Tucked along Sumter Street in Columbia, South Carolina, there’s a small pizzeria where the pizza show starts before you even take a bite. At Il Focolare Pizzeria, the dough, the sauce, and the toppings all come together right in front of you before sliding into a roaring wood-fired oven.
People travel from other states and swear it beats pizza they’ve had in New York and Chicago. If you love watching your food get made and eating something truly fresh, this little spot is worth knowing about.
A Little Corner of Italy on Sumter Street
Sitting at 2150 Sumter St in Columbia, Il Focolare Pizzeria is a small pizza restaurant that has quietly earned a big reputation. With a 4.7 star rating from nearly 490 reviews, it’s the kind of place regulars describe as their go-to for the best pizza in town.
The focus here is simple but done well: wood-fired pizza made completely from scratch. Everything from the dough to the sauces gets prepared in house, and diners can watch the whole process unfold…