October is National Pizza Month in the United States and savvy connoisseurs are surely looking for a perfect pie to honor the occasion. Look no further than Massa Café Italiano located at 7434 W North Ave. in Elmwood Park.
Nothing at the café is frozen or pre-made and owners Anthony and Giovanna Lollino prioritize serving the freshest ingredients available. In addition to serving up a wide variety of authentic house-made Italian dishes, award winning gelato, and an array of coffee drinks, the quaint restaurant-row eatery peddles nine artisan pizzas. Dough at Massa is made fresh daily and cooked at high temperature yielding a perfectly cooked thin-crust pizza with a slight crunch and pleasant chew.
Massa’s “red” pizzas come in classic versions like Margherita, featuring tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella and more creative combinations like BBQ chicken and spicy Diavola. The fresh spinach and ricotta pizza ($12.99) with roasted garlic, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheeses is an indulgent vegetarian option but is not overly heavy.
If red sauce doesn’t suit your fancy, Massa offers pesto and white pizzas as well. Look for a hearty bechamel, mushroom, caramelized onion, and arugula topped pizza to stand up to classic pizza topping combinations. If you are looking to end your meal with a pizza, Massa also offers a dessert pizza topped Nutella, fresh strawberries and whipped cream ($12.59).
If you are following a Keto diet, Massa now offers a new gluten-friendly pizza with an Italian sausage crust. For just $12.99 in keeping with traditional Italian-style the meat base it topped with homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese making it “keto-approved.”
Square-cut Sicilian bakery pizza is another mainstay at Massa Café Italiano. Known for a thicker, airy crust, Sicilian pizza is hand-pressed and topped with cheese, sausage or pepperoni. Massa’s bakery pizza is sold by the slice, but half pan and full-pan orders can be accommodated with advanced notice.
So make the most of National Pizza Month: Gather your family and friends, select the perfect pizza for you and enjoy it alongside one of Massa’s colorful and crunchy salads and a cup or cone of their award-winning gelato.
There truly is a pizza for every palate at Massa Café Italiano.
