Last spring, my friend and I unintentionally went to Lampo2GO, Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria’s takeout-only location near IX Art Park, when we had meant to have a sit-down meal at the main location. Since then, I have been planning to find a time to do it right and dine in. After spending a day bouncing between far too many group projects and cooped up in my apartment chopping away at finals prep, I decided it was the perfect evening to get out and re-energize myself with dinner.
Lampo was founded in 2014 by chefs Loren Mendosa, Mitchell Beerens, Andrew Cole and Ian Redshaw, all of whom became friends while working at Charlottesville restaurant Tavola. The pizza parlor, aiming to achieve certification by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, goes all out. Lampo uses the proper “00” flour, serves pizza unsliced and even imported a wood-burning pizza oven that had to be lowered into the restaurant from above. There are only 94 certified restaurants in the United States, and Lampo is determined to get on that list.
Lampo is located in Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood, just a six-minute walk from Ting Pavilion and about a 10-minute drive from Central Grounds. The restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Lampo operates on a first come, first serve basis rather than offering reservations, and given that the small space has only 21 seats, you’ll want to arrive close to opening to clinch a table…