Pizzeria Fondi

My friends and I went there for our dinner and a server who took our order was very rude and the restaurant was pretty empty and we had to wait over 20mins to get our water refilled. Not going back there again.

The service was great, from the guy at the counter patently explaining their order-​first process to our waitress who was always available when we needed something. The food sadly left much to be desired.
We started with the Tuscan White Bean Spread (served with a huge portion of flat-​bread). The flat-​bread was fried to a crisp and extremely over-​salted. If there were other flavors in this dish, I missed them as the salt covered everything.
For pizza we had the Vegetariano. When it was brought to our table I was amazed at all the artichoke hearts and olives (two of my favorite vegetables). Sadly the pizza was burned a bit and despite the promising toppings, lacked any distinct flavor.
So from overly-​salted to bland and thirty bucks poorer :(I may well have had a bad experience, but because chain restaurants value consistency in their dishes, I imagine that if I had these dishes again at Fondi they would taste the same.

I’m very particular about my pizza. Specifically I like the crust to be thin and CRISPY. There are other great pizzas out there (Via Tribunali, Tutta Bella) but they are not CRISPY. They are FLOPPY. They seem wet and bready. I may not be in the majority here, but if you’re like me, I can tell you that this place and also Veraci in Ballard are the tops for thin & crispy brick oven pizza.
Oh and the ingredients are fresh, the décor is fine, the bathrooms are clean, and the service (such as it is) is tolerable. Their namesake beer on draft (it’s a red ale) is quite good, too.

This place has an unusual ordering system in that you order immediately upon entering the restaurant and then sit down at a waited table. Aside from the initial awkwardness, Pizzeria Fondi has some delicious pizzas and a prompt, attentive waiting staff. It’s convientently located in the U-​District just north of the University Village shopping area and well within the range of many college students. While the prices are a bit steep, there is an excellent $ 7 pizza deal for students (Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, and two different Cheese pizzas). Considering that you get a full pizza for only $ 7, that’s an excellent price for any college student. Definitely going back again.

I came in through the wrong door.
Didn’t realize I had to order off the menu in the front first before grabbing a number and then seating myself. What does this remind me of? Oh yeah. Taco Time.
The food was good but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I had the vegetable lasagna ($ 8) which looked small but ended up filling me up. The zucchini and yellow squash were not overcooked and still had a nice firmness to it. Overall, it was a quick affordable lunch.
Next time however, I think I’ll try the «La bomba di cioccolata” – which is similar to a tiramisu according to Nicole (the attentive/​friendly waitress). Rich chocolate cake, espresso, mascarpone mousse, shaved chocolate… all for $ 6. Maybe I’ll just skip lunch altogether and just order desserts (they offer gelato too!).

I had been wanting to try Fondi for a while with my girlfriend, but with all the pizza spots peppered around the U-​District, I kept forgetting to make my way over.
Well, that has come and gone and I’ve now had a taste of Pizzeria Fondi.
It’s odd.
You have to order as soon as you arrive through the front door. I was assuming that it was a sit-​down setting, which it is, AFTER you are somewhat forced to put down an order. From there you seat yourself, so in all reality, it’s more of a pizza cafeteria. The overall décor is clean and neat and marked with the typical Italiano iconic posters and the like.
The seating was also cafeteria style, which continued to sort of confuse the overall experience. The staff however, presumably hard-​workin’ UW undergrads were quite nice and helpful, but unfortunately even the service didn’t make up for the initial blunt, and confusing experience. Overall, it was sort of hokey, and uncomfortable.
But wait, there’s more… for those of you who are students, they have a pretty good deal. Overall the menu was reasonably priced as well.
However, the pizza arrives slightly burned, the salad was a bit wilted, and if you are out for something new, or something special in the world of pizza, well, then Pizzeria Fondi won’t really do it for you.

The pizza is a solid 3 and I liked it. The Caesar salad was 2, as the croutons were stale and dressing was watered down. The service here was a 1. Seriously… it’s was like a little kids soccer game except the staff was chasing around pizza without rhyme or reason
We’ve gone here 3 times for the sake of proximity, and have noticed changes but they are not helping.
Strike 1 — Look, I know it’s busy and I’m not the cleanest person on the planet… but please bus some freakin’ tables. Get the plates with half eaten pizza pilled up with napkins in a bus tub… ASAP. This has been consistent with every visit. We’re not talking 1 or 2 tables either.
Strike 2 — I’m not an alcoholic either but I usually like more than 1 frosty beverage with my dinner. With this new service model not one person asked me if I wanted another beer.
Strike 3 — I had to ask twice for silverware to eat my salad, but asking really wasn’t the problem. It was 10 minutes salad staring contest after we asked.
Take-​out would be our only option for the future.

The set-​up is a bit untraditional because you place your order at the front counter and then seat yourself. Food is brought out as appropriate by whatever waiter gets to it first.
My friend and I asked the gal at the register about portion size, letting her know that neither of us were all that hungry or anything and just wanted a modest sized meal and a reasonable price to match. We were told that a shared appetizer, medium salad and pizza would be a balanced, light meal. Sounded fair to us, so we went with the bruschetta, gorgonzola salad and a prosciutto pizza plus a glass of wine for each of us.
I was definitely correct about the family atmosphere part. It seems like this is the crowd that the place is going for, so why they didn’t bother to think about acoustics was baffling to me… all I could hear upon entering the main dining area was yelling children (and I regularly felt the vibrations of the kid twenty feet down from me kicking the bench that we shared). Kids are loud, so plan for it. Put some fabric on that ceiling! The place was actually pretty empty since it was almost 8pm; can’t imagine how unpleasant it is at 6pm.
We found a seat near the bar and didn’t have to wait long for our wine to appear. We noticed a fly problem within minutes… little black guys all over the place. Perhaps it is because of all of the sugar syrups behind the bar? Regardless, gross.
The appetizer came out pretty quickly. Wait, that’s not what we ordered… oh, it is? That is bruschetta? It was a full white crust pizza with loads of balsamic and a sparse spread of fresh (not melted) mozzarella balls and grape tomatoes. Slap some basil on there, drizzle the olive oil and call it what it really is: a skimpy Caprese pizza cut into squares instead of wedges. The bread was really floppy, which made it hard to eat because the cheese and tomatoes weren’t adhered to it at all (maybe that’s why there were hardly any on there?). My friend and I were hoping for some toasted, garlic-​y sliced bread with a generous heap of diced tomatoes, onions and seasonings… you know, we wanted bruschetta like we’d ordered. We got a pizza for the entrée, we want some real bread too.
The salad followed and it was tasty, though the small would have definitely sufficed.
The pizza was next and it was okay. Nothing to write home about (just to Unilocal write-​up about!). It was straight forward and pretty much what you’d expect albeit a bit bland. The crust was slightly undercooked too, and had the same boring flavor as the caprese pizza, er bruschetta.
We were entirely under whelmed for our $ 52 meal. Friendly waitstaff is about all this place has going for it.

4.5 starts! Crispy and fresh pizza! Yummy crust and sauce is not runny like Tutta Bella’s which is very good.
I love thin crust pizza. Veracci’s pizza is yummy but sort of pricey, but Fondi’s pizza is reasonable. I will go back tomorrow again because they are that good! Highly recommended.

Five girls. Three pizzas. One salad. Three scoops of gelato. One crazy waiter. A LOT of laughter. Only $ 10 each.
I met up with my former study-​abroad roommates for one of our semi-​regular meetups. Kathy works for University Village and had suggested Fondi due to its proximity. I’d been curious about it since it was opened, but hadn’t gotten around to eating there, so I was all for it.
For starters, we ordered the large ensalata verde, which was quite tasty. Tomatos, olives, artichoke hearts, white beans… and lettuce, of course, which yummy dressing. We decided to get a few pizzas and share them, even though after living in Rome for three months, we are well aware that we can each eat a pizza on our own. Margherita is a staple, and we also tried the veggie pizza and the gustoso. I didn’t taste the veggie, as I strongly dislike both peppers and onions, but the others were good. Not as amazing as, I don’t know, Via Tribunali, but probably not trying to be, either.
Our server was very nice and seemed to enjoy the fact that we were having some sort of study-​abroad reunion. He was even willing to take pictures of us even though we made him use three different cameras.
Once we recieved our check and were doing the whole annoying «who has cash/​who has a card/​who pays what» thing, he came back and put the idea of dessert in our heads. Apparently, there was some kind of deal where we could get tiramisu with three scoops of gelato for some cheap price, and Gina and I couldn’t turn it down. We all traipsed over to the gelato counter (yes, we are ridiculous) and were given samples before finally making our choices: almond, pistachio, and white chocolate with espresso flakes (my favorite of the three). It was a good dessert and even though there were five of us eating it, we almost couldn’t finish the whole thing (but don’t worry, we managed).
We got our final check and I was really surprised to see it only came out to about $ 10 per person — I guess all this sharing really is the way to go!
Of course, nothing is perfect, not even helpful servers… We sat and laughed some more (admittedly TOO long) until one of us turned around and realized the waiter was sitting at a table behind us… just STARING at us. We were in disagreement about WHY: a few thought he was staring at us to imply, «You have overstayed your welcome, now leave!» and a few others thought it was just kind of, well, creepy (come on, we’re cute girls and he HAD seemed rather interested in our being there…). We left soon after and he bid us adieu, and I have no idea what the staring was all about.
We didn’t really leave for another hour or so, though. We couldn’t stop standing around, reminiscing, and laughing our asses off (that little plaza plays some pretty awesome music when it’s closed and no one is around…) Fondi is good, don’t get me wrong, but my review may be a teeny bit biased just based on the company I was with and all the memories it brought back. :)

Another good entry in the wood-​fired/​thin-​crust pizza restaurant genre. Definitely a nice step up from your average pizza place, but not trying to be anything fancier than it is — Tasty food, generous salads (and I like the small/​medium/​large size options) and plenty of beer and wine options. Plus you can wash it all down with your fave gelato at the end of the meal. What’s not to like? I’ve never been let down by any of the food that I’ve ordered and the service has been just fine. Perhaps we go earlier than the crowds, but we’ve also never had a problem getting a seat (this place is pretty large).
As a comparison, I’d say this place is very similar in quality and feel to Tutta Bella on Stone Way — the Tutta Bella in the 2200 feels «more upscale» (not necessarily a good thing). It’s a step below Via Tribunali, at least in quality, but the prices at Fondi are lower, and there’s much more seating (compared to Tribunali) so that’s a plus.
As a side note, I can’t understand why people are all cheesed (ha!) off about there being families and kids here. Maybe it’s because I have a kid, and I need placed to eat out, but I’ve never found it offensively loud, or overrun like a Chuck E. Cheese or anything. More importantly, for crissakes, this is a pizza joint, located near U Village and UW — don’t go expecting a fine-​dining experience (hushed tones, tableclothes, expert service). I’ve been plenty of adults-​only places that are similarly loud and uncomfortable to eat/​drink in, so it’s not the presence of kids themselves that’s the issue.
At any rate, parking’s a little quirky because the «Northcut Landing» buildings its in are oddly laid out, but it’s free in the garage or the few spots available in front of the restaurant.

While the atmosphere here is more «sterile» than tutta bella (any location), the quality is still excellent & you get great food/​drink for your $$. It is family friendly, but not a romper room, service is so-​so (sometimes they are too quick, other times hard to find), parking easy & free. It is convenient if you are at U-​Village and looking for good food (which for some reason the options at UVillage IMHO are not so much), so we’ve gone here a few times w/​the little guy toward early evening.
Oh yeah, and decent gelato assortment/​options if you are so inclined. Not sure where they source it, but it is good quality.

Family atmosphere… lots of veggie and healthy options. Best pizza place in U-​Village area.
Ordered:
— Insalata de meppi
— Gustoso pizza
— Flat bread mix platter
— Isalada verde — Fondi caprese salad.
–The no-​cheese pizza is also excellent

Wear earplugs or go after 8:30, this place is crawling with other people’s spawn.
However, having said that, I heart their insalata de mele. We get a large and one pizza and we’re pretty happy.
Um, always always ask that they don’t brush oil on the crust when they are done. That is a no no in my book.
Their gelato is good.
Their waitstaff is pretty good.
Their sodas are ginormous and expensive, save yourself some dosh and drink water.
Its in walking distance and that works for me.

The Daily (UW’s paper) goes here for group dinners ever since they’ve moved into Northcut Landing near UVillage, and this place is great!
Food: Pretty good pizza. I got the prosciutto & arugula pizza, and it was a bit dry. My friend, however, got the Bianca (the special for the night) and boy it was DELICIOUS. My salad (chicken, mixed greens, etc…) was quite tasty, but my friend’s caprese was amazing! Finally, we were served tiramisu and gelato on the house and that was fantastic.
Service: Our waitress was great. Coincidentally her boyfriend worked at The Daily, but even if he didn’t I’m sure she would’ve been just as great. Our food arrived promptly, our glasses were always filled, and she kept those lemons coming!
Price: Not bad, especially for the size of the single salad. The pizza is a bit bigger than a personal pizza, so the $ 12 price is not really high.
Ambiance: A bit noisy and busy, so not really a «date» place. Great for kids and family and group dinners though!
We love this place, so I’m sure we’ll be back again!

My first Fondi experience: «Have you guys ever been here before?» «No» «Okay, here’s how it works.» Pointing to the pizza section on the menu, he says, «these are your pizzas», to the salads, «these are your salads», and, turning the menu to the drinks side, «these are your drinks».
Tutta Bella is better. If you don’t live within walking distance of Fondi, drive to Wallingford or Columbia City instead. If you do live nearby, you could do far worse. Sure, the waiters and waitresses are all U Village types, and the place has a weird magnetism for big groups of people, but the food and value are well worth it.
The best pizza is the «gustoso», featuring pancetta, artichoke hearts, and great gobs of gorgonzola. I also enjoyed the pepperoni, prosciutto and arugula, and chicken and red peppers but was only mildly impressed by «il Greco» and the «vegetariano». The flatbread appetizers are surprisingly large, so be prepared. A pizza will feed two, so even with drinks you can get away without having to spend a whole lot of cash.
If convenience were not a factor I probably never would’ve tried the place (the building being hideous enough to scare away anyone), but since it is I am very happy to have Fondi in my neighborhood. Maybe we can split a gustoso next time you come over to my apartment to play video games.
Note: they do take-​out orders, but you’re probably better off going there and then placing your order rather than calling ahead. This type of pizza cools almost as quickly as it cooks.

Despite the fact this is the new «it place» for soccer moms and their kids — I really, really liked Fondi. I have never tried Tutta Bella and therefore I can’t compare. But, Fondi has the best pizza I’ve had in a long time.
Half of the restaurant was filled with noisy (older) kids and the other half was filled with couples and small groups. I appreciated that they sat us as far away from the soccer team as possible. But, it didn’t change the volume in the restaurant.
Either way, the service was really great. I never ran out of lemonade and the server was very prompt in clearing plates and what not. In fact, I felt like they might have been a bit over-​staffed. But, I prefer that over under-​staffed.
Like I said, the pizza was the best I have had in a long time. I ordered the Margherita pizza, which was simple yet delcious. They make some of the cheese in house and all of their dough is made fresh. The quality of the products really makes a difference. I also tried the small caesar and the white bean dip with flat bread. All of it was really amazing — very garlicky with lots of olive oil — just what I like! We SHARED the pizza, bean dip and a small salad and still have 2 pieces of pizza leftover for lunch today!
I will definitely be back to this place soon — especially now, that soccer season is over (and I know this because it was their awards ceremony last night)!

I think 90% of the customers had the“free pizza” door hanger; just like us. The place was pretty full and the staff seemed a bit over-​whelmed. Our waiter was very young, very inexperienced but that was ok.
The design is very much like tutta bella, same open design, perhaps a bit noisier, same low lighting but at least the menu is better designed for aging eyes.
We ordered the special pizza (sausage, salami, mushrooms, etc.) and a medium salad; which is just the right size for two. I liked the pizza better here. It’s slightly larger and not quite as thin and soggy as bella tutta. We also had gelato, which had a nice texture to it.
All in all it was a very enjoyable meal.

Kim J summed it up pretty nicely. Great pizza — although I would have to give Fondi an edge up over *gasp* Tutta Bella. I know, I know, TB has a loyal following with it’s «Certified Neopolitan» wood fired pizzas blah blah blah… and while they are very good, I find them a bit thin and sometimes soggy. Fondi does better crust, and a bigger variety of appetizers and salad options. I didn’t try the tiramisu, but the gelato was plenty good.
Service was very green and I’d like to see a bigger selection of wines by the glass, but if I lived in the neighborhood I’d be a regular.

I used to live at Blakeley Commons, which is about a block from the brand spanking new Northcut Landing building (across the street from Office Depot, which is adjacent to U-​Village). I watched the building grow from the ground up for over a year, but then bought a house and moved to Northgate. It recently opened, and now I’m wishing I had stayed in my condo just a while longer…
In the midst of various doctor offices and tanning stores is a true gem: Pizzeria Fondi (sister restaurant to the other in the chain in Kent). It just opened on August 8^th, and the staff is a bit green because of it… but it’s still fantastic.
Pizzeria Fondi is a wood fire neapolitan pizza place, which puts it on the list of what, like 3 total in Seattle? Thus, the comparisons to my favorite, Tutta Bella, will abound in this review.
Inside, PF looks like, well, Tutta Bella — the shelves stocked with various cans, italian posters on the walls, and it’s quite big with an open kitchen/​oven. The menu is smaller than TB, but the pizza was delicious. I got the four cheese which was outstanding. The crust is a little thicker in some places than TB, and at PF they brush the crust with an olive oil/​herb blend (chives, basil). If I had to choose a winner I’d say TB barely edges out PF in the pizza arena, but I’d have to eat there again to verify.
Where PF really, really wins is the appetizers and salads. When I’m eating greasy pizza I often want to feel better about myself by getting a side salad or something similar. At TB, the cheapest salad is around $ 7 for a small, and is way, way too big to eat as an appetizer (and all of their salads are only comprised of romaine lettuce). Their appetizers are also minimal. PF, however, has a great selection of maybe 6 – 7 appetizers, some of which are around $ 4 (I want to go back and try the ham and cheese skewers: proscuitto-​wrapped fontina cheese, arugula, and balsamic fig drizzle… *drools*).
They have various salads that have THREE ranges: large, medium, and small; and the small is LESS THAN FOUR DOLLARS. I got the Insalata de Mele: arugula, romaine, radicchio, frisee lettuce, apple cubes, pomegranate vinaigrette, fennel-​candied walnuts, and gorgonzola. SO. GOOD. And huge as well. Honestly the salads make this place 100% return-​worthy (though the pizza is good too).
Oh, and also, they have a no cheese pizza that the vegan husband loved: carmelized onions, rosemary mushrooms, roasted peppers, green olives, toimato sauce, and chili oil.
In summary, really good pizza (and a perfect substitute if you aren’t willing to drive down 45^th in rush hour to get to stone way for TB, but outstanding salads (so far) whose prices almost ensure you should go check it out. Deal with the somewhat awkward and still-​ramping-​up service and you have a great new candidate for best pizza on the block.