Newly opened this month, Pizzeria Isabella sells Roman Style Pizza al Taglio. Rather than typical, round pizza, this pizza is sold in rectangular slices (al Taglio). You can choose from individual slices, half sheet size (serves 2-3), and full sheet (serves 4-5, or maybe more). Isabella offers 9 different pizzas, including such intriguing offerings as the Truffle Mushroom with Wild Arugula, Hawaiian with Hot Honey, Neo Margarita and Dolce Inferno (Pepperoni with Hot Honey). I spoke with the owner, whose previous work included several years of experience as an international pizza judge. Friendly and helpful, he described some of the pizzas that interested me, and was most enthusiastic about the Dolce Inferno, which I ordered.
After about 12 minutes, my pizza arrived, and it was a delight to behold! It was just freshly topped with hot honey, burrata, parmesan and fresh-picked basil. Happily, the taste lived up to the visual experience. This was an excellent pizza, with an airy, substantial but not too thick or ponderous, and pleasantly crispy crust. This is just the way I like a pizza crust, and very few places do it really well. The toppings were excellent, with high quality pepperoni (the kind that curls and browns on the edges), and combined to make a sweet, savory pizza with some mild heat. Isabella's offers small containers of extra hot honey or burrata if you wish to top your pizza even more lavishly. I can say that I am a decided enthusiast for Pizza Romana, the pizza that I never knew I was missing! It strikes the perfect balance between thick and thin crusts, and the creativity and freshness of the topping combinations stands out from any of the other local offerings.
Pizzeria Isabella is a very neat, spacious and clean restaurant, with several tables for those who wish to eat at the restaurant. It's located on Church Street in Ajax, in a small plaza, in the location that the now-closed Aunty's Recipe had a pizzaria. I had been a die-hard fan of Aunty's Recipe and was very sorry to see it go, as high-quality, distinctive pizza is not easy to find in Durham region. Happily, Pizzeria Isabella more than fills the void! I will return to try some of the other offerings, especially for family pizza nights. read more