Deluca’s Pizza, a hot springs staple and a Dave Portnoy favorite. Located in the heart of downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is an Italian pizza shop that does so much more. I had to see what all the hype was about, and it did not disappoint.
Let's start with the atmosphere. This place is unique in every way possible, it doesn't have just one set theme, which most of the time doesn’t work but in this case it does. Its dark, loud, and in a way seems wild and reckless, but I felt comfortable the entire time and enjoyed the atmosphere. The chef/owner walked around to every table and seemed to make a personal connection with each one, which I thought was awesome. Although the thing I found most unique was the fact that you cannot reserve a table, but you can reserve pizza dough, because of how frequently they run out. So get there early because the wait can get long.
Before talking about food, I'll do a quick cocktail review. They have a pretty good selection when it comes to their drink menu and definitely right up your alley if you are looking for nicer speciality cocktails. I enjoyed their old fashion which I found very delicious and well made. I also tried their specialty rum and coke, it was a good sipping drink but nothing too special. I would recommend the old fashion if you are a whiskey fan.
Now let’s get into the food. We started off with the focaccia sticks and they were to die for! Light, cheesy, crispy, and the marinara dipping sauce was amazing. Hit all the right notes and didn't leave me to full for the main course. Moving on to pizza, we decided on the “Sidetown” (Dave Portnoy's favorite) which was their take on a fresh mozzarella cheese pizza, and we got a “Patsy Searcy” which was a sweet and spicy pie. Both were outstanding! Cooked to perfection with incredibly delicious ingredients. I would say not to come here expecting a “New York Slice” because it’s more of a traditional Italian style. It has a char on the crust and focuses more on the cheese and freshness, at least that's what I took from it. Nevertheless It was amazing pizza and a fun time. I 100% recommend it for any date night or night out with friends, and I will definitely be back soon.
Taste: 9.2/10
Presentation: 9.0/10
Service: 8.5/10
Atmosphere: 9.0/10
Value: 8.5/10
Total Score: 8.9/10
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