The smell of freshly baked pizza wafts through the air of the parking lot. A fragrant, warm breeze from the wood fired oven and affectionate faces wait at the door.

Pizzazz Pizzeria isn’t home to the famous five-dollar pizza, canned sauces, or dull employees. Rather, Pizzazz is committed to quality service, and even higher quality ingredients. Pizzazz is definitely the place to stop for an exceptional Italian dinner.

Pizzazz’s menu is comparable to other Italian restaurants such as LaRich’s on Bishop Road in Highland Heights. While prices are comparable, a large pizza at LaRich’s selling for $10, and similarly costing $10.50 at Pizzazz, the quality at Pizzazz is far superior.

What clearly sets Pizzazz apart from other Italian joints is the value of their food. Everything is made fresh and cooked to order. No matter what I order off the menu I always get the biggest bang for my buck.

A hefty pepperoni and cheese calzone is $8.75. The calzone is cut up into six large strips and topped with decadent butter, salty garlic powder and Romano cheese, and finished with a dusting of black pepper that provides the perfect kick.

For $10.50 my table also ordered a large Hawaiian style pizza with ham and pineapple.

The dough is light and airy and topped with the best part, the sauce. The homemade tomato sauce has the perfect balance of tangy tomato and sweetness. To contrast the sweetness of the sauce, the pizzas are sprinkled with salty provolone melted to perfection.

The toppings are generously piled on forming a thick blanket over the gooey cheese. The tender, salty ham worked in harmony with sweet pineapple.

Pizzazz’s excellent service made my experience even more enjoyable. As soon as I walked into the restaurant I was greeted by a smiling waitress who gave us our option of a table or booth.

Upon seating, the waitress immediately delivered our beverages and our food followed shortly after.

To compliment the excellent food and service, the décor in Pizzazz creates a true Italian feel. When I walked into the restaurant my eyes were immediately drawn to the walls adorned with beautiful stone. In addition, the large booths appeared to be crafted from rustic wood.

The combination of attentive servers and rustic decorations made it feel as if I was dining in a true Italian home. Sophomore Megan McNelly said, “I love the atmosphere at Pizzazz! The servers make you feel welcome and the decorations are authentic.”

While my experience at Pizzazz was very pleasant, there were some aspects about the restaurant that were less than admirable. First off, the restaurant is quite small for the amount of guests that dine in.

Though the booths are large and comfortable, the tables are a different story. My party went at a time when the restaurant wasn’t crowded, so luckily we were able to choose a booth. However, those who were later seated at a table did not appear to be comfortable.

The tables are small to begin with, and due to the small size of the dining room, the tables are placed very close together.

Nevertheless, the positives of this restaurant far outweigh the negatives. Even the times when I was placed at a table, I was not upset. The food and atmosphere of the restaurant quickly distracted me from where I was sitting.

Overall I give Pizzazz 9 out of 10 slices of pizza. Pizzazz is no doubt worth your time and money!

About the restaurant:

Name: Pizzazz Pizzeria

Location: 839 SOM Center Rd. Mayfield Village, Ohio 44143

Price: Moderate

Type of food: Italian

Phone number: 440-461-2233

Website: http://pizzazzpizzeria.com/

Rating: 9 out of 10 pizzas