You write one viral article about frozen pizza, and suddenly it’s your beat. I’m not complaining—it’s not exactly a hard job—but it’s also a little absurd, right? I’ve previously written about Screamin’ Sicilian pizzas, my go-to for busy weeknights. I’ve also tried out PORTA, a company that uses imported Italian ingredients and a Roman-style dough to create a restaurant-worthy pie.
Now, I’ve tried out an Atlanta pizzeria’s take on the frozen staple. Southerners familiar with the city’s dining scene might know Antico Pizza Napoletana as one of its most loved Italian restaurants (and as a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner), but now it has branched out of the restaurant and into the freezer aisle. Antico’s frozen pizza recently landed on the shelves at Costco, so naturally, I had to try it.
What I Thought
Antico frozen pizzas are a far cry from TombStone. I sampled the Margherita, a pizza that, at its best shows the beauty in simplicity. The Atlanta restaurant gets a lot right with its frozen pies. The Neapolitan-style crust is nicely spotted, blistered in char marks like it just came out of a wood-fired oven—not from under the frozen peas in your freezer. It also had a great chew and an airy outer edge.
The San Marzano tomato base is bright and not too sweet. The cheese, a buffalo mozzarella, was soft and melty. There was even fresh basil on top, which wasn’t bruised or bland after freezing and baking, but still fragrant and fresh. Color me impressed.
Does that crust look like it came from frozen to you?.
Credit:
Antico Casa
Where To Find These Pizzas
As mentioned, the pizzas, sold under the name “Antico Casa,” are now being carried in Costcos across the Southeast; 80 stores between Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Currently, they are only offering the Margherita variety, which comes in a two pack for $18.99. This is a little higher than other frozen pizza brands, but the quality of the product backs up the cost.
Another selling point? The Antico team put in the effort to get the recipe right. According to a press release from the brand: “The launch marks the culmination of 10 years of research and development, with every element crafted to mirror Antico Pizza’s in-restaurant experience.” You can have the best of both worlds, a restaurant-quality pizza and the comfort of your couch. Now that’s la dolce vita.
Dining and Cooking