Piola Houston Midtown

It's low ambiance Italian with reasonable proportions. Post-COVID Downtown Prices coming in hot. What would have been 15 is now 25, but in Downtown Midtown that's probably just a normal day. The service was great and it's convenient to those living nearby, probably part of the "live/work/play" master planned communities.

First time trying Piola and I loved it! Everyone was soooo sweet and the food was delicious ❤️ Vicky was our waitress and she was super kind, even brought my dog some water (dog friendly on the patio). I got the Margarita pizza and it was so good with great flavor.

We came for the pizza, stayed for the service and atmosphere. It's a very cute place with a fun inviting atmosphere. The service was friendly and helpful. They have a fully stocked bar. We shared a carafe of wine, of house red blend, and it was a good wine and plenty in the carafe. More than four glasses in the carafe. I highly recommend the meatballs appetizer. I want to try more of their appetizers. The pizza was delicious and well cooked. We will be back to try some of the pasta dishes and more of the pizzas.

Purchased both a margherita pizza and a Hawaiian unfortunately didn’t get a picture of the margarita. Each were around $15 give or take. Their typical pizza is thin crust,very crunchy, and fresh out of an in house pizza oven. The margherita pizza was perfectly balanced out from the basil giving a slight minty taste. 9/10 The hawaiian was my favorite containing thick pieces of great tasting ham and big pieces of seemingly fresh pineapple. 10/10 Aside from the food our server was extremely attentive and kind overall a 10/10 experience.

Horrible. Bland Bland Bland. I’ve never seen a margarita pizza look so sad. We had to ask if they made the right one. The garlic knot appetizer was a disaster - the sauce tasted like it came straight out of a can. My pizza was somewhat edible, but only because I hadn’t eaten all day. Even my kid said it wasn’t very good…and he’ll eat anything. We spent $80 for three people and left wishing we had just gone to Pizza Hut. It would have been much tastier and way cheaper!!!

Excellent food, great beers on tap. Some sauces with high water content can mess with the crust but doesn't take away from the flavor. Service was phenomenal, Vicky was very attentive and accommodating. Good music as well, fun vibrant atmosphere.

Michele and Bruno, the owners, offer excellent Italian hospitality to their guests. I think Piola Midtown offers the best authentic Italian style pizza, the kind you'd find in Italy. I have been coming here since they opened 15 years ago and it has been consistently great all these years. Today, 2025 may have been the best pizza I've ever had here. If you like authentic Italian pizza, go where the local Italians come to eat pizza, Piola Midtown! You'll be glad you did.

Happy hour for 2, Vicky was our sweet server, we had wonderful Italian draft and prosecco. We recommend theCapricciosa pizza, just delicious, perfectly baked. Service was as amazing as the food and drink. Highly recommend!!

Pizza. Pizza. So my cousin surprised me with a delivery of a mushroom pizza. unsure but I think the place delivered and it wasn't via a food delivery service; that being said, the pizza was not hot (lukewarm) when it got here. She was a bit upset but it was edible. Reheated it in the air fryer to keep the crust crispy and the pizza was deliciously made. I really like the crust and how it was not overwhelming the actual pizza toppings. The base of the pizza was perfect, not too doughy. The mushrooms and cheese went well together. The ratio of sauce to cheese to mushroom was perfect. They do large cuts to the pizza. The fact that the reheat the next day was almost as good as when the pizza first got here says a lot about the quality. Def willing to give them another visit or order.

I was so excited to try Piola's all you can eat gnocchi night, but honestly it was a disappointment. The gnocchi was doughy and heavy, and there wasn't anything to break up the denseness of it all. We did get the meatball appetizer that came with bread, so that helped a little. I did appreciate that there were many sauces to try with the gnocchi. The most unpleasant part of our meal here was the service. The waitress was very rude, and when I asked if she could bring out the big plates the gnocchi would be served on at the same time as our appetizer, she began complaining to the other servers in Spanish about our table and gave us a not very nice look. I would not recommend.

Kicking off the Nee Year on January 4 with Spaghetti day, and found this nice spot nestled in midtown to enjoy a plate. Parking garage behind it is convenient, I asked inside if it was ok to park there because last thing anyone needs is to be towed. And yes the garage is for Piola parking. The staff is extra friendly and attentive and the music and atmosphere is modern and relaxing. The spaghetti and meatballs were steaming when it arrived and throughout my eating it remained as such. Pasta was cooked just right but the meatballs needed a bit more flavor. For the drink I opted for their cocktail Lime Caipirinha, it's a Brazilian cocktail consisting of liquor, sugar and plenty of limes. Almost like a margarita. Do recommend the tiramisu, enjoyed that you could taste the flavors of the espresso. I've had others and they aren't prepared correctly. Overall enjoyed my visit and at reasonable prices, it's a good spot to come with friends or to treat yourself!

We came on a Saturday evening and they were quick to seat us. We started with Caesar salads. I have to say those are some of the best croutons l've ever had. Idk if they are made fresh, but they sure taste that way. We love pizza so we had to try more than one. We had the Honolulu and Meat lovers. The Honolulu is delicious! The ham had a great taste I just wish the pineapple was cut in smaller pieces and not slices. The meat lovers was okay maybe because of all the meat (sausage, spicy salami and bacon) it was a bit too salty. We had the tiramisu for dessert it was delicious and creamy I loved it. Our waitress was nice and friendly but she definitely seemed overwhelmed with the amount of tables she was waiting on.

I don't know why I never heard of Piola, but I'm so glad I did. We got pizzas for lunch for a coworker's birthday. Normally, I'd be left out with pizza because I cannot eat dairy or eggs. Piola has a cauliflower crust option as well as vegan cheese. You have to pay $9 total for both of those, so it's an expensive pizza, but it was one of the best dairy free pizzas I've ever had. I got the Como. A coworker got the Como without modifications and loved his too. The size of pizza is perfect... ate the whole thing in one sitting which is uncharacteristic of me! I loved it and have already talked about wanting to go back.

We came here around 11:30 AM for a work lunch. There were about 15 of us with varying appetites. I ordered Toscanini and at first I was concerned because even though I was amongst the first to order, it took awhile to get my food relative to my colleagues. However, meal was worth the wait. It was very delicious and I ate all of it. The ingredients were very fresh and it had a very authentic Italian taste to it. I had a cappuccino afterward which was a good ending for the meal. Parking garage was very convenient and not at all busy this time of day during the week. Service was excellent although I am a little curious as to why there was only one server on duty? She was constantly moving and accomodating, although I am sure tired as all get out afterwards.

A cute neighborhood restaurant offering more than just pizza joint fare. Piola offers a bar plus indoor and outdoor seating, and service was friendly and efficient. My sister and I ordered two pasta dishes and a pizza: the Pappardelle Bolognese was nicely al dente, and, although the bolognese sauce had a wonderful zest, it was a tad on the watery side. The four cheese sauce on the Gnocchi Legnano was deliciously rich, creamy, and positively crave-worthy; however, the gnocchi was dense and doughy. The calzone was perfect! The crust was crisp and chewy in all the right places, and the sauces and meats were savory and satisfying. I would like to come back to try other dishes.

I often come here when I want a Brazilian-style pizza on a Friday night or something similar. You can't go wrong with the "Rio de Jaineiro" which is very similar to the typical frango com catupiry served in Brazil or the Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese) ones. If you're searching for a genuine Italian pizza restaurant, I highly suggest this place.

Pappardelle Mari e monti... tasted like they took the noodles from the hot boiling water, did not strain them, and just plopped them soaking wet on my plate with sauce and all. The boiled water was the only flavor which was present - nothing else.

Great casual place to grab pizza for the price. Went here for a birthday celebration, and the workers were very accommodating to a large group. Not the best margherita pizza I've had, but the atmosphere and wine made up for it.

Great food and service. The food is traditional Italian. I am always pleased when I go. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants good, clean and pure flavors.

4.5/5 Stars Place was very relax and not busy, staff was very friendly and they even communicated with my mom in Spanish which is always nice I was feeling avocado which I normally don't associated it with Italian but it was surprisingly good, it doesn't really taste like you are eating quac but a dip which was nice In my opinion all the portion are on the bigger side, even the side salad was a big can't imagine what the normal size would look like Gnocchi were probably the best place on the table if you like cheese i recommend getting Only complain would be when they offer us extra cheese to top our food we thought it was gonna be fresh parmesan, it was the kind that comes in a shaker. Still happy, would want to visit again to try their pizza

My pizza place! Love the services, the food, the prices. We have been going there for the last 14 years. My daughter tried her first Pavia over there and with 14, she still enjoy it. Feels like home.

Yum this place was SOOOOO good! We happened to stumble upon them on accident. My son and I love to go out and try new places for Houston restaurant weeks and we picked Artisans which is right next to Piola, needless to say Artisans was closed. They had a note on the door saying they would be closed til October for remodeling. So we didn't want to drive somewhere else and decided on this place because neither of us had been and I'm so glad we did. It did not disappoint in any way whatsoever. They were also doing HRW and we decided to order from that menu. I ordered the bruschetta, gnocchi and tiramisu with an americano. The portions were big and the food was so yummy! The toast for the bruschetta was perfect, nice and crispy on the outside edges and chewy in the middle. Yum. I loved all of my food. My son ordered the meatballs and Margherita pizza, tiramisu and cappuccino. He loved all of his too. I tasted his meatballs and the sauce was so good! That focaccia bread too! OMG. Our service was fantastic as well, Jose waited on us and he was great. It's a small little place with a brick oven for pizzas. Parking on the street and there is a parking garage right next door. I will definitely come back to try out some of their other yummy menu items. I definitely recommend this place!

Great pizza, salad and service! True authentic pizza like the ones we had in Rome and Naples

The Mister and I came here on a whim. First let me tell you that you cannot park right in front of their business on the street, as that is a no parking zone, yet we save a few people doing just that. Risky, but you do you boo. There is a garage on the backside that we park in and it's easy breezy. The atmosphere is really nice inside, so I felt kind of bad that I didn't put any effort into dressing the part and instead came in some work out shorts and a tank top. But they did not mind. LOL. We ordered the Piola meatballs, which are a meal in themselves. For the pizza, we ordered the Diavolo. What I thought was odd was they don't have pepperoni, it's more like salami, but it tasted great! The crust was thin and the pizza was very delicious. They have a full bar, too, and we did order drinks. It was a great meal that I am certain we will partake in again!

This is the Neopolitan style pizza I've been looking for in Houston. A new favorite for sure. We got the Houston, the Pompeii (my favorite) and the seafood pizza. The seafood was a little too wet and the crust didn't quite hold up to the weight, but the flavor was rad. The crust is perfectly thin and crispy which was what I think was missing from other (still great) places like Gypsy Poet

We love going to Piola, specially for gnocchi day which happens once a month! It's never too crowded and the service is very good. The pizzas are also fantastic! The midtown location is much better than the one in uptown.

This is a great pizza place tucked away downtown. Fantastic pizza with fresh ingredients and awesome crust makes for an awesome pizza. Great variety on the menu as well as customize your order. Service is great and atmosphere that is cozy and great for conversation. You need to add this to your bucket list!

Delicious pizza and drinks. Will definitely be back. The service was great too! Went before a concert and worked out perfectly.

we went for a dinner & wine date this evening and everything was great. the weather was beautiful so we sat out on the patio. the restaurant and the customer service was nice. our food and drinks came out fast and everything was delicious. thank you for a great experience.

I am Italian. I have been coming at Piola Midtown since 2011. This is the only place in Houston where I can find my favorite authentic flavors and styles. Bravissimi !

Consistently some of the best pizza and pasta around. I've been eating here since 2018 and it's always delicious. Service is kind and the restaurant is clean. The Spaghetti Alla Crudaiola is 10/10 every time.

Found this place during the Houston Astros parade. We were walking towards where the parade would end. On our way there a piola employee was giving out free pizza and I am not one to turn down FREE PIZZA! That one slice did something to my taste buds I had to come back for more after the parade. They have inside and outside dinning tables. The Margherita Pizza was amazing!

I've been coming here for 5 years so I don't know how I'm barely reviewing Piola! This is actually the place where my boyfriend and I had our first date so it holds a special place in my heart. Now on to the important stuff! Cleanliness: Piola is always clean and I actually rarely see an unkempt table. Service: the waiters and waitresses are always so kind and attentive. They've had the same people working there ally here years so I am assuming it's because management is treating them well! Food: Penne Rosate: always a favorite. They do not skimp out on the salmon here. The plates are huge! Gnocchi Pompei: I tried this for the very first time. This was so yummy! I think iwoild get this next time I want some heavy comfort food. Moderna pizza: a delicious, light flavor with arugula and parmesan. Ambiance: the outdoor seating is very nice on a warm evening. It's never too loud and just a great spot overall for a date or with a group of friends. This is a comfort spot that never disappoints. I highly recommend!

A friend of mine suggested this place for pizza and it did not disappoint. A little pricey for a lunch pizza place but good food and great service.

We loved this place. Every dish we had was excellent and tasted so fresh. If we lived in this neighborhood we'd be here all the time. We will definitely be back.

Met Zain R here for dinner recently. It was good to catch up after a long absence due to current conditions. We sat outside on the patio and there was social distancing in place. Masks were required about entrance, and it was pretty empty at the restaurant. We ordered bruschetta and garlic knots for appetizer. For main entrees, we ordered a moderna pizza and lasagna. The bruschetta bread was pretty good and topped with juicy chunks of tomatoes. The garlic knots were bursting with garlic and the aroma just caught the attention of all that were passing our table. The pizza toppings were generous spread around. It had basil leaves, cheese tomatoes and arugula. The lasagna was also a nice chunky piece of pasta with ground beef. We enjoyed our meal. I plan on visiting them soon as our server told us that on the 29th of every month, they host an all you can eat gnocchi. They serve like almost 12 different flavors.

The pizzas here are really good, you can even get some unique flavors like the Odessa which has no tomato sauce and is topped with prosciutto . Be sure to ask for the spicy oil to dip the crust in! So good! The only down side is that the prices are pretty expensive (more than $15 for most pizzas). But they have a pretty good happy hour with $5 personal pizzas in either plain, pepperoni, or veggie (my personal favorite). I would also recommend the Verde and co salad, the dressing is delicious and it is packed with fresh veggies! Don't skip dessert! The profiteroles are awesome! They make a really good aperol spritz and have a nice wine selection with bottles half off on Wednesdays! The staff are also super nice and friendly!

As you can see in the picture, I was supposed to have a before photo but I couldn't wait Good customer service. Be sure to check them out. #VeganOptions #HappyHour #Anytime #DowntownHouston

Excellent service, excellent ambiance, even better food. Had a salad, pizza, and dessert...leaving the restarting stuffed. From looking at other people's meals, I'm sure I could come back and try something new and be just as happy. I'll be back soon!!!

The service was immaculate, our server was very friendly and attentive. Simple Italian fare that was very delectable. Immediately, within my first bite I knew this place took pride in their food. Handcrafted pasta followed up with a unique meat sauce. We got the Bolognese. All the aroma with a hint of basil really gave it a very attractive yet appealing taste. Overall, I would give this place a 8/10. It was nothing out of this world, but it was impressive enough that you could notice within the first bite of the meal. The portion size was just right. I would recommend this place for anyone in the midtown area!

We were craving of seafood pizza and found out this place with a good reviews, and blessed that the food were delicious. One thing that impressed us that the restaurant has open kitchen that we can see how they made our pizzas.

I came here on a Saturday night with a group of friends, and we were seated right away. The waitress was friendly and made sure to get us waters and a drink menu. We ordered a few different pizzas, and I ordered just a regular pepperoni. The quality of food was good, they do wood fire pizza (which i prefer) so I have no complaints. Next time I will try something more extravagant but I enjoyed my pizza.

I have been wanting to check out this cute little spot sandwiched between Gen KBBQ and Jinya Ramen and it did not disappoint! The interior was beautiful with hanging colorful lights and a cute outdoor patio. The food was delicious and affordable for Italian fare. The garlic knots were perfectly garlicky and fluffy, the chicken parm was crunchy and cheesy. The ravioli was my favorite in a delicious pink sauce with beef and herbs inside. The ravioli was quite salty but they brought us a new one which was much better.

I think this may have gotten a really low rating based on my previous experiences before COVID but the outdoor seating + the service + the food this previous time really raised the bar for me. Piola is located in midtown in the 24 hours fitness building. I came with a friend who I hadn't seen the beginning of quarantine and we were so glad to have ended up here. Originally our plan was to go to Gen Korean BBQ but that place was so crowded and they were totally not following any kind of social distancing. But I digress. Piola had people inside who were sitting at a distance and there was a lot of space outside on the patio. It was one of those Houston nights that feel like you are in one of those cities where you can sit on the patio. Initially we were going to order our separate dishes but I got very greedy and we decided to split the pizza while I also got the lasagna rina. For starters, we got the garlic knots and the bruschetta. Now let me tell you - these garlic knots were packing a punch. No, not like like Kangaroo Jack but a punch of flavor. Every bite had just enough sweetness from the marinara that you were dipping it in while still having a robust garlic flavor coming through. Same thing with the bruschetta. Normally, I do not like bruschetta and was a little apprehensive when my friend suggested that we order it but I am so glad we did because it was one of my favorite things of the night. The tomatoes were so fresh and everything married really well in each bite. The bread never lost its crunch with the mixture of tomatoes sitting on top because nothing kills the mood like a soggy bottom. The moderna was a pizza that I did not expect to order because my friend is a bit of a carnivore but he gladly conceded and we got it and I think he liked it even more than I did. It is topped with fresh arugula, diced tomatoes and shaved grana padano cheese. I didn't know what this cheese was going to be like but it tasted like the much ignored cousin of Parmigiano Reggiano. I couldn't really taste the difference but because I knew that it wasn't parm, I was all the more fascinated. And by this time I was so full, I could barely taste my lasagna which was excellent. And it tasted even better as leftovers the next day for lunch. Piola - I don't know what you guys did before but I am so glad I decided to give you all another chance because I cannot wait to return and indulge in everything else that you have to offer.

I love this place so clean and the food it so delicious the waitress are so nice. 10 out of 10.

I came on Gnocchi Night and was excited to try so many flavors. It was unfortunately a disappointment. The gnocchi was slightly undercooked (perhaps? It was mushier than it should've been), but ultimately, it was all really quite bland. The sauces had little flavor and the gnocchi was only a carrier of the mediocre sauce. I genuinely wish I had tried the pizza because it looked far better. I ate perhaps 15 pieces of gnocchi before realizing every flavor would end up being as flavor less as the four I had tried. At $19, this was a massive waste of my money. Another important feature of Gnocchi Night is that it isn't made to order. You have to wait for a bowl to come around with gnocchi in it and they ask if you want it or not. This is extremely slow, as I had 4 flavors over 40 minutes. There were flavors I had originally hoped to try, but grew impatient to try the whole menu of them. I ended the night with the cannoli. It was good! It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was a good one. Service was good, it's nice that the pasta was homemade, just flavorless, and overly priced considering all of the situation. I wish management had spoken to me about the gnocchi. I hate that I paid so much for so little in the end. Perhaps I'll return to try the pizza one day. We'll see.

A solid 4 starts for its pizzas and garlic bread for dinner. The house wine was on. The serving lady was great.

Pizza was so good! Came out quickly but made fresh. My cocktail was delicious. And friendly staff. Just an all around good spot for fresh pizza and lunch date

Overpriced; pizza was floppy and ingredients seem nothing special. Got the Piola pizza: hard to justify $19 for a small cheese pizza that has some basil leaves thrown on it and maybe three small balls of burrata altogether. We probably won't be back.

The ambiance was very comforting when we walked in. Our waitress came to our table shortly after we sat down. Our food was wonderful. The four of us each ordered something different. We all loved what we ordered! I got the lasagna and it was one of the best I've ever had.

Delicious! Food and friendly staff. The pizza and pasta was fresh and very tasty. I would definitely return.

What are they putting in their pizza? It's so good. I usually get the Piola or the Margherita pizza And I'm obsessed with it. The crust is very thin and light, the sauce is perfectly balanced and not overbearing, and the cheese is addictive. I'm not sure what brings out the specific flavor that is in these pizzas but it's so airy and light. I thought it was just me, so I got these pizzas for my whole team at work and everyone said the same thing. I had people from other teams trying to sneak into my team room to have another slice, and it's not just because it's pizza. The downside of it being so light is that one pizza is definitely not enough for two hungry people, you'd probably want something extra on the side. I've tried the gnocchi which is fairly good but not magical in the way the pizza is. All in all I definitely recommend trying to place. FYI- I've only interacted with this restaurant Through DoorDash, so I can't comment on the in person experience. However, I've probably ordered over 20 times in the last three months since I discovered it.

The pizza options are great. Crust very fresh. Fun to sit outside when weather allows.

The pizza was just...bland. Not bad, but not great either. The Caesar salad was mid also, and it was $7 for a draft Peroni.

I actually ended up at Piola thinking it was a recommendation from a friend and it was actually the "wrong" place BUT, glad I ended up here. Lol Started out with the garlic knots and meatball appetizers and both were pretty good! The pizza is thin-crusted and I thoroughly enjoyed it; thought it was the perfect texture and taste. I ordered then Ortomisto and my fiancé ordered the Meat Lovers and both were delicious! I'll definitely be back.

We came here to have a cocktail while we were on the waiting list to have dinner at another restaurant close by. Luis our bartender was wonderful. Answered all our questions about the appetizers on the menu. We chose the Prosciutto & Co with the Burratta cheese. It was very very good and also refreshing on the 100 degree Texas day we were having. We ended up calling the other restaurant and taking our names off the waiting list and ordering pizzas and pasta right at the bar with Luis. Loved the thin cracker like crust on the pizzas! My husband ordered the pappardelle pasta with mushrooms and shrimp. (I apologize I didn't get the picture of it) He said it was the best pappardelle pasta plate he's ever had. We all tasted it and agreed. We will be back!

We came in on a busy Saturday night, but the staff was exceptionally helpful and put together a few tables for us to be seated immediately outside even if our group of 8 had to squeeze into a space meant for 6. The best part about the experience was the service. The food came out so quickly, and everything was delicious. For starters, we got the Caprese and Aristotele salad. Both of these were fresh and tasty. For the pizzas, we got the Margherita, Funghi Misti, Houston, and Ortomisto. Every single one of these pizzas was flavorful and the thin crust had a perfect crisp when bitten into. As a mushroom lover, my favorite would have to be the Funghi with the Ortomisto coming in as a close second. I cannot express how pleased my family and I were with the number and quality of the vegetarian options. Although the food was pricey for the quantity and size, I would like to come back and try some of the pastas as well!

I would definitely recommend coming here on the 29th day of any month! That's lucky gnocchi day so they have bottomless gnocchi for $18. Every few minutes they bring out a pot of gnocchi with one of the various sauces on it and you can choose whether you want a scoop or not (or you can ask for extra). I'd also say it's good to try everything that looks yummy and then just eat a bit of it instead of the whole thing so you can save room to try all the sauces. You can take anything you don't eat home in a to-go container. The gnocchi itself is super pillowy and delicious (infinitely better than store-bought gnocchi). My friend has been here a bunch and said that if a certain pasta dish doesn't have the type of pasta you want you can ask for a swap (for example, if you wanted gnocchi cividale but they only had penne cividale on the menu, you can ask for gnocchi covidale and they'll make it for you).