Crostatas Rustic Pizza
558 Bishop Rd, Highland Heights, OH, 44143
Crostatas Rustic Pizza Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Highland Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Highland Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Highland Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
558 Bishop Rd
Highland Heights, OH, 44143 - Phone (440) 449-7800
- Website https://www.crostatas.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Ken P.
Trying to get them to name a salad I request all the time not on the menu. Arugula with Grilled Chicken. Help me out Montana! The Eaton: Arugula with Grilled Chicken
(5)Calvin C.
There is nothing more gauche than a television in a dining room. What do they think they're running here? A TGI Friday's? They have a Stefano Ferrara oven which many consider to be the "Ferrari of Pizza Ovens". The only problem? They use it like it's an '83 Reliant K. The pizzas spend a lot longer than 90 seconds in that beautiful oven. A pity really. (To be fair, Valenti's has the same oven and their temps are even lower and cook times longer.) The food tastes fine, but the experience could be soooo much better if they just got rid of the tv and decided to get serious about their dough. No reservations, no bar to wait at.
(2)Joel E.
My brother used to live in Italy, and I visited him there a couple of times several years ago when I was less experienced with the world of food. Before going, some uncultured Americans told me (paraphrasing) "pizza might come from Italy, but the pizza there is plain and terrible". Americans are obviously used to the "everythingbutthekitchensink" pies that Pizza Hut and Papa John's have brainwashed us to think is good pizza. Sadly, I was a brainwashee and when I went to Napoli, I ignored their pizza. Blasphemy! I mean, for real?? What dummy goes to Napoli and doesn't have pizza? This dummy, apparently! The pizzas at Crostatas look exactly like they did in Napoli. So glad, because now I can make up for my sins. I asked our server what the difference was between the regular margherita and margherita DOC. Was told that the DOC is made with buffalo mozzarella and was much creamier and smoother. Sold! Also tried the funghi and the alba pizzas. The margherita simply had San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and evoo. The funghi, same, but with shrooms minus the basil. Alba had capocollo ham, arugula, fried egg. Such deliciousness in the simplicity of the Neapolitan pizza. For dessert, we opted for some spumoni and... get this... Nutella calzone. Whuuuut??? Yes! This was a pizza only visit, but along with the other pizzas we didn't get to try yet, they also have very interesting entrees on their menu that are worth repeat visits to sample.
(4)Shawn R.
Fresh ingredients, and creative choices make this place a winner. My friends loved the large Chicken Caesar Salad. I like the pizzas. Service can be slightly slow - usually (and strangely) after the food is delivered. Tea is not good and tastes like it's off a gun even though it's brewed.
(4)Tanya B.
This place clearly tries to serve very authentic Italian food. But I don't think they succeed in everything. My experience from traveling in Italy a few times is you always come out completely full out of a restaurant. This isn't the case with Crostatas. I went with my husband and we ordered 2 dishes, which is what we normally get when we go out. We actually went to get more food after we left the place. The portions were small and didn't have much to them. I did enjoy the pizza, it had the authentic thin crust and good cheese but it was more of an appetizer portion rather than an entree size pizza. I would recommend this place if you want to try some good Italian food but be prepared to either order a lot (and they're not cheap!) or don't go on a completely empty stomach.
(3)Allison D.
Great brick oven pizza. Service was not so great. One server waiting on the entire restaurant. We got waters and then waited for an exceptionally long time just to put in our order. Luckily the food did not take too long to make. Food was great but then had to wait again to order dessert (Nutella Calzone = phenomenal!). She did keep my water full though! And she did apologize for the service. You would think that the owner would have cared enough to help the server out, but he was just kind of hanging out. I would come back for the food, but probably just for take-out.
(3)Kate C.
I didn't eat here today. I ate at another joint which claims to offer pizza di Napoli. It doesn't compare. Instead of writing bad reviews about those "other places", I decided to impart my 7 years worth of dining experience at crostatas to you. A little bit of background: my SO was born in Rome, Italy. My father in law and the whole family is from Napoli, Italy. We've been given plenty lectures on what makes a real authentic Neapolitan pizza. And roman cuisine in general. I saw a few previous not-so-happy yelp reviews. Let me tell you. Here's what to order for two people: For your protein and vegetable, get either 1. INSALATA BISTECCA: salty & sour, lean it's a big plate, with lots of arugula, well seasoned with lemon and salt. The beef is tender, very reasonable portion for two, not greasy at all. Occasionally this dish would come out a bit too salty for me. If you are sensitive to salt, tell your server to reduce salt. OR 2. COSTOLETTA di MAIALE: meaty, sweet, substantial Organically, locally raised hogs for your dining pleasure. 2 or 3 pieces thinly pounded, very tender pork chops. Because it's breaded, the calories will be higher than the bistecca. I used to tell them to NOT to bread my pork chops, but honestly, the breaded version goes well with the romaine and balsamic dressing. They use quality balsamic vinegar. It's sweet not sour at all. Lots of romaine. For your carbohydrate and dairy, get MARGHERITTA D.O.C: milky, sweet, chewy yet crispy. Like a dream. You won't want it to stop. this is the default flavor of Neapolitan pizza. When you go to a new pizzeria, you want to see whether they know what they're doing, order this flavor. We've tried all flavors on the menu. In the end we always go back to doc. At crostatas, the cheese has a good balance with the tomato sauce. I want to describe it as "milky yet sweet". The reason: To be a certified Neapolitan pizza place, you must adhere to strict ingredient requirements. These two ingredients are most popular / beloved by most chefs, which is what crostatas used in margheritta doc: A. San Marzano Tomatoes: a type of plum tomato that's sweet and low in acidity (compared to Roma tomato for example). If you use an acidic tomato sauce, your pizza will taste acidic...then you'll try to compensate with sugar...hence some not-so-great margheritta pizza you've had in the past. B. Mozzarella Di Bufala: it's trademarked. The milk must come from buffalo raised in Campana region. Buffalo milk has twice as much fat as cow milk. Hence the intense milky flavor. The dough is chewy, yet the crust is crispy. pizza here gives me an impression that it must come from some "thousand-years mother dough". The other places's dough feels a bit "juvenile", portion not as substantial yet more expensive. You don't need 100 ingredients as toppings for it to be a good pizza. Simple but good ingredients on the right dough, so classy, so warm, so good. OR Pesto Pesto with shrimp Dessert: spumoni or tiramisu. Get an espresso. Helps with digestion. So claimed the Italians. Order the above dishes. You will want to give them 5 stars.
(5)Kerry K.
The wife and I stopped by because we saw it featured on New Day Cleveland. We are super glad we did. She had the homemade cavatelli with meatballs. She said it was the best ever. I had the one of the specials, the 28oz Steak. Omg both of us had great food and service. The we had the homemade desert. It was very good and light it was the Napoleon Limone.
(4)AC F.
We took my husband's dad out for his 76th birthday here. Our waitress was Montana. Our 14 year old daughter gave her grandfather a bag of Lay's potato chips since he eats tons of them. (He got lots of other gifts too.) Our waitress noticed the chips and said, "Oh you got laid." Our daughter was really embarrassed and my husband and I were stunned. The only bright side was that my father in law doesn't hear all that well and missed the comment. That was the single most inappropriate thing a waitress has ever said in front of me. I'd add that we sat there with empty drinks for a long time before having to call over Montana to get refills. We also had so many empty plates on our table at one point that since we had no room we stacked a couple on an empty chair to make room. Their A/C wasn't working that night and people were complaining but what I can say is that there are things that can be helped and some that are beyond your control. The A/C was beyond their control. The service issue was not. We'd planned to bring in a friend's daughter soon when she is training at Progressive. We will not be doing that now. Their food is quite good but that experience was really something I will not soon forget. btw I didn't plan to post this here because it wasn't a food issue but I contacted them privately with no response so they either don't care or they don't read their messages.
(2)Leighanna K.
This is the place to go for Italian food. We had the much acclaimed Margherita D.O.C. Pizza, and shared the arancini, grilled eggplant, and stuffed peppers. The pizza was probably the best I've ever had - the crust is perfect. The tomatoes are perfect. The buffalo mozzarella is perfect. You get the picture. It was really light for a pizza. The arancini was delicious and not too heavy. The eggplant was super thin and perfectly grilled. The stuffed peppers were fine - this is never an item I'm particularly fond of. My one complaint would be the tiramisu - it was not especially tasty and was previously frozen. There was a thin layer of ice remaining. Skip that and have a perfect meal!
(5)Jennifer D.
Amazing. Started a new job on the East side last week and made a point of stopping here on my way home (West side) after work. Last time I was here was 4 years ago when I lived on the East side and we ate at Crostatas often. Then and now ranks as one of my top 4 favorite pizza restaurants in CLE. It was just as good as I remembered. Had the Quatro Formaggio and tried the Aroncini. Both were excellent. The Aroncini was much better than others I've tried elsewhere. They've added to their menu and my next visit I'll definitely try the homemade cavetelli or ravioli. You can add meatballs or sausage. I can't say enough great things about Crostata's. Get there, you will not be disappointed!
(5)Vince M.
Great gem of a restaurant. Usually head there once a month. Service always very friendly and italian food prepared great!
(5)David S.
Fantastic. I've had their chicken sandwich, pizzas and wedding soup. Some of the best authentic Italian food on this side of Cleveland. The location is beautiful and the staff is great. Make sure you ask for bread and oil too!
(5)Tana S.
We have been wanting to check out Crostata's because my sister in law and brother in law have raved about it. We started with salads and the risotto ball appetizer. The ARANCINI Risotto balls were amazaballs !!!!!! Then we ordered pizza ( the Classico and SALSICCIA .) The favorite of the table was the Salsiccia ! So good. I ordered the cavatelli's and sauce with meatballs. I loved the marinara sauce but it was a little runny for my liking. My daughter and husband loved there meatballs. Last but not least there partly imported and homemade Spumoni was so good. My daughter ate the whole portion. Dworf itself would go back and try another pizza and the lemon dessert next time !!
(4)Denise B.
I moved away 20 years ago and crave authentic, Italian food. I kept seeing posts on facebook about Crostatas and couldn't wait to try it next time I was in town! My daughter and I started with a caprese salad and fried zucchine. The salad was fresh, well seasoned and loved the splashes of sweet balsamic. The zucchine was crisply adorned with Panko breading and came with this to-die-for dipping sauce we were told was a blend of mayo, horseradish and evoo...yum! Next we enjoyed some cheese ravioli and cavatelli. The pasta was just like Grandma used to make and the sauce had just a hint of sweetness. Delizioso! We decided to take some of everything home, along with a sausage pizza to go so we could save room for dessert. Wow! It was tough to decide, but we went with the cannoli and vanilla bean gelato. See the food porn pictures I posted, as I know your mouth is already watering! And I was flattered when my daughter said the server, Montana, reminded her of me because she was so friendly! It was more than I would've normally spent on lunch, but we got a lot of food and it was so worth it! And by the way, I also heard our server remember someone's beverage of choice and they hadn't been in for months! I miss home. The only bad thing about sharing our experience is that I'm sure there'll be a wait next time!
(5)Chad G.
Absolutely amazing! Everything was fresh and homemade. By far the best Italian food in NEO, little Italy has nothing on this place. In the words of terminator I'll be back!!!
(5)Roger W.
Liked this place very much. The food was delicious, the prices reasonable, and the service very good. The fried zucchini appetizer was probably the best I've ever had. Things came from the kitchen astonishingly hot. We had a fish special, the steak on arugula, and a pizza. All the dishes were very good. The pizza, however was special. Stretched too thin for my taste, but around the outer circumference where it had a little more substance it was superb, near perfection in flavor, texture, and tooth. I'd love to make dough so good! I'd love to have a chance to sample more of the menu.
(4)Stefanie F.
This update only needs two words: Nutella calzone.
(5)Melanchthon P.
Didn't expect anything special as we pulled into an empty parking lot around noon, but were pleasantly surprised as we walked into this fairly unassuming place. The host was welcoming and the ambiance was decent, but all of that didn't matter once the food started coming out. I live in Chicago and while we have great pizza, I must say the crust on the pizza here is absolutely perfect. We had a simple Margarita pizza as an appetizer and meatballs and ravioli for lunch. The sauce on the pizza was robust and thick and tasted fresh. I poured some of the olive oil they use on the pizza and the whole thing just popped with flavor. The large ravioli were cooked perfectly with a bite to them and tasted like the pasta was made to order. They served the meatballs in the same marinara sauce and was packing a fragrant blend of fresh herbs. I'm here on a work trip and we didn't talk shop throughout our lunch and the following day we ordered 4 pizzas and picked it up for the local guys here. We were all very impressed This place is a gem and I highly recommend the food here!
(5)Dan M.
I treated myself to a 100 mile round trip drive to sample Crostatas' Neapolitan pizza after getting out of hospital today. I ordered a MARGHERITA D.O.C. with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, basil and EVOO that was baked in their artisan constructed wood fired oven. It was outstanding! The crust tapered from the subtle, soft and chewy center to a crisp and flavorful cornice made from Caputo 00 flour. The tomatoes were bright, full bodied, and definitely San Marzano's. The mozarella, di bufala, was smooth as silk, with a sweet overtone. I sampled the Parmesan in the shaker, and it was definitely freshly grated. I just ordered a coffee, and when a Caffè Americano arrived I was pleasantly surprised. It was excellent also, by the way, as was the waite staff. I also appreciated my conversation with Angelo at the counter as he described the construction of their prized oven and how long it took to "temper". You will not be disappointed by Crostatas if my experience with the Margherita DOC was any indication! They also sell the very hard to get Caputo 00 flour for the home pizza makers.
(5)Tim F.
My new favorite pizza. Perfect crust-crisp and chewy, a little char and smoke. Appetizer of prosciutto, figs with gorgonzola & balsamic, and grilled asparagus was delicious. I'm stopping in whenever I'm nearby. Do they serve breakfast?
(5)John C.
In my quest for the best stone oven pizza in northeast Ohio I think I have found it. Unbelievable dough, homemade sausage and the perfect blend of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese baked to perfection. The mista salad was perfect and not to mention the fresh cannoli made on site. Can't wait to go back and highly recommend to all. This is REAL Italian.
(5)Jack Z.
Absolutely the best pizza in Cleveland. Anyone who gives it less than 5 stars needs to get out of cleveland more because this place is the ahizzle
(5)Julie R.
Wow! Wow! Wow! Amazing food! We honeymooned in Italy for two weeks and this flooded our hearts and bellys with Almalfi and Firenzi deliciousness. I highly recommend. Our server Adrienne was so good and accommodating. Delicious. I am so glad we came here and will be back for sure!
(5)Angelo C.
The most authentic Italian pizza anywhere! There is not much more to say, because this place cuts no corners, just prepares phenominal pizza using an Italian wood-fired brick oven that leaves a crisp, slightly charred crust. In addition to fabulous pizza, they also serve pasta dishes as well as salads.
(5)Jen M.
Pizza is always a solid choice. Their crust is to die for!!!! I do not care for their marinara sauce that is served with the pasta. It is a chunky sauce which I have never been a fan of. Service on Saturday night was slow...there were only 2 girls covering the entire dining room. Nice atmosphere but service needs some attention.
(3)Jessi N.
Driving here may be confusing because it's surrounded by residential areas. Every person we were at dinner with was like "As I drove here I was thinking 'Are we eating at someone's house?'" It's a little strange but the place itself has a homey feel so it's kind of fitting! We went on a Friday night and it wasn't super packed but almost all the tables were filled. Our server was very nice and our food came out relatively quickly (for the amount that we got...). We shared 3 appetizers which were all DELICIOUS. Arancini are two GIANT fried risotto balls willed with meat and cheese. They were nice and crispy on the outside. The deep fried zucchini (probably my favorite appetizer) was hot and super crispy. The stuffed hot peppers were also great; the sausage stuffing was bomb and the peppers had a nice kick to them. Then we shared the Margherita and Alba pizzas and the cavatelli. The crust on the pizzas here are no joke! They're on the thin side and had just the right amount of crispiness. They put the toppings on there so it's a thin layer and not a heavy bulky thing on top and that way the pizza is easy to eat and light. The cavatelli was also doughy and yummy. Probably some of the best pizza I've had in Cleveland.
(4)J. H.
Another example of Yelpers coming through... Decided to get out of the house on an incredibly cold day here in Tropical Cleveland (-20 wind chills) to visit Costatas. Many of the reviews I read describe the restaurant well enough, so I'll just comment on our meal. Apps Arancini - highly regarded here on Yelp; they were solid deep fried zucchini - very tasty Pizzas Margherita D.O.C. - excellent; the kids demolished it Alba - the arugula was not overpowering, and any pizza with a fried egg is $$$ Salsiccia - there was A LOT of sausage on this one, and it had that perfect Italian sausage spiciness Dessert: Tiramisu, Cannoli, Gelato. All were enjoyed thoroughly! Great service, although the pizzas were a tad slow to come out given the lack of customers, but a minor gripe. We'll be back...
(4)Alex G.
Upon arrival, the hostess greeted us. She had a slight attitude, but gave us a nice table by the window. Our Waitress was very slow , had a little bit of an attitude and definitely pushy . My wedding soup was excellent. The NY Strip arugula salad was only ok. The steak was a little too fatty. The crostata dessert wasn't that great . You could tell that it was made in house and they make a lot of them and freeze them. Not a good technique . It's a close call between 2 & 3 stars. The owner was nice and remembered my name on the way out, so they get 3 out of 5 stars. I may return in the future .
(3)Sarah K.
Will be back! I travel to Cleveland several times a month.. Found this place on Yelp and it was wonderful! Casual yet quaint...perfect little place for any occasion. Authentic Italian food, with great atmosphere. Something for everyone. A little pricey, but we'll worth it!
(5)Richard R.
If they lowered the price I would give it 5 stars. Solid pesto shrimp pizza, and really good fried zucchini
(4)Vijay D.
This place is nice and seems like a place families like to come for simple fresh pizzas. It's pretty good. The arancini was delicious. The pizzas were cooked perfectly with fresh ingredients...true italian style pizza. Though the margherita pizza was great, the prosciutto e arugula wasn't that great; I wish the prosciutto was cut up a little rather than placing huge pieces of the meat with some arugula. Plus, the service was pretty slow and the place wasn't that busy. But overall, I think the food is worth coming and trying. Also, if you like nutella, they sell a huge tub of nutella for like $60 or something like that....my girlfriend and I did think about it.
(3)Christine G.
I called in a lunch order for take out on Friday on my way to clinic. The restaurant stands by itself and was very clean when i went in to pick up my order. The margarita pizza was delicious with the crust being thin and good flavors. Eventually, I'd like to go back and sit down and eat here, but the food leaves you wanting to come back for more
(4)Steve K.
Great pizza place. It's amazing how close it tastes to pizza in Firenze! Graci
(4)Elisa L.
I was so impressed by the service I got at Crostatas. And the food was amazing. The best Italian food I've ever had! Overall a deliciously wonderful experience!
(5)Brendan M.
Great lunch. Started with the Caesar salad. Big enough for two. Best croutons ever and perfectly dressed. Sausage pizza was amazing. Great crust and the sausage was fresh and tasty. Cooked to perfection. Service was great. Nice place to bring kids. Will be back.
(5)Joyce H.
This place is such a surprise! I never would have guessed that this small pizza place on a random corner in the burbs would have some of the most delicious pizza around. I'm with Rachael N. -- after trying a bunch of places, I think Crostata's tops Dewey's and Bar Cento. I think it rivals Angelo's, but in a different way... Crostata's values authenticity. They really care about their food and how to prepare it well. I came here for lunch and we ordered the panko zucchini slices and Classico pizza... and it was so delicious. The zucchini was freshly and perfectly fried with panko. They had some aioli on the side but that was a little too much with the parmesan already sprinkled on top. I'm not complaining too much though. The first time I had the classico was when some friends brought home leftovers and re-heated it with the very specific instructions given to them by the people at the restaurant. (They said not to do it any other way. To me, this feels so legit. You know it's good!) This pizza is so good--perfectly caramelized onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms with fresh basil on perfectly baked thin crust. Not too heavy, not too light... I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for good pizza!
(4)Beck L.
this pizza rules! they use basil and fresh mozzarella and only the freshest ingredients! in the top 5 pizzas ive ever had! crust is awesome! great salads too and very friendly service-pop is a ripoff though-you get a small glass bottle for 1.75 we had 2 each, it was 7.00 for 4 little sodas. everything else is great though
(5)Nick K.
While I've never been to Naples I have had authentic stone oven pizza in the Mediterranean, and this place is better than most. I wouldn't waste my time with anything other than pizza though.
(5)Phuong D.
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie ... That's crostatas. This is great pizza and food and service. All around great place to eat.
(5)Sabrina F.
This restaurant has a great layout and a family friendly vibe. It's great for large groups and big italian families. They didn't even mind when my 2 year old cousin needed to walk around the restaurant with her sippy cup to keep from crying. The waitress was really nice and explained everything on the menu to us in detail. She even went and asked the chef about some of the ingredients to avoid allergies. I loved the authentic family style serving platters and the presentation was beautiful. This is for sure a great place to take visitors or the family for a yummy night out.
(4)Seth B.
We came here based on the reviews. We were very disappointed. We got the prosciutto and melon - the prosciutto was dried out and the melon wasn't ripe (they didn't even use the usual cantaloupe). When we told the waitress, she just said "oh." The cavatelli was tough, not melt in your mouth. The meatballs and pizza were very average. I think we could have made better at home. The service was poor and slow (and we went super early with only about 5 other diners there)
(2)Wade W.
For purveyors of the pizza , this palace of pie is particularly pleasing. Crostata's pizza is awesome. If you go there and don't get their pizza, I don't want to know you. I love me some pizza, and this is the best in Cleveland. They imported a specialty stove, which they have mastered. I have several criterion for rating pizza, as described below. 1. Leopard spotting. A good wood fired stove, used properly, gives the bottom of a crust spotting that looks like a leopard. A little bit of leopard spotting enhances the flavor and texture of a crust; it's more crisp and leaves less of a mess. The bottom of one of these pizzas would satisfy fellow yelper Jenny C's insatiable love for leopard printed clothing and decor. 3. Crust gauge. The thinner the crust, the better. That means the more slices you can eat, with more toppings and flavor, without feeling like a beached whale after you're done. On the other hand, crust that is too thin results in a high tip sag factor (see factor 3 below). Crostatas crust gauge successfully strikes this balance. 3. Tip Sag . You know that disappointing feeling when you pick up a piece of pizza, and the tip of the pizza goes limp and toppings spill off? That's due to a crust that's not cooked enough, or is too thin to support the toppings on it. The crust here is on the thin side, but can be handled properly with one hand without the toppings spilling off the tip onto the plate. That's because a good wood fired oven cooks the bottom of the pizza, making the bottom crispy which provides more tip support. Crostata's obviously knows how to make a good pizza. I like the Fungi, or any of the Margharita pizzas they offer. They have other good stuff too. I like the insalata mista, which you can split with another person before the pies come out. Or don't get it, and get an extra pizza.
(5)Patrick P.
The closest pizza to Italy in the area. This place is great and is a must have in Cleveland. Get the margarita D.O.C. It is GREAT,
(5)Kelly R.
My first time at Crostatas, even though we live just a few minutes away. My daughter and I went on a Thursday evening and the restaurant was pretty full. We ordered (2) Insalata Mista salads, which consisted of fresh spring greens, strawberries and a balsamic dressing (homemade), which was accompanied by a warm and chewy breadstick (yum!). We also ordered the Margherita pizza with italian sausage. Our meal was Excellent, the pizza was chewy with just the right amount of crunch and toppings. Service was a little bit slow, but other than that, I can't wait to go back.....soon!
(5)Pam M.
Had lunch on a recent Friday afternoon. We started with the Cucuzza Fritti, panko crusted planks of zucchini with an aioli. They were delicious and crispy, seasoned with fresh cracked pepper. The aioli was creamy and tangy. We followed with the Classico pizza which had mozzarella di bufala, roasted tomatoes, carmelized onions and sauteed mushrooms. It was very good. The tomatoes were sweet, the cheese creamy and the carmelized onions were a revelation. The only complaint was that the onions were sparse. My first piece had none at all and they really were the star of the pizza. The crust was thin and crispy. We had good service from our waitress even though she seemed to be waiting on every table in the restaurant. Overall a very tasty and pleasant lunch.
(4)Rachael N.
Mama Mia, this is good pizza. My foodie friend and I went on a search for good pizza. After searching a few yelp sites, he suggested Crostatas. "OK!" I said. And off we drove to Crostatas. I'm not a huge pizza fan (although I swear by Chicago's Lou Malnati's pizza), but after having Cleveland's pizza, consisting of Pizzabogo, Dewey's, Donato's, Bar Cento, and Angelo's (which is probably the best out of all them...minus this place!), I really wanted to find some good pizza. And boy, am I glad we stopped here. We ordered the Alba pizza- tomatoes, capicola,grana pandana, EVOO, egg and arugula. Oh, it was amazing. Crispy yet chewy, said my friend. It was sooo good- so flavorful, on this thin crispy crust, where the egg was perfectly a medium over easy....Mmmmmm. Everything about it was great. Service was great too. I got a little glass diet coke bottle and was confused about it...since I've only seen the plastic ones. When inquiring about it, the waitress stated that the owner only wanted to show true "Italian" things, like serving the pop in glass bottles, cooking the pizza in a stone oven, and so on. So worth it. Definitely stop here. Mmmmmmmm.
(4)Rachel B.
I don't know why I waited until this week to sample some of the best pizza in the Cleveland area. Between Crostada's and Sweet Basil, I'm set! The ambiance of this randomly-located restaurant is a comfortable, familiar one. Everything is nice, but not too fancy. The smells were incredible. Well, duh. The specials, such as ravioli, looked amazing, but I couldn't not order pizza at Crostadas! Are you kidding me? Anyway. I started with the Wedding Soup. A nice-sized portion with a delicious breadstick -- a little tease of the wonderful dough to come. My husband, friend, and I ordered two pizzas to share, which was just enough (any more and I would have been stuffing myself, because Lord knows that, with the delectable wood-oven pizzas, there ARE no leftovers). We got the Margherita D.O.C. and the one just below it -- don't remember the name, but it had smoked garlic (huge cloves) and roasted red peppers. I was definitely more of a Margherita fan, as the smoked nature of the garlic was a little intense for me. In fact, I pretty much know that whenever I go to a place like this, the Margherita is the way to go. Now, it was delicious. It deserves five stars. Have I had better? Yes. However, it was great, and pizza here is really special, and that's what I'm rating it on. Service was friendly, but took a really long time. They were sort of busy, but not overly so, and I know the pizzas only take like a minute and a half to cook, so I'm not sure what caused the delay. Um, and I can just say that I am writing this review in a dark room nibbling on some of our NUTELLA CALZONE that we took to go. Genius!
(5)Renato C.
Small family house, a piece of Italy in Highland Hts. Delicious thin, crunch and balanced pizza.
(4)Jeff T.
Great pizza place on the east side for folks searching for a rustic spin on ZA using fresh, vibrant, delicious toppings on a thin, perfectly baked crust. I personally have never had pizza quite like this but left Crostata's a happy man with a full belly. Food comes fast and exactly as ordered. We started with the Antipasto Misto for $12, what a platter this is! Lots of meats, cheeses, and olives which were not only tasty but properly presented, kind of kicking myself for not taking a picture with my phone and uploading. The platter beat out La Dolce Vita in Little Italy IMO. Our pizza for the night was called Quattro Stagoni for $15.50. This pizza consisted of roasted red peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, basil, marinara, and Italian sausage. We both really enjoyed this pizza. The crust is fantastic and goes perfectly with the toppings. Not too cheesy, not too saucy, definitely a healthy but delicious spin on pizza. If you are expecting a big, greasy, topping overload kind of pizza (Chi-town style), then coming here may not be for you. Check out their website for great pictures of the pizza. At Crostata's you pay for the ingredients and it really shows with the final product. This place is definitely not for everyone and it might leave some people a little 'empty' if you expect to get 'more for your money' but for all you other foodies out there that just want a nice night out with friends or family without having to deal with the Pizza Hut crowd, Crostata's is perfect. I'd even say it has a date type atmosphere. There is more seating then it appears from the outside. Beer, wine, and cocktails are available. I opted for a glass of red for $6.50 and it fit the bill perfectly with the food we ordered. I was even picking at the Antipasto platter all day Sunday, stayed just fine in the fridge. I'm planning on taking down the rest of the pizza for today's lunch.
(4)Linda G.
If you want REAL Italian food, you must try Crostata's! My husband and I decided to split some appetizers rather than ordering a main course. The wedding soup was authentic and homemade. The meatballs were as good as mine :-) and the arancini balls were delectable! We also had a few ravioli to go with the meatballs! Even though we were very satisfied we decided to indulge in dessert. Okay, you absolutely have to order a cannoli. My mom made the best, but these were a close second (I had to say that or she would haunt me from heaven). We each had a few bites and took the remainder home. We will be back!
(5)Daniel B.
After trying a different pizza place earlier in the day at a restaurant in Little Italy and being very disappointed, I was a bit suspicious about Cleveland's pizza offerings. Reluctantly, I took a chance and ordered the Classico as well as a Caesar salad. The service was fast, friendly, and on-point. The food was amazing. I would recommend this place to any pizza snob out there.
(5)Kristin B.
Restaurant is a bit too cold. Soda is served in tiny bottles instead of fountain-dispensed. Annoying. Plus side: they are gracious about customizing and super gracious in general. They remade my pizza due to my misunderstanding and it was perfect the second time. House made cheese ravioli is AWESOME. Nice dessert selections. Nutella calzone is excellent and beautifully presented. Parking lot is a little tight but manageable. Fantastic restrooms. Big plus! They are open all day, not just lunch and dinner hours.
(5)Matthew M.
As an avid explorer of new restaurants, every now and then I come across a certain type of experience that serves as a wake-up call. One so memorable, it leaves a lasting impression upon me that borders upon a life-altering type experience. My latest life-altering foodie experience took place in a suburban pizza joint called Crostata's Pizzeria in Highland Heights. Crostata's has been open for less than 2 years now and apparently it's still one of the best kept secrets in town as each time I've visited, the place has been practically empty. It's most likely due to the bad location and lack of advertising, but hopefully word of mouth and glowing reviews as seen here on Yelp can help spread the word and keep this place alive. The corner of Bishop and Highland Road used to be the location to an Arabica Coffee house. Today you'll find an old world style Pizzeria with charming Neapolitan architecture, complete with a terracotta roof. Inside it's more of the same. Authentic rustic Italy is well pronounced, including the giant wood-fired pizza oven, said to fire pizzas at 900°F, cooking them in just 90 seconds flat! As for the menu, it stays focused on what they do best: soups, salads and pizzas, with a few choice appetizers. On our latest visit, we sampled the Arancini which were risotto balls stuffed with meat ragu, parmigiana and marinara. A superb way to start the meal. The menu features 13 different pizzas, 10 of them meatless. Don't even try and ask for pepperoni either. First of all, Pepperoni isn't authentic to Neapolitan pizzas. Secondly, this is not an a-la-carte pizza establishment. The pizzas to choose from are already thought out and go by names such as Quattro Stagoni, Margherita and Salsiccia. (Refer to the menu for descriptions). The pizza we ordered was titled: the Alba, which consisted of San Marzano tomatoes, capicola, arugula, fresh egg, Grana Padana and EVOO. While I appreciated the crust and fresh ingredients, I was a little less than thrilled with the strong flavor of the arugula. But that was my fault. I'm not a huge arugula guy and I overlooked it because I was sold on the fresh egg the pizza came topped with. If you like arugula, this pie might be for you. If not, you have 12 other wonderful creations to chose from. When asked to see the dessert menu, we declined and said instead of dessert, we'd like to order another pizza instead! This time, we ordered the Margherita D.O.C., topped with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, basil and EVOO. Simple, but superior to all other pizzas I've ever had. The dough was chewy, yet firm enough to hold the toppings. The crust, with just enough char from the wood fire. The buffalo mozzarella, creamy with hints of almond. The tomatoes and basil, fresh and arranged in a minimalist kind of way to not weigh down the pizza and to ensure everything was heated just right. Those used to topping crazed pizzas such as "Supreme" and "Meat Lover" styles might get the feeling they were ripped off with the lack of toppings here until they realize less really is more. Each ingredient is so fresh and the flavors so pronounced, it's a blessing no one topping dominates the rest of the pizza. Each ingredient is to be celebrated and the ratio Crostata's uses almost seems like a science. I look forward to sharing this relatively unknown gem with other family/friends in the near future. This place deserves success and I hope it receives the recognition it most certainly deserves. If only Crostata's was located in a better location such as Rocky River, Ohio City or Tremont, there would be no more discussion about Geraci's, Mama Santa's or Angelo's. This would be the undisputed king of pie in this city and not even by a close margin either.
(5)Shayna R.
Oh boy. Crostata's makes the most delicious pizza that I've ever had in my life, without question. I really don't even know where to start. I usually come to Crostata's with one other person, so we usually split one appetizer and one pizza and that's the perfect amount (although let's be real, I could eat some crazy amounts of this amazing pizza). For appetizers, the arancini is my absolute favorite - it's rich and creamy and crunchy and delicious in every way. I've also had the stuffed peppers which are great too, but I really can't not order the arancini - it's too good. The pizza is perfection. Everything from the thin-but-not-too-thin crust to the amazing toppings are just.. perfect. My personal favorites are the caprese and the prosciutto with arugula. I've had the alba, and wasn't sure what to expect from pizza with egg on it.. but of course, it was delicious. Crostata's doesn't disappoint. The pizza takes a little bit of time to arrive, but it's totally worth the wait. I've tried a few different desserts here and they've all been pretty good, but the one that stands out in my mind is the lemon napoleon. I love lemon desserts and this was a great balance of tart and sweet. I love Crostata's.
(5)Joao Pedro L.
Crostatas is a full experience of taste and flavor from the start to the end. Delicious appetizers with special remark for the Arancini, wood-oven traditional Italian pizzas and several dessert choices as tasty as the rest (try the lemon Napoleon for instance). Try Crostatas once and you will become a fan!
(4)Kasey B.
TOP NOTCH HONEST OLD WORLD ITALIAN FOOD! Excellent taste, fresh ingredients, and made dishes, friendly service, clean and well decorated interior. There really isn't a single bad thing I can say about this place, other than eat here as soon as you can!!! You just don't see a place like this outside of Italy. ~ KayZ
(5)Alessandro S.
Crostata's is the real deal; authentic Napoli style pizza. The owner's commitment to authenticity is admirable -- for this area it's one of the few wood burning ovens that gets hot enough to bubble the crust. Just walking in you are hit with the aroma of Italia! Also : no pepperoni (which kills pizza, really) and wonderful toppings such as carmelized onion, buffalo mozz. In my book, his (or NY style which is unavailable in CLE) is the only pizza worth the carbs. As for the location; it's close to my work, so good for lunches , but what a strange place to put such a restaurant. Certainly it would fare better in the more tony east suburbs such as shaker, beachwood, pike? Open a branch please!
(5)Chris H.
Wow, what a disappointment after reading all the glowing reviews. First let me say that the restaurant itself is very nice, clean and has friendly efficient service. The reason I traveled out of my way to eat here was for the wood fired Neapolitan style pizza my wife and I both love so much. We both were very disappointed by the sub par pizza we were served. The outer crust was bone dry and of a cracker type of consistence. It may have been that the dough was old and had lost its moisture content but either way it was bad I do hold out the possibility that it was just a off day, but that day the pizza was just not good. As a side note we did have a appetizer "fried risotto" which was very good but we traveled an hour to have their pizza.
(2)Habby H.
Crostata's IS all that. There is nothing like this in Cleveland. This pizza reminds me of the pies I had in New York City. The super thin crust is chewy and light. The high quality toppings just melt in your mouth. We started off with Cucuzza Fritti (deep fried zucchini) and the Peperone Ripieno (sausage stuffed hot peppers). Both were amazing. The marinara on the peppers was perfect and included a huge fluffy warm bread stick. We then moved on to the Alba (San Marzano tomatoes, capicola, arugula, fresh egg, grana padana cheese and olive oil) and Margherita D.O.C. (SM tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil) pizzas. This is by far, my new favorite pizza. It's just perfect. Thin, flavorful and not full of sauce. The toppings are allowed to really shine. And can we say FRESH MOZZARELLA?! Oi vay! To end this perfect meal, we had the Nutella Calzone. Yes, I said Nutella. Warm, chewy, sweet goodness. Culinary perfection.
(5)Meredith A.
I do not like to review restaurants without going more than once, but this place was so good I must share! I went here with my inlaws they gave me a bite of their pizza, I was so regretful that I did not order it! It was so different but delicious. It had maybe arugula and some dried Italian meat. I am dying to go back and order it. I ordered a sausage pizza which was great, the sausage was homemade but too safe of an order for a place with so much flavor. We had the risotto balls as an appetizer and they were creamy and delicious. They serve wine in juice glasses which is suppose to be how they do it in Italy, I wouldn't know. Their salads looked awesome but did not get one....another regret! Until next time
(5)Jonathan F.
First, some background... I was born and raised in New York City and think that NY pizza is the best in the world. Almost nothing in Cleveland comes close. Given that, Crostats is very good. And, having also visited Italy, I would say their pizza is more like what you would get in Italy than you get in the US. The food is all consistently good to excellent and very high quality. The Antipasto Misto is very nice, though I wouldn't say it was the best in Cleveland. The Cesar salad is very nice. The bread sticks that come with it are great. We have tried several of the pizzas and they are all very nice. And make sure you save room for dessert - they make all their own desserts and the Napoleon Limone is fantastic, enough to make you cry with joy. A couple of downsides. My wife and I have been several times; they don't take reservations and some times the wait is long. The wait staff is nice, but I think is sometimes a little short staffed and thus a little inattentive. The biggest downside (the reason I don't go there more often) is that it is I think very pricey. I realize this isn't a neighborhood pizza place, but the last time we were there: one antipasto, one salad we split, two pizzas, two glasses of wine, and one dessert with two coffees, and it was around $80.
(4)Antonio R.
Pizza was pretty good but I've had better in Cleveland.
(3)David B.
Crostadas is excellent. The ambience is friendly and laid-back. The service was prompt and capable. The pizza we had was delish. My wife and I shared a caramelized onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and buffalo cheese. Excellent. The crust was definitely the highlight of the pizza, though it was almost overwhelmed by the flavorful toppings. (I love too many toppings, so that was fine by me.) The mushrooms also stood out. Most "pizza mushrooms" are fine, but bland. These 'shrooms were rich and full of almost concentrated mushroom flavor. One pizza fed us comfortably; half a pizza each was only a little more than we typically eat at home. The water glasses were tiny, but our server kept mine topped off. (This matters to me.) Finally, we rarely get dessert. I don't know why my wife decided that she wanted it that day, but I'm glad she did. They baked raspberries into their ricotta cheesecake and had a raspberry sauce that they poured on top. I'd never had ricotta cheesecake with berries before, and it was awesome. Even though the cheesecake itself wasn't quite up to North End (in Boston) standards, adding the fruit made it nearly so. We never fight over who gets the larger half of the pizza or who gets more bites of dessert. For this meal, we did both. I did regret one thing about the meal; after we were back on the road, I realized that I hadn't tipped enough.
(4)renee p.
We just left Crostata's without even eating. Not one person greeted us even though the hostess, a server and man seating the guests were standing right in front of us. There was a waiting list and after standing in front of these three employees for 5 minutes (while the hostess took phone orders and texted on her cell phone) I asked "can you take our name down"? We sat for 20 minutes and then left. It was a bizarre experience and we will not return.
(1)Kara K.
By far the best pizza that I have ever eaten. The crust is delicious - well everything is delicious.The wood-fired stove makes a huge difference. Their pasta and sauce are homemade and very special. I also love the salad with the strawberries. I don't normally eat dessert, but they have this lemon napoleon dessert that is so light, airy and delcious - i am still craving more. This is one of three restaurants that I always make sure I go to when I come to visit my family in Cleveland.
(5)Janis S.
Once again Yelp hits the nail on the head. This is very good...not great but should not be missed. This kind of pizza is hard to find; thinner crust, woodfired, mozzerella...not the gobs and gobs of cheese. I also had their Pasta Fagoli soup, which I could have done without. A bit disappointed about their wines coming in a juice glass, but it was good enough Service was also 4 stars...good, not great. Nice little Amiance but not too small as other reviewers indicate. Will definitely be back.
(4)levramosis H.
Fantastic pizza, perfect salad with amazing hot breadsticks. Felt like I was in an out of the way restaurant in Italy. Will definitely come back when I am in the Cleveland area.
(5)Alicia M.
Molto deliziosa! We ordered several appetizers and salads and figured we would order a pizza but we were too stuffed from the appetizers to even think about pizza. We enjoyed the Antipasto Misto which was an assortment of meats, cheeses and olives and the stuffed artichoke. The antipasto was the freshest I've ever had and was accented with an out of this world balsamic reduction. The artichoke did not impress me nearly as much, I found the leaves much too mushy. For salads, we ordered the Caesar and Caprese, both were unbelievably fresh with the perfect amount of dressing. I did, of course, save room for dessert and thankfully so because it ended up joining the ranks as one of the top ten best desserts I've ever eaten. I ordered the lemon napolean which consisted of amazingly light and crispy layers of pastry dough, sandwiched between some seriously delicious lemon curd and topped off with some real whipped cream and drizzled with a raspberry sauce. The only thing stopping me from giving Crostata's 5 stars was the service. Upon being seated, we waited, no exaggeration 20 minutes to even be acknowledged by our server and it was another 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive at the table. I couldn't imagine going here for your lunch hour as we were here for almost 2 hours, so getting in and out seemed out of the question. For lunch, it was a bit on the expensive side but I am always willing to pay more for quality so I was one happy camper upon leaving.
(4)T. S.
Truly authentic Napolitano style wood fire oven pizza. Ingredients are top shelf, as is the atmosphere and service. This is how pizza is meant to be made. If you can't make a trip to Italy for the real thing, then experience it here. Best pizza in Cleveland! As if the pizza isn't good enough, the wedding soup also won me over, and that is no small feat! It is the closest to "mom's" as I have tasted yet.
(5)nate w.
Went here recently with another couple. I had the pork cutlet entrée which I would rank as average. It was served with a side of salad which left me wanting. Some pasta or other side would have filled the dish out nicely. All of the others in the party had the pizza which got rave reviews. I will have to try that if we decide to return again. Overall I good meal though. My only other criticism was that the wine was served in want I'd describe as a juice glass. If your patrons are spending $7+ on a glass of wine, please get some economical wine glasses. I felt like I was having juice with breakfast not wine with dinner.
(4)Martin W.
I was stopping by this place during a business trip. Their pizza is simple and impressive. You don't need a billion toppings. I got the Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza. It came with those two ingredients and a little cheese. Simple and perfect! TRY THEIR PIZZA NOW!
(5)Sally M.
I love this place! Every time I am in Cleveland I come here and the food has always been perfect!! Authentic fresh Italian and family owned! Five stars for the food but service can be alittle better!
(4)Rachel B.
Usually i'm a fan of the thick crust pan pizzas, but I had been craving the thin crusty goodness of an authentic Neapolitian pie. Apart from your typical mall pizza reheating establishment, I was having the darndest time finding a place that would satisfy my hand tossed hunger. It just so happened that Crostastas had just opened a bit ago and it was practically right down the street from me. As you walk in you see the open kitchen with its huge brick wood fired pizza oven (apparently imported brick by brick from Italy) where the 'Pizzaioli' creates his masterpieces. My Husband and I shared the 'Insalata Mista' (mixed greens w/ strawberries and balsamic vinaigrette) and a Margherita pizza (just San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and ex.virgin olive oil). Both were excellent. The pizza was the perfect combination of crispy and chewy that I had been craving, with sweet tomatoes, fresh basil, drizzled rich buttery olive oil and creamy mozzarella. It was simple but those simple ingredients worked so well together, hiding nothing. Crostatas makes simply one of the best pizzas in Cleveland hands down.
(5)Sam R.
yeah yeah, its a quote-unquote real pizza place, thats for sure. even compared to the places in europe. which always makes me wonder about the whole "you can't find REAL pizza outside of italy, feh!" attitude. i mean... one; define real pizza, and twol i'm pretty sure san marzano tomatos are exported globally. anyways, a small italian menu with the deadly nutella calzone on the dessert menu. all the pizzas are real italian-y fair with my favorite, fried egg and capi. last star is a save out for some eency service issues (its a tad spotty) and some minor inconsistencies with the capicola, which to be fair, i find to be a really inconsistent ingredient. the crust/bread is excellent and is probably one of my top pizza crusts ever, the wedding soup is hands down the best in the cleveland area, sauce is sweet and orange, and the mozzarella is sliced not shredded. aka autentico italiano or whatever. nice small area, and a sort of homey upscale-ish vibe with clean walls decorated with "typical italian restaurant" decorations, and a charming little lego house thing on the front desk to add an adorable family touch for anyone jaded by the above "typical italian restaurant" decorations. another subtle touch is that the TVs are more often than not on some sort of Formula 1 race. VERY italian.
(4)Pamela M.
nothing better than a good thin-crust pizza with fresh, simple ingredients....I don't like to mess up a good thing by slathering it with too many toppings. Ranks right up there with the best pizza places in NYC and I will definitely travel the 30 min it takes for me to get there when I get my pizza cravings ;o)
(5)Hilary C.
Went to this place on the recommendation of a foodie, but was REALLY not impressed. Bad night, perhaps? It had all the fixings of a promising place (with gorgeous antipasti on display on their prep counter, and even teased with some great appetizers. But the pizza, the piece de resistance, fell flat. Upsides: risotto ball with chevre was absolutely delicious. A creamy blend of the risotto and chevre, and the tangy tomato sauce that was just acidic enough to cut through the parmesan. Downsides: The pesto is made with walnuts! Even though it says pine nut pesto on the menu, it also contains walnuts. Why!!!??? The pizza dough fell flat on at least two levels: the crust wasn't thin enough to be anything distinctive, and held none of the woodfired oven flavor I'd been hoping for. The dough seemed so dense and overly glutenous, as well as tasteless that I could have thought they pulled it frozen out of a case of premade crusts. Disappointed. That said, the toppings were really good.
(2)Cheryl G.
Crostata's is absolutely one of both myself and my family's favorite pizza restaurants in Cleveland! Outside of Little Italy, I challenge you to find a better spot for fresh pizza in Cleveland. You can't. The food is so fresh, you think that you are sitting in Italy. The caprese salad is incredible, the pizza is amazing, and there is a variety of entree choices. The service is great, although the decor of the restaurant seems too "sterile". Parking is convenient and free. Crostata's needs to be added to your "go to" list. You will not regret it.
(4)Amy D.
I feel like a slug rating this place two stars, because they deserve at least 5 stars for their choice of ingredients. Good quality stuff goes into their food. My challenge is that I'm not a fan at all of the paper thin cracker crust. If you are like me and favor the thicker, saucier, Chicago-style type of pies, you will leave this place feeling empty. My husband and I ordered appetizer, salad, and pizza, and felt that we had little more than a snack. It would be a great place to stop in downtown before or after some drinks at a bar to take the edge off, but it's not quite a destination spot for me.
(2)John P.
Best pizza near Cleveland, hands down. Get the Margherita DOC with Bufala mozzarella, and you will agree. Only downsides - reservations with parties of 7 or more, and they can't make too many pizzas at once. If you do come with a big group, don't be shy about eating while others wait for their pizza, or yours will be cold by the time theirs come out.
(5)Laura C.
In summary: It's good...but suffering from the Highland Hypes. So I've heard people rave about this place been wanting to try it for awhile. After testing some golf clubs at Golf Galaxy Crostatas seemed like the perfect place to wrap up our big suburban adventure..... What better way to wind down the evening than starting with a mommy's little helper? The wine list was passable. So I passed and went straight for the good stuff. Crostatas has two types of whiskey: Dewars & Crown. I don't Do-wars, so I ordered a Crown & Coke. The pleasant waitress brought me the following items. Separately: 1) A 8 oz glass filled with ice; 2) A black pint glass sized straw; 3) A 10 oz bottle of Coke; 4) A 1 oz shot glass filled with Crown. So I poured #4 into #1 splashed in some #3 and stirred with #2. The upside of this was that if you wanted another you only needed to reorder #4. This do-it-yourself mixology was like the fondue of drinking. Like the Melting Pot it was kinda fun. In a weird, I'm making my own drink at the table of a suburban pizza joint way. (Please note, the very nice waitstaff repeatedly noted that they were not bartenders; So this is coming from the loving place.). The pizza? (Full disclosure, I'm a Geraci's kinda gal) Crostata's pizza was pretty good. Mind-blowingly-life-altering-amazing pizza? No. Our table ordered the Salsiccia (basically sausage) and a Margherita (basically cheese). I tried both and the crust was far and away the standout of both pizzas. Wood fired pizza ovens do magical things. This is a proven fact. I read it on Wikipedia. The sauce was not too bold, but was flavorful and was a nice pairing with the rustic style crust. The toppings were clearly quality, but, for my money, the sausage at Geraci's is better. So after trying Crostata's I understand why people are raving. I'm just not one of them. And that's OK. I also think The Beatles are overrated.
(4)Juan S.
It's a nice Italian restaurant. The pizza is very good. It has a very nice atmosphere. It's a little pricey for dining weekly. The cannoli is out of the world and is a must for your visit
(4)P W.
Everyone in Cleveland or visiting Cleveland needs to try this pizza. I had it for a second time and was blown away. Great pizza. Everything about it is great.
(5)Jeff H.
This place serves my favorite pizza in Northeast Ohio. A heavenly treat. Their dinner salad is also to die for. And the service is attentive and friendly. No hesitation: five stars for this place.
(5)J J.
Really nice mixed salad with Balsamic and had stuffed shells. Sauce was spicy and good. Prices were a bit high. Service was fair.
(4)Joan H.
Wonderful thin crust pizza with fresh ingredients. Excellent, friendly service. Will definitely go back again.
(4)