Tasty Italian at Pizzeria Roberti
Pizzeria Roberti keeps it old-school Italian with New York-style pizza, meatballs the size of tennis balls and a red sauce your Italian grandmother would approve of, all in a small neighborhood joint in east Orlando.
What I would try a second time
Roughly the circumference of a large orange, Pizzeria Roberti’s rice ball ($5) was a sizable appetizer.
The crisp outer shell broke open into a velvety mixture of rice and fontina cheese with a dot of meat in the middle.
What I didn’t like
My bowl of chicken Parmesan ($15) was a classic, if underwhelming, rendition of the dish.
What I would put on Instagram
Be on the lookout, via Pizzeria Roberti’s socialmedia accounts, for some over-the-top specials. The restaurant is known to put everything from foie gras to the ingredients of a Reuben sandwich on a pie.
Other eats
Our two meatballs ($6) were nearly the size of the rice ball. The meatballs were coated in a tomatocentric sauce — very little herb flavor — that balanced sweetness and acidity. A generous sprinkle of Parmesan finished off these well-packed spheres.
You don’t walk into a pizzeria without grabbing a slice or two, so we gave Roberti’s New York-style
Pizzeria Roberti
Where: 2751 S. Chickasaw Trail, Orlando When: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday Cost: $2-$18 Beverages: Beer, soda, juice Wine by the glass: No Attire: Casual Extras: Good for families, indoor and outdoor seating Noise level: Low Wheelchair access: Good Credit: Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Discover Call: 407-634-0041 Online: pizzeriaroberti.com and Facebook pies a try.
The sturdy yet pliable, slightly sweet crust did not falter under the weight of tomato sauce and meat (pepperoni on one and a combination of Italian sausage and pepperoni on the other).
Dessert — tiramisu ($6) — was a to-go treat. The traditional Italian dessert featured a nice bite of coffee that stood out among the treat’s overall light creaminess.
How I was treated
Pizzeria Roberti is a counter-service hybrid — diners order at the front, but their meals are brought to them. Every employee we encountered was friendly and helpful.
My next visit
More pizza will be in my future — Pizzeria Roberti offers delivery through UberEats.
For bar-hoppers
Beer and pizza make for an ideal pair so, of course, Pizzeria Roberti offers a few standard brews.
For those with special diets
More vegetarianfriendly dishes such as eggplant Parmesan, pesto pasta and baked ziti round out the restaurant’s animalfree items.