"Eat More Pie" at Pizzeria Azzurro

My son and I recently met up for lunch at on the corner of Main and Clinton.

We started with three seasonal dishes: Farro with butternut squash,  roasted brussels sprouts and grilled shrimp with white beans and a sausage made in Petaluma.

And then the pizza arrived, margarita style.

“This might be the best pizza I’ve ever had,” my son said as he helped himself to a fourth slice.

Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, we were tempted by a locally made soft serve ice cream topped with house-made caramel sauce and sea salt. The sweet and savory combination hit the spot.

I sat down with proprietor Michael Gyetvan to discuss everything Pizzeria Azzurro. (By the way, Michael and his wife Christina also own the popular on First Street in Napa's .)

Julie: Where did you grow up?

Michael: In a little suburb outside of Minneapolis. Ironically, Cindy Pawlcyn (of Mustards’ fame) is also from Minnesota and it turns out my next-door neighbor used to play bridge with her mother.

Julie: Small world. When did you come to Napa?

Michael: In 1988. I was newly married and we came here on our honeymoon and to look for a job. I went to work for Michael Chiarello at in St. Helena.

Julie: Not a bad starting point! Was Azzurro your first restaurant?

Michael: Yes, my wife and I are the sole owners.

Julie: It’s modern, yet casual.

Michael: Our idea was to give it a “come as you are” feeling. And we wanted to accommodate different size groups by having moveable tables and chairs.

Julie: You trained as a chef at Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Michael: Yes, but I don’t actually put the apron on much anymore. We have chefs in both restaurants.

Julie: How natural of a transition was it for you to go from chef to proprietor?

Michael: When I was at the culinary institute, it was a bare bones program. You got really good knife skills, and sauces and stocks, but not much in the way of management.

Julie: It looks like you’ve figured it out. What inspires your pizza?

Michael: It’s seasonal. We use as much local product as we can afford and still keep the pricing reasonable. And I’m inspired by Italy, where your day revolves around the meal. We don’t really do that here in the United States.

Julie: What’s the most important thing you look for in a server?

Michael: Personality. The other stuff you can teach them.

Julie: And they have to adapt to the restaurant’s personality.

Michael:  There’s a difference in server style, probably about 10%, from restaurant to restaurant.

Julie: Tell me about your portable pizza oven.

Michael: It’s basically a trailer with a pizza oven on it.

Julie: How many people can you handle?

Michael: Up to a hundred. We set it up family style with buffet tables. We’ve done a lot of cool little parties all over the valley.

Julie: Have you ever toyed with the idea of opening a restaurant Up Valley?

Michael: When I was working up there, I thought I wanted to. St. Helena was the place. Yountville was nothing. And Napa was just .

Julie: Wow, has that changed.

Michael: Back then, I lived here but didn’t eat here. Now, I wouldn’t consider leaving Napa. Even Yountville seems like a long drive.

Julie: Are you open for New Year’s Eve?

Michael: Yes, but nothing special.

Julie: From what I can tell from my lunch, it's always special. Happy New Year!