Vancouver's new pizza shop is getting recommendations before it even opens — here's what we know
Vancouver is home to so many great pizza shops that it can be hard to choose where to visit. But when one receives a recommendation from a Vancouver restaurant insider before the place has even opened, we obviously need to learn more.
During our visit to Dope Bakehouse, we had the chance to chat with owner Jess Reno (who is also behind the much-loved cafe Nemesis) about some of his favourite Vancouver spots, and he gave a raving review for one that hasn’t even opened yet: Belli Pizza.
“My buddies are opening a pizza spot that is hands down the best, in my opinion, in the city,” Reno said. So, naturally, after such a great review from someone so plugged into the industry, we had to learn more.
Dished reached out to co-owners Conor Murphy and Scott Thornhill to chat about the concept coming to the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood and what kind of pizza they’ll be serving up.
What is Belli?
“In a sentence, Belli is a new-school Pizzeria with a heavy hit of nostalgia,” said Thornhill. We were homesick for that fun, down-to-earth dining experience you get at the neighbourhood joints in cities across the East Coast.”
Thornhill cited his love for old-school diners in New York, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax as a major inspiration for Belli, adding that he wanted to bring that version of warm, charismatic, and unapologetic hospitality to Vancouver, alongside some of their favourite styles of pies and choice wines.
But why pizza? Thornhill said that he had been working in fine dining for many years and wanted to have more fun.
“Making pizza is a great time, and it’s a food that is universally loved,” he explained. “It’s a humble [dish] but it also requires a lot of attention to detail to get it right, which excites me as a chef.”
“I also love how you can have a $4 slice from a grimy pizza shop in Brooklyn and have it rival some of the best dishes you’ve ever had in Michelin Star restaurants,” Thornhill added. “This is the balance we are aiming for at Belli. Amazing meals without breaking the bank, add a couple good friends and some drinks and we’re cookin’, baby.”
Types of pizza
Belli will be serving up two versions of pies: New York-style rounds and Detroit-style square pizzas.
The Round is a naturally leavened sourdough pizza, starting with simple, good-quality flour, water, sea salt, and olive oil. After a meticulous mixing process, the dough goes through a long and slow 72-hour cold fermentation.
“We use a blend of three different flours to be able to get the results we were looking for in our round pies,” said Thornhill.
After, the pizza goes through a two-stage baking process. The first stage is high temperatures, which is meant to exaggerate the rise and gives it a light and airy crumb, creating Belli’s signature charred leopard spots on the crust. The second stage is at a much lower temperature, creating the unique crisp expected from classic New York pies.
Varieties of the round pies will include options like pepperoni, vodka, Hawaiian, Truffle honey mushroom, and the team’s favourite: the mortadella with pesto and burrata.
Belli Pizza
As for the Detroit-style pizzas, they’ll be made in a classic Detroit fashion with just a few tweaks to make them uniquely Belli’s.
This dough, which is fermented for 48 hours, is baked in a square pan encased in a fried cheese crust called frico.
Belli Pizza
Thornhill said that because of the different shape and baking protocols for the Detroit pies, they can handle more adventurous toppings. While you’ll find classic cheese and pepperoni pizza, he teased that Belli will be serving a Korean cheesy corn pizza with smokey braised short rib and gochujiang glaze, along with other more out-of-the-box flavours.
But it’s important to note that you won’t be able to grab a quick slice from Belli.
We have chosen not to do slices,” said Thornhill. “We find that pizzas are better quality when they come as a whole, fresh out of the oven. Our pies will also be available for pickup and delivery, so you can get the same restaurant-quality pizza whenever/wherever you want it.”
Aside from pizza, Belli will also have a tightly curated wine list, drawing heavily from the team’s favourite natural wines, alongside a house lager and some sides like Caesar salads, chicken wings, and desserts like tiramisu.
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The space
“We have been working with MRDK Architects, an architecture firm that has designed some of the most beautiful restaurants, wine bars and commercial spaces in Toronto and Montreal,” said Thornhill. “With the help of David Dworkind and his colleagues, we are so excited to have created something that we think is uniquely Belli in an effort to bring something new to Vancouver.”
Expect a lot of cues from old school dinners like mirrors, chrome, and bartsools alongside some funk art on the wall.
“We are hoping that the design fosters a playful environment where people can chill out and enjoy the effort we put into making what we would consider world-class East Coast pizza,” he said.
As for why the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, Thornhill said it was a no-brainer.
“We are smack dab in Vancouver’s Little Italy, two doors down from Cafe Calabria, a Vancouver institution, and sharing a wall with J&Z Deli. What more could a pizzeria ask for? We love the down-to-earth feeling on Commercial and are excited to be a part of the neighbourhood for years to come,” he said.
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Belli Pizza is expected to open its doors in either the second or third week of September. Be sure to check back here for more updates.
Belli Pizza
Address: 1733 Commercial Dr., Vancouver
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