Sushi Parma, house-made mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto:  Photo by Mark Davis

Sushi Parma, house-made mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto: Photo by Mark Davis

“This pizza is authentic New York-style, Italian pizza,” says Charlie Green, owner of Olivella’s Neo Pizza Napoletana. The restaurant’s Neapolitan-style pizza resembles more of a thin-crusted flatbread with sparse toppings, compared to the fluffy, 16-inch crust often used for sopping up ranch dressing that most Americans are accustomed to. Additionally, Olivella’s pizzas — each topped with a homemade sauce using tomatoes imported from Italy, fresh basil, and mozzarella made fresh daily — are baked in minutes inside a piping-hot wood-fired oven. Olivella’s menu also has a variety of pizza toppings to choose from for diners looking for more complex flavors. The black truffle pizza, for instance, comes topped with mozzarella, speck (an Italian meat that is smoked then cured,) mushrooms and truffle oil.

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“The mixing of the flour for the pizza dough is key for making a good Neapolitan pizza,” says Green, who adds that Olivella’s crust distinguishes it from other local pizzerias. But Green’s lips are sealed when it comes to revealing the secret ingredients that result in Olivella’s thin, crisp crust — which almost magically holds up without getting soggy. “People like our pizza because it has a good backbone,” he says.

Green acquired a taste for thin-crust pizza early in life, dining at iconic New York pizzerias that used generations-old Italian family recipes. Years later, when he relocated to Dallas, Green didn’t see any pizza joints comparable to his hometown favorites, so he decided to open one of his own. To ensure that his pizzas were authentic, Green recruited the assistance of Salvatore Olivella, the great-grandson of the family that opened Trianon in Naples, Italy, in 1923. Green opened his first restaurant, named for Olivella, in Highland Park, as well as a second location downtown, before opening Olivella’s in Hillside Village in 2012. Green says he chose the location on Mockingbird and Abrams because of its roomy patio. Outside at night, white twinkle lights dangle overhead, creating an ambiance with a touch of Old World romance, right in the heart of our neighborhood. 

Black truffle pizza at Olivellas. Photo by Mark Davis

Black truffle pizza at Olivellas. Photo by Mark Davis

Olivella’s
6465 E. Mockingbird Suite 525
469.730.2626
olivellas.com

Ambiance: Casual Italian
Price range:
Pizzas $14-$24,
entrees $9-$14
Hours:
11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon-Fri
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat
11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sun
Tp: From 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, buy one Metro size pizza and get a second one for free

More dining spots

1 Atomic Pie
This little Lake Highlands hole-in-the-wall serves up specialty pizzas topped with a variety of fresh veggies and meats. The menu features wings, salads and sweet potato fries, too. Dine in, take out or delivery is available.
9660 Audelia
214.553.5733
atomicpie.com

2 Quesa-D-Ya’s
No, it’s not pizza, but it is a delicious and practical alternative. Quesa-D-Ya’s subs the typical pie with massive quesadillas stuffed with your choice of veggies, proteins and cheeses.
10240 E. Northwest Highway
214.341.7720
quesadyas.com

3 Rockyanos
A neighborhood staple for decades, Rockyanos, a teeny establishment tucked between a day care and a 7-Eleven, delivers fresh-made, deep dish pies—quickly and inexpensively. Pick-up also is an option. No dining-in here.
9625 Plano
214.340.3811
rockyanospizza.com