Michael Fiorelli left the comfort of large, bustling kitchens (he was previously at Love & Salt in Manhattan Beach and Olivetta in West Hollywood) to strike out on his own. A few years ago, he joined forces with Liz Gutierrez to make top-tier wood-fired pizzas at a garden in Venice, a move that would feel cliché, given the general storyline of Chef, except that you can genuinely feel Fiorelli and Gutierrez’s innate sense of hospitality and community-building approach. Now Fiorelli Pizza has landed a tiny, mostly takeout spot on West Third Street with a smattering of stools to enjoy personal-sized New York–style thin-crust pizzas plus some helpful menu additions like lamb Bolognese and Caesar salad.
Fiorelli’s crust is sweet and aromatic but can become a tad floppy after a few minutes. Best to eat your pizza right when it lands on the table or throw it on a cast-iron skillet for a minute if taking your pie to eat at home.
Thick chocolate chip cookies with firm outer edges crumble into a delightfully melty interior. Fennel pollen-dusted cupcakes tinted with olive oil made me turn around after leaving to pick up another one to eat at home.
Dining and Cooking