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I almost didn't write this post because I don't want you guys to read this and crowd up one of my favorite places!

The Good: Great service, actually a little over attentive at times. But a welcome change to the normal "we'll get to you" restaurants, the owner and staff were very friendly. The Bad: the atmosphere the place was designed a little to serile, lacking emotion or direction - a play it save design, having back aching bench seating. The ugly: food was mediocre, the fresh pizza was undercooked dough with scant toppings, the pasta - average at best. At prices that makes us wonder if we had ordered pizza or filet mignon?

Finally another great (and real) Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. As an Italian I can assure you that Campo is as authentic as it gets. It's real regional Italian food with a twist--by a twist I don't mean "fusion", ...I mean that they do some interesting mixes such as risotto but with farro instead of arborio or carnaroli rice. Imported DOP/DOC ingredients (meaning with origin control and certification), carefully cooked all with the right amount of sauce, salt and especially cook time (referring especially to the pasta/gnocchi). The pizza has just the right amount of cheese and sauce/toppings. My friends, pizza is not supposed to be covered in cheese and oozing all over the place. The pasta is not supposed to be floating in sauce...it's supposed to be lightly covered in it. ...etc Also, Campo's pizza is Roman style meaning slightly thicker and not circular, so don't expect a super thin round pizza. (it's actually great to get 2 or 3 and share them) On top of that, the owner Andrea is a real gentleman who loves good food and loves what he does. He will explain to you all the ingredients, where they come from and what all the acronyms (referring to origin and certifications) mean. He's got some great wines and everything is reasonably priced. It has become our go to restaurant in the neighborhood and to be truthful in NY. We never venture into Manhattan for Italian as the food at Campo de Fiori and Al Di La across the street are the two best in my opinion (and most relaxed) Italian places we've found in NY so far. Bravo Andrea.

My boyfriend and I sampled Campo de Fiori's pizza at the 5th Ave street fair after walking by the storefront for the past few months. We we mega-impressed -- great taste, delicious sauce, crispy crust etc. etc. Tonight we decided to place an order for delivery after our great street fair experience. 45 minutes later, a 4-slice (small, square), cheese/beef pizza arrived cold. For $16. Definitely not worth it.

I love their pizza! The first time I had it I wasn't convinced, but i think my pallet just wasn't used to this class of pie. The dough is divine and the sauce is savory. The taste is unique, as this isn't your hole in the wall pizza joint. Finish it off with their espresso and die a happy death.

I'd been wanting to try Campo de Fiori ever since it opened and finally managed to tonight. In a word, it was mediocre. Upon ordering we were served a few slices of pallid "focaccia"which tasted like it was from a supermarket. There wasn't even any olive oil to dip it in and make it worth while. We ordered the bruschetta with tomatoes, burrata, olive oil and basil. Perhaps it was our fault to order tomatoes in April, but surely for $6 they could have sprung for some cherry tomatoes which would have had much better (ie. any) flavor and texture. I was anxious to try burrata, never having had it, but the stingy 1/2 teaspoon on the slice of bread (which was nicely toasted) was barely enough to give any point of view when up against the mound of tasteless tomatoes. Some salt and pepper might have greatly helped. Sadly, this was the high point of the meal. The pizzas, while larger than we thought they would be, were poorly done. My friend got a margherita with arugola and I got one with mushrooms - both were virtually flavorless. Topped with a watery, lackluster tomato sauce that rendered the crust soggy within minutes - and scattered with a few small token dollops of cheese that slid off when the pizza was lifted, I've rarely been so underwhelmed by food at a restaurant. Even had it been the price of a slice at a pizza joint, it would not have been worth it, let alone at 8 times the price. And there was no opportunity to attempt to enliven it as there was no salt or pepper on any of the tables. On the positive side - even when full the restaurant wasn't over-noisy, and they took care (or by coincidence) to seat the parties with multiple small children all in the back).

First, I'll be honest; I'm a spoiled snob when it comes to travel & food, so if I sound pretentious, take this for what it is worth. I'm in Rome several times a year. I grew up in NYC and now live in Colorado, so it is crucial to find the very best places to eat when traveling, which is often. I am a regular at Pizzeria Da Baffetto in Rome, the preeminent pizza joint in the city. Great pizza and classic Italian fare s a lifestyle. On to our impressions of Campo de Fiore. Pizza: Not a pure Roman crust, but actually smarter for a slightly more upscale NY crowd. You can identify it with NY-style crust, but this crust has small air pockets to make it very light and delicate, but firm, so it passes the "you-can-eat-it-with-your-hands" test. The crust has excellent flavor and likely has extra virgin olive oil as an ingredient. Sauce: Flavorful, slightly sweet tomato. Creative, pizza menu factors in eclectic choices while being "health" conscious. Pasta: Several "homemade," meaning made from scratch on the premises. I understand the owner is from Rome and has worked at Del Posto; among the best Italian in Manhattan. So, the two sauces we had were very light and tasty. Wine: Very intelligent wine menu; Many choices, at least 12-15, by price category (if I remember correctly); $28, $45 & $68. The point is that there is quality and value in each category. The owner is a sommelier, so they have figured the best wines at the best prices to compliment the menu. I know there was a Barolo on the $68 list that I paid $105 recently. But, there are superb values on the $28 & 45 menus as well. Appetizers/Salads: Very traditional Italian, with a wide array of Italian salumi from imported prosciutto to speck. Salads come looking and tasting very fresh. Service: Very pleasant & efficient. The manager/owner stopped by several times to consult on ordering our food & wine parings. Atmosphere: Cool, relaxed; fun. The place is very clean (Rule: Always check out the rest rooms to gauge cleanliness; it is a reflection of how clean things are in the kitchen. The rest rooms were very clean & had good hot water; think kitchen staff cleaning their hands adequately before handling your food.) Lastly, we stay in midtown when in NYC. Took the R train to the Union Street station in Park Slope. There are 1,000 restaurants in between and the trip took 30 minutes. I will do this again & again; Campo de Fiore is really worth it.