Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna
Restaurant · River North ·
Tavern-style & artisan pizzas, pasta, cocktails, lively bar
Tavern-style & artisan pizzas, pasta, cocktails, lively bar
"Some ideas are guaranteed to be a hit, whether they’re good or not. This fact has kept Michael Bay rich for decades. Zarella, a pizza-focused Italian spot in River North from the team behind Alla Vita, is one of these ideas. The menu: uncomplicated. The neighborhood: busy. The booths: big. But we’re delighted to report that this spot is, indeed, good. There are dueling pizza styles, tavern and “artisan” (thin but with a puffy edge), and both have tangy crusts with admirable structural integrity. Zarella’s winning formula of pizza + giant bar + upbeat pop music equals an easy, reasonably affordable, low-stakes place. Come here the next time you need to get a random assortment of people together." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen, adrian kane, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, nick allen, john ringor, nick allen, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, adrian kane, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor
"Zarella is the pizza-focused Italian spot in River North from the team behind Alla Vita and this place is a crowd-pleaser. The menu: uncomplicated. The neighborhood: busy. The booths: big. But we’re delighted to report that the pies at this spot are great. There are dueling pizza styles, tavern and “artisan” (thin but with a puffy edge). Both have a tangy crust with admirable structural integrity, and stand out in Chicago’s competitive pizza landscape. The only solution is to get at least one of each." - nick allen, adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor
"Zarella is a pizza-focused Italian spot in River North from the team behind Alla Vita. The menu: uncomplicated. The neighborhood: busy. The booths: big. This place is crowded, and it's also perfect any time you need to get a random assortment of people together. There are dueling pizza styles, tavern and “artisan” (thin but with a puffy edge), and both have tangy crusts with admirable structural integrity. Zarella’s winning formula of pizza + giant bar + upbeat pop music equals an easy, reasonably affordable, low-stakes place." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"Boka Restaurant Group has reimagined a key River North spot as a pizzeria, tapping two of its talented chefs, Chris Pandel (Swift & Sons) and Lee Wolen (Boka), to create a tavern-style and a thin-crust artisan option. There’s also a stellar gluten-free thin-crust pie. Expect a casual atmosphere with top-notch service. This is the former GT Fish & Oyster space, and the space closes at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, so there’s still a nightlife vibe. But don’t tell the parents who show up early with their kids. Zarella is really trying to please a large swath of customers." - Ashok Selvam
"Some ideas are guaranteed to be a hit, whether they’re good or not. This fact has kept Michael Bay rich for decades. Zarella, a pizza-focused Italian spot in River North from the team behind Alla Vita, is one of these ideas. The menu: uncomplicated. The neighborhood: busy. The booths: big. But we’re delighted to report that this spot is, indeed, good. There are dueling pizza styles, tavern and “artisan” (thin but with a puffy edge), and both have tangy crusts with admirable structural integrity. Zarella’s winning formula of pizza + giant bar + upbeat pop music equals an easy, reasonably affordable, low-stakes place. Come here for a team dinner, or anytime you need to get a random assortment of people together." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
