who took my order on the phone said that it'd would be ready in 15 minutes. I arrived within 15 minutes or so, paid, and left with a box of personal pizza.
The food: It was delicious, but I could only finish half the pizza for some reason. Also, I should've spent more time reading the menu because after opening the box, I realized I should've gotten a pizza with at least some green on it. I should've gone with the Capricciosa (fresh mozzarella, sausage, artichokes, green olives, mushrooms, rosemary), which was reported to be $12.50 on Yelp.
The cost: Contrary to what Yelp reported, the Diavola came out to about $15.00.
The service: Ordering over the phone made it easy. They made sure I was coming to pick it up. The hostess pointed me to the counter in the back to pay and pick up my order. All the employees were pretty nice and welcoming.
The facility: Super cute! I would've sat at the restaurant for my meal if it weren't 9:30 p.m. local time already. It'd be a nice date place.
Payment: They take credit cards. I used a Visa gift card, so I can't speak to whether they take American Express or not.
Overall: I recommend it if you're every in Brooklyn, craving pizza.
Not a bad little place. The décor is kind of cutesy. Service is nice. I thought that $6 for a bottle of beer on "special" didn't seem very special at all.
Pizza was pretty tasty. I liked the thin crust. If you're nearby, it's worth stopping in but it's not a destination place.
The pizza wasn't that good, but they get five stars for their cute and lovely atmosphere…and the tiramisu. That's worth the price of admission alone.
It is the perfect date place or spot to meet friends. We got the Norma pizza with mint and eggplant and tomatoes. Mint on a pizza sounds like an odd combination, but it all worked fantastically. The tomatoes were not the greatest addition though.
You get six slices that would probably feed about 1.5 people. If I ate it myself, Idv been engorged, but it was good to share. Luckily I wasn't that hungry, so it worked nicely.
PS: I loved the waitress, she was great with her recs and patience
PSS: The bread is set, one of the softests breads I've ever tasted. Watch out for the oil and vinegar. It's self serve, and it comes out very fast.