Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza and Live Music

We visited Nathalie’s Coal Fired Pizza to see an amazing Brasilian jazz fusion band on a Saturday night. And what a deal! The show was only $ 10 bucks a head!
Nathalie’s is a cozy, intimate venue, with seating for maybe 60 people. The seating is comfortable and the tables are laid out well. For warmer months there’s outdoor seating as well. The building is just the right size, in my opinion, and I think the acoustic panels on the walls keep the noise levels in check.
The pizza at Nathalie’s is first rate — definitely the best I’ve had in Columbus. The beer and wine selection are great also. The beer menu has many local craft beers as well as domestics from elsewhere. I believe there were some foreign beers on the menu as well.
Nathalie’s is a great place to hang out; we’re probably going to end up being regulars.

I’m in love with their pizza!
Awesome flavor and fun toppings (including ricotta, goat cheese and arugula). And my favorite, a balsamic reduction that they put on certain pizzas and also the caprese app… I’m telling you, that stuff is liquid crack. I make it at home, and I have never achieved that level of flavor and viscosity. Just perfect.
I took my mom in once and returned on a date… the ambiance worked for both situations.
I haven’t gone for the live music yet but I will!

How many times in your life do you get to say «THIS is truly the best pizza I’ve ever had,»? Natalie’s is that kind of experience. Their current seasonal — with andouille sausage and acorn squash — is nothing short of wicked in its flavor. The Greenwich Village is its perfect partner. Comfortable atmosphere, great service and great food is a powerful combination. Well done Natalie.

Good food. Good bands. Good times. These people love their jobs and it shows. Great customer service from the time we walked in until we left.
The menu is gourmet but simple. They have a full page of beer selections-​Craft brews to the obligatory Budweiser selection.
We had the cheese plate, house salad, and funky funghi pizza. Wow! Cheese plate was definitely worth a try. Pick from 6 – 8 selections. They suggest beer pairings. The house salad was well balance with spicy and sweet. Spicy comes from the pepper. The pizza was really good. I say really because the garlic was a bit strong, almost over powering.
They have live music 6 nights a week. They do a good job with variety-​I have been following their line up for 4 months. These aren’t garage bands. This isn’t your cousins band, unless your cousin is a professional musician.
A great place to take friends and/​or a date night (even if you been married 30 years).

When I first heard about a coal-​fired pizza in Columbus, I got excited, as this is the method used by some of the best pizza makers in the world (Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn, Sally’s, Frank Peppe in New Haven, etc.). It is the high temperature (1000 degrees) that makes the difference. It makes a blistered, crispy crust with a slight char and it nukes the cheese to a molten level– all in about 4 minutes. Unfortunately, Natalie’s pizza does not come close to the more famous counterparts. I watched the pies in the oven sit next to a modest pile of coal for 10 minutes or so, so that oven is nowhere near 1000 degrees.
It still is a good pizza, and it has complex, smokey flavors, but it lacks the thinner, blistered crust I prefer. This crust is more by-​the-​slice New York style. It has a very slight char on the bottom but the end crust is too puffy and doughy and the slice was too thick.
i ordered the Margherita (mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil), as this is my benchmark. It was small (they only offer one size, about 12″, which is crazy) and was very lightly topped, leaving a good 2″ diameter ring along the outside with no cheese or sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had great pizzas with no cheese but this just seemed cheap. In my opinion, this pizza could be improved with fresh, whole milk mozzarella, especially if it were made from Buffalo milk, as in Italy, and more of it. I can’t speak to the other ingredients on the other types of pies, but they appeared local and fresh.
Service was friendly and prompt and the happy hour drink and beer prices were fair.
Overall, you could do much worse in Columbus when buying pizza, and Natalie’s is far better than the chain offerings, but don’t expect a world-​class experience.
Compliments on the concept though. The idea of live music in an intimate setting with pizza, is a good one, and I applaud the owners for trying something new.

I’ve been here now a handful of times. I’ve had very inconsistent food quality issues. Tried the smoked trout dip on one visit and it was great. When I tried it again it was terrible. The portions seem to have grown smaller but not the price.
The vibe is always weird. When bands are playing it feels like dinner theater.
Overall it’s too expensive for the small portions and the inconsistent food. There are other better places to spend my money & time.

Natalie’s has some good pizza! I’m all about the crust. It’s crisp with spots of char on the outside with a lovely buttery bite. They have a great selection of toppings too. We’re talking Soppressata, asparagus, heirloom tomatoes, andouille sausage too! Ordered the Bianco and Vedura Trebbiano. The Bianco was delicate and delicious. The Trebbiano was robust and satisfying.
The pies come out quickly and it doesn’t take long to gobble them up either.
As for the music, we didn’t stay to see a show but it was pretty loud in there already so with the music, I imagine it’s nearly impossible to have a conversation.

Driving here, I actually missed this place and had to turn around for their parking lot. It’s kinda tucked away. Inside, however is a decent space. The wood fire is visible to the patrons. The patio is a nice addition to the establishment.
My good friend and I decided on a salad and shared our two pizzas. The Pear Salad had a good salad taste. The dressing was mixed in evenly — a touch that I think more restaurants should take the time to do. Not sure it was worth $ 7, I felt. The goat cheese crumbles, I’m sure, is costly. A few strips of pepper, candied pecans and four thin slices of pear. Satisfying, however.
For main substance, we ordered a Greenwich pizza, and the second was a make-​your-​own. I was a tad hesitant about the Greenwich because of the tomato sauce, but it has sausage and bell peppers. A personal fav — they were cooked wonderfully. The tastes melded so well. The light, slightly crisp, chewy crust was a highlight.
The second pizza consisted of sausage, mushroom, mixed bell pepper and fresh spinach. All atop olive oil. Oh my golly! There was a butter taste — brushed on with the olive oil? It was the perfect amount of pop! The toppings? Yum. The whole shabigalo was a personal favorite. I must remember this concoction, should I mosey back here, in time.
Complementary champaign was served to guests later I the nite, because it was their 3^rd year anniversary. Happy Chichester was the evening act. Enjoyed his set. The music was upbeat. Decent acoustics. Was it necessary to charge $ 10/​person ADDITIONALLY on top of the food bill, for the evening act? The jury’s still out on that one. Only two four-​top tables were not filled, so it says something at least.
We decided to share the Crème Brûlée for dessert. It was good, but not quite up to par as other places I’ve tried. The Carmelites sugar crust was good. And the dish had good consistency. But the flavor didn’t burn a memory in my brain-​bank.

The pizza here is pretty great. We came in for a late dinner and were not disappointed.
We started with the Arancini which was delicious and highly recommended. Great texture and flavor. 4.5÷5
For pizza we got the Venetian Jail and split between two people. Heads up their pizzas are definitely shareable (2 people can split and get 4 slices each). The pizza was great with a perfect crust and interesting toppings. Highly recommend the Venetian Jail if you’re looking for something different!
⁴⁄₅
Loved this place and hope to come back to check out their other pizzas!

Great food– not your average pizzas. Awesome music– live local artists. Neighborhood, friendly vibes… We’ll be back! :-)

Natalie’s pizza is legitimately the best pizza I’ve ever had.
Not only is the food fantastic — local, organic, well-​balanced, and delicious — but the atmosphere is so much fun! As a music venue, they book the most fantastic performers — there’s always a great show.
Drinks are delicious — the seasonal rotating menu is fun and interest.
Service is always phenomenal. How often so you see the owner of the restaurant bartender and waiting tables? This places is amazing.

Natalie’s brunch is just another thing this place does well. It was packed to the walls when we arrived on a Sunday morning, so we cozied up to our neighbors and got comfy. Well, kind of comfy? They do have live music during brunch hours, and man — it’s so loud in here. The waiting for the song to finish so you don’t have to shout across a small table to be heard kind of loud. (Reminder: may need earplugs if attending a show here.)
However, we were here for the food and the drinks. Sangria, lovely, dark and smooth. Spicy pepper bloody mary — I’ll just have these for brunch, please! Long sips! Made with pepper vodka and served with a variety of accoutrements, it will wake you up. My brunch-​partner Lori and I shared a big, fluffy cinnamon roll, and a Morning Side Red pizza — red sauce, bacon, mozzarella, arugula, shaved grana padano, pepper and a poached egg cracked over it all — an excellent mix of flavors and textures.
Also, they have Luck Bros. coffee. That will be enough to get me back in the door for brunch (with earplugs). Oh, and another Bloody Mary, please.

Good food? check
Fun atmosphere? check
Mind-​blowing coal fired pizza? check
Add to this list — nice staff, quick service, and great drink specials during happy hour. PS, if you’re a cocktail fan — GET THEIR COCKTAILS. They are delicious and creative — not the typical «this» and coke or «that» with vodka.
Note this — if you’re planning on staying for the music — it’s typically a $ 10-​$ 15 admission fee. Also, you can’t come in early for dinner and then stay for the show. They literally CLEAR the restaurant before the show, so you have to leave and come back if you were there for dinner. Kind of annoying, but I get it. Also, they don’t have a dance floor for the music. Why no dance floor, Natalie?

Vibe, vibe, vibe, vibe, vibe.
Natalie’s is a vibey place. It’s like Nashville knew exactly what Columbus needed, so it packed up a venue that had been around for a couple centuries, and shipped the bricks and mortar to Clintonville. But don’t kid yourself. Nashville doesn’t know artisan pizza like Columbus does. And Natalie’s has only been up and running for a few years.
Behind every great business is a great owner. In this case, two great owners. Natalie’s is run by a former record store owner, who spent many years running a shop in Circleville, and eventually moved into Columbus. He’s a true artist and appreciator. And his daughter Natalie, who lived in New York City, partnered with him to create the concept and run the space. There’s no better synergy between pizza and music than father and daughter. The duo makes this place come alive.
One of the coolest aspects of Natalie’s, is that before each show, the audience is asked to turn off their phones. That just doesn’t happen anymore. The result: A listening room environment that is engaged and respectful to the music, almost to the point of zen. It’s like the quiet reading area of the library, gone live music, full bar, and artisan pizza.

Great atmosphere, the bar is nicely stocked. Get there early to take advantage of the 3.50 early bird drafts, which include micro brews.
The pizza was great, but I really with the outer crust edge was done a little more. There was a little brown, but inside it was a hair underdone.
Despite that, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back — and next time a little later for the live music

Looks like I am on a bit of a pizza kick, doesn’t it?
Well, I am.
I am extremely late to the party at Natalie’s, pretty much all of Columbus has been here before me. But, the joy of that meant that we could linger as long as we wanted on our first visit. And linger we did. Good pizza, good beer, great service… What’s not to like?
We’ve ordered different pizzas each time we’ve been in and haven’t been disappointed yet. I am not always a fan of thinner crust but this crust is what I’d considered pretty perfect for thin crust. And the best part? It’s nearly as good as leftovers as it is when it’s fresh.
The first time we went we had dessert and I’ve forgotten the name of it but it was AMAZING. It was this chocolate mousse-​type thing but so much better than any chocolate mousse you’ve ever had. Yes, we will be back and often.

This place is wonderful! I’ve been probably 10 times and every time it’s so fabulous! I love the crust of the pizza. It’s so good that I could probably just eat it plain and be satisfied. The staff is always top notch and Natalie herself is always there helping out too, which I think is the mark of a great establishment.
Just go there and eat, drink and be merry. You won’t be dissapointed!
The end.

We decided to check out Natalie’s for a Sunday brunch. They have a fantastic brunch deal. Coffee or tea, cocktail, and entrée for $ 16. That’s a $ 12 entrée plus a $ 7 cocktail and hot beverage for $ 16!!!
Lots of great options on the brunch menu. I ordered the Cajun Scramble pizza. It was phenomenal. Sweet from the peppers with the Cajun spices made it the perfect balance. It was a really good size so it was really a good value. My husband had a make your own pizza and really liked the bacon. The icing on the cake was the live jazz music.
To sum it up; great food, great drinks, great service, great music, but they need more parking spaces.

After considering ordering from a chain pizza restaurant, we decided to finally explore the Columbus pizza scene instead.
Seeing the good reviews on Unilocal,we had wanted to try Natalie’s. After reading the menu, it was a done deal. We headed out around 6 on a Tuesday.
We arrived to find both a private lot, which we always appreciate. Although the lot seemed pretty full, it wasn’t super crowded which was nice.
The waitress was very nice and helpful. When we asked about some of the craft beers, she offered to let us have a sample of each of the 3 we were considering. We were pleasantly surprised with this, as well as with the fact that they were decently-​sized samples, enough so that we could each try. We ended up going with the Curious Traveler Shandy. My boyfriend said that it was worth going for that beer alone. It was SO good; light and refreshing. The perfect summer beer!
Although we were torn about some of the delicious sounding appetizers, we ended up going straight for the pizza. We got the venetian jail but we subbed prosciutto for the sausage. It was really good. The balsamic and arugula in particular gave the pizza a really unique flavor and texture. All of the ingredients worked well together. Our only complaint was that there was supposed to be ricotta and goat cheese, but we really only tasted the ricotta. With that being said, the ricotta did work really well with the pizza, which caught us by surprise. In the future if we were to get this pizza, we would ask for less arugula and ricotta and more goat cheese.
We also got two desserts, the crème brûlée and chocolate mousse. They weren’t part of a menu and ended up being $ 6 and $ 7 each, but very good! I preferred the crème brûlée, though the chocolate mousse was in a cute mug which was both aesthetically pleasing and a good size.
Overall, great experience and we’ll definitely return!

The bf and I decided to hit up Natalie’s one Friday night to hear some live music and have some cocktails and Natalie’s fit the bill. I went to website and got the full scoop on how they run things. You pay for a ‘ticket’ to see the band, basically a cover charge. You can prepay online, which is a good idea for popular acts, or you can pay at the door or add it to you check if you’re already dining and you want to stay for the show.
There are some caveats. If they’ve sold out of tickets and you’re dining in and didn’t get tickets, 9:00 comes around and you’re out of there. If it’s 9:00 and they have tickets left and you want to order one more drink, you have to buy a ticket to stay. If you show up to just eat at 9:00 or after, you have to buy a ticket anyway and if they’re sold out, you don’t get to dine in.
I get it. It makes sense. It’s just awkward. When we went, we were prepared to pay the cover and were just planning to have drinks. They weren’t busy, so no one was turned away. Unfortunately, they started the show an hour late. To make things worse, before the act got started, a staff member who was kind of emceeing asked the entire restaurant to keep their voices down during the act and if they wanted to talk, to use the patio. I found this slightly offensive. I’ve never been to a show where I was told to be quiet except back in college at senior recitals, which were live recorded. It made the environment stiff and not comfortable. The sound was pretty good for the space. I was expecting worse.
The pizza smelled awesome and I’d like to go back and order some next time. Drinks were pretty good. I wish they were maybe $ 1 less than they are for what you get, but that’s nit picky. I enjoyed the aged honey vanilla OYO. Service was good! Bathrooms had funny paintings on the walls. I used the men’s become some woman decided to turn the ladies into her apartment and I remember there was a giant cat with a suit and tie on.
Over all a nice if not slightly awkward night out. I want to go again to see if I can get used to their quirks or if it really is just an awkward business model.