Crust Pizzeria Napoletana

The unspeakable has happened. Crust is closed. A sign on the door says they’re re-​opening in April at 840 West Main in Carmel. Just up the road. Damn.

I like the convenient location, and the food is very good. Crispy, fresh pizza. I’ve had a couple strange experiences with the waitstaff, but ordinarily I sit at the bar. Both bartenders have been excellent. I would recommend Crust to others. I’ve never been less than satisfied with the food.

Really nice corner shop, neat décor and feel. The wings are REALLY good. Pizza is good, not the greatest thing in the entire world, but good nevertheless. I enjoyed the thin crust. Would definitely recommend.

Finally got to try this close-​by pizza joint.
We went for lunch and arrived just after it opened so there wasn’t too much business yet.
There was one server who was pleasant and helpful. He made some suggestions and pointed out the lunch menu. I ordered a pizza off the main menu and my husband ordered a calzone. The server gave a lunch price for the calzone even though it wasn’t one of the options.
I went for the wood fired crust per the servers suggestion and I’m glad I did. Even though it was a little pricey, there was wayyyy more than one person would need.
The crust was delicious and the toppings were fresh and plentiful. We also had some
Goat cheese in tomato sauce– to die for! Needed more bread for the amount of cheese and sauce though.
Service was quick. Everything tasted delicious. The only real bummer was the overall cost. It was just a tad on the expensive side for lunch –tho the portions supported the cost.

Best service and food on our last visit a few days ago. I was not going to stay if we got the same usual slow and inefficient server. We asked for a specific server and almost didn’t get him. So glad in the end we did. Eric is one of the best servers this place has. He is always very personable and we never have an empty glass. He got a really good tip and because of him we will keep coming back.

It has a lot of potential, a great location and good food. The manager and chef came out to check on us. The service was pretty bad other than that though, but our waitress was new.
She put our orders in incorrectly and charged us for toppings we didn’t get. She proceeded to kind of argue with one my friends that there was basil on her pizza then admitted she didn’t even know what basil looks like… She seemed confused about pretty much everything and wasn’t nice on top of that. I am guessing she won’t be around long, so I’ll give them 4 stars because it was mostly her that detracted from our experience.
But, overall, it’s a cool place, and their pizza is pretty darn good! It’s pretty decently priced for «upscale» pizza, and the alcohol selection is ok too. They also have some nice outdoor space.

All of a sudden these coal-​fired and stone-​oven pizza places are hitting the Indy area and I’ve tried all that I know of. The locally-​owned CRUST gets everything right including its location in a Carmel spot that could become the town’s version Mass Ave.
Chicago-​style pizza chains are grabbing the headlines, however. But what was 1995’s Pizzeria Uno is 2015s Giordano’s. They’re too top-​heavy to endure. God-​forbid profits dip by 3% for one quarter and they high-​tail it out of Indy until the next fad slices in.
Crust got the crust right! Which is to say «the pointy end» doesn’t droop like a tossed banana peel as Blaze does. But hey, I’m a guy who will finish his son’s Subway flatizza crust if he leaves it for longer than the agreed-​upon 90 seconds.
The staff was shiny and pleasant and they serve Coke instead of Pepsi THANK GAWD.

First time dining at Crust tonight, and it was excellent! We had the baked goat cheese appetizer and a vegetarian thin crust pizza. Everything was full of flavor and served promptly. The wait staff was friendly and professional. We will absolutely be back!

We’d like to try this place again. The service was friendly and the food was pretty good. We were able to get seated right away and prices were very reasonable. Nothing really amazing stood out, but nothing was a real negative either, just a solid middle of the road place to eat on a weeknight or before shopping.
First the service – both our server and the manager were very helpful in getting our kids situated with high chairs, crayons, etc., and our server even pulled my chair out for me as we were leaving, which was a thoughtful gesture for such a young man! He was also helpful in getting our check taken care of quickly when my toddler started to get wiggly.
As for the food, we ordered the house bruschetta and the Parma pizza. Great crust on the pizza, and the arugula on top was fresh and crisp. If I had a criticism of the food, however, it would be that both dishes had a pretty overpowering garlic flavor. I’d like to try some of their other pizzas to compare – the menu had a lot of variety, and several topping combinations you don’t see at most pizza places. But I’d be sure to have a pack of gum with you just in case. There was also gelato on the dessert menu that I’d like to try when we have more time to relax.
So not a bad experience by any means, but not amazing either. Like I said, we’d go back.

I was really excited to try this place, and aside from our personable server, I left feeling disappointed. We ordered the parma pizza, calamari, and bruschetta.
–The prosciutto on the parma was sliced very thick. It’s typically shaved on a pizza like this so it made it very difficult to eat.
–The calamari was great — they fried it just long enough and the breading was very light.
–The bruschetta was flat. It needed more vinegar and basil to cut through the plain tomato taste.
My overall impression was that the staff had never had Italian food before and was guessing on how it should have tasted. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and our server was wonderful, but I’m not sure if I’ll be returning.

The garlic cheese bread was phenomenal. Unfortunately that did not make up for the rest of the meal. The Soprano pizza had numerous pieces of pancetta that were just large chunks of gristle and fat and were inedible. The Stromboli was cool in the middle and the cheese was not melted. My husband found a rubber strand from a pastry brush in his pizza. The noise level was terribly loud; I was unable to hear conversation on the other side of the table.
This was so disappointing, especially since we have had great pizza from here before!

There seem to be way too many new pizza places opening up in and around Indy but I can’t pass up a pie :) Crust has an ‘intimate’ feel to it with rather dim lighting and dark wood décor. Our server was prompt in getting drink orders and then was difficult to track down when we wanted food (could be because they sat us in the bar area). Their house wines are decently-​priced (great value if you’re not a sommelier and just want an ok glass of wine). $ 5 – 7 for a generous pour. I ordered a calzone which was HUGE! It would’ve fed three people, so I ended up sharing it with the rest of the group. It was quite good (ordered the one with ricotta, moz, mushrooms, and spinach). Being in Carmel the place clears out around 8:00 pm (haha) but they didn’t rush us to leave.

We went to Crust with a group of colleagues for a quick lunch — we had an hour including drive time to grab something to eat.
My colleagues ordered the panini-​salad lunch special, I got the vegetarian pizza with the thin crust option. The food was out on our table in a few minutes, and everyone was very happy with their choices. The paninis were quite generously sized, as was my pizza. The veggies on my pizza — squash, zucchini, artichokes, eggplant — were nicely cooked and retained some of their crunch, the fresh mozzarella was bubbly, and just the right amount.
Crust will be another nice option for pizza nights when I don’t have time to bake my own.

I’ve held off reviewing this pizzeria because of my mixed feelings. I love their food and pizza. It’s the kind that comes straight from a hot brick oven bubbling with goodness. The air in the restaurant is filled with culinary creations from locally sourced goods. Everything is fresh and made to please.
My past experience previous to today: I was a regular of the place for quite a while, but the servers were just odd. They were over the top, too chatty, and seemed to do what would be considered standard operating procedures, but with a twist that begs for an extra tip. It was just odd and so much so that really split my opinion. I wanted to go, but just couldn’t bare with the servers. Then there was one server that did it right. Desmond. He was on it. Polite. Informative. Attentive. But, then every time we went he was nowhere to be found. And, I stopped going.
But, I still longed for the hot, steamy pizza, the hand breaded calamari perfectly cooked, the enormous salads to feed an army, the meatballs that are made with tender loving care, and the sauce. Oh, how I love sauce. Red, velvety and smooth with a background of herbs and spices it’s the perfect addition to the multitude of food options on the menu. You’ll also find fresh meats and veggie toppings that can garnish two types of pizza crusts: thin and thicker. And, don’t forget the cheese. Motz, gouda, feta…
Today we decided to give it one more shot. I’m so glad we did. Desmond was there not only greeting us with a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio, but with news that he was now the restaurant manager. This place has a lot of potential with him at the helm. He’s working to clean up the staff, purge those that kept us away, and establish a team that one would naturally expect. So if you go, ask for him. If you have a problem ask for him. He’s all about making you a loyal patron and a true Crust foodie. Glad to have seen you today, Desmond.

Service was lacking but pizza is really good here. I think it’s no pizzology but it’s nice to hear myself think.

I love the pizza. We usually get the meatball. I have tried others but meatball is the favorite.
They use organic or farm fresh when they can. I think this is hard to find in Indiana. I appreciate having the option.
There is only one size. It’s like a medium size so we usually get two for our family of four. That’ll be about $ 27 before tip.
I do suggest being careful on special orders like“hold the mushrooms” for carry out. I’ve had a couple times where the special order didn’t happen. But, they made it right. The let me keep the mistake and made a new one. I even got a free drink while waiting.

Heard good things from a friend who stopped in with their son one evening so we stopped in for a quick lunch.
Meatballs appetizer includes 4 medium meatballs — just enough to know whether you love Crust’s marinara or not… We love it! Crust’s marinara captures fresh local tomato flavor without the sugar sweetness of other place’s sauces. The awesome part is this is the same sauce used on the pizzas.
Pizza crusts come either Neapolitan style, like a handtoss, or thin. The thin pizza is not crisp cracker thin, but very thin & a smidge of crust edge enough to dip in marinara if you had a little cup. We thoroughly enjoyed the Margherita on this visit.
Will be back some evening with friends to try the great list of beers and Sicilian. All fresh and local ingredients!

Stopped here because a (different) sandwich shop was closed on Sunday earlier than I expected. This place is new to me but I had heard good word on the street about it. The shop replaced (another) different sandwich shop and this location is kind of brutal with so much around.
Ordered a couple of sandwiches which translates to Panini. The sandwiches were actually big enough to share and very reasonable in price. They were served with some FANTASTIC fries that great even after a 10 minute drive home (I carried out). I would suggest that if you like your sandwich a little «sloppy» to order some dipping sauce, a little extra Marinara for me please.
I haven’t tried the Pizza yet so will update my review after I do that. Maybe raise this to 5 stars, we’ll see. Everyone was very friendly and the ambiance is very nice, very upscale with dark wood and perfect lighting.
Carmel people, you have had far too many restaurants go out of business because the competition is so fierce. Let’s keep this one.

Decided to try Crust tonight with the family. We were a bit rushed so we didn’t get to really take our time but overall I was impressed. I had read the mixed reviews but still I think people just have to try for themselves and see if its a place they would go to again.
I liked the inside and though it is a bit dark, I liked the décor of the place. As for the blacked out windows, I wouldn’t change them. The restaurant is the end building and at 5:30 pm when the sun is out it hits those windows in full force, if the windows weren’t blacked out I can’t imagine how hot it would be sitting there.
As for the service, I noticed as well that the servers seemed to gravitate around one area but it wasn’t really too distracting but I certainly wouldn’t want the table right next to where they were. I was a bit surprised that there weren’t more people there for a Friday night and thought it was due to Good Friday, however driving down main street in Carmel afterwards all the places there looked packed. We were there a bit early so maybe it picked up after we left.
As for the food, we ordered two pizza’s, a plain cheese one for the kids and my wife and I had a make your own with Meatball and Pepperoni. I thought the pizza was very good and had a good flavor to it. My only complaint was I thought the price per topping on the make your own was a bit high.
I will certainly come back to Crust and would like to try some of the other items on the menu other than the pizza. I’m a fan of the meatball so I’d like to try the meatball panini and calzone they have.
One thing Carmel is not lacking is Pizza places. I hope this place does get some more traffic because it is a nice mix to the Carmel scene.

I live nearby and was very amped to try Crust once it opened. My husband and I went on a Saturday night and the place was pretty much dead. We were seated promptly and had a very bubbly waitress.
We ordered the mac & cheese for an appetizer and the dish was so soupy is was almost mac & cheese soup. I showed the waitress and she had it taken back right away, very helpful.
The meatball pizza was very good, hardly any complaints. But it just wasn’t anything spectacular for the price we were paying. I would go back for sure but it’s not my new favorite pizza place unfortunately. Which is a disappointment because they are so close by!