Restaurant Review: Dozzino - Hoboken, NJ

Dozzino an artisinal pizza shop in Hoboken is a great example of a half baked idea. The concept is simple; serve thin crust pizza, made from fresh local ingredients, cooked in a wood burning stove. The minimalist rustic decor is casual and includes an outdoor patio complete with bocce court. Dozzino does not have a liquor license, but BYOB works well with the casual vibe. Knowing about all these elements led me to be very excited about Dozzino, however the actual experience was a bit of let down.

My wife and I arrived at Dozzino at around 7pm on a Saturday. The restaurant was about half full but we were forced to eat at the "bar" because all the available tables were for parties of six or more. In fact, of the 12 tables at Dozzino only four are two tops. Dozzino has a lot of open empty spaces, they certainly could add more tables and it might a good idea. During the course of our meal at least three couples walked out because they could not be seated.

Once seated our server attempted to open our bottle of wine, after destroying the cork he passed us two mason jars and walked away. Earlier I had wondered why a couple walked in with their own wine glasses, I presumed they were the pretentious sort that refused to drink out of anything but Riedl. Now I understand the only glasses Dozzino has are 6 ounce mason jars. The glasses would be cute if I were drinking an orange juice with brunch, but I was drinking wine and I wanted a wine glass.

We ordered Crostini with baby spinach, walnuts, and pecorino romano. They were promptly served but they were rather dry and flavorless. The walnut pieces were too big while the spinach was bland and the romano was hard to identify on the palate. We tried two pizzas the Diavola(Fior di latte, tomato, red pepper, calabrese salami) and the Tomato(Fior di latte, fresh grape, tomato, basil). The pizzas were very good although I would prefer if they were served piping hot. The Diavola is advertised as being spicy and it lived up to its reputation. The salami was really flavorful and I loved the crust which was crisp but not dry. The Tomato was not my cup of tea, I prefer my pizza with sauce. However it was mild alternative to the Diavola.

During our meal we overhead a fellow customer telling the proprietor that the pizza was even better then Grimaldi's. I disagree, Grimaldi's will always be the measuring stick for pizza in Hoboken and I can say with confidence that Dozzino's is no threat to the crown.

The menu at Dozzino is limited to Pizza a few varieties of crostini and a green salad. This is a problem for anyone with a gluten or lactose allergy. A salad with grilled chicken would remedy that gap, but I don't think the folks at Dozzino are looking to serve a wider audience.

While the food was served quickly the service was rather indifferent. I had to ask for our water glasses to be filled and we had to pour our wine. Perhaps that is part of the laid back aesthetic that Dozzino is trying to achieve. However, I have the sense that the young hipster staff at Dozzino's just don't have any experience in the food service industry. They spent a lot of time milling around the kitchen and talking to each other while looking forlorn.

The Yelp reviews include more stories of inexperience/incompetence including an instance when they ran out of silverware and plates. I also learned that if you want to chill your beer or white wine at Dozzino bring your own ice, because they don't have a freezer. Cash is also a must at Dozzino, they except credit cards but the transactions are run through an ipad which charges the card holder an additional $8.50.

All that being said, I would go back to Dozzino under the right circumstances. On a nice summer evening make a reservation for a big group and request a table outside. Bring your wine(and perhaps your glasses) play bocce and order up a variety of tasty pizzas.