More often than not, great stories begin with disappointment. For Varun and Ritvik, it was the lack of good pizza joints here in the city that sparked the idea to start one themselves. Business partners turned friends, they decided if no one was going to make the kind of pizza they wanted to eat, they’d just do it themselves and do it right.
When we walked into the Za Pizza Café, the duo was deep in R&D mode, tasting and tweaking potential additions to their menu. Naturally, we pulled up a chair and got a sneak peek. A Palak paneer-based pizza and a Butter chicken-based pizza. Admittedly, as non-veg loyalists, our expectations for the Palak one were low. But plot twist, it wasn’t bad at all. The spinach was subtle, the cheese mellow, and the base just the right kind of chewy. The butter chicken version, thankfully, didn’t fall into the typical trap of being too saucy or overpowering. We’re hoping both make it to the menu soon.
To start off, we ordered Et tu Brute salad, their version of a Caesar salad. Crisp mixed lettuce, pickled onions (our favourite part), and shavings of parmesan made it light and fresh. Eat it quick though, the leaves wilt if you wait. The name, a cheeky nod to Brutus’ betrayal, somehow made sense.
While we waited, we also ordered their Garlic parmesan pillows, garlicky bites with an array of dips. Not revolutionary, but definitely something to pick on while catching up with friends. We also tried the Kentucky chicken tenders, served with a trio of dips. They’re long, crunchy, and seasoned in-house, topped with coriander, though a bit more tenderness wouldn’t hurt. Still, they’re the really good ones to snack on while waiting for the stars of the show.
The first one was the Angry pep, brought together by pepperoni, jalapeños, and a fiery tomato sauce-to-cheese ratio that felt just right. It was fiery but not obnoxious, flavourful without being overwhelming. We loved that we didn’t feel stuffed after a slice, so we reached for a second without guilt. The vegetarian variant, called Triple treat also held its own, and that’s saying a lot coming from us. It had enough going on to not feel like a compromise.
We wrapped the meal with Tiramisu, soft, rich, not overly sweet, and just the right hint of coffee to keep that post-pizza nap at bay.
Meal for two: ₹1,000++. From 12 noon to 11 pm and till 12 midnight on Fri & Sat. At Oyster Building, KNK Road, Kilpauk.
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