Local pizza is out of this world
Moon River Pizza is a local success with a ton of food
Benjamin Jackson
Issue date: 10/27/09 Section: Entertainment
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"A lot of other places do a lot of extra stuff, like subs or wings, but whatever else we throw into the mix takes away from our main dish: pizza," said Mallory.
Its menu consists of everything you can expect from a pizzeria, such as calzones, pizzas, and salads, and with bread sticks and pesto sticks for about $5 each.
When asked what really sets Moon River Pizza apart from other pizzerias, Mallory stated, "Ingredients. We do everything family style, everything. We put a lot of love into everything we make."
Pizzas come in two sizes: 16"and 14". Toppings range from pepperoni all the way to eggplants and artichoke hearts. The restaurant has multiple specialty pizzas including my favorite, the T-Rex, which could only be described as a true carnivore's dream. This pizza has every meat listed on the menu, including pepperoni, Italian sausage, sliced meatballs, ham, and bacon with extra mozzarella cheese.
The restaurant has calzones as well, which are made to order with ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese combined with oregano and fresh garlic to create a very hefty calzone for $7 with toppings available for only 50 cents each.
Salads come in three varieties, each under $6. The Gorgonzola salad, a personal favorite, is a dream come true for a cheese connoisseur, which uses actual gorgonzola cheese along with romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and walnuts. Served with a vinaigrette dressing, this salad is a personal favorite. Also listed are its House and Greek salads, the prior having anchovies and pepperoncinis available free, upon request.
The actual atmosphere is really a main factor in my devotion. The restaurant is very comfortable, but it is also very hip. Two flat-screen televisions hang from both sides of the restaurant, where sports fans can come in and have a beer while watching a game.
The restaurant uses its walls to display local artists, including a few Florida State College at Jacksonville students. It displays any artwork that Mallory likes.
"All they have to do is come in and ask," said Mallory.
"You walk in here and the rest of the world goes away," said Amanda Pike, a server. "You drop your problems at the door, and we try to serve you every which way we could possibly do."
The bottom line is this: Moon River Pizza isn't your typical restaurant. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxed and trendy with pizza that may be a tiny bit pricy, but what you're paying for is incredible food that won't be matched at any other pizza place. Give it a try, and it'll become a staple for your weekly lunch regimen.
Moon River Pizza is located on Edgewood Avenue South in the Murray Hill area, which is just mere minutes away from Kent Campus. The restaurant also has a location in Fernandina Beach on South 14th Street, only 15 miles west of the Nassau Center.
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