Dinner at Dough Pizzeria

If you’ve been to San Antonio, you’ve probably heard of Dough Pizzeria.

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana is a full-service restaurant offering Neapolitan pizzas made with local, farm-fresh ingredients, house-pulled burrata (which can be hard to find), Italian wines and more.

Guy Fieri apparently likes it too.

For the feeling of a little European cafe—for drinking wine and savoring panna cotta—Dough is your kind of place.

Let’s get it out of the way now: Dough pizza is certified authentic pizza. It’s been certified as authentically Neapolitan for its preparation, ingredients, 90-second cook time, and overall taste by the APN (Association Pizzaiuoli Napoletana). Of course, Dough does more than pizza.

Starting with salad, Dough doesn’t drown the lettuce in dressing, but instead uses a very light touch. The Cesare salad was nicely done. Sweet teardrop peppers and warm, seasoned polenta croutons garnish it and it’s crowned with a Parmesan crisp. For something a little sweeter, try the seasonal salad for autumn which comes topped with candied nuts, rings of warm butternut squash, crumbled goat cheese and Bosc pears.

The appetizers set a similarly high bar. The platter of three meatballs (stuffed with mozzarella and surrounded by marinara) is probably one of the most flavorful dishes on the menu.

Or, opt for the house-pulled burrata plates like Fior Di Latte Burrata, served with marinated mushrooms, semi-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, basil pesto and balsamic reduction or Signature “Truffle Burrata,” filled with mascarpone, black truffle flakes and truffle essence.

As the certification demands, Dough’s pizza is characteristically fragrant. Across the board, Dough serves pizzas that are grilled dark on the edges, but soft inside. It’s best when eaten while steaming, cheese stringing between slices. The Autumn pizza stood out: pancetta, figs, goat cheese, wilted arugula and honey. So did the Signature “Pork Love,” particularly due to the spicy sausage, speck and soppressata salami. But the simple, perfectly executed Margherita pizza won the round.

For dessert, the tiramisu was nice. While the lady fingers were dipped in very fresh espresso, they were a little bit dry. It was still worth the calories. A Nutella and rice pudding parfait provided a colorful show, but Panna Cotta proved to be the stand-out of the dessert menu. This sweetened cream concoction is deceptively simple and delicate. Ever-gentle vanilla whispers throughout. It’s the perfect temperature, chilled but not cold, each bite as light as a cloud. It doesn’t even need the caramel drizzle on the plate or the clusters of golden raisins. It’s perfect on its own.