Coltiva Pizzeria e Barra Now Open in Queen Anne

Right outside of the soon to be NHL stadium in Queen Anne, Coltiva Pizzeria e Barra is a new restaurant with an Italian-family-sized amount of promise.

The first thing you’ll notice at the three week old pizzeria is the atmosphere: from the Tuscan-sun colored plaster walls, to the warm wood floors, to the delicate lighting, to the eco-friendly electric pizza oven straight from Italy herself, you’ll feel transported. The small, intimate space is cozy enough to feel exclusively remote, but warm enough to feel inviting to all (just ask my seven-month-old infant and the toddler a table away with whom he become instant friends).

With ingredients sourced from Italy, like Calabrian peppers, and others from the family farm in Oregon, like the impossibly fresh green zebra tomatoes that grace the must-try (I mean, MUST) Caprese salad, the pizzeria and bar offers a refreshing twist on simple pizza, salad and cocktails that is simply delightful.

And about that pizza: as a self-proclaimed thick crust fan, I was incredibly pleased and surprised by the chewiness of the thin crust pies that Coltiva had to offer, which is the direct product of that electric pizza oven. Don’t get me wrong, though—the chewy crust still maintained a crispy integrity and is truly one that thick and thin fans can all agree on.

Stop in to try elegantly simple yet intriguing topping combinations like those on the Autunno, perfect for gorgonzola lovers: apple, honey, walnut and a bed of arugula are served atop a base of milder gorgonzola, making for a balanced flavor combination that’s only improved by the optional addition of prosciutto. Fans of spice will love the Piccante: mozzarella, Italian salami and imported Calabrian peppers all kissed with sea salt.

Coltiva offers a surprisingly large beverage list for what you’d expect from a pizzeria in the US, including great cocktails. Try the Basilica Fresca, a perfect pairing to a margherita pizza: basil-infused vodka, dolen genepy, limoncello, grapefruit and a garnish of fresh basil that greets your nose before your lips. The Happy Hour menu, available everyday from 5-6pm boasts a selection house red and white wine, Coltiva lager, and the classic Italian aperol spritz, among its food options. Also available is Kells Hazy IPA, from the brewery by the same owner as Coltiva, who is no novice to the industry, having been raised in a family of restaurant owners, including those with ties to local Post Ally favorite, Kells Irish Restaurant and Bar.

To add to the authenticity, Coltiva also offers gelato. Unable to resist a good pistachio dessert, I gave in, and so should you.